Dinah woke the morning of the ritual wondering what had possessed her to agree to this. Outside, it was just dawn, the sun rising swiftly, lighting the room. She could see, from where she laid, the beginnings of the morning sky, colored vivid blue. Next her Marc slept peacefully.

She could feel a headache starting behind her eyes. She felt brittle, like she was about to shatter or if she got a single wrong look she'd deck the looker.  She sighed.  Not good.

Across the room, hanging from the back of the closet door was the dress she was wearing, a simple A line, closely fitted through her hips then falling straight stopping just short of the floor. It was fashioned from a heavy crushed velvet, a dark blue trimmed in green, the colors of the House, Kessa had assured her and what she was expected to wear. The sleeves were long and ended in points on the backs of her hands, and curves on the other side cut out to frame her palms.

On the dresser were the jewels Kessa had told her had been Mac’s that would be braided into her hair, sapphires and emeralds. She was already feeling like she was getting ready to play dress up with some one else’s clothes.  She was going to spend the day as the center of attention for a lot of people and she hated the very thought of it.

She shifted slightly, thinking through the schedule for the day as it had been shared with her. Leave for the Great Hall at eleven thirty, Ritual at noon, finished between one and two o’clock; then back here for a quick lunch and the dragon games. After that there was a formal dinner followed by reception and ball. She had another dress for the games and another one after that for the dinner.

But after all that she could go home. God! She couldn’t wait.

She felt Marc stir next to her and shifted her gaze from the dress to him, asleep on his stomach, an arm thrown over her waist, pinning her next to him.  She grinned.

His eyes weren't open but his hand began drifting downward toward the curly hair that enticed him. His hand found its way between her thighs and suddenly her thoughts were no longer on rituals or dragon games. She lay there, and let him make love to her, basking in how he enjoyed it, as their minds linked to share the ecstasy. He'd probably sensed her earlier worries and fears and doubts but now he concentrated on making her forget everything but him and what he was doing to her body, playing it, teasing it, and finally sating it.  When he was sated as well, they lay next to one another hands linked drowsing there as the sun rose in the clear sky.

"I suppose," she began, her other hand toying with his chest hairs, knowing he already knew what was coming but saying it anyway, "that it's too late to call all this off?"

"No, it isn't. If you are truly unhappy about it, the hell with them."

She approached that sideways.  "You know, I spent most of my life doing everything possible to make sure I never got noticed." She sighed.  "The sort of thing I'm looking forward to today...makes me remember those days fondly."

"Silly woman. You were never as invisible as you wished you were. You are too lovely to have been for one thing, and too intriguing for another."

"No, you think so?"  She sat up and showed him, dropping the facade she'd habitually worn for years over her.  Her eyes dimmed and her glow faded, as she retreated into herself.  By the time she was finished an instant later she looked plain and ordinary, slightly care worn and tired, even her hair seemed dull and drab.  The only thing missing were her wire rimmed glassed that had hidden her eyes even more.

"I suppose it fools those who want beauty rather than depth and character," Marc conceded. "But consider how many people you are suddenly realizing aren't what you thought them. Somehow or another they found you."

She shrugged the facade away, kissing him.  "Flatterer.  But I love you anyway."

"Hmmm. So, we jump on Quinn and Cola and make a break for it?  Let the bloody Houses kill each other off? "

She struggled with herself for a few minutes.  Finally, reaching some sort of inner conclusion that set her jaw she shook her head.  "I couldn't and not still live with myself.  But I don't promise not to deck Malec or anyone else who pisses me off today."

He grinned. "We'll start a brawl if you want. Shake the place up out of its stodgy ways."

"Oh God, I hope I can stand it,' she said suddenly, fiercely.  She drew a huge breath in and let it out saying, "Do me a favor.  We've a couple hours before we have to be ready to leave.  Drive me witless with that fabulous body of yours, ok?  So I don't lose my nerve.  I swear, in return, I'll do anything you want...carte blanche...an IOU to put in the bank...to be used on whatever occasion you decide to call in the marker."

"As if you need to bribe me to make love with you.  Silly creature."  And for the next few hours he brought her to the brink as often and as madly as he could, making her forget where she was and any worries in her head. His mind linked to hers and he doubled the feedback, so that she nearly cried with the pain of fulfillment then he did it again.  And, eventually, when she was empty, he let her sleep. Until, barely before it was time for her to make an appearance before Malec he awoke her with a kiss.

