= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Chapter 10
Nice Sunday Picnic.

“Who are you?” I demand of the attractive, blue eyed and very naked girl lying under me. An unmistakable feeling around my slightly stiffened penis tells me that it’s nestled comfortably within her vagina. Wait. . . . No way! “Jennifer?”

“Ha, ha, funny Lyden,” she states, batting her lashes at me. “Trying to forget that you fucked this fat cow already?”

“Umm,” I start, not sure how to tell her about her transformation, “you might want to get a look at yourself.”

Her brown eyebrows knit together, as she tries to figure out what I’m getting at, before using her not inconsiderable strength to push me off her. My cock makes a squelching noise as it pulls free from her coochy, and I see her wince in pain.

“Oh, I’m going to be sore down there for awhile,” she grimaces as she lightly gets to her feet. She miscalculates, and ends up jumping as she attempts to lift her old weight off the ground. I sit back on the couch, and really get a good look at the woman that only a little bit ago, had to weigh over 250lbs, but right now, couldn’t be more that 120lbs, and a good portion of that is in her breasts. Slender legs lead up to a nice round bum. Her hips are a little wide, but they don’t compare to the size of her still giant tits. They hang down to her bellybutton, but not bad, just oversized. TanaVesta would be jealous.

Her face had always been somewhat cute, in a pudgy sort of way, but now, with her short brown hair, and vivid blue eyes, she’s a stunner.

She’s making the same examination as me, only she’s lucky enough to be hands on. Sticking her small right foot out, she examines it in disbelief, before hefting her breasts apart, and staring at her skinny waist.

“What the FUCK did you do to me?” she demands, and I’m surprised to hear anger in her voice.

“Umm, I, uh,” I stammer, not certain what to say.

“Don’t you think that if I’d really wanted to be skinny, I could have worked for it?” Yeah, there’s no mistaking the anger in her tone now. “I may not have been anyone’s ideal, but that doesn’t give you the right to go and change my body around to your own tastes!”

“I didn’t mean to,” I defend myself. “This has never happened before!”

“What did you think?” she continues as if I hadn’t even spoken. “That I’d be grateful for the fact that I’ll need to buy a whole new wardrobe? That I’d somehow be happier if I weren’t so portly?” As she continues to berate me, her volume rises until she’s yelling by the end. “What gives you the right to do this to me?”

Standing quickly, I can feel my own ire rising at the injustice of her anger. “Jennifer, stop! I had no way of knowing this would happen. It’s not something I did to you on purpose, and don’t even truly understand why it happened. If you really don’t like it that much, just eat whatever you please, and don’t work out. I’m sure you can get back to where you want to be within a few months.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” She demands, and once again I’m stumped. Are all women so arbitrary, and expect us men to just read their minds? “It’s not so much that I’m no longer fat, but that now that I have this body, I’m going to have to work harder at keeping it. I was mostly okay with the way I was. I understood that I would never be skinny, and accepted it. Now that I am, I’m going to have to work hard to maintain it.”

At some point in her explanation I must have sat back down on the couch. Stunned, I can only stare at her openmouthed. She’s angry because she has to work to keep this body? I will never understand women!

“Or, you could just have sex with me on a weekly basis,” I tell her, half joking.

“Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Make you my own little skinny addiction? What? Just come up to you, and say, ‘Excuse me Lyden, I need my weekly fucking to stay skinny.’” The sarcasm veritably drips from her tone. “Besides, if I’m always this sore afterwards, they’d have to be a week or two apart.”

Throwing my hands up in frustration I shout, “Bah! I don’t even care anymore. Do what you want. If you’re not happy about it, I’m sorry. It wasn’t intentional, and I would change you back if I knew how. I don’t, though, so you’ll just have to suffer everyone looking at you, and wishing they could catch the eye of the beautiful blue eyed woman that you are now!” Now I’m shouting, and I don’t care about that either.

“You . . . you really think I’m beautiful?” Her words come out hushed, and I have to strain to hear them, over the sound of the blood pumping through my skull.

Is she bipolar? “Are you kidding me? Go look in a mirror,” I state, waving my hand off vaguely. I have no idea where a mirror might be in this rustic cabin. I vaguely recall her telling me there is an outhouse out back. Do outhouses have mirrors?

Without warning, she’s hugging me tight, and laughing into my shoulder. Lemme tell you, if a woman built as well as her hugs you, and you’re both naked—well, except that I still have my socks on—you either react, or you’re already dead. I may be angry, but I’m definitely still alive. It doesn’t help that her very ample bosom dangles down and bounces around my very alert cock.

“Oh!” she gasps, pulling away, and noticing how hard I am. “Shit, did I really get that in me this morning? No wonder I’m so sore!” I decide not to tell her that my penis conforms to whatever woman I’m with, and just nod at her. “Well, I’m afraid you’re going to have to find someone else to take care of that. I hurt too much to do it for you.”

She tries to back away, but I grasp her wrist, and pull her back to me. “There is more than one way to take care of me,” I inform her, then pull her the rest of the way to my waiting lips. Hesitantly at first, but with growing desire, she kisses me back.

Letting go of her wrist and grabbing her tits, I press them to either side of my woody, and moan with the pleasure the soft globes give me.

She pulls back only slightly, and looks to where the head of my prick is barely poking out between her round orbs, and then smiles at me. “You like fucking my big titties, don’t you? Well, fuck them with your big cock. I want to see you cum all over them.”

Her dirty talk is really starting to have an effect on me, and even though I’d gotten off just a little while ago, I can feel myself getting close. This is the first time I’ve ever had my dick between a set of boobs, and I have to admit that the feeling is quite wonderful. When her mouth drops down, and I feel her extremely talented tongue swirl around the head, I lose it. My first shot goes off in her mouth, and she pulls back, allowing the rest of my cum to spray all over her chest and neck. She spits my jism onto her chest, and then sits back on her knees, staring at her shiny bosom.

“I can’t believe I got you off that quickly,” she murmurs. There’s a definite sparkle in her eyes, as she stands up, and walks out of the room. There is also no mistaking the extra bounce in her step. Despite the energy I’ve transferred to her, I still feel quite alive from all of her orgasms this morning.

I get dressed, before entering the attached kitchen, where Jennifer has a washcloth and is trying to get herself cleaned up.

“How do you get this stuff off?” She asks me as she continues to scrub.

“Use a bit of soap,” I tell her.

Once she’s fully cleaned, we head back to the couch, where she stares forlornly at her oversized clothes. Her old guard uniform looks more like a muumuu than a shirt, and her pants are hopeless. Only her shoes still fit, and she has to tighten the laces on them.

With her as decently dressed as she can be, we head down the mountain, and back into civilization. Our first stop is to get her some new clothes that I happily pay for. I then have her drop me off at the police station.

I have my story ready as I walk in. Jennifer follows me, and all the officers turn and look jealously at her. In her tight pink spaghetti strap top and even tighter jeans, she’s a teenager’s wet dream.

“What can I do for you,” the officer behind the glass window asks. Thankfully it’s a man, as his eyes are glued to Jennifer’s chest. I’d been afraid that a woman might be upset with the way she’s dressed, but this works well. Jennifer, for her part, and despite her protestations to the opposite, seems to be really enjoying the attention.

“Yeah,” I begin my lie, “I’ve been up camping with my girl here, and when I got home this afternoon, my apartment was burned up and my car was missing. Who do I need to talk to about that?”

With some obvious effort, he tears his eyes away from Lansbury, and finally gets a good look at me. “You’re Lyden Snow!” he exclaims as if he doesn’t believe it. “We’ve been looking for you.”

Crap! Apparently I’m already a suspect. Hopefully I’ll be able to stick to my story, and get away with everything.

* * *

Eight hours later, and innumerable interrogations, I find myself back out on the front steps of the police station. They finally bought my story that someone must have stolen my car after starting the complex on fire. The fire had burned too hot to know where it’d started, but they do know it’d started somewhere on my floor.

To my horror, I find out that twelve people died in the fire, and thirty others were injured. They’d found my car in the grocery store parking lot where it’d been burned, and gunshots had been heard. I’d become their primary suspect, but I have an alibi and a witness. Thank goodness for Jennifer. She’d held up like a champ as they talked to her. They’d released her a few hours before, and when I call her as they finally release me, she doesn’t answer.

Since I’ve missed a few calls from Lisa and Becky, I call them up next. Becky is out the door and on her way to get me before I even hang up.

“You stink,” the very short brunette says as she hugs me.

“Good to see you too,” I laugh.

“I was so worried when I saw your apartment complex had burned, and then you weren’t answering your phone, and then they were plastering your face all over the news, and I didn’t know what to think.” I can tell how worried she’d been, by how quickly she’s talking and of course by her tone. While it warms my heart to know she cares, I feel guilty about cheating on her and Lisa with Jennifer and Sheila Lance, my boss. She’d been concerned about my well-being, while I’d been having great sex. Oh, and being terrified for my life. I probably shouldn’t forget about that.

We get into the short woman’s car, and she jabbers about school, work at her law firm, and the stupidity of some people. Thankfully she doesn’t ask about where I’ve been, or what I’ve been doing.

She tells me to use the shower, while she gets started on making dinner.

The water feels great as it washes down my body, and despite myself, it even feels as though some of my worries go down the drain along with the dirty water.

“Welcome back,” a voice says as I hear the curtain pulled back. I turn to see Lisa stepping in, lithe body nude, and eyes sparkling. “Hope you don’t mind, but I got a little sweaty instructing Aikido today. Mind washing my back?”

I chuckle silently at her forwardness, and don’t mind at all. The only soap in their shower is the fru-fru kind, so I know I’ll smell a little girly when I get out, but it’ll work well for the pretty blonde. Squirting some into my hands, I lather them up, before rubbing it into her smooth back. For the first time I notice how toned her body is. Must be from all the martial arts training.

Using my fingers and thumbs to dig into some knots on her back, I turn the back wash into a massage and enjoy the sound of her soft moans. Her small rear keeps bumping against my groin, and I’m hard in no time. I ignore my own state however, as I move my washing massage to her arms, and then to her hands.

“Mmm, I love a good hand massage,” she murmurs, her blue eyes looking into mine. Her body turns to face me, and she doesn’t miss how hard my cock is. She goes to grab it, but I stop her.

“Not yet,” I say, smiling at her confusion. “Let me take care of you first.”

Finishing with her hands, I move to the front of her shoulders, and then scrub vigorously between and under her breasts, studiously avoiding her hard nipples. Her stomach is next, and I take a couple moments to wash out her belly button. She giggles delightfully as I finger the shallow hole.

Turning her sideways, I wash her right hip and buttocks, before moving down her thigh, to her knee, and then work the muscles in her calf. Dropping to my own knees, I take her foot in my hands, and spend a few minutes on it, watching her face and enjoying the looks of pleasure my hands are giving her. Even with the water and soap running down her body, I can tell she is getting turned on by how swollen her labia are.

Staying on my knees, I turn her to face the other way, and repeat the process on her left hip and leg. When I’m satisfied with the job I’ve done on her left foot, I stand, and before I can say or do anything, Lisa’s arms are around my neck and her slippery body is plastered to mine. Her tongue forces its way between my lips, and I grin as I allow it access. My hands drop to her rear, and I pull her even tighter to me, my prick stiff, and pleasantly smashed between us.

“You need a shave,” she tells me, but then plasters her lips against mine again.

It finally dawns on me that this is the first time I’ve been alone with Lisa, and am actually turned on by the idea of devoting my attentions to just her.

Using my grip on her bum, I lift her up without breaking the kiss, and gently guide her onto my rod. She moans as our connection becomes complete, and even I can’t hold back the sounds of my own pleasure.

My right foot slips slightly, and I have to turn and press her to the wall, while bracing my feet on the side of the tub, to keep from falling. She grunts as her back hits the wall, but her legs wrap around my hips, and she begins to use her abs to move her hips up and down my cock. Her insides feel so soft and warm, as my penis conforms to her, and I begin to match her pace.

My right hand slips a little more under her, and I easily slip my middle finger into her anus. Lisa goes wild at the added sensation, and I feel the strength of her orgasm wash over me, taking with it any feelings of fatigue that might have lingered after the police station. All the while, our mouths are wrestling with one another, and her kissing becomes more frantic and powerful.

Her legs drop from my hips, and I carefully let her down, as she pulls away from me. The water running down her hair makes it look darker than usual, and her blue eyes sparkle as she smiles up at me. Her chest heaves, and the effect of the water beading on her soft skin is quite erotic. “What is it about you that always feels just right? You seem to know just what to do to please me.” Her hand goes to my groin and moves along the length as she gives me a surprisingly chaste peck on my cheek. “Now, we just need to finish you off.”

Lisa grabs the soap and squeezes some onto my member, before rubbing it in. Her hands feel great, and she has a powerful grip as she jacks me off. Just when I begin to think she plans on finishing me this way, she turn around, and rubs my head against her puckered brown hole. Once she has me lined up, she pushes back hard, and I find myself delightfully ensconced within her colon.

I place my hands on her hips, but she turns, shaking her head. “No, you took care of me, let me do the work now, and take care of you.

Not willing to argue with such a request, I place my hands behind my back, and moan gently as she pulls forward, and then slides her rear back onto my aching pole. Watching as my length slips in and out of her sphincter, while she screws herself on me is really turning me on. The feeling of her tight bum gliding up and down my soapy length and her firm globes slapping against my thighs, draws forth moan after moan from me. It doesn’t take long until I feel that familiar churning in my scrotum and grip her hips, forcing her to pick up the pace. To my surprise, she pulls away, and drops to her knees in front of me, using her awesome grip to jack me off again. My first volley of semen blasts onto her chin, before she re-aims me, and the rest of my seed splatters across her chest.

I have to brace a hand against the wall as I climax, and as soon as she’s done milking every drop from me, she begins to scoop it off her chest and lick her fingers clean.

“Mmm, I love the taste of cum, and yours always seems to give me extra pleasure!” I wonder if that’s because of my incubus abilities, or something else?

“If you two are done fooling around in there,” Becky yells, “dinner’s ready.”

We both laugh, as we get out and dry off. Becky watches us unashamedly, as I use one of their towels. “I hope she didn’t wear you out, Lyden, because I expect some attention tonight, also.”

Dinner is a simple fair of green beans and hamburger in some kind of sauce. Despite its simplicity, it tastes rather good, especially considering the fare I’ve been having lately.

“Thanks for taking me in tonight,” I tell the two women as I get up and start cleaning my plate in the kitchen sink. “I promise I’ll get a motel room tomorrow, staying there until I can find another apartment to move into.” I have no idea what I’m going to put into a new apartment though. I didn’t have renter’s insurance on my old one, which is part of the reason the police believed that I had nothing to do with burning it down. Maybe the apartment managers have some kind of insurance to compensate its tenants, but luckily I still have all that money from whoever overpaid my rent. I strongly suspect it’d been Angela that’d paid all my bills, but I have no way to prove it, and no idea where she would have gotten all that money.

“Don’t be crazy,” Lisa states, bringing me her plate, “you can stay here as long as you need.”

I open my mouth to protest, but Becky cuts in first. “I know we don’t know each other well, but there’s no sense in spending money on a motel room, when we both have a perfectly comfortable bed to share.” From the way her eyes sparkle, I have the feeling that they’re not going to take no for an answer, and that there won’t be a lot of sleeping going on in those beds. Whatever luck led me to these two women, I don’t know whether to curse it, or thank it. A month ago, these two young ladies wouldn’t have looked at me twice. Today, they can’t seem to stop staring at me.

