Altered Fates: A Double Dose Of The Medallion free porn video

AF: A Double Dose of the Medallion By Julie Jeff was on his way home from another typical day at the office. He wasn?t in a big hurry. It wasn?t that he didn?t want to go home, but there was no big rush. As he pulled up in front of the house he noticed his wife Beverly wasn?t home yet. That was no surprise. She had been working longer and longer hours and now it seemed they rarely saw each other anymore. Beverly was a computer programmer and even when she was home, she seemed to be in front of their home computer. Well tonight was going to be different. Jeff had a radical plan to shake up their marriage and maybe get re-ignite the spark that seemed to have fizzled out. Jeff and Beverly met during their junior year of high school when Beverly?s father was transferred to Topeka to head up the opening of a new shopping mall. Beverly?s family had moved to four different states in the last six years as the Development Company her father owned grew and expanded. Beverly was outgoing, a straight ?A? student and active in the debate teams. She seemed to know what she wanted and was well on her way to getting it. Even though she was a petite 5?3? she seemed taller by the force of her personality. Her red hair was long and wavy, almost to her waist. Even though she had only been at enrolled at the high school for six months, she had made lots of friends and managed to get one of the coveted positions on the cheerleading squad. Jeff had always wanted to travel. He was born in Topeka and hadn?t ever made it out of the surrounding area. At 6?1? he was a starter on the basketball team and this year they had a pretty good team. Maybe this was the year they would make the playoffs and he would get to see some of the state. He wasn?t overly handsome yet there was something about him that made you want to get to know him. It was during the bus rides to the out of town games that Jeff and Beverly got to know one another. It started with just talking about the places Beverly had been to and what the people in other states were like and by the time the team was in the semi finals, Beverly and Jeff were going steady. They were inseparable. You never saw one without the other. Beverly helped Jeff with his schoolwork. The grades seemed to come easily for Beverly; she never seemed to need to study. Jeff thought she was the smartest person he had ever met. However Jeff, even though he got good grades, always had to work for them. It was no surprise when Beverly was valedictorian of their class. Both of them went to college: Jeff on a basketball scholarship and Beverly on a college fund her parents had started when she was 7 years old. Unfortunately a knee injury in their sophomore year ended Jeff?s dreams of playing professional basketball. Six months after they got their degrees, Jeff in engineering and Beverly in math and computers, they were married. The first years were normal for any couple just starting out. There were ups and downs as they adjusted to their lives together. Three years later Beverly told Jeff they were to become parents. They were both ecstatic. They planned the nursery and picked out baby names: Stephen Jacob if it was a boy and Jennifer Lynn if it was a girl. They decided not to find out the sex of the baby before hand. They were both absorbed in the pregnancy, reading books, taking Lamaze classes and going to the prenatal checkups. Jeff would often come upon Beverly unaware and she would be standing there stroking her stomach and talking to herself, smiling all the while. One day, during the sixth month, Beverly headed out to the grocery store and was broadsided by a drunk driver that had run the light while doing seventy. Jeff was at work when the call came from the hospital. Dropping everything he rushed to the hospital only to find Beverly was in emergency surgery. She had lost the baby and now they were trying to save her life. She had sustained serious internal injuries. After five and half-hours the surgeon finally came out. He had had to remove her spleen, a kidney and her uterus. His main concern was with infection. The loss of the spleen would inhibit the body?s ability to fight infection. She also had a broken leg and a concussion. It was three long weeks before Beverly was able to come home, but Jeff knew it would take a lot longer until she was fully ?healed?. The first thing Beverly did was to get rid of everything associated with the baby. She gave all her maternity clothes and baby clothes to Good Will. The crib, dresser, changing table, rocking chair and the rest went to the Salvation Army. Jeff repainted the nursery from sunshine yellow to an off white (he thought it was called ?antique eggshell?). He also moved the necessary furniture to convert the room into an office, which in the end had no resemblance to the previous room. They both began seeing a therapist which specialized in the grieving process. Jeff began to feel better about their loss but nothing seemed to touch Beverly. All she would say was ?You don?t understand. The baby was a miracle?. All babies are miracles yet she would never explain what she meant. When she started back to work, Jeff thought things were finally getting back to normal. Beverly threw herself into her work hoping to forget and found that if she worked real hard she would forget for a few minutes the pain and the loss. Without realizing it she began working 14 to 18 hours a day constantly seeking oblivion and falling into bed as soon as she got home. Jeff was beginning to fear his marriage wouldn't survive. Technically, they had no marriage. Beverly was either at work or asleep, there was no time for them as a couple. And that was the way things were that fateful day. That afternoon Jeff had had lunch with his boss. Jeff had worked at Circuits Unlimited as a design engineer since he graduated from college. C.U. was a medium sized; family owned company that custom designed and manufactured circuitry for the electronics industry. His boss, Jake Reynolds, had been an understanding friend when Beverly was in the hospital. He had let Jeff take more time off than he had had in vacation and said Jeff could make the time up later. That was one of the benefits of working for a family business instead of a big corporation. Another was getting to know everyone as if they were part of the family. Jake liked Beverly and Jeff and was worried they might not make it past this tough time. "How's Beverly doing?" Jake asked while they were waiting for the waiter to take their orders. "She keeps working those long hours and I'm afraid if she's not careful she will wear herself out. She hasn't been out of the hospital all that long," Jeff stated. "I know she's working to forget. I guess it could be worse. She could be drinking or abusing the pain pills the doctors gave her. I don't know...maybe being a