She smiled blissfully up at him, her eyes liquid and luminous.  "Thank you."  She kissed him, her mouth lingering against his, savoring him.  "I'll find you after, hopefully there, if not then back here.  And, will you keep an eye out for Celie and Asher?  Jolie promised to play guardian angel, but she may not find them right away, knowing Nicco.  Quinn's expecting them too."

"Yes, stop worrying. Kalket will watch for them too. They'll be fine. Julian also will watch over all of us. Nimue, Jolie and Spence will be with us too. You're hardly alone, Dinah. Say the word and I'll rip the place down."

"It's just they're so vulnerable..."  She sighed.  "It isn't about being alone.  It's about being seen.  But you know that already."  She kissed him again and rolled to her feet.

"I suppose pointing out to you that you are about to become the most powerful woman on the planet is not helpful?" He was helping her into the bathroom and drawing a bath for her, which made her pause. He just didn't seem the type.

She lathered and slithered in the tub, skin gleaming and hair pinned in a tumbling mess on her head while he watched, distracting her with small talk about the dragons and Stephen's probable reaction to Cola and Quinn, and possibly Puff and Ione, too.  Finally, standing to step out she answered his question.  "I've no use for power.  I'll have to find a way to give it back when it's all over.  Unless you want it?"

"Don't tempt me," he replied lightly as he helped her into the dress. "Just remember. This is for Mac. Do him proud."

The hall was massive, made of stone that looked hundreds of years old. At the front was a raised dais, a table covered in white silk set just off its center point.  Lining the sides, arranged like monastic choir stalls over which hung the arms of the various houses and guilds powerful enough to be giving reserved seating were tiered rows four deep rising upward. Back from them and filling the space to the massive carved wood double doors in the back were benches, for the less influential.   A wide aisle ran between them and tee'd both at the dais and when the stalls gave way to the benches.  Above, on both sides and across the back were the box seats.

It was to one these, jutting out over the benches and giving a direct view of the dais that Kessa led Marc and the others. Nimue, Julian and Marc took seats in the front, Kalket, Spencer and Jolie behind them. Kessa seated herself between Marc and Jules, with Jolie and Spence looking over her shoulders.

“You’ll be able to see everything from here and I can explain as we go along, and answer your questions,” Kessa told them.

"Those are the warrior monks?" Julian asked. 'How many, what, houses, of them?"

Kalket was studying another set of reserved seating. Morrigan had rejoined her family now that they were here for the Ritual. He would miss her very much.

Kessa looked to where Julian was pointing, at the double line of men and women entering the hall, clothed in white monastic habit, swords belted at their sides and wearing cloaks, flung back over their left shoulders.   "Yes, though the Superior Generals aren't there.  They will be functioning as the scrutineers and will enter with the others who are also participating.  There are four orders"  She identified them as they entered.  "The knights of St. Azael are in the emerald cloaks, St. Michael's are in topaz, St. Radziel's in the sapphire and St. Haniel's in the ruby.  St. Radziel's is where most of the mages are trained, as he is the patron the of the esoteric and of magic in the celestial order, and is said to be entrusted with all the secrets of God, and of the universe."

"All of them?" Julian asked with a grin. "Poor thing.'

Kessa laughed.  "St Haniel's is where our healers are trained, as he is the patron of that in the celestial order, St. Azael is patron for those who fight hand to hand, the so called marital arts.  St. Michael's is where the unimensional law school is located and also where those who specialize in demonology and fighting them train."

"The Reverend's alma mater." Jolie murmured.

"How like that bloody angel," Julian commented. "No wonder. He's a bloody lawyer!"

Several people near them turned at his comment and he just grinned back at them. "Sorry. I party with the dude." The he turned to Kessa, "Sorry darling, everybody is so bloody tense."  He squeezed Ninue's hand.

As he spoke the hall began to quiet as the sound of drums began, pulsating, rhythmic, softly at first and then increasing in depth, and tension.  As hey did four men and four women entered, each pair taking a position at one of the four cardinal points of the compass.

"They are from the Guild of Warders and are responsible for ensure no magic is used during the ritual," Kessa explained. She continued as four more pairs entered the hall and took stations at the four entryways, crossed swords blocking all but the main doors.  "Those are the Sentinels who will close and stand guard over the access points from the dimensions.  Once the rear doors are closed the hall will be sealed and none may leave or enter.  This will be sacred ground."