My theory is proven right after I finish cleaning the kitchen—yes, I cleaned it, because I’m a guest and they’re letting me stay here. It’s the least I can do. The women practically rip off my clothes, and it’s not ‘til many hours later that that the women go to sleep. For my part, I’m too full of life to even think about slumber.

* * *

Jennifer grins at me after Becky drops me off at my office building.

“Well, Mr. Snow. Have a good day off yesterday?” She gives me a wink, and even goes so far as to pinch my rear as she allows me past the security checkpoint. Somewhere she’s picked up a smaller uniform, one that somehow fits her considerable assets while conforming to her hips as well. I’m not the only person that notices her body, and there is even a slight scuffle as two guys walk into each other, because they were staring at her.

“I tried calling you last night,” I tell her, wondering why she hadn’t answered.

She grimaces slightly, and I wonder what’s wrong. She glances at everyone around us, before responding. “I’ll talk to you later. See you at lunch?”

What’s going on? I wonder, as I take the elevator up to my floor. It’s not until I walk in, and can feel Sheila’s cold glare that I remember what Jennifer had told her.

Sitting at my desk, I see I’ve already received an email from my boss.

Mr. Snow,

It has come to my attention that you have a girlfriend. I will not play party to such behavior. As of now, we are through, and I will tolerate no further such behavior from you.

There isn’t even a signature at the end, and I glance up to my boss wanting to explain, but she’s studiously not looking my way. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to come up with a plan to get her alone, without appearing suspicious to my coworkers, to explain.

Come to think on it, should I explain? Sure, Jennifer isn’t really my girlfriend, but I do have a girlfriend, or two. Other than having an angry boss, maybe it’ll be good to stop fooling around with her. Once again, I’m tempted to just up and quit this job. It’s not like I don’t already have enough stress in my life!

Something stops me, though. It’s not that I need the money, but with my apartment gone, my car destroyed, and my entire life flipped upside-down, my job is the only thing I have left.

Why did Angela have to come into my life? Everything started after she showed up in my office. Once more, I feel a pang of hurt from thinking about the succubus, which inevitably reminds me of Brooke leaving.

I need to get over them. They’re my past, and I need to concentrate on the present.

“Mr. Snow, get back to work,” Sheila states a little louder than I think is truly necessary, but I get back to work nonetheless.

Lunch comes painfully slowly, and I head down to the lobby to meet up with Guard Lansbury.

“You showed up,” the now skinny woman states, and from her tone I can’t tell if she’s happy or disappointed. She walks an arm’s length away from me as well, and now I’m truly curious as to what’s going on. We walk to a deli around the corner, and I offer to pay for her, but she refuses.

“Look,” she starts when we sit down with our food, and I immediately feel my heart sink, “you know I like you, Lyden, but things have been a bit weird. No, let me finish,” she says when I try to interrupt, and I close my mouth. “You’re involved in something very dangerous, and I’ll help you out if I can, but I’m not going to hang around just looking for trouble.”

“I understand,” I tell the pretty woman, and I really do understand. Truth is, I probably shouldn’t even be around Becky and Lisa, but I’m still human, and need some level of companionship. Now that four women have basically rejected me in less than as many days, I’m beginning to wonder what’s wrong with me.

Just last week I could have my pick of women. This week I’m lucky to have. . . .

Wait a minute! Why am I getting down on myself? I have two, count ‘em, TWO girlfriends. Just because I don’t have six? What kind of demented man am I? After last night, I’m not sure if I can really handle any more than two women right now anyway. What is wrong with me?

Yeah, Guard Lansbury’s decision is a good thing, I tell myself.

I only wish my heart would buy what my head is selling.

We try to talk amiably through the rest of lunch, but I think we both know it’s strained.

When I get back up to my office, I find a flyer on my desk for a church gathering this Saturday, and know that AnnaBelle must have placed it there. My first response is to rip it up and throw it away, but maybe this is what I need right now.

“AnnaBelle,” I say to the woman sitting in the desk next to mine, “I’m truly sorry for what I said on Monday. It was inappropriate, and while I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, I’ll do what I can to go to this event.”

“It’s not my forgiveness you should strive for, Lyden, but our Lord and Savior’s. Only he can truly forgive.” I hate this pious attitude, but I’d meant what I’d said about being wrong in my behavior. “But know that I have already forgiven and forgotten your words from Monday. You’re a young man, and I remember when I was younger. I’ll see you there.”

I nod that I will indeed be there, and even though I’m dreading the experience, I actually intend to follow through.

The rest of the day flows smoothly, and despite the occasional glares from Sheila, I actually feel somewhat better.

After work, I take a cab to Lisa’s Dojo. She finds an outfit for me to start getting trained in. At first I’m embarrassed to be lumped into a group of young children. Even though I know I’m a beginner, and I have to start somewhere, having a six year old kid flip me onto my back is humiliating.

I find out that Aikido is a martial arts form that doesn’t use strength so much as holds, pressure points, and avoiding direct attacks. It takes me a bit to get used to thinking like this, but after the umpteenth time of a child controlling my movements, I start to pay better attention.

I catch a ride home with Lisa, and offer to make dinner. When I serve my concoction up, we all agree that I may not be the best cook.

Both women are still thankfully satisfied from last night’s marathon session, and I’m actually able to get a little sleep sandwiched between the two attractive women. This time we’re in Lisa’s bed, as Becky’s sheets are still in the laundry because of last night.

The rest of the week seems to go by smoothly. Even Sheila Lance stops glaring at me, only snapping at every little distraction from work.

No more assassins show up to kill me under TanaVesta’s orders. No more drama from any women. Jennifer tries to treat me as she used to, before our first kiss, but we both agree it’s too awkward, and our interactions end up reduced to curt greetings. Every time I see her walking her rounds, I have to laugh at all the men ogling her. She tries to grimace every time she catches someone looking her way, but the way she moves her hips, or readjusts her clothing lets me know she’s enjoying the attention.

I find a great apartment to move into on Friday, but by then, both women refuse to let me go, telling me that I can just stay there and pay rent. A strong part of me wants to have a little bit of freedom, but deep down I’m not willing to give them up either, and end up staying. I end up buying a whole new wardrobe, and Becky gives me a corner of her closet to use.

Saturday rolls around, and I’m surprised to find that both women want to go to AnnaBelle’s church’s event with me.

We dress nicely, and Becky drives us—she has the nicer car—to the address on the flyer.

AnnaBelle’s church is a large attractive white building, with a large lawn. People dressed in Sunday finery are amiably chatting, and I can see a couple tables being set for an outside picnic.

The religious woman from work spots me as we walk onto the lawn, and I can tell her smile is forced as she takes in Becky and Lisa on my arms.

“I’m so glad you could come,” she says, “and I’m sure the Lord is too.”

“Thank you for inviting us,” Becky says.

“We brought a Jell-o salad,” Lisa follows up, presenting the desert.

It’s obvious that AnnaBelle doesn’t know how to take the women’s behavior, but she smiles, saying, “The bigger the flock that follows our Lord, the better,” and takes the bowl from the blonde-haired woman.

“You weren’t kidding,” Lisa says in a whisper as AnnaBelle walks away. “She really is overzealous.”

“Be nice, Lisa,” Becky says, but I can see her eyes sparkling with mirth as well.

“Maybe we shouldn’t have come,” I say, feeling uncomfortable surrounded by so many religious people. It feels as if my skin doesn’t fit well, and that at any moment, someone is going to show up and start judging every bit of my past.

“I don’t recall seeing you here, before,” a deep voice, sounds behind me.

I turn to see a man with a deep tan and brown eyes. From the way the two women start to unconsciously preen, I’m guessing that with his ruggedly chiseled face and flowing brown hair, he must be quite attractive.

“AnnaBelle invited us,” I say, offering the man my hand. Already I don’t like this man, but I can’t place my finger on exactly why. “I’m Lyden, and these lovely women are Becky and Lisa.”

The man grips my proffered hand in a powerful grip, shaking it firmly. “I’m Reverend Michael Chilton, parishioner of this humble flock.”

Okay, I’m beginning to know why I don’t like this man. His eyes are hard, and even though they are on me, it’s obvious that his attention is on my girlfriends. From the flush in their cheeks, they’re noticing the attention as well.

“Well, welcome, and I hope you enjoy. Any chance we’ll see you in our service tomorrow?” Before I have a chance to respond, he turns and sees AnnaBelle approaching. “Ah, well I see our sweet AnnaBelle is returning. Please let me know if I can answer any questions for you.”

He takes the women’s hands and bends over each. I can’t miss how each woman’s flush deepens.

“That man is the most humble and pious man I’ve ever met,” AnnaBelle says as she comes back to us. I grunt noncommittally, not wanting to say what I really think about the reverend. “Food is served,” she then says, turning to us.

We follow her up to one of the tables, and wait for a prayer to be said for the food. I’m not sure if it’s just the mood I’m in, or if it’s something else, but the blessing seems to drag on as thanks is given for everything under the sun, and there are no less than three references to Reverend Michael.

We serve ourselves, and then head over to a picnic table, where AnnaBelle and another young couple join us.

The conversation turns inevitably towards the high and mighty Reverend Michael. It doesn’t take long until my appetite is shot. What is it about that man that has everyone all atwitter?

The end of the picnic can’t come quick enough, but thankfully it does end. AnnaBelle walks us back to Becky’s car.

“I hope to see you in service tomorrow,” the religious woman says. Religion can be a great thing, I know, but I have no intention of coming to the great and humble Reverend Michael’s service.

I watch curiously, as Annabelle’s face drains of color and her mouth drops open.

I turn to follow her gaze, and feel my heart plummet. It can’t be, my first thought sluggishly moves through my mind. What happened? No! I won’t accept it! I was just getting better. I was just starting to be able to go most of a day without thinking about her.

Angela is holding her side, blood obviously seeping through her fingers. She is still in her punk guise, but I can see where her nose and eyebrow rings have been torn from her face.

“Lyden,” she gasps as she collapses, still a good twenty feet away, “we have a problem.”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Chapter 11
Resurrections.

My legs are moving even before what I’m seeing fully sinks in. The twenty or so feet between Becky, Lisa, AnnaBelle, and I blurs as I super speed to the injured Angela’s side.

“Angela, what happened?” I cry out, as I bend down to pick her up. Blood trickles from torn flesh at her eyebrow and nose. Why did I have to add that jewelry to her image last time? A small part of my mind ponders while my eyes rove her wounded body. Her eyes are closed, and I realize that it must have taken her last bit of strength to reach me. Her breathing is shallow and labored, and I can’t believe how much blood is seeping from the hole in her side. Her clothing, burned and charred, is little more than rags. What skin is whole underneath it is red, raw, and blistered from her numerous burns. “Who did this to you?” I demand, anger welling up in me at the violent treatment of the succubus, but she’s unconscious and doesn’t respond.

“Lyden, who is it?” Becky asks as the other women finally catch up to me.

“Oh my God!” Lisa exclaims as she gets a look at Angela.

“Taking our Lord’s name in vain won’t help the young woman,” AnnaBelle admonishes. “We need to get her to a hospital.” Somehow the older woman is able to keep her voice calm, and I wonder how strong her resolve is. I’m freaking out!

Reaching my arms underneath her, I lift the petite damaged body up, and look around. Despite the picnic having just ended, no one else is even close to us.

“No hospitals,” I say firmly.

“Lyden, she needs help,” Becky argues, but I shake my head.

“I can help her, but we need to get somewhere quiet,” I tell them, knowing that I need to get into the demonic creature’s mind to transfer energy to her. I don’t know what her physiology is like, but I’m guessing it’ll stump a doctor and raise more questions than we can afford.

“You know this creature.” AnnaBelle’s voice makes it clear that that was a statement and not a question. Her use of the word creature, and not girl, makes me wonder if the pious woman can sense the injured woman’s nature. “We’ll take my SUV so that we can all fit. I live just a few miles away. Lyden, you work on her wounds in the back, while I drive.”

“What about us,” Becky asks, but it’s Lisa that answers.

“He’s going to need our help,” the martial artist says, and we follow the older woman to her large vehicle.

The women try to help me get the blue haired woman into the back of AnnaBelle’s SUV, but I’m able to do it alone. I know they just want to help, but I don’t want anyone else touching her. There is so much blood!

Ripping off my shirt, I tear it apart, and start using the cloth as bandages while we head to my coworker’s home.

“Lyden, what’s going on?” Becky asks. “Who is she? What happened to her?”

“I don’t know, and she was a friend,” I tell the short brunette while trying to staunch the blood flowing from her side.

If anything else is said, I’m not aware of it, as I try to enter the succubus’s mind while still awake, but it’s no good.

The SUV jounces as we pull into a driveway, and I look outside to see a rather nice looking suburban home. The walls are brick and mortar, with a small white picket fence around the front yard.

AnnaBelle opens the back door to her vehicle, and I carry the still insensible Angela into the home. Religious pictures adorn every wall, and there is even a piano in the front room. Everything seems to be covered in white doilies, and in one corner is a collection of porcelain dolls in a wood and glass cabinet.

The older woman leads us back to a room that adds a whole new level to the color white. White bed sheets cover the bed, while white curtains frame the open window. The walls and even the carpet are white. The only objects of a different color are the five people in here, and a large painted portrait of Jesus opposite the bed.

I don’t even hesitate as I lay Angela on the bed, soaking the white linen with her crimson blood. Despite my best efforts, some blood still seeps from her wounds, making a stark contrast to the white bedding.

“What do we need to do?” Becky asks, leaning over me and examining Angela. “How are you going to help her, Lyden?

It takes a strong effort of will to stand up and look away from Angela and to the three women.

“See what you can do to stop the bleeding. AnnaBelle, is there somewhere close I can take a nap?” If the odd request surprises her, AnnaBelle doesn’t show it. I’d prefer to stay in here, but I won’t be able to sleep if the other women are taking care of Angela’s wounds.

“Right this way,” the older woman says, and leads me to an adjoining room. This one is thankfully a different color, even if it is yellow. I’m glad to note that not everything in here is one color. The pillows on the bed are orange. “You know what she is, don’t you?” the older woman asks, and I nod. I don’t have time to wonder how she knows.

Without even taking off my shoes, I lie down on the bed, and concentrate on falling asleep. Bit by bit, I block out the noises from the next room. I ignore the feeling of drying blood on my pants, hands, and chest, just focusing on the thought of sleep and entering into Angela’s mind. My body is so geared up with fear and worry that it seems to take an eternity, but finally I find myself surrounded by complete darkness.

It’s different this time, however, than it had been with Brooke. The blackness is tinged with red, and while I feel fine, I can sense her pain around me.

“It won’t work,” a pain-filled voice says as Angela appears before me. “You’re wasting your time.” Her clothing is whole again and blood free, but there is still an unhealthy pallor to her skin.

“Angela, what happened? I need to get you healed. You’re dying!” I tell the woman, but she sadly shakes her head.

“If we have sex in my mind, I’ll die,” she states, and I feel my heart plummet at her words. It’s one thing to know her life is in danger, and another to actually hear it said aloud. “You’re too good at pleasing me, and I’m too weak to have even one orgasm.”

“But there has to be a way!” I plead, not willing to give up.

“Listen, that’s not important. Brooke is being held prisoner by Varun. You need to go save her.” Her words send a new chill down my spine, but I shake my head, trying to stay focused. “You need to worry about her more.”

“Not important? We can go rescue her as soon as you’re better,” I tell her earnestly.