workaholic is every bit as bad. She tells me I can't possibly know what it feels like to be her. I just don't know what else to do except be there for her if and when she decides she wants to start living again." "What if you told her there was a way for you to be her and know exactly how she feels?" Jake queried. "Yea, right, just like out of some science fiction story. It's a great thought, though. I would gladly take her pain on myself. If only it were possible," Jeff replied. "That's easy to say when you don't believe it can happen," Jake said while reaching into his pocket. He drew a small cloth bag from out of his pocket. "I tell you it can happen." Jeff looked at his boss and wondered if he had been working too much. As if he didn't have enough problems with Beverly, now he was going to have to keep an eye on his boss. "No, you don't have to measure me for a straight jacket, " Jake sighed. He opened the small cloth bag and withdrew a brass or bronze necklace. Jeff wasn't sure which. There was an engraving of a fairy or something waving a wand on the side. "This is the Medallion of Zulo," Jake explained. "I'm not sure of its full history, however I do know that it has powers no one can explain. One of them is to be able to trade places with another person. If you touch the medallion to another person while you are wearing it, within 30 minutes you will become that person and they will become you. This medallion has spiced up many marriages and maybe it can save yours." Jeff didn't know what to say. Obviously his boss believed what he was saying. Whether it worked or not, it gave Jeff an idea. Maybe if Beverly thought he believed they could change places it would at least get her talking beyond the "you wouldn't understand" that always seemed to end their attempts to talk. "Okay, how do you use it? Just touch the other person and then what? How long does it last?" "It lasts until you touch the other person with it again. However, you must wait 12 hours before you can change back," Jake explained. "I recommend you wear a robe or something loose for when the changes start. This is more important for Beverly than for you. Most important, is be sure to have her permission before you switch. The medallion has its own sense of justice if you misuse it. The only time it doesn't work is if the woman is pregnant or during her period. I hope you succeed with this because you and Beverly are like my own kids." With that comment Jake put the medallion back in its sack and handed it over to Jeff. Now Jeff was home with the medallion in his pocket. He knew it would be at least 9:00 p.m. before Beverly got home so he had time to get ready. He really didn't believe the medallion would work but he had to make Beverly think he did. So he set the stage. He set candles out on the bookcases and on the end tables. There would be plenty of time to light them after he heard Beverly's car pull up. He laid their bathrobes side-by-side on the couch. He set out a bottle of wine and two glasses because no matter what happened, somebody would probably need a drink before the night was over. The radio was playing easy listening very softly in the background. The last thing he did was get a fire started in the fireplace. It looked like a seduction scene and He guessed it was in a sense. He was trying to seduce her into opening up and talking. At 9:25 p.m. Beverly arrived home. When she walked into the living room she noticed everything Jeff had done. "What's going on," she asked flatly. She looked exhausted. Jeff took a deep breath. This was it. "I want to talk to you," he said lifting the medallion up in front of him. He was totally unprepared for what happened next. "THE MEDALLION! Where did you get that damned thing?" Beverly screamed. She turned white as all the blood left her face and Jeff thought she was going to faint. Instead she ran behind the couch which was in the middle of the room taking care to keep it between Jeff and her. "Stay away from me with that! Don't come near me!" "Beverly, calm down, please." Jeff was at a loss for what to do next. He set the medallion on the entertainment center and walked away from it. "I'm not going to hurt you, honey. Jake told me I could change places with you with that and although I didn't believe it would really work, I wanted to show you that I needed to understand what was going on with you. I love you and I want to understand how you're feeling. Don't push me away, darling. How do you know the Medallion of Zulo? I never heard of it before today." Beverly broke down and started sobbing. Whereas it distressed Jeff greatly, at least she was showing some emotions. He didn't think she had cried since she had come home from the hospital. Moving slowly so as not to alarm her and with both hands held at shoulder level, he crossed the room to Beverly. Putting an arm around her shoulders he guided her to the front of the couch and eased her down then sat beside her. Holding her, he rocked back and forth as if she were a child in need of comfort. After what seemed to be hours but was in reality only a few minutes, Beverly started to stop crying. "Do you ha...have any idea wh?what that is?" she said pointing toward the medallion. The hitching in her breathing caused by the crying jag almost broke his heart. "Not really," he replied. "I have a feeling you know more about it than I do. Why don't you tell me what you know, sweetheart." He felt her start to stiffen up. "Please, don't pull away, talk to me. I love you." "Ok?kay, but I need a drink," she conceded. When Jeff got up and started for the wine she interrupted, "No, I need something str?stronger. Get me a brandy." They kept several different types of hard liquor in the house for guests, but Beverly never drank anything harder than wine. After handing her a snifter of brandy, she took a sip and made a face. "It doesn't taste like I remember. Oh, never mind how it tastes." She took another sip, a deep breath and began. Benjamin Harrington was a self made man. He was self-taught after dropping out of school at the age of 13 to get a job to help support his mother and two sisters after his father died. He would study in the evenings after working all day sweeping and keeping the shelves stocked at the neighborhood market. The great depression was in full swing so it wasn't unusual for him to be paid with food instead of money. He decided then that he was going to work hard and do whatever it took to get ahead. When he was older, he worked full time and went to college part time. He wasn't going to poor all his life; he was going to be somebody. From these humble beginnings arose a powerful man. By the time he was 55 years old, Benjamin had formed his own company, which was making him more money than he had ever dreamed. He started with one store, offering quality merchandise at low prices and now had stores in several states. Yet