Marc sat there watching everything, measuring everything, more and more tense himself. He shut out Julian's jokes, and ignored Kessa's explanations. He sensed something. Call it a mildly precognitive skill. Call it cynicism.  He didn't like it and didn't trust either Calum or Malec to act honorably.

The drums changed in depth and the four superior generals of the orders entered, followed by Calum and Malec with Kevin C'Tal bringing up the rear.  Dinah and Malachi preceded by a man whose chain of office gave the appearance of a head of state had entered from the eastern arm of the transept and were on the dais. Dinah looking like she wished herself anywhere but here, took a swift look around and set her jaw, wiping all expression from her face.  Malachi stood directly behind her.

Calum ascended the dais and moved to Dinah's right and Malec to her left.  The scrutineers flanked them facing each other and C'Tal moved off to the side of the transept.

"The gentleman who entered with Dinah and Malachi is the head of the assemblies, Christophal'KerCelon.  He will act as the master of ceremonies.   Minister C'Tal is there certifying that the Ministry is standing surety for the neutrally of the site." Kessa told them.

A hush descended on the hall as the drums ceased and at a signal from KerCelon the rear doors were closed and the Sentinels blocked them with crossed swords.  A man and a woman arose from the stalls as the last drum beat faded away, crossing the arms of the transept and meeting in the middle.  They bowed deeply to KerCelon.

"Do you certify the wards and pathways?" KerCelon asked, his voice filling the hall.

"We so certify." They replied and returned to their seats.

KerCelon turned to Malec.  "Are you prepared to certify the heir?"  As he spoke the wall behind suddenly showed tracings of gold and silver, row upon row of inlaid helices, arranged in groupings under coats of arms, winking in the light.  Those under the sun and helix glowed and became prominent.

Malec glanced at Dinah and nodded.  "Yes."

As he spoke Dinah moved to the table, graceful and serene now that it had begun, and laid the amulet on the table.  She passed her hand over it and Mac's double helix rose and took a position in the air.

KerCelon looked at Calum and said, "Where is the proof for certification?"

Calum opened his right hand palm up and the sigil, helix over sword gleamed silver and gold and from the wall a helix emerged from among those glowing on the wall, taking a position next to the one from Dinah's amulet.   The helices twirled slowly and then merged into a perfect overlay.

KerCelon looked at the scrutineers.  "Do you certify the match?"

Each said, one at a time, after examining the overlay, "I so certify."

"Do you accept her as the Heir of the Maelcom, duly chosen by him as demonstrated by the proofs?"

The scrutineers said, again one at a time, "I accept her."

KerCelon looked at Malec.  "Does House Sere'Ster also accept the proofs?"

"House Sere'Ster accepts the proofs."  Malec responded.

Calum returned the master pattern to the wall.

KerCelon nodded.  "Does House Sere'Ster admit the heir as a member of the House?"

Malec nodded, watching Dinah as she stood still and detached next to him.  "We accept and welcome the Heir of the Maelcom as a member of our House."

"Are you ready, of your own free will and with full consent of your House to invest her fully with the gifts, powers and abilities that distinguish House Sere'Ster?

"I, as head of House Sere'Ster, and with the full consent and advice of my House stand ready to invest the Heir of the Maelcom with all the gifts, powers and abilities of House Sere'Ster."  Malec replied.  Then he stretched out his right hand and the sigil gleamed, helix over sun, silver over gold and from it arose a double helix.

"Does the Heir consent, fully and freely to the investiture?"

"I consent, fully and of my own free will," Dinah responded clearly, her voice steady and calm.

Calum stretched forth his palm, the helix prominent and power emerging, surrounding the helix Malec had provided.  It split along it's axis, and two strands flowed off it to hover in the air.  Malec closed his palm and the helix disappeared, leaving behind only the strands.

Malachi whispered something to Dinah and she held out her right palm as well.   Calum cupped it in his left hand and a helix rose from her palm, her unique genetic code, gleaming in the light and spinning slowly.  Calum's sigil glowed brighter power flowing out of it in a thin strand, and Dinah's helix split along it's axis.  The strands from Malec's helix fitted themselves to it and it resealed itself.  Then the power flowing from Calum's palm increased and the helix settled itself back into Dinah's palm, changing her forever.

Marc had been sitting still, frozen, not missing one movement, one second of the ceremony, his mind locked on, examining what they were doing to Dinah's genetics. When the change was made he tensed. He knew, and made certain Dinah knew, what was happening.