A tear forms in her eyes, as she steps up to me and grips my hand. “Thank you, Lyden. I’m glad you care for me, but you need to get to your friend. She needs you now, and at least you can help her.” She pulls away, and I try to grab her back, by my hands go right through her. “Take the key-card out of my pocket. You know how to use it to get to the Shadow World.” She fades a little in my vision, and I can barely make her out as she turns and says, “I’ve missed you, but maybe there is still time for Brooke.”

“Dammit, Angela!” I swear. “There has to be a way!”

Her shadowy form smiles at me. “Don’t swear, love. I know how much it bothers you.” She pauses, and I can just make out her features enough to know that she’s trying to come to a decision. “Get me to your car. It might be enough to save me.” Those words seem to take a toll on her, as if it took a great effort to get them out.

Her form completely vanishes, and I find myself back on the yellow bed.

My car? But it’s destroyed; nothing more than a burnt husk! Filled with despair, I walk back into the white room.

“Lyden!” Lisa shouts as soon as she sees me. “We’ve got the bleeding stopped and some of the burns covered, but I’m afraid she’s lost too much blood. Were you able to help her with whatever you were doing?”

My throat closes off, and I can’t find the words to reply, so only shake my head.

“What did you do?” Becky asks me quietly, and I feel fresh tears streaming down my cheeks.

What did I do? I didn’t do enough. I didn’t do anything. If only my car were still whole, then whatever she’d hidden in it might have helped her, but the fire ant had destroyed it. I’m certain she’d hidden something in my car, too. How else could it help her?

But what if whatever it was, survived? The car hadn’t become ash, just severely burned up. Maybe I can still save her!

With renewed hope, I pull my cell out of my pocket, and dial up the police. I end up getting transferred twice before anyone can tell me where my car was moved to.

An impound lot, halfway across town.

I call the number for the lot, and get an answering machine. The message says that they’re closed on Sundays, and only open until six pm on Saturdays. Glancing at a clock on the wall, I see that it’s a quarter after five.

I don’t even take the time to think, as I dash back into the white room and scoop Angela back into my arms.

“AnnaBelle,” I say as I head for the front door, “can you get us to the New Towne Impound Yard? It’s down by the fifth precinct building.”

“Lyden,” Becky says hesitantly, as though she’s addressing a mentally challenged person, “I don’t see how that’ll help her. She needs a hospital, if it’s not already too late.”

“Becky, Lisa, I know you won’t understand, and you should probably get home.” I look both women in the eyes as I speak, willing them to understand. “Angela isn’t like a normal person, and human doctors can’t save her.”

“You mean, like an alien?” Becky asks confused.

“She’s a demonic creature,” AnnaBelle says, as I follow her out to her SUV. “A seductress, to be precise.”

Despite my recommendation that they head home, both women climb into the SUV.

“How do you know that?” I ask from the back of the vehicle as we hit the road.

“I know the signs to look for,” she replies cryptically.

“A demonic seductress?” Becky snorts, but from the serious looks the older woman and I give her, she quiets down. Lisa just looks thoughtful. I can’t help but wonder what’s going through their minds. I take my girlfriends to a nice religious Saturday picnic, and a woman that I obviously know shows up wounded. Not only that, but I refuse to take her to the hospital, and even try to take a nap to save her. Thankfully their not peppering me with questions, though I have some of my own.

“If you know what she is, why are you helping her?” I ask AnnaBelle, confused that such a religious person would knowingly be willing to help someone like Angela.

“Whatever you do unto the least, you do unto me, Mr. Lyden,” she quotes to me. “No matter who they are, all of God’s creatures deserve to be helped when we can. She may even repent of her ways, and come over to the light. I have no doubt that Father Michael could help her out a great deal.”

While I don’t necessarily agree with her reasons or morals, I won’t argue with the result. My jealousy rears, however, at the thought of Father Michael being anywhere near Angela.

I keep a constant eye on Angela’s breathing, and can hear Becky and Lisa murmuring quietly. I ignore them, as I make sure that the succubus is still alive. The drive seems to go interminably slow, though I know AnnaBelle is going as fast as she legally can.

We arrive with five minutes to spare, but the sign in the window already says closed. I spend a couple minutes pounding on the door, but nobody answers. Walking around to the side, I try to see if there is another way to get in, but the fence is about ten feet tall, and topped with barbed-wire besides.

I know what I must do as I run back to AnnaBelle’s SUV.

“You might want to get out of here, so that you can’t be accused of breaking and entering,” I inform the three women, glad my shirt is already off, even though it made poor bandages for the succubus.

“We may not understand what’s going on,” Lisa speaks up, “but Becky and I are here to help. Even if it is at an impound lot.”

AnnaBelle seems to debate with herself for a moment, before adding, “Someone needs to keep an eye on you and keep you out of trouble. Don’t take this the wrong way. If the police show up, I won’t lie for you, but you need to save her life.”

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all of them, but a weak cough from Angela brings my attention back to the wounded woman.

I’m tempted to use AnnaBelle’s SUV to crash through the gate, like in the movies, but they’re already putting their necks on the line for me, and I don’t want to get them into any more trouble.

Without saying a word, I hold the blue-haired woman close to me, close my eyes, and stifle a yell as I feel my dragon wings protrude from my back. I ignore the startled oaths that come from the women at the sudden appearance of my new appendages, as well as the fatigue that follows. Thank goodness Becky and Lisa have both been so horny the last few days, or I’m not sure if I would have had the energy to do this.

Bunching my feet beneath me, I shove off hard, easily clearing the fence and the wire. At the top of my arch, I spread my wings, careful to keep my balance, and feel the air fill the thick brown leather. I don’t trust myself to try and fly, only using them to slow my descent.

I still land a little harder than I like. Taking stock of my surroundings, I groan inwardly. I hadn’t realized how big this lot was from the outside. I’ll never find my car in here.

The sound of barking dogs grabs my attention, and I curse myself for a fool. Of course they would have some sort of security!

With Angela tucked tight to my chest, I start running, hoping to stumble across my car. Picking a row at random, I take off, looking in all directions for my car, while simultaneously watching my footing on the uneven dirt ground.

Alone and on flat pavement I know I could outrun the beasts chasing after me, but as it is, I can hear their howls getting closer as I turn down another isle. I can almost feel time slipping away, and know that the succubus is getting weaker as I try desperately to find my car.

The dogs continue to get closer, and urgently I concentrate on just finding my car. Naturally, that’s when my foot catches something in the dirt, and it takes about ten steps before I regain my balance. By this point the dogs have caught up to me.

Frustrated rage fills me, as I see four dogs surround me and growling menacingly. I’m angry about Angela leaving, and then coming back like this. I’m angry at the unjust turn my life has taken, and that twelve people died in the fire that claimed my apartment complex, because some dragon decided I needed to die. Anger at how this last week has gone at work, and because I know that both Lisa and Becky are now probably terrified of me, and because I can’t seem to find one single car in this entire damned yard. Impotent rage flows through my veins, and I roar back at the dogs, spreading my wings and yelling for all I’m worth.

Apparently, that’s all it takes, and all four dogs take off yelping, two of them leaving trails of piss in their wake.

“Ha! That’s right,” I scream after them, but my euphoria is short lived, as I look down at Angela. Her face has gone ashen, and I can’t tell if she’s still breathing. “No, no, no,” I repeat, as I drop to my knees, and place my fingers on her neck.

Nothing.

Placing my hand over her mouth, I can’t feel any breath. The bandages that’d held back her bleeding are completely soaked through, and I realize that I’m too late. Angela has died in my arms, and I couldn’t save her.

Hot fresh tears fill my eyes, as I scream for a different reason. She’s gone, and there is nothing left.

Running out of air, I suck in to yell again, but an odd noise catches my ear. Someone is honking. The sound isn’t very loud, but it IS familiar.

“Hold on,” I say, though I know it’s already too late. This time as I run, I’m not looking around, but keeping my footing secure and heading for the sound. It doesn’t take me long before I’m standing in front of the remains of the Orange bubble.

Apparently it hadn’t been as damaged as I’d thought. My memory tells me that the car had been a completely blackened husk by the time Jennifer had driven me away from that grocery store parking lot. However, before me, I can see that the doors still retain some of their color, and the dent on top where I’d landed on it doesn’t look as bad as I’d thought it’d been.

I don’t waste any more time, and quickly wrench open the passenger door, setting her inside. Opening the glove compartment, I reach in to see if I can find what she was after, but only find ashes. How hot had that fire been? Had it been hot enough to burn whatever she’d hidden in here? Was this whole exercise an act of futility?

Unexpectedly, I hear Angela sigh, and I look back at her in shock. I can make out her chest barely rising and falling. She’s still alive! Whatever it is that she needs must be close, I reason, and with renewed hope, I start digging around my car. Nothing but ashes, and my car’s interior meets my gaze. Frustrated, I pop the hood, and look into the storage space there, the engine being in the back, but all if its contents have been turned to ash as well.

“Angela,” I ask softly, resting my hand on her shoulder, “We’re at the car, but I can’t find what you need.”

“The . . . car. . . .” she whispers back.

“Yes, the car. But where?” I plead with her, and then notice something. Her face is no longer gray. Her breathing is steadier, and I can even sense that she’s getting stronger.

That’s when it dawns on me that what she needed wasn’t something in my car, but the car itself.

What had the Cyclopes done to my car under the succubus’s direction? How can my car heal the demonic creature?

Something else occurs to me, and I take a step back, looking at my car as a whole. My car had burned up from the fire ant’s attack. I do remember seeing the blackened husk of the Orange Bubble, but it is recovering now. In the almost week since the close call with TanaVesta’s assassin, the car had been fixing itself somehow. The dent in the top is smaller, and even as I watch, I can see the orange paint creeping up the exterior. Almost as if having Angela and the car together has somehow sped up the process.

Maybe even. . . .

“Lyden.” The whisper is soft, and I can just hear it, but I rush back to the open door and see Angela’s hazel eyes open and staring at me.

“You made it,” I whisper in awe.

The corners of her mouth rise slightly, and she says, “You did it. Thank you.” She weakly tries to raise her hand, but I reach out and grasp it, returning it to her lap. “You shouldn’t have helped me, but thank you.” She repeats herself. “You need to go save Brooke. She needs you now.” Her free hand ruffles through the rags of her clothes, and pulls out her keycard, handing it to me. Somehow it survived whatever happened to her better than she did. “Get to her, and save her. I’ll be fine now.”

Watching as her burns slowly heal themselves, I understand that she is tied to the car even more than I realized. Are her burns because of the fire ant’s attack on the Orange Bubble?

I realize that she wants me to leave her here, but I don’t think I can do that.

“I’m not leaving you,” I protest. “Not yet.” I hurry around my car, and get into the driver’s seat. Hopefully the car has recovered enough, but when I go to start it, there are no keys. “Dang it!” I fret, hitting my hands against the steering wheel. And just like that, the car attempts to start. It obviously has some issues as the engine in the rear doesn’t sound very good, but after a number of tries, it starts.

Both doors close on their own, as I put my car in gear and drive.

A loud crash accompanies the sound of my car crashing through the main gate. Angela groans at the impact, and I curse myself for forgetting how linked the two are. The tires had been flat when I’d started driving, but by the time I pull up besides AnnaBelle’s SUV, they’re full and riding smooth.

“She’s going to be okay,” I say after the women follow me to a nearby gas station.

Becky and Lisa both go to check on the punk clad woman, and introduce themselves. AnnaBelle pulls me aside, and there is a serious look in her eyes as she looks at me.

“You’ve done a lot of wrong today, but you saved her life. I hope you don’t end up regretting your decision.” Her tone is sadly disapproving, but I don’t care. Angela is going to live!

I open my mouth to respond, but Lisa comes over, and states, “She keeps saying you need to go save Brooke. Isn’t that the woman that lived across from you in your old apartment?”

AnnaBelle sighs heavily, and we both turn to look at her. “Seems like you’re going to need some more looking after, Lyden.”

“Now hold on,” I protest. “I truly appreciate all that you’ve done so far, but I can’t ask you to go into the Shadow World for me.”

“Shadow World?” Lisa asks, but I just shake my head.

“It’s where Angela and Brooke are from,” I explain. “I probably don’t have time to explain it in detail, but it’s a lot more dangerous than anywhere else here on Earth. Basically envisage almost every mythical creature, both dangerous and benign, produce some just for fun, and that’s where they live.”

Lisa looks me hard in the face, before giving herself a nod. “I’m going. You could use the help, but just one thing. . . .” She reaches out, and I realize my wings are still wrapped around my body as she tentatively touches them. “What are you?”

* * *

Becky decides to head back home. She feels guilty, but when it’s decided to take my magical car, we have to admit that there isn’t room for the five of us. If I had a choice, only Angela and I would go, but AnnaBelle claims her faith will protect her, and I’ve learned firsthand just how capable Lisa is with her martial arts.

Angela tries to stop the two women from coming along as well, but they won’t have it, and to my own surprise, I come to their aid.

“Look, Angela, you’re already wanted for bringing a human to your realm. Is being wanted for two more really going to matter?” The succubus submits to my logic.

Once we’re all loaded, and Becky is Driving AnnaBelle’s vehicle away, I turn us in the direction of the office building that leads to the Shadow World, but Angela stops me.

“There is another portal that will take us closer to where Varun is keeping Brooke. We’ll lose some hours on Earth, but gain more in my world.” She pats the car, and smiles at me. “Besides, things will be easier with your car, and there is no way to get it into that elevator.”

Following her directions, we head towards Florida.

With the Orange Bubble and Angela together, my car is fully functional in a couple hours, and I no longer have to manually drive it. The succubus brings us up to speed on what’s happened since she’d left me.

TanaVesta’s creatures had caught up with her, within hours of leaving me behind at the beach. She’d been tortured and beaten, only to be healed through non-violent, but embarrassing sexual encounters, and the torment was started all over again. The curse of her nature being that every time whoever was molesting her came, her body would suck some of their life away, healing her.

Brooke apparently showed up a couple days later, and rescued her. Again. The succubus had been badly wounded at the time, but had been able to exact her revenge on her torturer, leaving him barely alive, and her fully recovered. I didn’t want to think too closely on how she managed that.

Brooke had gone back to the Pillar of Fire’s demesne after finding out that one of the two Pillars that TanaVesta had been meeting, and intending to kill, was Varun. The other Pillar was the Pillar of Air, Fujin. The two often traveled together, Fujin helping to carry around a water orb that Varun had to stay in, when not in natural water.

TanaVesta succeeded in killing Fujin, but was too weak to kill Varun afterwards and had locked him up. When the red dragon’s agents had failed to bring me back, she’d sent out a kill order, and then reveled in torturing the Pillar of Water, her antithesis.

With Angela’s help, they were able to rescue Varun, but when he was back in his own realm, he turned on both of them, ordering them to be locked up. Angela barely escaped with her life and came for me, while Brooke is still being held under his power.

“Why did he turn on his rescuers?” Lisa asks, and I’m curious of the same thing. I’m also surprised at how well Lisa is handling everything. I don’t miss the looks that pass between the succubus and the martial artist, however, nor the unhappy looks she gives me afterwards.

For some reason the succubus looks at me, before responding. “Long ago she failed in a mission, and has been wanted ever since. Since I used to owe my allegiance to the Pillar of Fire, he didn’t trust me either. I think TanaVesta’s torturing has unhinged him slightly. The Pillar of Fire is no longer her normal self. She’s changed, and not for the better. More unstable than even when she held you, Lyden.”

“Fire may shine bright, but it also casts dark shadows,” AnnaBelle pipes up. She’d been quiet for the most part, only speaking occasionally. “I will pray to the Lord that she finds her way back to the light.”

Angela gives AnnaBelle a calculating look, before saying, “You know that the Pillar of Light is the same as your God, right?”