it wasn't enough. He was still tormented by memories of going hungry when what he brought home from the market wasn't enough to feed a family of four. Being the only 'man' in the family, he was the one to do without. He would tell his mother he had eaten his share on the way home then stand back and watch the others eat. He had married some 25 years earlier, but his wife ran off with another man after complaining that she might as well be a widow for all she saw of him. He thought her ungrateful because he worked from sunrise to long past sundown so she would not want for anything. He couldn't understand the only thing she wanted was him. He found an enterprising young man named Stephen Jacobson. Here he thought he had found the man who he could train to take his place, only he chose too well. Just yesterday, the upstart said he felt confident with how Jake wanted the company run and could carry on if Jake had any plans to retire and do some traveling. Why, Jake had at least a good fifteen years left in him before he thought about retiring. Why anyone would want to retire before the age of 70 was beyond him. He realized, if no one else did, how quickly fortunes could be destroyed. Just look at all the millionaires that jumped to their deaths when the market crashed. That was not going to happen to him. But now he had to do something about Stephen. Benjamin was walking to work, as was his usual habit. The exercise was good for him as well as not having to cause wear and tear on his car. He never used a chauffeur. What was the point when he was perfectly able to drive himself? While he was waiting for a light to change, a woman came up to him and asked if he had any money that he could spare because her daughter was sick and needed to see a doctor. She was dressed like you would expect a gypsy fortuneteller to be dressed, all part of the scam he supposed. "Madam, if you were to get a job and apply yourself, you wouldn't have to beg on the streets," he replied, looking down his nose. She stared at him, straight in the eyes as if she were looking into his very soul. After a moment she spoke. "I am but fulfilling my destiny. Let me give you something that will help you to fulfill yours." She reached into her pocket and handed him a medallion. It was cheap looking, brass, maybe bronze with an unusual figure engraved on it. "This will allow you to switch places with another just by touching them with it while you are wearing it. Or you may touch an item of clothing to it to change into the person who last wore it. You must wait at least 12 hours in between changes and if a woman is pregnant or having her menses, it will not work." With that she turned around and walked away. "Poppycock!" Benjamin thought as dropped the medallion into his pocket and out of his thoughts. He never threw anything away until he was sure it had no value. He continued on his way to work wondering what he was going to do about Stephen. He remembered the medallion that night as he was undressing. Thinking about what the woman had said, he went looking for some clothing that belonged to someone else. Since he didn't believe it would work, he didn't care to whom the clothes belonged. In his mind, he wasn't seeing if the woman was telling the truth, he was proving her wrong. In the kitchen, hanging on a hook behind the door, he found an apron his housekeeper, Maudie, wore while she was polishing the silver. Going back to his bedroom, he put the medallion on and touched the apron to it. A tingle swept over his entire body. 'Imagination,' he thought. Then he noticed the sleeves of his custom fitted robe were longer than he remembered. He felt hairs brush the back of his neck and he ran to the dressing room to a full-length mirror. His jet-black hair was getting longer and becoming streaked with gray. Only when the bottom of the robe started to brush the tops of his feet did he realize he was shrinking. Opening the robe, he felt a moment of shock as he saw the last of his manhood draw up within him and disappear. At the end of 30 minutes, he was looking at Maudie staring back at him from the mirror. Dropping the robe to the floor, he looked at his new body. Maudie is 37 years old and stands 5' 7", a good six inches shorter than him. Her body is fairly trim for a woman her age. Her breasts are "C" cups and her legs long. With all the long hours he spent working, he never really noticed what a handsome woman Maudie was. Curious, Benjamin slowly caressed his 'new' breasts while watching in the mirror. A warm heat began to build in his center. His breasts became taut and the nipples became hard. His breathing quickened as his hands roved lower. One hand slowly parted the lips shielding the most sensitive part of a woman. As one finger slowly penetrated he felt desire wash over him and his hand became moist with the proof of his arousal. Breathing heavily now, he caressed the nubbin that seemed to be the center of the wild feelings rushing through him. He could feel the beat of his heart pounding as tension coiled within him tighter and tighter. Suddenly the climax began, spinning out from his center filling every part of his body. Wave after wave of pleasure coursed over him. Benjamin sat down to rest his shaking legs and realized he would never be able to look at Maudie the same anymore, not without remembering the pleasure he had felt in her body. Benjamin paced through his home as he began to formulate an idea. Every few minutes he would walk back to the mirror to be sure he hadn't imagined it. This opened up new possibilities! The next morning, he touched his robe to the medallion and felt the now familiar tingle. Thirty minutes later he dressed for work. He whistled as he walked to work, which he didn't normally do. Time to put his plan into action. When he arrived at work, the first thing he did was clear his calendar for the next two weeks. Then he called Stephen to his office. "I've decided to take some time off," Benjamin began after Stephen had seated himself. "I realized it's been almost ten years since I took any time for myself. I also thought this would give you a chance to see if there are any areas where you feel less than confident so we can focus your training there." "Thank you, Sir, for trusting me enough to feel you can afford to leave," Stephen spoke. He had begun to think that after seven years, he wouldn't get a chance to show what he could do until after the old man died. "I won't let you down. Are you going to do any traveling or just take it easy in town?" "I'm going to go out of town so I'll be out of touch. I'll be back for the meeting of department heads at the end of the month. I don't expect you to have any serious problems, " at least with the company, he thought. "I will call in periodically to see how things are going. Do you have any questions or concerns that need to be addressed before I leave?" With