The blood drained from Dinah's face as she went rigid, her eyes locked onto Malec's, blazing with fury.  Seconds ticked by, then Malachi whispered something in her ear.  She didn't move.  He whispered again, his body language insistent and pleading, his eyes darting between her and Malec.

Calum, watching the byplay frowned, his eyes narrowing in assessment and speculation.

Finally, she thrust her hand out, palm up. On it glowed the raised Sere'Ster sigil, helix over sun, silver over gold and a pattern emerged, her own but changed now with the addition of the strands that Malec had provided.  Dinah's genes and those of House Sere'Ster, joined into a new whole.

Marc was there in body but his mind was busy with the changes done to her genetics. He was checking and rechecking, trying to figure out if it would be harmful, if they'd done something lethal, if... any number of other possibilities. He kept telling himself, if they changed it, he could make them change it back.

"So be it, as certified and accepted, and let it be so recorded in the genealogies of the Houses."  KerCelon intoned after the scrutineers repeated their approval and acceptance.  The Maelcom's Heir is now and forever a member of House Sere'Ster and a Maelcom gene sister.  Does House Sere'Ster consent to the investiture of the Heir, now a member of the House, with the power of the Maelcom, freely and without coercion and with the consent of the whole House?"

"House Sere'Ster consents, freely and without coercion to the investiture of the heir with the powers of the Maelcom. "

"Does the Heir consent, fully and freely to the investiture?" KerCelon asked her.

There was a long moment of stark silence before she answered. She could feel Marc with her for that second. "I consent, fully and of my own free will," Dinah responded controlling her voice with a superhuman effort.

Calum held out his hand again and Mac's genetic code, as matched to the master pattern split open and several strands were spliced off, while those remaining reordered themselves.  Then Calum brought it next to the one still hovering over Dinah's palm.

"Does House Sere'Ster accept the modifications as those and only those necessary and prudent?" KerCelon asked.

Malec voiced his assent.

Calum split Dinah's gene pattern again, and spliced in the modified code from Mac.

The scrutineer's intoned their acceptance of the investiture and Calum sent forth power and the modified helix split into two, each a perfect copy of the other.  One descended into Dinah's hand, the other split a second time.  One returned to the amulet and Malachi replaced it around her neck.  The other Calum sent spinning into the back wall, joining it's fellows, a repository of the genetic masters of all the Houses and their lines.

"So be it, as certified and accepted, and let it be so recorded in the genealogies of the Houses."  KerCelon intoned

The audience burst into applause and the dragons outside roared.  Malec met Dinah's eyes and almost took an involuntary step back at the sudden rage blazing in their depths. Marc felt it as well as saw it and was almost on his feet, except that Kalket reached out to calm him, and hold him down.

Dinah moved through the rest of the ritual on autopilot, fueled by rage and the thought of confronting Malec.  She accepted the acknowledgment, formal and choreographed of each of the Houses and Guilds, then the Orders, welcoming her as one of them, her face stiff and her smile brittle.

When it was over she headed for the room where she'd waited for the ritual to begin, knowing Malec was following her.  She turned to him as he entered, and hit him harder than she'd ever hit anyone, her fist connecting with his jaw dead on, before he had a chance to say a word, sending him to the floor.  "You bastard!" she hissed at him, her voice dripping with rage, too angry to yell.  Her face dared him to stand up, dared him to say a single word in his defense.  "You deliberately didn't tell me what was going to happen out there."

Marc raced through the door in time to see it. His eyes met Malec's and his anger began to draw power to himself. Malec's eyes went wide as he saw a hint of Abaddon in Marc's eyes.

Dinah, breathing hard, felt it, felt the in-rushing currents of energy swirling around them, saw in Marc's mind death rising cold, triumphant and implacable.  Her fury blazed hotter in response, feeding Marc's.

He physically shuddered a moment, then she sensed his rational self take back his powers. He sent her a mental cease and desist order, which she ignored for a few precious seconds; but then the power stopped surging in, gradually fading away.  Marc reached out and gathered Dinah in toward him. He just held her for a few seconds, his eyes closed as he fought for control.  When his eyes opened back up he was himself again, staring down at Malec.