The look that crosses the older woman’s face is hard to read, and she withdraws, no longer willing to talk to us. Occasionally I hear her mumbling, “Pillar of Light. . . .”

The sun has long since set by the time we hit the Florida Keys, and too late does it occur to me that the path to the demesne of Water is likely going to be in the water.

“Relax, Lyden,” Angela calmly tells me. “The portal we need is under the Bermuda Triangle.”

“U-under?” My knuckles are white as they grip my seat, and it takes all of my concentration to keep my breathing steady as the front of my car dips into the waves. Lisa and AnnaBelle worry too for a moment, but they still handle it better than I do.

Even so, as water flows over the top of my car, I hyperventilate, and pass out.

* * *

“I haven’t been able to thank you properly for saving my life,” Angela’s voice whispers to me, and I open my eyes, only to find that we are in the black mind-space of one of our minds, minus the red haze. “We’re in your mind,” I hear her again, and know that she’s picking up on my thoughts.

Before I have a chance to speak or react, I feel her lips pressed firmly to mine, and there is no mistaking the feeling of her lithe naked body pressed firmly against mine.

Despite how pleasurable her lips feel against mine, her words spark a question in my mind that I want answered.

“How did my car save your life?” I ask, trying to pull my face away from hers. She continues to try kissing me, but when it becomes obvious that I want my question answered, she sighs and backs away a little.

“I told you that I had Cyclopes remodel your car, right? Good. Well, they always exact a price, as well as a payment.” A price and a payment? That doesn’t make sense. “The price was a bit of my soul, to power the car. Don’t bother asking what the payment was, I won’t tell you.” I remember Brooke saying that Cyclopes weren’t very nice, and decide to let her keep that secret.

“You didn’t have to do that for me!” I tell her, not happy about what she had to give up.

“Relax! For a succubus, giving up part of the soul is no big deal. We recover it the next time we feed, and it was the least I could do after putting you in the hospital.” Her eyes grow serious as she meets my gray eyes. “Don’t you realize that every time you’re with someone, you’re doing the same thing? You’re sharing your soul with them, and they with you. The same thing happens when you’re in someone’s mind. Your soul travels to them temporarily.”

Of course I had no idea! I want to scream, but the look I feel on my face says it all.

“I see,” she says. “Well, nevermind. It doesn’t hurt you, but you’ll find that any partners you have will become closer to you, and also more loyal, the longer you’re with them.” That would explain Lisa and Becky’s behavior, but I don’t like how callous she is about her soul. She draws in a deep breath, which does wonders for her jewelry pierced b-cup bosom. “Anyway, when I was reunited with the car, the two parts of my soul began working together again and healed both of us.”

“But how can that work?” I ask, confused. “Both my car and you were damaged. How could you both recover? You’d think one would grow weaker, to repair the other.”

Angela laughs, sounding beautiful and not at all derogatory. “By using the same fuel you and your car run off of.” I open my mouth to ask just what my car runs on, but she stalls me. “Are you going to ask questions during our time here, or are you going to let me thank you?”

“I thought you said we can’t be together,” I shoot back, the pain and hurt I’d felt at her loss for the last week resurfacing with a vengeance.

She’s sober for a moment as she considers what I’d said. Just when I’m about to open my mouth and demand an answer, she speaks. “We can’t be together physically, Lyden. I think you’ve figured out why, but in here, in our minds, we’re safe.”

“Because you’re worried about allowing yourself to get pregnant? Don’t you think I should have a say in that?” Just then, something occurs to me. “Maybe I do! Shouldn’t I be able to choose when to procreate?”

“Maybe. I don’t know,” she hedges, then turns serious. “But you don’t understand the danger! We would be hunted. Assassins would try to kill our child as well as us. There is no telling what our offspring may be. Many are so screwed up from their mixed parentage, that they become insane and very dangerous. It’s always better not to risk it.” I can’t help but wonder how many times the law about interbreeding has been broken.

“Hmm, hunted you say?” I ask, sarcasm thick in my tone. “Why does that seem familiar?”

“Okay, okay,” she relents. “But right now, we are in here, and unless you plan on doing something in front of our guests in your car, we’d better get started. I’m still a little weak from my torture, and could really use a bit of you!”

She doesn’t even wait for me to respond this time, before speeding into me, and tackling me to the black ground. Her lips press against mine with a passion and need that refuses to be held off, and her crotch rubs against me frantically, making me want to forgive and forget her absence this past week.

My hands drop to her naked rear, and I command my clothes off. She gasps into our kiss as her already sopping wet pussy comes into contact with my stiff rod, and I feel her orgasm wash over me at the same time.

I remember what she’d said about this energy being a trading of souls, and how every time it happens, whoever I’m with will become closer to me. I’m not naive enough to think that it doesn’t happen both ways.

Angela sits up, reaches between us grasping my hard cock and without slowing down, impales her cunt on my sword. Her insides ripple around my length, attempting to conform to my size, while my own manhood tries to do the same for her, oddly intensifying the sensations we’re giving each other.

“Oh, Lyden. Please forgive me, I’ve missed you so much, and need this so badly right now!” she cries out as her buttocks sit forcefully in my lap.

On inspiration, I grab her face, looking deep into her hazel eyes, before saying, “Angela, you’re forgiven.” Tears well up in her eyes, and she tries to hug me close, but I don’t let go of her slender face. “But if you ever leave me like that again, there will be no going back.”

I let go of her, and she nods once, before dropping her lips back down to mine, and kissing me softly. This time there is no need or lust in the kiss, but instead it’s filled with love and tenderness. My heart expands for the succubus, and even though I don’t know what I’m going to do about Becky and Lisa, I know I can’t give Angela up.

The blue-haired punk’s hips pick up a rhythm that belies the love of her kiss. Even in the vast emptiness that we created in our minds for this coupling, the sounds of her pelvis slapping against mine seems to echo around us. She grunts every time she brings her hips down, and soon has to break the kiss in order to gather her breath.

I take the opportunity to sit her up slightly, and latch onto one of her nipple rings. Without moving us physically, I mentally change our positions so that I’m on top, and start pounding my pelvis against her, driving my phallus deep into her with each impact, reveling in the way her ever-changing twat feels around my shaft. My left hand mauls her right breast, enjoying the firm softness of her flesh, as I feel her second orgasm through my cock. Oddly, I don’t feel any energy transference from her.

The bliss of that, coupled with my emotional state, sends me over the edge, and my eyes snap open as I feel myself back in my body again, sitting in my car, and I loose my seed into my underwear.

“You’d better not leave me, either,” Angela whispers softly into my ear, and I can hear the grin in her tone. She’d done that on purpose!

I’m about to have a few choice words with her, but Lisa pipes up from the back seat, and I forget all about the succubus’s trick.

“What’s that haze ahead of us?” the martial artist asks, and I have to force myself to look into the water flowing past the submerged Orange Bubble.

Headlights shine on two ancient columns, standing upright, though covered in barnacles and other sea life. Between them is a shimmering that reminds me of the portal in TanaVesta’s lair.

“We are deep under the Bermuda Triangle. That’s the path into Varun’s demesne,” Angela says, and even I can’t miss the note of fear in her soft voice.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Chapter 12
Marchosias.

We sit motionless near the dim ocean floor, the recently recovered Orange Bubble’s headlights shining on two ornately carved columns. Fish swim around both my car and the columns, but not between the barnacle-encrusted edifices.

Shimmering between the two pillars is the portal back to the Shadow World and Varun’s demesne. None of us speak as we contemplate what lies ahead of us. Varun, the Pillar of Water, is holding my childhood friend, the assassin mermaid Brooke, captive. Despite her role in freeing him from the Pillar of Fire, he has imprisoned her for failing a past mission, which I know has to deal with my own past.

I don’t want to dwell too much on that. I’m afraid of what I might learn or realize.

“Is the plan to stare at that portal?” AnnaBelle asks, and I give a guilty start at her voice. The longer we wait, the longer Brooke suffers.

“Can my car go through that?” I ask, unsure now that I’m faced with going through with this. I’m not questioning the fact that we need to go save her, but whether we can pull this off. A succubus tied to the fire element, an Aikido instructor, a woman with more religious faith than I feel is emotionally healthy, and me; a generator with unknown skills and abilities. Oh, and the Orange Bubble, a magical Volkswagen Beetle.

“How do you think I got it back from the Cyclopes after getting it fixed up?” Angela gives a nervous laugh. It’s only then that I remember that Cyclopes are supposedly the offspring of Poseidon. I desperately hope we don’t run into Him! It’s taking all my effort not to freak out about being surrounded by so much water as it is, and the thought of facing a water god is daunting enough. Knowing that Varun is even more powerful than Poseidon doesn’t encourage me.

“Cyclopes?” I hear one of the women in the back seat murmur, but I ignore the question.

The water seems to press in all around me, and I have the strong desire to turn and go home, but my friend needs me. She’s saved my life more than once, and I can’t turn my back on her. Willing my car forward, I steer it between the two columns.

The car jounces as it lands hard on wet sand. Rain pours down from a dark sky above, but it’s still brighter than the bottom of the ocean had been. I can’t help but wonder where the light comes from in this world. It takes me a few moments to process the changes around us. Waves lap against the sandy beach as wind and rain buffet the Orange Bubble.

“Lyden,” Lisa states, her voice filled with awe, “we are going to have a long talk when we get home. There is a lot you haven’t told us.”

Once again, I’m riddled with guilt. She’d been willing to follow me into danger to save a woman that means nothing to her, and I’ve been keeping a wide range of secrets from her and Becky, my two girlfriends.

“Where to?” I ask, turning to the blue-haired succubus. I can’t look Lisa in the face.

“We’re going to need some help,” Angela says, looking at the two women in the back of my car, and then back at me.

“How did you plan on me doing this by myself?” I ask her. She’d wanted me to come here without her and rescue Brooke, but the further we go towards that goal, the more I realize I couldn’t have done this without her.

“I have no doubt you could have done this,” she says with enough confidence that I almost don’t doubt her. Her eyes gleam at me, and I wonder how much of her statement is how she thinks of me, and how much is her love for me. “We need to see an old acquaintance of mine.”

“Um, this isn’t going to turn out like it did with the Pillar of Fire, is it?” I ask, worry about meeting another one of the succubus’s ‘friends’ making my heart skip a beat.

“Only if you’re into men,” she tells me, a twinkle in her eyes. “I know he isn’t very particular about who or what he copulates with. In fact, he has a wide range of perversions.”

I open my mouth to protest that that’s not what I meant, but Lisa pipes up first. “What does she mean, Lyden?”

Angela seems to have been waiting for that question. “The last time I introduced him to someone I know, he screwed her in front of a huge audience. He didn’t even care that she was a huge fire-breathing dragon.”

“Now wait—“ I protest, my cheeks going a deep crimson color.

“Lyden” Lisa cuts me off, and I can hear a smile in her tone, “I knew you were kinky, but I had no idea!”

“Ahem,” AnnaBelle clears her throat, cutting into the conversation, “If we’re done joking around, I believe a woman needs saving?” Chagrined, I realize she’s right. “And you berated me for my past,” she continues, directing her tone at me, undoubtedly referring to my outburst against her earlier this week. Even though I can sense the humor in her tone at her second comment, I can also hear an edge to it. She still hasn’t completely forgiven me.

“Yes, well,” I say, swallowing my pride, and trying to get back to the matter at hand, “where to?”

“He’s not far,” Angela says, pointing inland.

Putting my car in gear, I press on the gas.

And go nowhere. The engine revs, and I can hear the tires turning but the wet sand is too loose, and my car with all of its enhancements, can’t gain traction.

“Anyone care for a walk?” I ask, dreading the prospect of hiking through the torrential rain.

“It might be better if it’s just you and me,” Angela states, and I look at her curiously. “He doesn’t like large groups. And while he isn’t very particular, having three women around may be too tempting for him.”

“I think I’m a little old for anyone,” AnnaBelle says at the same time Lisa states, “I can take care of myself.”

“I meant what I said about him not being particular, AnnaBelle,” Angela says with a meaningful look. Turning to Lisa, she adds, “I have no doubt you can handle yourself against regular humans, but Marchosias is a warrior of some renown.”

“So . . . he’s dangerous, then?” I ask, already afraid I know the answer.

“Have I introduced you to anyone who isn’t?” she replies, grinning widely as she opens the passenger door and steps out into the rain.

Sighing, I look into the rearview mirror at the other two women. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Sorry about this.” I don’t wait for a response, before stepping out.

It feels like I step into a waterfall, the water is coming down so hard and fast. My pants stand no chance against the deluge, and I’m immediately soaked. I still haven’t put on a shirt, after using my last one to bandage the succubus’s wounds. Placing my hand over my eyes, I try to look around. Angela is ahead of me, and I can just make her out on the edge of a forest.

Jogging forward, I kick sand up behind me as I move over to the blue-haired woman. “How far do we have to go in this?” I yell to be heard over the downpour, and squinting to keep the torrent out of my eyes.

Angela’s clothes are plastered to her lithe body, and I can easily make out her nipple rings through the thin material. “Just through here, there is a cave a little ways up,” she yells back, and then begins the trudge into the woods.

The trees slow the inundation a little, but thankfully it’s a warm downpour. I realize that I’m having very little problem being surrounded by this much water, and wonder if I can use this experience to overcome my terror of water. I try to imagine myself swimming through the forest, the swaying trees nothing more than flowing seaweed. While my heart rate rises, I’m able to keep my breathing under control.

By the time we reach the cave, the beach is no longer in sight. I hope Lisa and AnnaBelle will be all right. I feel bad about leaving the two behind, but if we’re going to see another of Angela’s acquaintances, they should be safer in my car.

I hope.

Water sheets off the entrance to the cavern, but as I’m already soaked, I don’t mind stepping through it. The ground just inside rises slightly, and the air is just as warm as it had been outside. I’m surprised I’m not chilled at all, until I realize I’m completely dry. Looking down at my body, my jeans look slightly stiff, as if they had been hung out to dry. Running my hands through my hair, I find it lacking just as much water.

“Rather convenient, isn’t it?” Angela asks as she steps through the water curtain. “Though I was enjoying the way you were looking at me.”

“You noticed, huh?” I ask, feeling embarrassed for some reason.

“Your thoughts were a little loud,” she teases me, her smile growing. To my surprise, she reaches down, and pulls her shirt up over her head, displaying her tasty assets to me.

“I don’t think we have time to fool around,” I say, though my second brain is trying to argue that there is always time to fool around.

She hands me the shirt, and I notice it’s changed from what she’d been wearing. “You’d better put this on,” she says, and I look up to see that she’s already recreated another top for her to wear. I don’t miss the fact that this one is a little tighter. “No sense in tempting Marchosias. Come on, we still have a bit of hiking to go.”

I’m not sure if she was worried about her tempting this Marchosias, or me being the temptation.

I follow her for a ways, deeper into the hillside. Orbs of light are interspersed through the cave, providing a soft white glow. I approach one to get a closer look, and notice that the orbs are actually floating just off the side of the wall.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Angela warns, and I pull my hand back. I’d been about to touch it, but at her warning, I take a couple of hasty steps back. “They’re pretty, but they are also a trap. Touch one, and you’ll be stuck to it, until either Marchosias releases you, or something else eats you.”

Gulping, I wonder again just what sort of creature we’re going to see. “Tell me about Marchosias,” I say, and the smile vanishes from her face.

She’s quiet for a bit as we walk, before finally speaking softly. “Remember me telling you about the demon that gave me a portion of his soul?”

I whistle softly as that sinks in. We’re going to see the creature that helped turn Angela from a human into a succubus.