Stephen's negative response, they ended the meeting. Benjamin then slipped into Stephen's office. In a closet he found and took a suit that Stephen kept in there in the event he soiled the one he was wearing. He hoped he would be able to get it back before it was missed. With the taking of the suit, he put into motion his plan to rid himself of his second-in-command. On his way out of the building, he stopped by the maintenance area, which was deserted at that time, and picked up a pair of coveralls. The next thing was to book a flight to San Francisco for this evening. After work, his first stop was a department store to buy an 8mm- movie camera and several reels of film. He had never purchased one before because there was no one at home to make home movies of. Now, however, he had a purpose for one. Rushing home, he packed enough clothes for several days since he wasn't sure how long it would take him to complete the next step of his plan. He hated the thought of the money he was spending; however he looked at it as a necessary business expense. He just had time then to get to the airport and catch his flight. During the flight from New York to San Francisco, he had time to think and plan. Upon arriving in San Francisco, he took a taxi to a hotel that catered to the rich. He booked a room for two days with the understanding that if he needed to extend his visit it would be available to him. As he proceeded to his room, the bellhop followed close behind with his luggage. After entering the room and placing the luggage on the required rack, the bellhop turned to Benjamin. "I hope you will be comfortable here, Sir, and if there is 'anything' I can help you with, just let me know. My name is Rodney," Rodney said while extending his hand for a tip. "Actually, there is," Benjamin replied as he reached into his back pocket for his wallet. "I have need of a powerful aphrodisiac," he said slipping a $50 into Rodney's outstretched hand. "There is another one of those when you bring it, and after I have tested it, if it works, four more." Rodney's eyes widened slightly as he asked "Would you like me to provide a young lady as well?" "Thank you, no. I can take care of that myself. That will be all," Benjamin said dismissingly. The next order of business was to get some sleep. He didn't want jet lag to interfere with what he had to do next. After he awoke, he went to an affluent area, to a clothing store and prepared to wait. He was watching for a beautiful woman to put something back onto the rack after trying it on. He couldn?t do this in New York because since he was going to assume the body, he didn't want to be anyone who might be recognized before or afterwards. Finally, after three and a half hours, a woman who met his requirements put a dress back on the rack and left the area, apparently upset at not having found anything she liked. When he returned to the hotel, the message light on his phone was blinking. There was a message from Rodney to let him know he had located the item in question. Benjamin then called the front desk to ask that Rodney be sent to his room. While waiting for Rodney, Benjamin paced the room. This was a very important part of the plan. He hoped the aphrodisiac worked as well as he needed it to. Rodney knocked on the door, and entered when Benjamin opened it. "I have a friend with connections in Chinatown and he assures me this is exactly what you require," he said, handing a small envelope to Benjamin. "There is enough cantharides in there for two doses. Will that be enough?" At Benjamin's nod he continued, "all you have to do is mix it with a liquid and drink it. It takes about 45 minutes to really kick in. Is there anything else you require?" "Thank you, no. This will do for now. Provided this works, you will receive the balance of what I promised tomorrow. If I need anything else I will call the front desk." With that, he handed Rodney another $50. After Rodney left, Benjamin carefully divided the precious powder into two halves. One half he put into an envelope provided by the hotel and packed it away in his suitcase. The other he rewrapped and set to one side. He wasn't looking forward to testing the powder. He had been so wrapped up in his business all these years; he never explored what he thought of as his baser side. The medallion was in the coat pocket. Benjamin had to change into Stephen in order to be sure how the powder would work on him. Thirty minutes later a Stephen look-alike was dressing to go out. Stephen was 6'3" and well built. He had brown hair and eyes and was quite handsome. At least he wouldn?t have a problem finding a woman tonight if the powder worked. He was somewhat slimmer that Benjamin so his jockeys didn't fit. That angered Benjamin because it was a detail he hadn't thought of. What else had he forgotten? The shoes were too tight, however he could wear them long enough to get to a store to replace them. His first stop was to a Harrington's to get shoes, socks and underwear. Then he had a taxi take him to a cut-rate hotel. There he paid cash for a room for one night. The room was a nondescript copy of every other hotel room in America. The main feature was the bed with a dresser to one side. While he was there, he mixed the cantharides with water and taking a deep breath, drank it down. There was a bar down the street so he walked towards it. In just a few minutes he spotted a likely woman for his purpose, he bought her a drink and they soon left the bar together, he was glad that the hotel was so close. The aphrodisiac worked better than he had hoped. After sleeping late the next morning, he returned to his original hotel. There he left an envelope with Rodney's name and $200 in it at the front desk. In getting ready the previous evening, Benjamin realized he had forgotten a few pertinent details. Calling the airport, he booked a flight to Los Angeles and made reservations at an exclusive Beverly Hills hotel for Mr. & Mrs. Smythe. This done, he packed and checked out of the hotel. Even though the flight was short, he slept the whole way. At the airport, he stored his luggage except for a small sack carrying the dress and the medallion. In Beverly Hills, he again paid cash for the room. Once there, he used the medallion to change into the woman he had seen at the store. Benjamin was pleased to see his new body was quite stunning. At 5'9", the "D" cup breasts gave the body a lush, sensual look. The blonde hair that was halfway down his back was straight. Big, blue eyes looked back at him from the mirror. With this body and the aphrodisiac, Stephen didn't stand a chance. When the change was complete, he donned the luxurious robe the hotel provided for it's guests and called the concierge. "This is Mrs. Smythe in room 402. The airline lost our luggage so I would like you to send someone from one of the better stores with a some clothes for me