Malec scrambled to his feet, breathing hard. Marc advanced toward him. Malec stood his ground although there was some fear in his eyes. Now, instead of drawing power for a physical strike Marc turned his coercion on Malec full blast, making Malec drop to his knees. Marc burned into his mind, demanding Malec show him exactly what was done and how it was done. Malec's arm came up palm upward, his will having not a thing to say in the matter. The Sere'Ster sigil glowed brilliantly and the helix leapt upward into the air above it to glimmer there.

Malec then, mentally, offered Marc everything..  Full genetic enhancement, full membership in the house. It was everything the head of house Sere had to offer.

Marc regarded him with icy detachment, as if considering destroying the man's mind utterly, until he felt Dinah watching, almost willing him to do it, but a tiny piece of her brain horrified at the thought.  Malec renewed his offer, promising Marc the ability to transform genetics as easily as he could, and promising him all the knowledge behind it.

Marc paused and considered, balanced on a pinpoint edge, the only thing holding him back from destroying Malec and taking the power anyway, was Dinah.

Finally Dinah spoke in his mind, contempt for Malec in every word, "Take it if you want it.  He's not worth the trouble killing him would cause."  She had her self control back...barely.

Marc flicked a glance at her and chose.  "Dinah, can you give me that power?  Would you?"

Dinah focused inward briefly.  Then she nodded and held out her own hand, the sigil flaring, crackling with power and from Marc, a helix arose.   She reached out using the sigil, without understanding how, and split Malec's helix, still hovering in the air, separated the strands she wanted, knowing instinctively which those were, and spliced them into Marc's.  Then, praying, she returned the helix to Marc, promising herself if anything went wrong that the House of Sere'Ster would be rubble before the hour was over.

Marc opened his palm and the helix descended to hover over a newly formed and glowing sigil, twin to Dinah's.  The helix descended and entered his palm and the sigil closed.

Malec was staring at it, clearly seeing something about it that had surprised him.

Dinah, however, was transfixed by Marc's palm.  The sigil that appeared wasn't the helix over the sun she'd expected to see.  Instead it was a perfectly rendered miniature star system whose center was the symbol for infinity overlain by the helix. She looked at her own palm and gasped, her eyes flying to Marc's.  The Sere'Ster sigil had been replaced and the new sigil matched Marc's.

Outside the Hall the dragons suddenly roared exultant, leaping into the sky and screaming in jubilation over some news flashing among them, bringing their riders outside at a dead run.  Inside the hall Calum heard the noise and paused, his attention caught by a whisper in his mind from his own dragon.  Then he grinned ferally at Kalket and Julian blocking the door that led to Dinah, Marc and Malec, an eyebrow raised in query.  "It would be better, I would suggest, if you allowed me to enter.  Very soon they will be mobbed as the news the dragons are sharing spreads."

Kalket mentally queried Marc and then nodded, standing aside.

Calum strode into the room to find the tableau frozen. Marc and Dinah stood beside each other, Malec opposite them. All three turned to regard Calum.

Kalket and Julian followed behind him.

"Congratulations," Calum offered sardonically.  "Yours will be the first new house since mine."  He glanced at Dinah.  "My hope increases.  May I see the sign?"

Numbly she held her palm out to him.  Calum glanced and then really looked, for once shaken out of his habitual urbane charm.  "I see."

Marc shared a look with Dinah and discovered she was as surprised by this as he. Then he turned and regarded the two men with them. "Is this how houses are normally formed?"

Calum started to reply and thought better of it.  "This is not the place for this.  You should leave now, for Caer Kista, otherwise you will be mobbed.  The dragons sensed it and are telling the universe.  If you wish we can talk there, in calmer surrounds."

Marc nodded, took Dinah's hand and zapped them both away.  They reappeared where Quinn and Cola awaited them. The others in their party from Earth arrived shortly afterwards.

"A new House!" Puff was chortling.

"A new playground and a new House,"  Cola pointed out.  "We'll be famous."

"How did the dragons know?" Dinah asked Quinn.

"We sensed the power as it was founded; we were waiting for it.  Kalie told us.  Mac saw it, and he told her it would happen."

"Dammit," Marc muttered.

"What?" Dinah asked.

"We've been manipulated into something again."

"You make it sound," Dinah pointed out sardonically, "As if there were a pause between manipulations, a period when we weren't being manipulated."  She looked at him.  "We need to talk to Kalie, soon.  She seems to be the only one Mac ever talked to about anything," she snapped.

"Is Kalie part of Dinah's new House?" Marc asked Quinn.