She stops, and looks at me seriously. “We need to be extremely quiet through this next part.”

Perking my ears, I try to see if I can hear anything, but all I can make out is a constant, uninterrupted din that sounds unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. Slightly higher pitched, but the way it echoes off the rock walls distorts it beyond recognition.

“What’s up ahead?” I ask, suddenly nervous.

“Cyclopes, shh” she states, and then starts walking. Gulping again, I follow her; careful of every step I take. As we continue to travel deeper, the odd sound gets louder, until it starts hurting my ears. Why are we supposed to be quiet with all this racket? I wonder, but don’t say anything. I also start to notice an increase in heat, and when we turn a corner, I have to swallow a gasp.

A large ovoid shaped hole punctures the right side of the cave wall, and through it are a large number of big hairy creatures. Muscles bunch as hammers are raised, and then brought down on various things creating the unpleasant clamor. Their bulk is greater than the orcs that’d captured Angela and me, but their skin, barely visible under the thick mat of their hair, is a rich bronze color. Their humanoid faces could be taken for rather ugly men, if not for the large single eye in the middle of their foreheads.

Something tugs the sleeve of my shirt, and I turn to see Angela trying to pull me along. Suddenly very anxious to get moving again, I put my feet in motion.

When the clamoring of their hammers is well behind us, I speak up again. “Those were the creatures that fixed my car?”

The succubus shudders, but nods her head. I remember Brooke saying that they exact a heavy price for their work, and while I’m tempted to find out what she had to pay, another part of me decides I’m better off not knowing. For a demonic creature of sex, there can be only one real coin for payment.

In less than a few minutes later, we arrive at a wooden door. A large brass knocker sits above eye-level, cast in the shape of a snarling wolf’s head.

“Let me do the talking,” she says, before turning and using the knocker. Eerily, there is no sound as the brass ring strikes the wood, but the door opens a couple seconds later.

Angela leads the way, and I have to force my legs to carry me after her. Beyond the door is not what I expect to see. Lush carpets adorn the walls, except where various heads are mounted. Some are recognizable, like the roaring lion’s head or the saber-toothed tiger with fear filled eyes. There is even an orc’s head mounted next to a Cyclops’s cranium. The one with both an elephant’s trunk and a pig’s snout on the other hand is new to me.

A human skull sits white on a wooden table. Around the table are three large-backed reddish chairs. Only two of them are empty. Curled up in one is a wolf-like creature, with large feathered wings folded against its back and a serpent’s tail, replete with a rattle.

The beast raises its head as we approach and gazes at us with sharp golden eyes.

“Marchosias,” The blue-haired punk says, addressing the monster, “I see you were expecting us.”

The thing growls at her, before its outlines become fuzzy, and it morphs into the shape of a robed man. His head is hidden behind a cowl, but when he speaks, his voice is deep, and sounds familiar. “I always know what happens in my domain.” The cowl turns to face me, and I can feel the demon’s gaze wash over me. “So this is the young man in question,” he states, rather than asks. “Yes, I can sense a great deal about him. You know you really should have come to me first, instead of the Pillar of Fire. She’s been a little. . . unhinged lately.” The succubus stays quiet, and I don’t think I could talk if words were put into my mouth. “What a delicious treat you’ve brought me, Angelica.”

My heart pounds as the large creature approaches me. I can sense how powerful this being is and shudder in response.

“We’re here to seek your help rescuing a friend of ours from Varun,” Angela speaks up, and I sigh in relief as Marchosias turns away from me.

“Another Pillar that has become unsteady lately,” he says sadly. “What you ask for is no small thing.” He returns to his seat and indicates for us to sit. I wait for Angela to be seated, before I follow suit. “But I suppose you already have experience rescuing people and escaping from the demesne of one of our benevolent Pillars.” Derision is thick in his tone as he speaks of the creators of this world. “What aid can I offer you?”

“We have two others with us. The three of them will need to be able to breathe while in Varun’s home,” Angela says calmly, and my respect for the woman increases. My legs are shaking so bad, that I’m thankful I’m sitting. How does she stay so relaxed?

Marchosias laughs loudly for a few seconds, before replying. “The two women in this mortal’s car? That is easy enough, but this man doesn’t need my help with that.”

I really wish I could figure out who he sounds like. I feel like I should know, but I can’t seem to put my finger on it.

Angela stares at me for a moment before evenly replying. “He has some of my skills, but I don’t think he is able to give himself gills.”

“Just so, he will be fine under the water.” There is no mistaking the mirth in his voice. He turns his attention back to me, and I feel my shaking increase. “What you need is through that door, mortal, but I warn you: grab only the two blue vials on the table in the very back. Have your playthings drink from them, and they will be able to breathe underwater for as long as they stay conscious. Should they sleep, the potion will wear off and they will drown. Take anything else, and the consequences will be dire.”

I don’t think I want to know what Marchosias considers ’dire.’

“Go ahead,” the hidden demon encourages me. “The succubus and I have some things to discuss.”

Standing, I look to Angela. “Will you be fine out here?” I ask.

Marchosias roars with laughter, startling me and making me want to run for the door. I’d rather face the entire room of Cyclopes than stay in here with the demon a moment longer, but I won’t abandon my friend.

“The mortal has balls!” he croaks when he can get enough air into his lungs. “Run along now, little thing. I mean her no harm, you have my word on that.”

“He is honorable,” Angela vouches for him. I’m still not sure, but Angela nods to me and I head for the indicated door.

Despite my generator abilities, I feel so small compared to all the supernatural creatures in this world. No wonder humans rebelled against them. Even with Angela’s assurances, I’m terrified.

The knob turns easily, and the door swings open on silent hinges. With one last look, I turn to Angela, but her back is turned to me. Taking a deep breath, I step through into a long hallway.

Shelves line the walls, filled with more things than I can identify. I easily see why he warned me not to take anything else, though. A stack of gold bullion sits on one shelf next to what I assume is a diamond the size of my foot. Riches aren’t the only things in here, either, though I’m certain that everything has some sort of value. There is a mint condition, first edition of Action Comics with Superman, sitting next to a sword, its tang exposed and the blade made of something shinier than chrome that exudes power. Ancient scrolls sit beside a pile of straw, which calls home beneath a. . . .

Did something just move? I almost reach for the sword, something in it drawing me to its brilliant surface, but remember just in time not to touch anything else. Why didn’t I think to get some kind of weapon before coming to the Shadow World? Some rescuer I am!

A small noise catches my attention, and I turn to see what’d made it.

My eyes light on one of the glowing orbs, but I can’t see anything that would make a noise. I watch the orb for a couple more seconds, but give up. I need to get the vials and get out. This place is giving me the creeps.

“Please,” the voice is soft, and I barely hear it, but it catches my full attention.

“Who?” I ask, turning back to the globe.

A small creature walks around the light, its right hand brushing the glowing orb’s surface. This is a creature I recognize immediately, with its tiny golden butterfly wings and lithe form covered in a slight golden dress. Her golden hair hangs down to her shoulders, framing a delicate, but pretty face.

“You’re a fairy!” I exclaim.

“Darn it!” she pouts, stamping her tiny foot. “I was hoping for a smarter hero. This one’ll never do.” She tries to fold her arms, but it’s then that I realize her hand isn’t resting on the glowing light, but stuck to it.

“You’re stuck,” I say before I can think better of it.

“Wow! You must be a genius of your kind,” she says, her eyes going wide in feigned admiration.

Feeling my ire rising at her condescending tone, I state, “Odd to hear such comments coming from a four inch fairy stuck to a light bulb. I’m sorry I disturbed your rest. I’ll be out of your hair soon enough.”

I turn to head deeper into the hallway, but she stops me.

“Wait! You can’t just leave me here! Do you know what he does to poor innocent fairies like me?” She gives a cute little shudder, but I don’t buy it.

“Poor and innocent? You must be taking me for a bigger fool than you look right now.” Okay, I know I shouldn’t treat her like that, but she started it!

To my surprise, she actually starts laughing. Has she gone mad?

“Oh, I like you,” she says after a moment, then seems to examine me. “What are you, exactly? You look like a human, but that’s impossible. No one would be dumb enough to bring any humans to this world, much less to that demon’s home. So what are you? A werewolf? Not many vampires come this way, and you don’t have that aura around you anyway. . . .” No one would be dumb enough to bring a human here, but I brought two. What does that make me?

“I’m a generator,” I tell her calmly, trying to keep my cool.

“A generator? No way! I thought they’d been wiped out. That’s so cool!” She grows silent for a moment, and the quiet gets uncomfortable. “So, umm, you gonna rescue me, or what?”

“And risk Marchosias’s wrath?” I ask, thinking about the scary being out there talking to Angela.

“I’ll make it worth your while,” she tells me, shaking her hips suggestively.

This time, it’s my turn to laugh. “Ha, I’ve heard plenty of stories about fairies and their tricks. How do I know this isn’t another one?”

“Oh drat!” she pouts as she stamps her foot prettily. She seems to think for a couple moments, before saying, “I can give you my word three times.”

The way she states that so matter-of-factly makes me think that her statement should make perfect sense to me. It doesn’t, but I pretend as if it does.

“Go ahead,” I say, folding my arms and nodding my head.

She grimaces at me, like I just asked her to do the impossible, but she fills her lungs and says firmly, “I promise to reward you after you rescue me, without any tricks. I promise to reward you after you rescue me, without any tricks. I promise to reward you after you rescue me, without any tricks. There! Now get me out of here.”

“Okay, now how do you propose I do that?” I ask. I know she didn’t say exactly how she’d reward me, but she did promise no tricks. “I have no intention of replacing you on that orb, and it’s not like you and it will fit in my pocket.”

From out of nowhere, she produces a minuscule blade. Well, miniscule compared to me. For her, it looks like more of a short sword.

“You said you’re a generator, right?” She waits for my nod before continuing. “So you can heal me?”

“Yeah, but—“ I try to protest, but she cuts me short.

“I’ll cut off my hand, you heal me and we get away.” Her words make sense, but she doesn’t know what she’s asking for.

“It doesn’t work like that!” I hurriedly say, as she raises her left hand to lop off the right one. Thankfully she stops and looks at me, an annoyed expression painted across her cute little features. “The only way I can heal is through sex. I can’t just send the energy to you.”

She covers her mouth in a shocked expression, her sword clattering to the tabletop. “You’re one of those!” she exclaims, and the way she says it, makes it sound like I’m the biggest lecher in the world. She quickly recovers her blade and points it at me. “You stay away from me. I’m not that big of a fool. You’re not going to get my maidenhead that easily, monster.”

“You don’t understand!” I say, frustration building in me, but I’m trying not to be loud enough to be heard by the demon or Angela. “I’m not trying to take anything from you.”

“Ha! You almost had me believing that the prophecies were coming true. As if a generator could exist after centuries of being extinct.” Scorn fills her words now, and I just shake my head. What prophecies is she talking about?

I have more important things to worry about right now.

“Fine, stay here. I don’t know you, and I don’t owe you anything. I came in here to get something to rescue my friend. You’ll have to get the next hapless hero who wanders in here to help you.” Turning away, I look down the hallway and see the table with a number of vials on it. “You’re not worth me risking my life for, anyway.” Okay, so that last is a lie. I know I can’t just abandon her to the demon outside, but I can’t stand the way she constantly belittles me either.

Walking away, I’m surprised that she doesn’t say anything to stop me. I reach the table in short order, and groan. Vials of various colors are spread across the table. Some are bubbling, though I can see no source of heat, some glow, while others seem to absorb the light. I have no idea which two vials I’m supposed to grab. Oh, sure, I know I’m supposed to get the blue ones, but which ones are blue? There are days I really wish I weren’t colorblind!

I know I need to go back and ask for help, but then I hear the fairy sobbing, and realize that I can use her without losing face.

Walking back to the diminutive figure, I find her on her knees, head bowed and right hand still on the orb. Her short sword lies in her lap, and I can just make out the sound of her crying.

“Tell ya what,” I say, startling her, “I need your help. Promise to help me, and I’ll figure out some other way to get you free.”

“How?” She lifts her head to look at me, and I can see the marks her tears have left on her cheeks. “Only the demon can release me from this trap, or I have to lose my hand. This is my fighting hand, and I won’t give it up, but neither will I surrender my maidenhead to you. It’s hopeless.”

It takes a great effort of will not to try and comfort the little lady. The sword in her lap helps me hold back.

“We don’t have to completely have sex,” I tell her. “I just need to get off with your help. You can keep your maidenhood. I just need to borrow your eyes for a second.”

“My . . . eyes?” she asks, horrified.

“Not like that! I’m colorblind, and need to know which two vials over there are blue,” I explain, and see her visibly relax.

“I still think you’re a pervert, and if you’re lying to me I’ll make you pay.” She brandishes her thin blade at me, emphasizing her point. The way she does it, however, shows me that she isn’t very experienced with her left hand. “But if it will get me out of here, then I’m willing to give it a try. How do you propose I help you?”

I blink, realizing that this is going to be a problem. At about four inches tall, she can’t exactly give me a blowjob, and I don’t particularly care to get my cock that close to the orb anyway. I don’t think even my size changing prick will accommodate her tiny kisser. I don’t think we have time for me to fall asleep to enter her mind.

I remember the first night Becky and I had been together, and how I had received energy from Lisa as she’d masturbated while watching us. Could it work the other way? Wow, I am a pervert!

“You’re going to need to masturbate,” I tell her, feeling my cheeks go red at the request.

One delicate eyebrow rises at my words, but she just mumbles the word, “Pervert,” before sitting back down and lifting the hem of her golden skirt with her left hand. She’s wearing nothing underneath, and I watch as she glares at me while her free hand goes to cover her crotch. I can just make out a tuft of golden hair above her tiny slit, before her hand covers it, and she begins to move her fingers from side-to-side. Her eyes never leave mine, even when I unzip my pants and pull out my own member.

Despite the atmosphere in here, I’m already hard as I begin stroking my length.

“Is this what you wanted to see?” she demands, heat in her voice. “Did you want to watch me play with myself, while you stroke yourself? Do you like humiliating little fairies like this?” Despite her words, I notice her hand picking up speed, and her eyes dropping to my man-meat occasionally. “Maybe if I spread myself wide for you, it will help with your perverted nature, and we can end this sooner.” She matches words to actions, and I watch as she uses two fingers to spread her lips, showing me the delicate canal inside. Despite her behavior, I can easily see that she’s wet and enjoying herself.

I only grunt in response, not wanting to take my eyes off her.

“Not enough?” she demands, and though it sounds like she’s angry, I can see a smile in her eyes. “Maybe I need to expose my chest to you as well.” She’s able to slip the strap of her dress off her left shoulder, but with her hand still stuck to the light, she leaves the other strap up. It’s enough to bare one breast, though, and I watch, enjoying the way she twiddles her fingers around her already stiff nipple.

I pick up the pace on my own member, moaning softly to let her know that I’m getting close. Is it just me, or is this hallway getting brighter?

“Still not enough?” she asks, but ruins it with a slight moan. “I guess I’m going to have to get really depraved.” Leaving her breast exposed, she returns her hand to her pussy, using her pointer finger and pinky to spread her labia, she drives her middle two fingers inter her noticeably dripping snatch. Her eyes close slightly as her head drops back, and she furiously moves her fingers in and out. She can’t deny she’s enjoying this anymore, as moan after moan escapes her, and when the energy from her orgasm starts to wash over me, I finally reach my own climax.

Hoping it will help, I aim my first shot at her, and it almost knocks her over as it blasts into her chest.