to select from." Checking the label in the dress he had, he continued "Yes, size 7. I need everything from the skin out. I will not let the airlines ruin my trip. No, my husband went out to purchase his clothes, but I will not be seen in the travel stained clothes I arrived in. Thank you?two hours? Very well. Oh yes, be sure to include shoes." Let them guess at shoe size, he thought hanging up, for I have no idea. Since he had two hours before the clothes arrived, he called room service and ordered lunch. As soon as he had clothes for this body and the twelve hours were up, he would head for home. It didn't matter what the hotel employees thought of the woman with more money than sense because no one would ever be able to connect her with him. Things were finally coming together. Four hours and $1500 later, Benjamin had several outfits to cover any contingency that might arise. The hotel had even offered a selection of luggage to put the new clothes in. Finally, he flew home. Once he was home, he made reservations at one of the better hotels for a suite for Monica Jessup for Thursday evening. Then, he called Stephen. "Stephen, how are things going?" He asked. "Very well, Sir, no problems. How's your trip so far?" Stephen replied. "Very relaxing, I don't know why I put it off for so long. I called because of something I forgot. This coming Thursday night, I have an evening appointment with Monica Jessup. She wants Harrington's to carry her line of children's fashions. We were to negotiate whether an exclusive contract would be in both our best interests. She doesn't have a lot of time so we were going to have dinner at her hotel and look at various proposals. She needs to fly to back L.A. Friday morning," he explained. Now to reel him in, he thought. "I will have to fly back in time to make that meeting." "Well, Benjamin, I could cover for you," Stephen offered. "I know the figures as well as you. And if you remember, I drew up the contracts we are currently using. I firmly believe I could land this contract without giving away our pensions," Stephen laughed confidently. "I believe you could at that." Got him! Benjamin thought with glee. "She's pretty sharp, so you'll need to keep on your toes. I'll be glad not to have to rush home." When Benjamin hung the phone up, he just sat there. This was it. The stage was set. Now he had to come to grips with the thought that for his plan to succeed, he had to let a man have sex with him. Years of doing without the very basics can cause emotional scars that can control behaviors long past the time that every need has been met. There is still a subconscious hunger for more, always more. It was these deeply rooted fears that finally allowed Benjamin to except a course of action that he would normally avoid at all costs. Thursday morning, Benjamin posing as Monica Jessup, was at the hotel where he had made reservations, setting up the camera he had purchased. The bedroom furniture was of a colonial style, which suited Benjamin's needs perfectly. The ornate carvings atop the armoire were perfect for concealing the camera and yet remain focused on the bed. There was a control for the camera attached by a wire that allowed him to turn the camera on and off without having to climb up and down. As he walked past a mirror, he stopped to examine his new body. The outfit he had selected for this evening followed current fashions in that the black skirt was extremely short. A V-necked blue sweater showed off her figure without being obvious. Underneath were black stockings with garters and a lacy black brassiere and matching panties. Three-inch heels finished the outfit. This afternoon, he had an appointment at a salon for the 'works'. That would take care of the hair, nails and makeup. Then he would be ready. That evening, as he waited for Stephen, Benjamin thought about what a woman went through to look good. He had been poked and prodded, told to open his mouth or close his mouth, sit here or move there. He had been shampooed, dried, buffed, polished and all in all, made to look beautiful. The affect had been well worth the time and money. Stephen didn't stand a chance. Then there was a knock at the door. As Stephen entered the hotel room, he carefully observed his hostess. She was definitely stunning. "I'm having a brandy," Monica stated. "What can I fix you?" "Brandy is fine with me," he replied as she went over to the bar. With her back hiding her actions, Monica slipped the aphrodisiac into Stephen's drink. "I took the liberty of ordering dinner," she said over her shoulder. "It should be here shortly. I hope you don't mind steak." "That's fine with me," he said, sipping his drink. "I hope you will let me pick up the tab." "If you insist." At that time, room service knocked. "Excellent timing." As they ate, they discussed how long Stephen had been with Harrington's and what his plans with the company were for the future. As they were finishing dessert, Stephen noticed how warm the room seemed. The air even seemed thick as if he could feel it pressing against his skin. As they moved from the table, the movement of his clothes over his body caused his heart to start to pounding. His breathing became slightly faster. What was wrong with him? It felt so hot! Was he sick? Was it the food? These thoughts raced through his fevered mind. He looked at Monica to see if she was feeling okay since she ate the same thing, yet she seemed all right. As he looked, his eyes focused on her full breasts. When he looked away, all he saw was long shapely legs. Suddenly, Stephen became hard. He jumped up and walked away. "Is something wrong?" Monica asked innocently. "NO! No, just a little warm," Stephen shot back. "Go ahead and take off your coat and tie if it will make you feel more comfortable." For all the good it will do, Monica thought. Stephen removed his coat and held it across his front to hide the noticeable bulge. If anything, he felt even hotter. He couldn't figure out what was going on. He hadn't reacted to a beautiful woman like this since he first met his wife. Monica patted the couch next to her. "Sit here. I want to go over these proposals and I only have the one copy." As Stephen sat down he wondered briefly if he were going crazy. All he wanted to do was position himself between those two long, beautiful legs and find some relief from the agony he was in. Almost there, Monica thought. Turning to look at Stephen, she positioned herself scant inches from him. With a sheepish look she reached across him and said, "Sorry, I need my glasses. I only use them to read." As she reached, her breast lightly brushed his arm. Her breast touching his arm sent a bolt of desire so strong through him he could barely stand it. He started to say something when he noticed her tongue touch her lower lip. All he could see was that moist lip. Suddenly, he couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her