by Abigail Armani
Vanessa shrugged off her robe and slipped naked into bed, shaking her long hair so that it fanned out on the pillow in a cloud of rich-brown with glints of gold where the sun had kissed it. Pulling the sheet over her she closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. This was the time when she often pleasured herself, delighting in the sensual gratification induced by a moistened finger on her clit. Sometimes her gasps and moans crescendoed into screams of delight that had to be buried in the pillow lest they wake her uncle sleeping in the room opposite. But tonight there would be no heady self-indulgences for she had sat up until the early hours engaged in a different form of pleasure - reading. She loved to read, devouring the written word, thirsty for knowledge; but reading late into the night made her weary and long for sleep. Her eyes closed of their own volition and sleep came quickly... and with it, her dreams.
He was with her again; a muscled hunk of a man, tall and broad-shouldered with a powerful chest, he stood ramrod straight and rock-jawed, his piercing blue eyes alight with virility and intelligence as he gazed at her. A thatch of dark hair curled into the nape of his neck, and his skin was tanned by sun and wind to the colour of wild honey. He took a step closer, moving purposefully on legs that were long and hard with thighs of iron. Vanessa felt herself blush beneath his scrutiny, and try as she would, was unable to look away.
They were standing on the crest of a high cliff on a narrow headland that overlooked the broad expanse of ocean, the waters still and glistening beneath the vast night sky, a blanket of midnight blue interspersed with glittering luminous stars. And behind them to the east gleamed the towers and spirals of a city, sleeping peacefully in the shadow of the moon.
A hint of a smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he spoke. Just one word: "Vanessa." Then his expression became stern. "Vanessa. You know you shouldn't be outside the city walls at this hour. You will return with me. Now."
"Shan't," she said defiantly, "and you can't make me."
"Oh but I can," he said softly, and advanced with the grace and agility of a predatory mountain lion. "You were warned, girl, yet still you disobey."
"But I like it out here," she said, stepping backwards, and then whirled round to run. But she had taken only three steps before a strong hand gripped her arm and another snaked around her waist, propelling her into his embrace. "Let go!" she said crossly. "I'm perfectly safe. Nothing will happen to me."
"I beg to differ." Clutching his wriggling bundle he strode towards a rocky outcrop; the central rock had formed a broad ledge and jutted out like some primeval throne. He sat on it and in seconds had her sprawled over his lap. "This spanking is long overdue," he said grimly.
"Spanking?!" Vanessa's eyes widened. "You can't spank me!"
"No?" He raised the hem of her tunic. A pale, chubby bottom mooned up at him.
Vanessa gasped as her bottom was bared, her face flushing with embarrassment. "Nooo! I shall tell my father! He-"
"He's the one who told me to discipline you, Vanessa." He raised his right hand, bringing it down sharply on her right cheek.
"What?! I-ow!!" Another sharp spank descended onto her left cheek. This was followed immediately by an anguished squeal from Vanessa as she registered the sting in her bottom. "How dare you!" she cried. "Stop this at once!"
But her tormentor paid no heed. He spanked each cheek in turn and then moved lower to smack the tender area of her sit spots.
"Aaahhh!" hollered Vanessa. "It hurts! It hurts!"
"It's meant to. It's a spanking. And it's well deserved." He cracked his hand down again, and the unmistakable sound of flesh on flesh rang out into the night, accompanied by Vanessa's wails and whimpers. "You are wilful and disobedient and you deliberately put yourself in danger." A glance at her posterior showed her previously milk-white orbs had bloomed pink by the spanking. But it wasn't enough. She had a lesson to learn and he was intent on giving it to her. His large hand descended again as a flurry of spanks assailed their target, each one landing in exactly the same place on her lower curves, just above the little crease where bottom meets thighs.
Vanessa screeched and kicked her legs wildly. She balled her fingers into fists and beat the air frantically. "Ow! Ow! That stings! You monster!"
"A monster am I? A monster who cares for your welfare." Slap! "A monster who strives to protect you at all times." Slap! "A monster who would give his life for you." Slap!
He peppered her bottom with a rapid succession of spanks, covering every available inch with the iron palm of his hand. She bucked and reared and squealed ... and then lay limply over his lap, all the fight drained out of her.
"Sorry," she whimpered, one hand reaching back to rub her scalded bottom.
"I know," he said softly. He lowered her tunic and sat her up, positioning her on his lap. "I'm sorry I had to do that, but you must learn obedience."
She sniffled and leaned against him, nestling into the solid comfort of his chest, feeling safe as he cradled her in his arms and stroked her hair. She felt strange as unfamiliar feelings coursed through her, and when she raised her head, those dazzling blue eyes of his held her captive once more. His mouth was smiling now as he lowered his head to deposit a chaste kiss on the top of her head. But she wanted so much more than that. She wanted him to kiss her properly. She wanted him, and the ache filled her.