"Oh yes. Well, she wants to be. She hopes to be. Ione too. Poor Devlin," Cola looked sad for him.

"Why poor Devlin?" Kalket asked, his face paling. "Is Morrigan all right?"

"Morrigan is fine," Cola assured him.  "Devlin will have to return to Kenget, but he'd rather go with us, he knows Morrigan's heart is here, and he doesn't want her unhappy.  They will fight very soon, Kenget and Sere."

The humans on the flight back to Caer Kista were mostly silent and thoughtful, but the dragons, with far less thought about complications that had just arisen, were joyous as they had dragon games to look forward to, which where far more fun than silly human mental games.  They left the humans in the courtyard and flew off to prepare.  Moments after they left Calum arrived, Malec right behind him.

Malec approached Dinah warily, ignoring everyone else.  "I was wrong, I know that.  And I know saying it doesn't mean a thing.  But we need to talk."

Dinah's eyes glittered, twin green pools of fury.  "Wrong?" she spat at him.  "Talk? So you can lie to me some more?"

Malec pale, didn't flinch.  "No, no lies.  This is...we are...it's Mac's House that's at stake here, your House now, too and your mate's."

Dinah laughed, harsh and bitter and showed him her palm.  "Is it?"  she asked as power erupted from the sigil, flowing effortlessly, lightening playing along the lengths of her fingers, crackling off her hand.

Malec, if it was possible, paled even more, shocked into silence.

"Dinah," Marc said quietly, aloud and in her mind. In her mind he added, 'You have a great deal of power and your anger is fueling it. Don't do something you'll regret later." She felt then a touch of his own self-hatred for destruction he allowed his own anger to fuel.

Jolie, eyeing Dinah, suggested to Malec, "I'd leave now, if I were you."

He hesitated and then nodded.

"Dinah," Jolie said, "What do you want?  Right here, right now."

Dinah looked at her, hearing in  her voice the years of her childhood and the signals they'd shared to confound the world of adults.  She smiled suddenly, grateful for the reminder.  "To be all grown up so I can  play outside after the street lights come on."

Jolie's lips twitched, then her smile emerged before she cracked up completely.  "Ten years, five months, three weeks and one day to go." She responded breathless.

Dinah shook her head.  "Too true."  Then she was laughing too, helplessly.

The others allowed themselves a smile, even if they didn't understand what either woman was talking about.  Marc visibly unlocked his muscles, his face which had been granite, became mere concrete.

Dinah turned to Calum.  "If you lie, just once..."

He held up his hands, palms towards her, gesturing surrender.

Fianna and Kessa came out of the house then, and dragons were darkening the skies as the invited guests began arriving.  Calum saw his moment slipping away so..."Let's walk a bit, why don't we?" he suggested, looking at Dinah and Marc.

"We'll cover for you.  Go." Jolie said.

Dinah set off for the orchard the two men following.  She picked a spot and conjured a pair of benches sitting next to Marc.  She had her temper under control, but it was straining at the leash.

Calum smiled.  "You wanted to know if new houses were started in this manner.  The answer is not since the first ones."

"And this is important how?" Marc asked.

"It means that whatever it was you got from Mac or Sere'Ster, is now something more or or something else or both because of what you brought to the table."  Calum told him simply.  "That's what produced the new sigil, symbolizing that."

Marc was thinking that through and asked Dinah mentally if she had noticed the sigil immediately after the ritual, if the one in her palm had been like Malec's.

She confirmed it was.

"All right, that makes sense. She has her own unique abilities, and the interplay would make it change and create something new. And this affects you, and House Kenget, how?"

"That depends entirely on the choices you make about establishing the new House.  And whether or not that makes us competitors, allies or enemies."  Calum said frankly.

"And what if Dinah refuses to establish a new House?" Marc asked, eyes narrowing.

"The House is established, ipso facto."  Calum replied.

"Not if she refuses to play your silly games. If we go back to Earth you and Sere can kill each other off to your heart's content,"

"And that changes the fact of the House, how?"

Dinah sighed, discontent plain on her face.  "You think, don't you, that Mac knew this would happen?

Calum grinned.

"What impact would a third House have on the war?"

Calum's grin broadened.  "Might be enough to stop it," he said simply, his expression that of a parent delighted with a child's precocity.  "It would completely change the economic playing field.  I can't fight on two fronts, even if one is economic and the other military.  Nor can Malec.  We haven't the resources."