against him, lowering his head to hers, laving that lower lip with his own tongue. Then he kissed her. She started to pull away. "Please, don't?I just want to taste you. I need to taste you," he groaned. He deepened the kiss, their tongues fighting a battle as old as time. His hand slipped down to caress her breast. It wasn't enough! The flames inside him were burning hotter. He raised her sweater and saw her bra had a front clasp. Silently the thanked the fates as he deftly opened the clasp. "Just a taste?" he murmured. He touched the tip of his tongue, lightly, to her nipple and watched it harden, then he tasted the other one. Monica was stunned. She knew it would happen fast. She had already experienced what Stephen was feeling. She didn't expect to feel anything herself, though. After all she was a man! This was a necessary evil. Yet that same warmth she had experienced in Maudie's body was beginning now. As he suckled her breasts, her breathing became shallow and fast. Stephen had to have her! He didn't know if he could bring her along fast enough. His blood was pounding; he could feel every throb in his member as it strained against the restriction of his pants. As he was kissing her breasts, his hand slipped beneath her short skirt, higher till he felt the soft nylon that was between him and his goal. Slowly he caressed her mound through the black lace. Monica didn't realize what she had felt before was just a shadow of what she could feel. As Stephen's hand slowly slipped her panties down, she realized this was something she couldn't control with all her planning. She was no longer detached. There was a part of her that had said as long as she didn't enjoy it, it would be okay to let another man have sex with her. She would have to regain control! She would stay in control! As Stephen's mouth lowered to that most secret place on a woman, all control was lost. Stephen knew he was close. He could feel Monica writhing beneath his mouth. He reached down and released the zipper of his pants. His engorged member sprang forth, eager. Quickly, he moved up pinning her beneath him as he filled her, pushing deeper, ever deeper. She was so tight and wet. He covered her mouth with his, catching her scream of release. He was in her! Oh, the sensations of him sliding in deep then pulling out only to plunge back in. She felt the tension building in both of them. Then she felt as if she were breaking apart into a million pieces. He kissed her as she screamed. She felt him stiffen and his hot release spill into her. They lay there for a few minutes in silence, trying to get their breathing back under control. What had he done! This was supposed to be a business meeting and he had seduced the client. He didn't know what was going to happen next. If he got up, apologized and left, he could kiss her business goodbye. He would have to follow her lead if he were to salvage anything from this. Monica hadn't planned for them to use the couch. The camera was pointed at the bed. Well, the night was young and she knew it would be awhile before the aphrodisiac wore off. The film was for insurance anyway, just in case he denied what happened. She reached over and slowly caressed his now flaccid member. In a few moments he ready to go again. "How about the bed this time? She asked in a sultry voice. The next morning, when Stephen awoke, he was alone. There was a note on the dresser: Stephen, I had to catch my plane. The room is paid for until 2:00 p.m. No regrets. M.J. Stephen drew a deep breath and slowly let it out. It was going to be all right. Fortunately, he occasionally spent all night in the city when he had to work late. He had told his wife in advance that this meeting might run late and he would not be home. Thinking about the previous evening confused him though. He never cheated on his wife; he wasn't that type of man. He loved his wife and in the light of this new day, he couldn't remember what it was about Monica that so aroused him. Fortunately, he had a change of clothes at the office. Benjamin had left the hotel right after Stephen had fallen asleep after the last time. Stephen was so sound asleep he didn't hear Benjamin climb up to get the camera. Benjamin was exhausted physically, yet he had to finish things up before he could rest. When he got home the first thing he did was get the medallion. At this point, he was actually afraid to use it. The first time with Stephen had happened so fast and he had lost control, so they hadn't used any precautions. The rest of the evening they had though. He had no way of knowing if the owner of this body was taking birth control or not. He slipped the medallion around his neck and reached for the coveralls he had taken from the maintenance area. When he felt the tingle go over his body, he heaved a sigh of relief. When the change was complete, a small dark haired man that he vaguely recognized stood in his place. After donning the coveralls, he realized he had forgotten shoes again. Placing wadded up paper into the toes, he was able to keep his own shoes on his feet. The name over the pocket of the coveralls was Dennis. Using Dennis' body he was able to go to the office and return Stephen's suit before it was missed. He had it cleaned while he was getting his hair done the day before. Once this was done, he headed for home. As he was leaving the building, Stephen was entering. That was close, he thought. He was so tired but it was almost over. He went home to sleep. That afternoon, he went back to the office, as himself. He called Stephen into his office. "Benjamin, I didn't know you were coming back so soon," he said. "I wanted to talk to you about how the meeting went last night. I spoke to Monica Jessup a short while ago. She was quite impressed with you," Benjamin said as Stephen relaxed in the chair. "She asked about you and your position with the company. As we were talking I mentioned I had known you and your wife for seven years. Suddenly, she changed her position. She said anyone who would cheat on a spouse would have no qualms about cheating a business partner. She has decided she doesn't want Harrington's to sell her merchandise. Would you care to tell me what went on last night?" Stephen slumped in the chair. "I have run it over and over in my mind and I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why I did what I did." "What did you do?" Benjamin asked. "I seduced a prospective supplier," Stephen said baldly. "I cannot tell you why; I don't even know myself. My wife and I aren't having any problems. It was an aberration in my normal behavior. I just can't explain why I would do such a thing." Stephen's head was in his hands. "You do realize that what happened last night is a direct violation of the morality clause in the employment contract you signed when you started to work here, don't you?" Benjamin asked. "I