Her head snaps up as my second string arcs its way to her, and quicker than my eyes can follow, she grips her small sword, and swings it at her right arm. Her scream is barely muffled, as the sharp blade rips through her flesh. She gets her stump up in time to catch the third volley on it, grunting again at the force of the impact. To my orgasm-fuzzed surprise, she even begins to scoop up my spunk and shovels it into her mouth.

Finally spent, I place my left hand on the table to keep my balance, and new worry starts to fill me, as I notice a number of objects in the room start to dim, including the sword. It had gotten brighter in here, I realize, worried about what it all might mean. Did those objects react to my ability, or just to our actions?

My worry over that is short lived however, as another is presented to me, in the form of a very sharp blade pointed at my nose. Pointed may be too soft of a term. In truth, I can feel the blade pricking me sharply. I don’t miss the fact that the blade is held in her newly formed right hand.

“You’ve had your fun, pervert, now I demand you get me out of here.” Her tone brooks no nonsense, but I back away, shaking my head and rubbing my tender nose.

“Not until you identify the blue bottles I need,” I tell her. “You promised three times to help me when you were free, remember?”

“Wasn’t your vile act reward enough?” She demands at me, wiping at some of my cum still stuck to her, and I bark a laugh at her.

“That vile act saved you and your hand. All I want you to do is tell me which vials are blue, and then you can go your own way.” She contemplates me for a few seconds, before flying over to the table with all the potions on it.

“These two,” she says, examining them. “You need to have someone breathe underwater?”

“I need to rescue a friend,” I tell her, not wanting to give away too much, but thankful that the vials do what their supposed to.

“Well, these are the ones you want, and as promised, there is no trick.” I’d wonder at her words, if she didn’t look so serious.

I stare at the two thin bottles, and while I know they’re the right general color, I have to take her word on the rest.

“Thank you,” I tell her graciously. “Now you can go as you please.”

Grabbing the two vials, I turn and walk back down the cluttered hallway.

“Wait!” the fairy yells, but I don’t stop. I feel something land on my shoulder, but I refuse to look at her. “I can’t get out of here on my own. You, Pervert, will help me leave.”

“First of all, my name is Lyden, not Pervert. Second, I don’t like your attitude, and our agreement has been met. I got you away from the orb, and you told me which vials to take.” I’m trying hard not to smile, but somehow I keep the grin out of my voice.

“You drive a hard bargain,” she says in my ear. “What do you want in return for your continued assistance in getting me out of here?” I open my mouth to say that I don’t need anything, but she stops me. “No! You can’t have my maidenhead. I would rather die, than give up that, Pervert.”

“You want out of here?” I ask in annoyance. “What I want from you is a bit of respect. I’ve given you my name, pixie. Use it, or I leave you here.”

“That’s it? Done, done, and done. There, I’ve agreed three times, Lyden. I will treat you with respect, my savior, until we are free of this place,” she agrees quickly, and I curse myself for getting annoyed. I probably could have gotten some weapons or something else to aid in saving Brooke, but instead I got a tag-along.

“Fine,” I grump. “Hide in the back of my shirt while I walk out.”

She opens her mouth to say something, and by the look on her face I won’t like it, but she seems to choke, and I realize that she truly can’t break any word she’s agreed to three times. Frowning, I feel her lift up the back of my shirt, and plant her feet on the waist of my pants. Her small hands grip my skin, and it feels like tiny pincers. Uncomfortable, but as safe as we’re going to be, I head out.

“Find what you needed, mortal?” Marchosias asks, as the wooden door closes behind me. I can feel his eyes on me, and a sudden irrational fear overcomes me that he knows that I have the fairy hidden away.

“I-I did,” I stumble over my words, as I hold up the two vials, as if to say, ‘See, I have what I came for, and nothing else. Nope, nothing but what you see. . . .’

Why did I agree to save the rude fairy? I wonder, as I can feel my heart beating uncomfortably in my chest. Because I can’t leave a woman in distress, I answer my own question. Dang my gentlemanly sensibilities.

“Good,” Marchosias’s voice booms, startling me. I need to be less jumpy, or he’ll know something is up. “We have finished our talk as well. I’m sure you can find your own way out.” He points to the door, and I have to work hard not to run for it.

“Thank you for your help and advice,” Angela says respectfully.

I’m almost to the door, only a couple more steps to freedom.

“You are most welcome, Angelica.” Angelica? That’s twice he’s called her that. My hand is on the knob to open the door when he speaks again. “I’m sorry, Arethusa, but did you really think escaping would be that easy?” Who’s Arethusa? The sudden tightening of the fairy’s hands on my skin gives away the answer. “And Lyden, didn’t I warn you that the consequences would be dire if you took anything else?”

Desperately I turn the knob and pull, but the door won’t budge. In horror I watch as the wood fades, and becomes a solid rock wall. Turning, I face the cowled demon, and wait for his attack.

“Lyden, what is he talking about?” Angela asks me, her own voice filled with confusion and fear.

“I’m sorry to tell you, Angelica, that your associate is a thief.” The demon raises his hand to point at me, making me flinch, but nothing else happens. Again, I think I recognize the voice, but I still can’t place it, and have other more important things to worry about. “I think he needs to learn a lesson.” With that being all the warning I get, the hand pointing at me flashes, and I throw up my arms to uselessly block whatever he’s throwing at me.

“What?” I ask after realizing that I’m not in pain, or dead. Looking down at myself, I find that I’m completely nude.

“A fairy?” Angela asks, and then turns back to Marchosias, her eyes growing wide. “No, you can’t! Don’t make her do that,” she demands, but after a wave of the demon’s hand, she loses her voice.

“He has stolen from me, and as punishment, he will get to keep what he’s taken,” the demon states, anger in his voice. “Forever.”

I can see the succubus shaking her head, and mouthing the word ‘no,’ but a noise behind me makes me turn around. I don’t expect what I find.

The fairy is no longer four inches tall, but four feet tall. She’s even shorter than Becky is, though not by much. She is also just as naked as I am.

“Don’t look at me,” she cries, but when she lifts her head and our eyes meet, there is a . . . well, I don’t know what else to call it, but a spark. Immediately we’re drawn to each other. Her lips against mine ignite a flame inside me, and even though I’d gotten off just a few moments ago, my cock is almost painfully hard and demanding more.

My entire world shrinks down to just the two of us, as I passionately kiss her back. My arms pull her body tight to mine, careful only of her large delicate wings.

“I can’t stop,” she gasps, as I move my lips away from hers, and run them along her jaw line. “We can’t do this, but I can’t resist.” Her words remind me of our situation and I realize we’re being controlled.

Anger floods through my system, and I try to fight back, but my lips continue their journey until they reach her soft left breast. The same one I’d masturbated to just a bit ago. Thankfully my ejaculate was removed along with her clothes. I can feel her hand rubbing up and down the length of my wood, as my right hand drops to her rear, and gives it a firm squeeze.

No! I cry out mentally. This isn’t right! I need to stop this before I hurt her.

“Please,” she begs me. “Fight it. If you take my maidenhood, it will be all over for me.”

“I’m trying,” I pant, as my mouth moves to her other breast. A moan escapes my mouth as I feel her rub my sensitized head. Nothing I’m doing is working though. It seems the harder I fight, the less control I have. “He’s too strong.”

Part of me just wants to submit and let this happen. I’d tried to steal from the demon, and been busted. Sex with the fairy—what did Marchosias call her, Arethusa?—can’t be the end of the world. I should just get it done and over with.

I feel an ounce of control return to me, and an idea forms in my mind. She is getting ready to impale herself on me, but I throw my efforts not into stopping this, but modifying it. I’m able to move my hands to her arms, and turn her around. Grasping the base of my prick in my left hand, I spit into my right. Using the saliva to lube the head of my penis, I aim it for her pussy.

“Please, no!” she cries in anguish.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper as I thrust my hips forward. She cries out in pain and agony as my cock penetrates her.

“Good,” Marchosias gleefully cackles. “Now you two are permanently bound to each other!”

I have to fight hard to keep myself under some modicum of control. Looking down, I can see that I’d been successful, as my penis slips further into Arethusa’s tight rectum. I can see that it’s trying to conform to her tight hole, and feel terrible for the pain I know I’m causing her, but I don’t have enough control to stop. I aim a couple more shots of saliva at where we’re connected, and within a few seconds, I’m fully ensconced within her colon.

I can feel her crying as her body shakes, and I whisper, “It will be over soon.”

Making sure my thighs are together so that the demon can’t see that I’m not in the proper orifice, I grip her hips, and as slowly as I can manage so as not to cause any undue pain, I pull out of her. I’m a little uncomfortable like this, as short as she is, but know I need to keep up the ruse. Just when I think I’m going to be able to pull all the way out, I feel my hips move forward again, and she grunts as my hips hit her soft rear.

Despite the fact that I’m being forced to do this, I can’t deny how good her sphincter feels as it glides along the length of my schlong. Deciding that I need to attempt to give her as much pleasure as possible, I bend forward, and let my right hand slide around between her legs, until I find the soft hair at the top of her crotch. My fingers dig for her clit, and she gasps as I pinch it.

“Yes,” Marchosias croons in his deep baritone, “give in to your desires, and enjoy it.”

I’d almost forgotten about our audience, but I concentrate on my task. I can’t even spare a thought for Angela. My left hand moves up her back, avoiding her wings, and then around to her hanging breast. I begin tweaking her nipple while still working on her clit, and after a few moments of me still pounding into her rectum, she actually begins to moan.

Knowing that I’m no longer causing her complete pain, allows my climax to come quicker. “I’m sorry,” I tell her again, as I start to unload into her colon. For a second I can feel my energy levels droop, as a portion of my soul transfers to her. Then my energy levels rebound, and I realize that she’s also climaxing.

We both collapse to the floor, and I slip from her bum as we both pant in the culmination of our bliss.

“You two are now permanently tied to each other,” Marchosias laughs as he stands over us. With another wave of his hands, I find my clothes have returned, and Arethusa is returned back to her normal size, her slender form weeping gently on my chest.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Chapter 13
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Revelations

“What were you thinking?” Angela angrily demands of me, as we walk back through the cave after leaving Marchosias’s lair. Arethusa is standing on my right shoulder, her fist balled up in my hair, holding on tight. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? He could have killed all of us in an eye blink if he’d wanted to.”

“I’m sorry,” I say defensively. “I couldn’t stand to leave her there captured like that!”

“She’s just a pixie!” Angela continues as if I hadn’t spoken. “A little fairy that means very little in the greater scheme of things.”

I can’t believe I just heard that. “I don’t care how big or small they are, if they’re sentient, then I have a responsibility to help when I can.”

“You don’t know how they think,” she counters. “She wouldn’t have done the same for you. They’re fickle and have no loyalties.” She shakes her head as she examines the little creature on my shoulder. “Whenever a fairy helps you out, be very careful. There is always an ulterior motive, and usually it’s nothing more than for their own entertainment.”

Arethusa hasn’t said a word since returning to her original size of only about four inches, and I hope that the events in the demon’s home weren’t too traumatizing for her. I feel guilty for my part in it, but I really had no choice. It had taken all of my effort to mitigate the punishment.

“I said I was sorry,” I can’t keep the tone of defensiveness from my voice.

“Sorry?” Angela continues to berate me. “Didn’t you catch when he’d said he knows everything that happens in his cavern? That’s how he knew we were coming. He knew what you were doing the entire time you were in the other room. Do you know how hard it was for me to sit there immobile, and watch you take that fairy’s virginity? Do you even realize what doing that to her means?”

The demon had been aware of me masturbating on the fairy? “I didn’t have a choice,” I remind the succubus. “He was controlling both of us, and no I don’t know what it means.” She doesn’t yet know that I didn’t really take Arethusa’s maidenhead, and I don’t dare let her know until we’re out of this cavern.

“You need to remember that things are very different here,” she says after giving a big sigh. Some of her anger is gone, but there’s still an edge to her tone. “Remember how I told you that when succubae mate, portions of their souls get swapped?” I nod that I remember. How could I forget something like that? “Well, it’s a lot more powerful for fairies or sprites. When they lose their virginity, they don’t just transfer a portion of their soul. Their entire soul gets transferred via the blood of their broken hymen.”

“But doesn’t that kill them?” I ask, mortified at the thought, until I realize that Arethusa is still alive, and if it was supposed to kill them, Marchosias would have known about the ruse.

The look Angela sends at the sprite on my shoulder also gives me my answer as well. “It’s different for them. They don’t need their soul to be within their body. When their soul transfers to someone else, it links the two. Fairies literally mate for life. Now you two are permanently connected. If she ever gets too far away from you, she will die, and die very painfully.”

The thought crosses my mind that hymens can be broken by other means than just intercourse, and wonder what that must be like. The picture of a fairy being eternally tied to a bicycle would almost be comical, if it wasn’t so serious.

The sound of the working Cyclopes reach us, and we grow silent as we enter their area.

My mind wonders over what Angela just revealed to me. If I hadn’t been able to divert my cock to Arethusa’s secondary hole, she would be permanently linked to me now. I understand why the tiny woman had been so adamant about not giving that up to me. Staying an unsoiled maiden must be a top priority for her kind.

Turning a corner, I can see the Cyclopes working through the ovoid hole in the cavern wall. Looking at the powerful creatures, I make sure every step I take is as silent as can be. I still don’t understand how they can hear anything over the racket they’re making, but I don’t care to risk it either.

Unfortunately, that’s the point Arethusa decides to become vocal.

“No! I-I can’t. No more!” Without warning she leaps from my shoulder, flying down the lengthy cave. I watch in horror as in unison, every single-eyed Cyclopes looks up from their hammering to stare at us. They look from Angela, to me, and back again. I don’t like the way they begin to grin and lick their lips.

“Lyden,” Angela yells in the sudden silence, “RUN!!”

My legs are already in motion, as I take off in the direction the fairy had flown. With my additional speed, I’m easily able to keep up with the succubus, and in only a couple seconds I see Arethusa ahead of me. Reaching out, I grab the thin creature in my hand, and haul her along. Despite our speed, I can hear the Cyclopes behind us, and gaining ground. I don’t remember how much further we have to go for the exit, and even that won’t mean freedom from the coming horde. With their speed, there’s no chance of making it to the Orange Bubble.

Even if I can get there in time, I can’t countenance bringing the one-eyed monsters anywhere near Lisa and AnnaBelle.

The succubus is slightly ahead of me, and I put on a bit more speed, throwing everything I have into my legs to catch her, and hand the terrified fairy over to the succubus.

“Take her,” I yell. “I’ll try to buy you as much time as I can.”

“Lyden, NO!” she yells, but I ignore her.

Even as I begin to slow down, I know it’s hopeless. Weaponless, and without even the skills at martial arts that Lisa possesses, I won’t stand a chance against these monsters. But if I’m lucky, they’ll slow down to chew on my carcass long enough for Angela and Arethusa to escape.

My feet come to a complete stop, and I turn to see the front runners come into view. They spot me at the same instant. The sound of their glee at spying their prey giving up is horrible to my ears.

My heart pounds painfully in my chest, as I plant my feet the way Lisa showed me, hands raised and loose, ready to defend myself. Faces of friends flash before my eyes; Jennifer Lansbury, Sheila Lance, Angela, Becky and Lisa, and even Thomas from work. Friends from my past and even a few not so friendly faces flit through my consciousness as certain death bears down on me.

A golden bullet zips past my head, and I have just enough time to make out Arethusa floating five feet in front of me, hands outstretched, screaming something in a language I don’t understand. Her entire body takes on a glow that brightens, as the Cyclopes get closer, until her screaming reaches a crescendo, and her glow expands to fill the cave from wall to wall.