"So conceivably, it's possible that to meet the new threat you'd join forces with Malec?"

Calum laughed delightedly.  "Lady, would that that would happen.  You would be a formidable opponent on any field of combat."  He laid a slight stress on the any.  "This must relieve Malec's mind on one point, though.  You can no longer claim House Sere'Ster as the Maelcom's heir.  You are debarred now."

Marc looked at Dinah and waited.

"Well, then in that case I've no need to worry about finding you when I make up mind what I plan to do." Dinah snapped.

Calum accepted it with aplomb.  "You're right not to trust me.  I play to win, just as you and your man do, just as Malec does.  But I will tell you this, all games aside.  The Maelcom knew what he was doing and I think he gave his life to bring you to this time and this place, with the powers you have now...formidable, new and still untried.  If you loved him  as I believe, knowing you as I now do, you must have, then now, more than ever, is the time to keep faith with him."

He paused and when she said nothing he continued.  "I risk much to say this, possibly.  Keep that in mind.  Also keep in mind that you are not  at a fork in the road unless you wish it...not yet.  Your options remain and you have time still.  Use it, but use it wisely."

Marc stood and held out his hand to Dinah. "I believe you are expected to oversee the games."

Calum bowed and took his leave, whistling cheerfully as he left.

Marc zapped himself and Dinah straight to their bedroom.  "Hard to credit, but I trust him less than I do Malec, right now. Are you... Let's just lay down here for a bit," he added, after looking at her expression. "No hurry. They'll get along just fine without you for a few minutes."

She let him pull her onto the bed and up against him.  She was ready to do violence to something, anything and it scared her.  This wasn't temper, this was something else and she didn't understand it and that scared her even more.  "Tell me," she began lightly, "How far can I trust you?"

"Where are you going with this, Dinah," he asked, carefully. His mind linked with hers and he saw the raw emotions in her.

"Well, you see, it's that the sort of violent that I'm feeling might be best expressed as...well...conducive to torn clothing, conquering females and like that, so uhm, if well...if you've ever had any fantasies like that now might be a good time to uhm...you know...do something about them."

"Do I get to dress in black leather and chains too?" he asked, as he ripped the gorgeous dress she wore right off her.

"After you make me surrender, not before," she promised, before letting go completely for the first time in her life, sublimating her rage into passion, and trusting him to make it OK.

He zapped his own clothes off and leant his weight on her, as he ripped off her panties and bra. And, with no preliminaries he forced her legs open and entered her, holding her still when she tried to writhe under him, covering her mouth with his when she tried to say something, ignoring the tears that were escaping her eyes, pounding at her, in her, and showing her in her mind that he would allow her nothing, no changing her mind, no crying it was too much to fast, nothing.

It was what she needed and she loved him for it, fighting him even as she began to respond to him, her nails raking his back as she went up in flames under him, her scream trapped between her mouth and his.

When her orgasms began he ignored her, he ignored her need for him to time his thrusts to her shudders, instead, if anything, he rammed into her all the harder, and slowed down, rather than speeding up; when she fought him, he turned her over face down and held her down and re-entered her, nearly making her sob as he was just as fierce that way as before, and this way she had no way of even touching him, no way of screaming as her mouth was against a pillow. He made her climax over and over until she thought she could stand it no longer, and yet he kept on.

She fought him until she couldn't anymore, the force of her rage against Malec and Mac and all the lying and manipulation transmuted into the struggle against Marc, that wasn't a struggle at all, but a healing she needed.  She surrendered to him first mentally, her mind opening to him completely as her body yielded, resistance draining away, then emotionally, the profound and utter depth of her trust in him, and him alone, to bring her safely through this and her understanding of the love on his part that allowed him to do it at all plain for him to see as was her own love for him.

He withdrew from her and reached down and turned her toward him, searching her eyes, then kissing her and just holding him to her. She could feel his heart pounding, his mind partly shuttered against her, but his emotions clear. Worry for her, sorrow, and a deep need to keep her safe.

She clung to him, a litany of gratitude playing for him to hear.  Eventually she stirred against him, her head lifting so she could see his face.  "I've never scared myself like that before.  I'm sorry."

He brushed her hair, wet with sweat, back from her face. He kissed her forehead and then her eyelids, then wrapped her tightly against him. He rocked her and held her until exhausted and drained, she fell into a place he helped her find in her mind.  A place where peace and calm embraced her.