might have been willing to overlook your infidelity, but not when it has cost us possible business. Harrington's is a family store. The employees need to represent the highest morals so as to not upset the customers. I'm going to have to ask for your resignation. I will give you a severance package because I do realize this isn't your typical behavior and I care about you and your wife." Stephen just sat there, shaking his head. "Yes Sir. I understand. I just wish I could understand why I did what I did last night." Slowly Stephen arose from the chair. "If it's all right with you, I would like to clean out my desk tomorrow. Right now I think I need to leave." "Of course," Benjamin replied. "We can finish the paperwork tomorrow as well." He knew he had dealt Stephen quite a blow. He felt he could afford to be generous. When Stephen left, he stopped at a bar that was just down the street. As he ordered his first drink he tried to figure out what he was going to tell his wife. She wouldn't understand. Hell, he didn't understand. After the fifth drink, he realized he had to face the music. He had to tell his wife. As he left the bar, a woman came up to him and asked if he had any money that he could spare because her daughter was sick and needed to see a doctor. She was dressed like you would expect a gypsy fortuneteller to be dressed. As he handed her a couple of dollars, he said, "I'm sorry it isn't more, but I don't think I can spare it right now." Then he turned to leave. "What happened last night was not your fault," she said to his back. "What could you know about last night?" he asked turning back. "Oh, I know more than you realize. Through no fault of your own, you made an enemy of your boss. He has a medallion that lets him change into other bodies. You were with 'him' last night. You were given a potion that caused you to act the way you did. He has caused you to stray from your destiny," she told him. "I can help you to get back on the right path." "This is crazy," Stephen muttered. "Things like that can't happen. Besides, what could I have done to Benjamin to make him want to get rid of me." The drinks were making Stephen's head swim. It had to be the drinks because he almost believed what she was saying. "That one's soul is scarred. He is afraid you will take the company from him. His fears began when he was a child. I can help you put right the wrong." The old woman stood quietly as Stephen made up his mind. "What do I have to do?" Stephen asked. "All I ask is you return the medallion to me when you are finished, then you will see me no more. The medallion is in the top drawer of the dresser in the Scarred One's room. It is the only piece of jewelry there. You cannot mistake it. The back door lock is broken, you can enter there. All you need to do is place the medallion around his neck and touch a piece of clothing to it. He will transform into the body of the last person to wear that clothing. As long as you bring the medallion back to me, the change will remain permanent," the old woman explained. "What ever else you do is part of your destiny." With that, she left. Stephen's head was spinning. He didn't know whether it was the drink or what the woman had said. He decided to take things one step at a time. First he would see if the back door was open. At Benjamin's home, Stephen first knocked at the front door to see if anyone was home. When no one answered, he slipped to the backyard and approached the door. At the first try, it seemed secure. When he shook the knob, he heard a snap and then it opened. He then went to Benjamin's room. He and his wife had been here for a Christmas party so he knew the layout of the house. He held his breath as he opened the dresser drawer. There it was, just like she said it would be. But did that mean every thing else she said was true? He had no logical reason for his behavior last night; so why not the illogical? As he picked up the medallion, he noticed a pistol under some socks. He took that as well. As he drove back to the office, he started to put together a plan. He reached into the back of the car and got an item of clothing that was there. It was late. Everyone else had gone home. Benjamin was feeling a twinge of guilt over what he had done, but quickly overcame it. When the door opened and Stephen walked in he was surprised. "I thought you were coming back tomorrow." "That's what you wanted isn't it?" Stephen pulled out the pistol from his coat. "You didn't really think you were going to get away with it, did you?" "Stephen, please calm down. You've been drinking and you don't know what you're doing," Benjamin was trying to keep from panicking. What did he know? "Why don't you sit down and we can talk." As Stephen sat in the chair, he said, "I will do the talking. You will do as I say. First, you are going to sign a power of attorney giving me control over your affairs while you are out of town." "But I'm not going out of town," Benjamin stated. "Just write it. Then you are going to write a letter stating I will be president in your absence." "Are you planning to kill me?" Benjamin asked. "If I turn up dead, they will look to you as the one with the most to gain." "I have no intention of killing you. Now write that you have decided to retire and take a long deserved trip around the world." At Benjamin's hesitation he shouted, "Just write the letters!" Stephen was suddenly quite calm now. "I will write them, but I will deny them," Benjamin stated as he wrote the letters Stephen wanted. After the letters had been signed and were in Stephen's possession, he tied Benjamin's hands behind the chair. "You can deny all you want, but no one will listen." Stephen reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the medallion. He knows, Benjamin thought. How did he find out?how did he get the medallion? Stephen slipped the medallion over Benjamin's head. "The gypsy said your emotional scars were from when you were a child." At the mention of the gypsy, Benjamin's head came up. Stephen touched the clothing he had to the medallion. "My sister flew in from Michigan with her 6 year old daughter and her daughter's best friend last month. Her daughter's friend left this dress. I was going to send it to them but I think you need it more." Terror filled Benjamin when he felt the tingle. Not a child! His own childhood was hard enough without having to go through it again as a girl. He noticed the ropes around his wrists were getting looser. His feet no longer touched the floor. He felt this overwhelming urge to giggle. The clothes he had worn to the office were almost falling off. The urge to giggle changed to the urge to cry. He started to sob in a high pitched voice. Long strands of red hair stuck to his tear streaked face. The ropes fell to the floor. In the chair sat a precocious six-year- old girl. Her curly red hair framed large green eyes that