At this point, Vanessa was in the tenuous state between sleep and wakefulness. Semi-alert, she knew she was dreaming and consciously strived to alter the course of events to synchronise with her own erotic fantasies, forcing this dream lover to take her virginity and claim her as his own ... but already the image of him was blurring and fading, the gossamer fragments dissipating like sea mist blown in the wind.
And then it was gone.
Vanessa woke just after seven o'clock to the smell of fried bacon. The aroma was motivational, and she quickly got out of bed and headed straight into the shower. Five minutes later she towelled herself dry and dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and a pale pink shirt. Opening the curtains in her room, she gazed out at the sprawling back garden with its lush lawn, colourful shrubs and flowerbeds. To the rear of the garden was a track leading to the woodland which had a labyrinth of paths meandering through it, the denser canopies pierced by lances of sunshine; and beyond the woods were a series of undulating hills and picturesque windswept moorlands. The early summer morning was bright and clear, bathing everything in a pale golden glow.
Vanessa never tired of the view from her window, nor the fascinating old house she shared with Uncle Felix. It was once a hunting lodge; made of stone it was both sturdy and spacious and incredibly private, and his twenty acres of land were a paradise of woods with winding trails, set on the outskirts of the North York Moors National Park. Smiling, Vanessa brushed her hair, shoved her feet into a pair of old sneakers and went downstairs.
Uncle Felix was in the kitchen standing by the Aga, busily flipping eggs in a copper-bottomed frying pan. He looked up as Vanessa entered, and flashed her a broad smile. "Ah, there you are, my dear. I heard the shower going. The bacon's warming in the oven and the toast is almost done. Coffee's in the jug. You can pour me one while you're at it."
"Morning." She gave him a peck on the cheek and reached for the coffee and two mugs. "I'm ready for this."
"Sleep well?"
"I always do." She smiled fondly at him. Felix Kazinsky was in his early sixties. He refused to cut his bushy grey hair short and wore it tied back in a tail like the ageing hippy he was. He was also a genius, a brilliant scientist and erstwhile child prodigy - a fascinating though eccentric man, and Vanessa adored him, even if he did wear odd socks and outlandish clothes and forget to brush his hair. She added a spoon of sugar to his mug of coffee, gave the contents a stir, and handed it to him. "Here you go."
Felix took a big gulp and then dished out the eggs and bacon onto two plates. "Breakfast," he announced, gleefully brandishing the spatula. "I'm starving."
They sat down to eat, Felix taking breaks in the conversation to jot complex equations down on a notepad. Vanessa peered at it. "Fractional differential calculus?"
"Exactly so, my dear." Felix scribbled away, so focused on his work he was forgetting to eat his breakfast.
Vanessa smiled indulgently, recalling him once telling her that when he was young he didn't know what career path to choose. He could be a geneticist and study the science of genes and variation of organisms; or a cosmologist which would allow him to investigate the evolution of the universe; or a planet hunter and spend years searching for habitable planets around other stars; or an astrophysicist to search for dark matter and black holes; or an engineer who designs satellites or robots that land on other planets. Unable to choose just one, the solution was simple: he studied them all, and more besides, motivated by an undeniable thirst for knowledge and a phenomenal capacity for learning utilising his eidetic memory. Yes, Uncle Felix was a genius; eccentric, but an absolute genius. Life with him was fascinating and edifying, and he'd taught her so much.
"Your coffee's going cold. I'll give it a blast in the microwave for you," she offered, and got up to do it.
"Ah, Vanessa. Whatever would I do without you?" he said as she set the mug down in front of him. His tone was almost wistful and there was a decidedly odd, faraway look in his eyes.
Vanessa stared at him. "Well I'm not planning on going anywhere, so it looks like you're stuck with me."
Felix sipped his drink and peered at her from over the top of his coffee mug. He began fiddling with his right ear lobe. It was a sign that Vanessa recognised, indicating he was stressed or anxious about something.
"Is something wrong, Uncle? I know there is. You've been acting kinda weird lately."
"I always act weird. I'm a boffin. It's how I am." He lapsed into silence and stared out of the window at nothing in particular.
"I know ... but there is something bothering you. I can tell. What is it? Please - tell me. I'm concerned about you."
"Um ... ah, well ..." He gave his ear another tweak. "There is something ... something I've been meaning to tell you for some time. I kept putting it off I'm afraid. But you're 21 now, and there are things you should know."
That got her attention. "What sort of things? Bad things?"
"Bad? No, no, not at all. Incredible, wonderful, mind-blowing things."
"Yeah?" Vanessa looked at him expectantly. "Then go right ahead and blow my mind. Tell me what they are."
"You're like a daughter to me. You're the child I never had," he began.
"And you're my dear uncle who has been like a father to me."
"Ah, but there's the thing." He took a deep breath. "I'm not your uncle."
"Yes you are."
"No Vanessa, I'm not."
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