The lead monster smacks into the glow, and it sounds like a massive bass drum sounds off as he’s flung back and into his oncoming comrades.

Arethusa collapses to the floor of the cavern and doesn’t move, mere inches from the bright obstacle. Rushing to my fallen savior, I scoop her up and start running again. My strength is tapped, and I can only gain normal human running speed, but I use that for all I’m worth. There’s no telling how long that shield will hold up.

The blue-haired succubus is waiting for us, just around the first corner, and I see the relief in her eyes as she sees us.

“Idiot!” She screams as she falls into step beside us. “The fairy would have died without you anyway. What were you thinking?”

Joy at the fact that I’m still alive and breathing bubbles up in my chest, and I can’t stop the burst of laughter that boils forth. “Ha! Like the fairy was your only concern,” I respond between gulps of air, and a few quick steps later I find myself back out in the torrential rain.

It takes me a few moments to realize that Angela stopped, and I turn to look at her. “What are you doing? I don’t know how long Arethusa’s shield will hold them back. Let’s go!”

“Please, call me Areth,” the fairy says. I watch as she spreads her wings, smiling up at the rain. I’m half-worried that the falling water will hurt her, but she seems to be regaining strength from it, instead. “Those beasts won’t come out into the rain, and it never stops raining here.”

Realizing that I’m finally safe—or as safe as I’ll ever be in this realm—I collapse to the soft loam of the forest floor, breathing hard.

“What happened back there?” I ask the little woman still in my hand.

“You were in danger, and I figured since you’d saved me, I might as well return the favor.” She shakes her body, sending tiny droplets of water out that immediately get absorbed into the falling rain. The gesture is useless, however, as she’s just as wet afterwards, her golden hair plastered to her lithe body, as she had been before. “Don’t expect it again, though. We’re even.”

“I meant, about freaking out with the Cyclopes,” I say.

“Let’s just say that they didn’t enjoy something that I thought was very entertaining.” Without a further word, she hops out of my hand, spreads her wings and flies away. The rain doesn’t even slow her down.

“Where’s she going,” Angela comes to stand beside me, holding her hand out to help me back to my feet. “She’ll die if she gets too far away.”

I look back at the cave entrance to make sure we’re far enough away from Marchosias’s lair before answering. “No she won’t,” I say, a giddy mood overcoming me again, and I start laughing at the confused look on the other woman’s face. “Come on. I’ll explain as we get back to my car.”

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Lyden,” Angela says, trying to sound serious, but ruining it with a small grin. “I don’t think anyone’s pulled a fast one on Marchosias in centuries. He must have been enjoying the show too much, to catch that slight change.”

“I think you’re just jealous,” I respond, laughing at the scandalized look on her face.

“I’m a succubus,” she informs me, as if that’s answer enough.

“But you were human first,” I remind her.

The edge of the forest comes into view, revealing a site that takes my breath away.

Small, green, scaly skinned creatures are swarming my car, shaking it back and forth, waving tridents, and trying to get at the two women inside. I can see Lisa in the driver’s seat, but the tires only spin in the sand as she tries to drive away.

“What the heck!” I exclaim upon seeing the tableau on the beach. “Can’t we catch a break?”

“Grindylows,” I hear Angela mutter. I note something odd in her tone, and look over to see her holding her head. With her link to the Orange Bubble, I wonder what that must feel like to her. “I hate those things.” She turns to me, a grimace on her face. “Think you have enough strength to turn into a dragon? It’ll be easier to scare them off, than fight them. They’re natural cowards.”

Looking to the creatures again, about eight or nine of them, I shudder at the thought of taking on the small creatures. Those pitchforks look deadly.

“I’m exhausted,” I tell her honestly, but something else occurs to me. Closing my eyes, I concentrate on Angela, picturing her as the Amazon again, with a thick bow staff in her hands, a blade poking out of each end, and a sword on her back. A tiger-skin toga wraps around her firm body. Opening my eyes, I see my imagination standing before me.

“One of these days, I’m going to take you in this form, and see how much of a fantasy this really is for you.” She grins down at me from her new taller height, and I just grin back up at her.

“Hand me that sword on your back,” I tell her, “and let’s see what this fantasy can do.”

She hands me the blade, and a wicked gleam enters her eyes. “Don’t fall too far behind, puny man, or that sword will fade away. Whoever scares the most wins. If I win, I get to fuck you like this. You win, and maybe I’ll tell you what Marchosias and I talked about while you were playing with your fairy girlfriend.” The way she adds that last part, lets me know that she’s forgiven me for helping Areth.

She doesn’t even wait for me to respond—of course I wasn’t going to take that bet, not against a seven-foot tall Amazon—before charging out of the forest, screaming and waving her bladed staff around.

“Sonnuva,” I curse as the sword begins to fade already. Apparently I have to stay close to her to keep it solid. I chase after her, sword in hand and grin when it solidifies as I catch up to the succubus. Screaming and waving the blade over my head as if I actually know what to do with it, I have to work hard to keep my feet under me in the wet sand.

The Grindylows turn to see what the ruckus is, and sees two people, obviously not afraid, charging directly for them, and despite their superior numbers, they scatter, diving back into the lapping water of the sea.

Lisa is the first to speak as we get into the dry car, and she regards us warily. “Where’d you get the shirt?” She asks me, suspicion thick in her voice.

“I gave it to him,” Angela replies, and the blond woman looks to the taller one. The succubus has to hunch uncomfortably to fit into my car.

“And who are you?” the martial artist shoots back.

Oops. “Lisa, It’s Angela. She’s a succubus, and can change forms,” I try to explain.

“Yes, I can become anyone’s fantasy, and Lyden was kind enough to fantasize about me like this.” Did she have to act so smug?

Lisa glares from Angela, to me, and back again.

“We’re going to have a very long talk when we get back, Lyden,” she says firmly. “Did you at least get what you went for?”

I curse myself for a fool, as I reach into my pocket to retrieve the two blue vials. I’d completely forgotten about them when I’d stopped to face the Cyclopes. If they’d eaten me, no one would have been able to try and save Brooke. I had been flirting with her death, as well as my own.

“Yeah, these will help you breathe underwater,” I say, pulling out the two vials.

“We should get this over with, before anything else happens,” AnnaBelle finally speaks up, reaching for one of the vials. I draw them back, though, shaking my head.

“We’ll have to do it tomorrow,” I tell them, not really liking what I have to say. “It’s already been a long day, and these come with a warning.” AnnaBelle yanks her hand back, looking at the vials warily. “The potion stays active as long as you stay conscious. Sleep and it wears off. There’s no telling how long this will take, and we should be as rested as possible before going to rescue Brooke.”

“The Lord speaks wisdom through you,” AnnaBelle states, and I have to clamp my mouth shut on a quick retort.

Let her have her beliefs, I tell myself. It doesn’t hurt anyone. I can’t help but wonder how she can hold to her faith so strongly, in the face of everything she’s seen already.

“So . . . we’re just going to sleep here in your car?” Lisa asks. “How much longer ‘til night?”

“It’ll be best to set a watch, while the others sleep,” Angela says. “I don’t need sleep, so you three get some rest. As far as night, I’m not sure. It’s hard to tell with the thick cloud cover. I’m not even sure this area has a night.”

Silence descends in the car, as the seven-foot tall Amazon gets out of the Orange Bubble.

Closing my eyes, I rest my head back, and prepare to attempt sleep in my small car, despite how wet I still am from the rain. A steady staccato beats against the Orange Bubble, lulling my senses to sleep.

“Lyden?” Lisa’s voice breaks my reverie. “Can I talk to you?”

“I could use some fresh air,” AnnaBelle says, and gets out into the rain to join Angela. Part of me wishes she would have remained. I really don’t feel up to having an argument right now.

I’m not sure which topic she’s going to broach first, but I brace myself for an uncomfortable conversation.

“What are we to you?” Her words don’t make sense. I’d expected her to berate me for lying to her, or demand answers about what’s going on, but this question seems a lot more personal.

“You’re my girlfriend,” I say, knowing that doesn’t quite answer her question, but not sure what she’s driving after.

“No, I mean,” she takes a deep breath, as if gathering her thoughts, “you’re not even human. That’s obvious now. You’re something else. What are we, compared to you?”

I think I understand her question. “You’re my girlfriend,” I tell her again, and then continue before she can interrupt. “I grew up thinking I was a normal human. I didn’t have a clue I was any different until about a month and a half ago. Despite everything, I still consider myself to be human.”

She clambers into the passenger seat, and shakes her head at me. “But you’re not human, Lyden. You’re something else. How can Becky or I even compare to someone like Angela that can change her shape, or your friend that we’re going to rescue? We’re not even in your league.”

I can tell that this is really bothering her, and while I know how I feel, I don’t know how to answer her question. Then something occurs to me.

“Let’s go for a walk,” I say, reaching out and placing my hand on her shoulder. “I want to show you something.”

She glances at the pouring rain, sheeting off the car’s windows, and shrugs. “Might as well, I’m the only one of us still dry.”

Angela nods to us as we step out, but doesn’t say anything. From the look she gives Lisa, I have a feeling she may know what the martial artist is going through. I wonder if that’s a trick of the succubus, or some connection women just seem to have.

“Don’t forget,” the succubus calls out to us after AnnaBelle gets back in the car, “I won the bet.”

“It was a tie,” I call back, but take Lisa’s hand and walk a bit down the beach. I make sure we are in site of the Orange Bubble when I stop us. No sense in trying to put is in further danger.

Letting go of her hand, I take a couple steps away, then turn and face her. Her dirty blonde hair is plastered to her face, as the rain continues its torrent around us. Giving her a bow like she’d taught me at her dojo, I get into the proper position to face off against her.

“What are you doing, Lyden? I’m not going to fight you out here.” I stay silent, holding my pose, waiting for her to bow back. “This is crazy. I’m not mad at you. Why are you doing this?” Still I refuse to talk, and finally she heaves a sigh, and gives me the proper bow.

I barely wait for her eyes to lock on mine, before I spring my attack. Almost all of my extra energy was burned up in escaping the Cyclopes, and then scaring off the Grindylows after that. I use what little energy is left, however, to speed up my punch, but my open fist hits nothing but air as she dodges. Her hand grips my arms, and the next thing I know, I’m lying face first in the sand.

I waste no time in getting back to my feet, and see determination in her eyes, and her body relaxed yet ready to move. This time, when I attack, my motion is calculated, and I’m just able to avoid her counter throw. Over the next few minutes, I try to land blows on her, and try to avoid attacks from her. Despite my superior speed and strength, I still wind up in the sand more often than not, without laying a finger on her.

“Enough!” She shouts, as she places my arm in a lock, and keeps me in the sand. “What does this prove?”

Despite the pain in my shoulder, I start laughing. She releases her grip, and I use the falling water to wash off the sand as I get back to my feet. I give her another bow, and it actually takes her a moment to return it.

Applause greets us, and I realize that we have an audience. Both Angela and AnnaBelle are standing side-by-side, smiling and clapping under a tree. To my surprise, there are even a couple Grindylows, and a few other creatures watching us from a little further away.

“Despite my speed and strength,” I tell my sparring partner, “I couldn’t land a single blow on you. You want to talk about being in the same league? No, we’re not in the same league, but that doesn’t mean a thing. So I have abilities you don’t. You have skills I don’t.”

“But you can learn to do that. In fact, the skill you just displayed is above what you should be able to do, after less than a week of practice. I will never be able to learn what you’re capable of,” she states defiantly.

“So?” I ask back. “I’ll never know what it’s like to be a woman.” Taking in a deep breath, I add, “If it really bothers you that much, then I’ll take you home when this is done, and not bother you anymore, but I want you to understand that it doesn’t matter to me.”

Her blue eyes examine me for a few moments before she replies. “Maybe it doesn’t bother you today, but when you can have a woman like her around,” she flings her arm out to point at Angela, “why would you want a silly mortal like me?”

I have to fight hard not to laugh. I don’t want her to think I’m laughing at her, or belittling her argument, but she really doesn’t understand.

“He can’t keep me,” Angela says, stepping up to us. There is a sadness in her tone that wipes away my mirth.

“What do you mean?” Lisa asks, warily.

“Different species can’t mix. It’s against our strongest laws. He is a generator, while I’m a succubus. If we were to have any offspring, they could be very dangerous.” Somehow, despite the rain pouring down her face, I get the impression that she’s crying. Odd to see an Amazon crying. “I left him, because I was afraid of my own emotions. I only came back because I owe Brooke a favor.” She looks at me for a second, before dropping her gaze. “I had hoped to die, and let him be free of me.” I remember how she had pushed for me to let her die, so that I could save Brooke. That whole scene takes on a whole new personality now. “He cares too much, though, and I couldn’t stand to see him in so much pain.”

“That still doesn’t resolve why he would choose to be with Becky or me. I’ve seen Brooke. What’s to stop him from going after her when he gets bored with us?” I’m surprised to hear so much pain in her voice. We haven’t been together long, but obviously she cares deeply for me.

“For the same reason,” I tell her. “Brooke is a mermaid.”

She spins on me, and I can see anger in her eyes now. “So what’s to stop you from finding another . . . whatever you are?”

“I’m a generator, and I’m not even supposed to exist.” I have to swallow the lump that tries to form in my throat as I speak, not wanting to say the words, but also knowing that I can’t hide from the truth anymore. “I don’t know what my parents were, but I know they were killed for being together. For having me. Who knows, one of them may have been human, but I don’t even know that. Brooke saved my life for some reason, and I think that’s why she’s imprisoned now. None of that matters, though. You want to know why I won’t abandon you? Because that’s not who I am. Brooke may very well have been the one to kill my parents, but tomorrow I’m still going to face my deepest fears, enter that water, and save her. Not just because she’s a friend, but because I don’t abandon anyone.” I shoot a dark glance at Angela, accusing her of doing just that to me, then turn and walk into the forest.

My emotions are broiling inside, and I don’t know what to think or feel. I can’t ignore the thoughts that have been in the back of my mind any longer. Brooke had been there when my parents were killed. Yes, she’d saved my life, and her being a mermaid gives me an idea as to how I’d been able to survive for two days, until Brooke pretended to find me and take me to the local police station.

Marchosias’s comment about me not needing a potion to survive under the water becomes clear to me as well. Despite myself, I start laughing. Not the happy giddy laugh I’ve been having, but a dark angry laugh. All those years of being afraid of any water deeper than my knees, and I can likely breathe under water just fine. Likely something I picked up from Brooke when I was still a little child. That doesn’t quite seem right, though, as I know our souls couldn’t have mixed back then.

Everything keeps coming back to the assassin mermaid. Why had she stuck with me all those years? Was it to watch me, and maybe kill me if I became too dangerous? Why save me in the first place, then? Too many questions and the only one that can answer them is wallowing in a prison, deep below the waves. Tomorrow, one way or another, I’m going to have some answers!

“Lyden?” a soft voice says, and I spin around, ready to defend myself. To my surprise, it’s AnnaBelle. Her usually soft brown eyes are hard, as she sees me in a defensive crouch.

“Sorry,” I mumble, as I stand up straight again.

“Don’t apologize to me, young man,” she says in a tone that makes me want to apologize again. “You’ve hurt those two ladies out there, and while I don’t condone the way you’re living, I can see that they both care deeply for you.”

“I’ve hurt. . . .” I trail off, not understanding. Lisa had made demands of me, and all I’d done was defend myself. How had I hurt them? Angela had stepped in, and basically declared that she’d rather be dead, than with me. Okay, maybe that’s an oversimplification of things, but still!