were filled with tears. Her bottom lip stuck out, showing her anger. Stephen helper her into the dress that was now all she had. Picking her up, he left the office. On the street outside, the gypsy waited for Stephen. When she saw the child, she realized who it was. "I think this is yours," Stephen said, handing her the medallion. As the gypsy took the medallion, the girl tried to grab it. "No dearie, you can't have that," the woman said. "You are back on the path of your own destiny. You have done well," the old woman said. "You will never see me again. Enjoy your life." At that she turned the corner and was gone. Stephen took the little girl to the police station and told them he had found her in the park, alone. All he could get from her was her name: Beverly. "I didn't speak for six months," Beverly continued. The couple that adopted me were terrific. They had money and I never wanted for anything. I think that's what I needed to heal the old scars. That doesn't mean it was easy. I fought growing up. I had all the emotions and maturity of a child with the knowledge and experience of an adult. Dynamite is less explosive." "The hardest time," she went on, "was when I saw on the news that Harrington's was going public. I felt betrayed all over again. I threw a major fit and insisted my parents buy me some of the stock. I was nine years-old and wanted stocks. I got them for my birthday, Christmas, anytime I was given a gift, I got stocks. Stephen turned Harrington's into a nationwide chain and a household word. The stocks I have are worth a small fortune, but I have never touched them. Then I was going through puberty again. No one should ever have to go through that twice. I believe my parents were beginning to despair of my ever settling down. Then we moved to Topeka." "Meeting you was the thing that finally turned me around. I had had other boyfriends, but you were different. The day we got married was the one of the happiest days of either life. And then to top it off, I got pregnant. Even though I now think of myself a totally a woman, when I got pregnant I felt it was a miracle. Most women take having babies for granted, not me. It was almost as if I had been forgiven for all I had done in the past and was worthy of the honor of teaching a new life how to live. And then I lost the baby." Beverly started crying softly again. Jeff was stunned by his wife's story. The chances of the medallion coming back into her life were astronomical. It was almost as if the destiny the gypsy had spoken of was at work. Beverly was right, he hadn't understood. There was no way he could have without knowing her whole story. Looking down at her he noticed she had cried herself to sleep. He lifted her feet up onto the couch and covered her with an afghan that had been thrown over the back of the couch. Then he went to his closet to look for a particular box. When Beverly woke up, Jeff was sitting across from her in the rocker. She could tell he had something heavy weighing on his mind. Her heart sank. "If you want a divorce now that you know the truth, I won't fight you. I'll miss you, but I won't fight you." "Oh honey," he cried, "I don't want a divorce. I love you for who you are. And I love every day of your life that it took to make you who you are. I have always and will continue to be proud to call you my wife. Nothing has changed." "You looked as if you were trying to solve the world's problems. If not a divorce, what's wrong?" Beverly asked. "Are you happy as a woman?" Jeff asked. "Since we have the medallion, do you want to return to being a man?" "Oh God, no!" Beverly exclaimed. "I was never really happy as Benjamin. He thought things were important not people. It took me a long time to learn that lesson. I wouldn't want to be anyone but who I am right now. Besides, I don't think I could stand to touch the medallion again." Jeff moved over to the couch next to Beverly and took her hand. "I love you and I want you to be happy. Right now there is so much unhappiness in you. I know you wanted that baby. So did I. Would you touch the medallion if it meant you could get the baby back?" Beverly tensed. "It won't work," she said with a sob. "I gave all my maternity clothes away. I didn't want anything around to remind me. I thought it would be better that way." Jeff walked over to the rocker and picked up a sweater of his. "This was in the car the day of the accident. The wreaking yard removed all our personal belongings before they crushed the car. They sent everything by mail two weeks later. You borrowed this sweater of mine because yours wouldn't fit anymore and it was chilly in the evenings. You wore this the day before the accident. You were the last one to wear it. I don't even know if it would work with the baby. If nothing else, we could use your wedding dress to put your body back the way it was before the accident. Then you would be able to have children again. Do you want to try? It's up to you. I will not force you to do anything you don't want to." "I don't know. The last time I used the medallion, my whole life changed. Everything I knew was gone. I don't want to lose you." Beverly was so torn, afraid to hope. "Jake told me the medallion had its own sense of justice. There was no justice in you loosing the baby. If you think of it in judicial terms, you did your time for the crime you committed. You have been rehabilitated. You deserve a second chance," Jeff explained. "But it's up to you. I will not pressure you either way. What ever you decide is okay with me. I just want you happy again." "No matter what, you'll take the medallion back to Jake, right?" Beverly insisted. "I don't want it around." "It goes back to Jake tomorrow," Jeff assured her. Beverly took her clothes off and put her robe on. She walked over to the entertainment center and looked at the medallion; so innocent looking. Slowly she picked it up and put it on. She reached over for the sweater Jeff was holding. Crossing her fingers (and her heart) she touched the sweater to the medallion and felt the same tingle she had experienced 21 years earlier. As she looked down, her abdomen began to expand. Jeff walked over and standing behind her, put his arms around her and watched over her shoulder. In that position they waited. At the end of 30 minutes Beverly felt a kick. Stephen was in his office at Harrington's corporate headquarters. It had been a long day. He was so tired lately. Maybe it was time for him to retire. He decided that after he finished opening his mail, he would head for home. The last envelope seemed to be a card of some sort. It was marked 'Personal' so his secretary hadn't opened it. There was no return address. It was a Thank You card. When he opened it a picture of a newborn infant fell out. On the back of the picture was written: Stephen Jacob ? one week. Inside the card was: Thank You, Beverly He smiled.