AnnaBelle’s brown eyes never leave me, and I start to fidget, as I try to come up with something to say back. Is there anything to say? Anything that won’t get me into hotter water?

“Well, I’m not going to stand out here in the rain, while you try and figure out where you went wrong,” she states, and walks back down to the beach, muttering about the impertinence of youth until she’s out of earshot.

When did I get an ornery grandmother? Sheesh!

Sighing, I try to gather what bits of my pride I might have left, and walk out of the forest. I find the younger two women standing on the shore, looking out over the choppy waves. There is a small distance between them, as though they want to be close for comfort, but can’t overcome their differences.

Where did that insight come from?

“Lisa, Angela, I’m sorry for my outburst back there,” I say, and don’t expect their reaction.

Both women turn and tackle me in a fierce hug. Sputtering, I try to catch myself, but the rain soaked sand gives way beneath me, and I go down. With Lisa alone, it wouldn’t have been so bad, but with Angela as an Amazon, the wind gets knocked from my lungs.

“No, Lyden, we’re sorry,” Lisa pouts into my left shoulder. “I had no idea about what you had going on, and I guess I didn’t really understand you either. Just. . . . Just promise me, no more secrets?”

Still unable to breathe, I just nod, and she hugs me tighter. Air is overrated anyway.

Angela pulls away from us, and I can see tears in her eyes, even though the rain has us all soaked. “We’re not good for each other, Lyden,” she starts to say, but I cut her off.

“What does it matter?” I demand of her. “You’re already an outlaw in this world, and doubly now for helping me bring Lisa and AnnaBelle here. You make me happy, Angelica,” I don’t know why, but for some reason I feel it important to use the name Marchosias had used, “and I’m not willing to give you up.”

“No one has called me that in centuries, except for Marchosias,” she cries, a smile in her eyes. She looks to Lisa, and the smile fades. “You have a girlfriend,” she says sadly. “A succubus isn’t a good thing to have in a relationship. Especially not one over four hundred years old.” She starts to walk away, but Lisa disengages herself from me and stops her.

“I haven’t known you for long,” the blonde says, “but I’ve noticed you seem to worry more about what should or shouldn’t be, than what those around you think or feel. I can’t speak for Becky, but you came to rescue AnnaBelle and me from those little green creatures. I can see the level of your character in your actions, and I’d like to get to know you better.”

“But, you know what I am,” Angela attempts to back up, but Lisa matches her steps. “I absorb a portion of a person’s soul when I copulate with them. It’s not that I’m trying to protect myself. I could hurt you.”

Standing up, I approach the succubus, and stop her with a hand on her arm. “But you won’t,” I tell her. “And as long as I’m around, you won’t be able to hurt her, because I’ll just generate enough to keep us all safe.”

“If that were the only problem, I would relent, but Lyden; you know what happened last time we were together. The temptation was too strong. I almost made a terrible mistake.” I can see desperation in her eyes. She wants this as much as I do, but she’s also afraid of the consequences.

“I think that should be my decision too,” I tell her firmly, locking her eyes with my own. “I’ve been figuring out some things with my ability to absorb other’s abilities. I can breathe underwater, even though I’ve never actually slept with Brooke. It would explain what Marchosias meant about me not needing that potion. I have no doubt that I can choose when to procreate, just like you can. We’re safe there, too.”

You’d think I’d just given her the moon, as she hugs me tightly. In fact, if she hugs me any tighter, my head’s going to pop off, just like that orc’s head a couple weeks back.

“Can’t . . . breathe,” I gasp, and the Amazonian succubus lets me go. She turns and hugs Lisa a bit more gently, while I try and gasp for sweet air. Rain gets sucked up instead, and I end up doubling over, and coughing instead. “Definitely not a fantasy to have you in that form,” I gasp when I can get enough air into my lungs.

Both women laugh, and Angela slaps my back hard enough to send me to sprawling back to the ground.

“Lyden,” she says solicitously, “If you’re that weak right now, you’re going to be in trouble tomorrow.” She turns and winks at Lisa, “I think we need to recharge his batteries.”

“I thought we’d never get to that,” Lisa nearly bounces as she starts stripping off her sodden clothing.

“What about AnnaBelle?” I ask, looking over to the Orange Bubble, only a small distance down the beach. Even with this rain, if she looks our way, she might be able to see us. I really don’t care to deal with the pious woman’s wrath.

“She can watch if she wants,” Angela states, “but right now, you’re ours.” She starts to strip as well, and then pauses.

What now? I wonder, but she pulls something from her animal skin clothing. She looks at it for a few seconds, and I can tell she’s trying to come to a decision. Without warning she turns, and I know she’s about to throw whatever it is into the water. I catch her arm just in time, and pull the thin object from her hand.

“No don’t,” she cries, but I turn around and look at it. Carved into a thin sheet of marble is the image of a young woman. The workmanship is exquisite, showing every nuance and shadow. Even though it’s shaped out of marble, it somehow reflects color. “Please don’t look at it,” she pleads with me again.

“Who is it?” I ask, and an almost completely naked Lisa looks over my shoulder, her left breast pressed into my arm.

“She’s pretty,” she says. “How did they get the stone to give her that chocolaty skin color?”

I look up to Angela, while I wait for an answer. Then I realize, and curse myself for not having realized it earlier. “This is you!” I exclaim in shock, and see the confirmation written across her face. I look back at the carved relief, and examine it closer. Her skin tone has a deep brown color to it, her hair long and curly black. Full red lips shape her mouth in a face that had obviously seen hard times. A small nose sits beneath almond shaped eyes that give away some Asian heritage. She looks to be in early twenties, her cheeks slightly sunken, and the corners of her lips pointed slightly down. Like Lisa had said, she was pretty, but it’s obvious that the marble carving doesn’t do her justice.

“You hate me now,” Angela says sullenly. “I understand. Just please, don’t—“ In the time it’s taken for her to form those words, I send the image of who she used to be, back at her. As I watch her body transform into a slightly shorter, black-Asian mixed heritage woman, I pull her to me and kiss her soft lips, ending words that have no reason to be said.

“Don’t leave me out!” Lisa pouts when it looks like the kiss may continue for a while, and I pull back, laughing.

“What makes you think I would be bothered by the original you?” I ask, curiosity filling me.

“I . . . I was a slave,” she says haltingly. “I was abused, and constantly told how worthless I was. I had forgotten everything until I asked Marchosias to show me again. I remembered that you wanted to know the real me, Lyden,” she stops to swallow before continuing, “and I asked. You can change me to whatever you want now. I know that my original self isn’t that pleasing.”

“The hell?” Lisa states, reflecting my own thoughts. “You’re beautiful! I wish I had hips like those, or even a chest half that size!”

Angela blinks at the other woman, and then turns questioningly to me. “Well, I don’t want those hips and breasts myself,” I tell her, “unless they’re in my mouth, on top of me, or in my hands.”

The dark skinned succubus hugs me tightly again, this time without cracking my ribs, and I can hear her laughing.

“Now if you two keep leaving me out, I’m going to develop a complex!” Lisa says and stomps her foot in the wet sand. Just that quickly, Angela lets me go, and hugs Lisa tightly. “This is more like it!”

Laughing myself, I take the half-step over to them, and wrap both women in my arms. They turn to look at me and their lips come together with mine in a shared kiss.

Lisa is the first to break it. “Am I going to be the only one half naked?” Laughing, I strip my clothes off, reveling in the feeling of the warm rain running down my body.

Turning to Angela, I see that she’s taken a couple steps away, refusing to look at us.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, worried once more for the succubus. This is not like her in the least.

“I know it’s silly, but I’m embarrassed.” What the heck? A succubus embarrassed? Is that even possible?

“What do you have to be embarrassed about?” I ask her. “It’s not like we haven’t been together before.”

Lisa’s backhand into my chest throws me off balance.

“Idiot,” she accuses. “This is the real her. You’ve never been with her.”

It makes sense, kinda. Every time we’d been together, she’d had on a different persona. This is the first time anyone has seen the real Angelica in centuries. She’d already been a bit nervous about showing me her true self, and the prospect of showing me even more must terrify her.

Carefully I walk through the wet sand over to the short black woman, and rest my hand on her shoulder. “Angela,” I say, keeping my voice soft and gentle, “It doesn’t matter to me what you look like. I care for you as a person, not because of what you can do or how you look, but because of who you are inside.” Applying a bit of pressure, I’m able to convince her to turn and face me. I place my fingers under her chin, and lift her face until her brown eyes meet mine. “When we first got together, you told me that you always try to help people with your ability. I can’t tell you how much of a help you’ve been to me, even if it did throw me into a whole new chaotic world.” She tries to look away at that statement, but I don’t let her. “Don’t ever be ashamed of who you are. Be ashamed of others for not accepting the real you.”

The succubus’s dark eyes search mine, and seeing only perfect honesty there, she pulls me tight to her, burying her head on my chest.

“You don’t know who I was, though,” she cries to me. “You don’t know what I’ve done.”

“But I know who you are now, and I know what you’ve done for all of us here,” I counter.

Lisa comes up to us and pulls Angela away from me. “The past is a place that’s nice to visit,” she says, “but the present is where we live. Don’t sell yourself short. You’re a beautiful woman, and you have some amazing abilities. Don’t be ashamed of that.”

The two women hug again, and I can’t hold back the warmth that infuses me as I watch Angela accept what we’re saying.

“Now then,” Lisa says, a grin splitting her pretty face, “now that that’s over, I’m dripping wet from more than just the rain, and I think our generator over there could use some fuel, before we get some rest tonight.”

Both women veritably tackle me to the ground, smothering me is kisses. In less time than I thought possible, they have me completely stripped, hard, and moaning in rapid succession.

Lisa is the first to get my cock between her lips, and Angela shoves her healthy dark breasts into my mouth.

“I hope you meant everything you said,” Angela whispers to me quietly enough, that I doubt Lisa can hear me over the sound of her delightfully swallowing my cock. “Because I think you’re going to be stuck with me for a long while.”

I’m not sure if it’s her words, or the feeling of my stiff rod slipping down the back of Lisa’s throat, but I moan loudly into the tasty teats filling my mouth. Angela’s arms wrap around my head, and pull me tighter to her chest. Using my left hand, I find her crotch, and am only slightly surprised by the amount of curly hair I find there. When she’d originally been in this form, trimming the nethers likely would have been unheard of. Even so, I’m able to find her already sopping slit, and slip two fingers inside her.

I wonder about this woman, who had once been human, and without warning, her past opens up to me as she begins to orgasm.

She had been a slave back in the 1600’s. Her mother had been a Chinese whore, offered to her father for saving their master’s life. Being of mixed blood had only made her life harder. Their master’s son had taken great pleasure in tormenting the slaves, especially the women, and even more so Angelica. For some reason he loved to focus on her. One day he would treat her with flowers, making sure everyone saw. The other slaves would regard her with jealousy, as if she were trying to curry special favors, only for him to turn around the next day and have her beaten for no reason.

Every day brought something different from the wealthy son. Every day, he came up with some new way to torment her. The worst was the day he killed her parents. Their crime? Giving birth to a monstrosity of mixed blood, Angelica.

A wizened old woman, who many claimed was cursed and possessed, took pity on her, and offered to take her to a man of great power that could help. Angelica had been desperate to find a better way of life, and agreed to the man’s terms.

They would swap a portion of each other’s souls. He would gain power and insight from her portion, and she would gain the ability to exact her revenge from his piece of ambiance.

She had noticed the type of girls he took to his room every night, and every night it was a different one. Combining the aspects of what she felt were his favorite fetishes, she was able to change her form.

Originally, she had meant only to be invited in, and then strangle him in his sleep.

Once in his room, however, he was so kind and sweet, that she thought that maybe he could be different. The thought of actually killing him became harder and harder as the night went on, and she found she was beginning to care for him, despite his crimes against her.

Of course, he didn’t know she was the poor slave of mixed blood that he always tormented, and she couldn’t know that this was how he treated every woman he’d brought up here. He was very good at using them and leaving them. She had no experience with this or any real kindness, and as one thing led to another, he took her virginity.

It was only after he was done with his climax, and she was in the afterglow of her own, that he began to brag about the torments he treated upon one lowly excuse for a slave, Angelica.

Internally, she was torn. The bliss she had just experienced in his bed was unlike anything she’d ever had or thought could exist, but his attitude recalled all the things his sweet words had obscured minutes before.

She didn’t know what made her perform her next actions, but she took him in her mouth, licking the blood from her broken hymen from his cock. He’d thought he was in heaven, as a woman that looked like the most beautiful goddess in the world to him, debased herself before his manhood. He even enjoyed their little game as she tied him up with his own sheets, before straddling his hips, slipping his meager cock back into her swollen pussy, and rocking her hips forcefully against him. He was hard and very turned on by her actions.

Only, when he came in her grasping cunt, she didn’t stop. She continued to ride him, keeping him hard. Time after time he came, but she never stopped, and never lessened her pace. With each ejaculation, Angelica could feel herself getting stronger and stronger. Each time he pumped his seed into her womb, a new wave of pleasure swept over her, and she never wanted it to stop. She lost all track of time, as eventually, her bliss became one extended orgasm.

She couldn’t even hear his screams and pleas for her to stop, that she was killing him. It wasn’t until his final orgasm, when she felt the last of his soul meld with hers that she understood what she had done.

She had killed him through sex, and in so doing, become a creature of sex, herself. Addicted to the pleasure of the act, she nevertheless remembered that night to this day. Even though she had originally intended to kill her master’s son, the very act of the crime still weighs heavily on her conscience.

I come out of her mind and past as I feel the succubus’s body shift atop mine, and Lisa aims my tool for Angela’s slit. Her tiny coochy begins to slide down my rod, and for once her pussy doesn’t try to conform to my rod, but instead gets stretched wide.

“Now you know,” Angela’s almond shaped brown eyes look deep into mine, and she pauses, my prick’s head barely inside her. There is fear and worry deep in her gaze, but I know it’s unfounded.

“And I don’t care about that, my sweet Angelica.” The grin that splits her face nearly brings out the sun in this rain soaked place, and her face drops down to mine, as she kisses me with more passion than I’ve ever experienced before.

“Don’t keep his mouth busy too long,” Lisa says, oblivious to the events that have just taken place.

“Just keep licking my asshole,” Angela says over her shoulder. Rain drips from the dark woman’s hair, into my face, and I latch onto one of her brown nipples, using her body as a shield. Angela is only about halfway down my pole, when I feel my head bump against her deepest parts. I also feel some other movement, and realize that Lisa must be fingering the succubus’s bung hole.

When her orgasm strikes, it washes over me with so much strength, that I’m reminded of the power of TanaVesta. I have to fight hard to retain a sense of my own identity, as unadulterated bliss blasts through my soul.

When I’m finally able to grasp a sense of my surroundings again, I decide I’m sick of feeling sand against my back, and roll us over. Slowly, gently, I set an easy pace, wanting this time to last as long as possible.

Lisa comes around, and plants her pussy on Angela’s soft lips, and placing her own against mine. Her tongue dives into my mouth, as she moans at the paradise the succubus’s tongue is taking her to. I can feel the martial artists fingers begin to rub against Angela’s clit, causing the four-hundred year old woman’s cunt to tighten on my own rod, as she spasms in delight.

Breaking the kiss, I lean forward a bit, and take Lisa’s smaller tits in my hands, guiding one taught nipple to my lips. Dropping my right hand down, I find the blonde’s clit, and rub it vigorously as she rides Angela’s tongue to her own orgasm.

While I still feel the power of her climax washing over me, I stand up, pulling out of the dark skinned beauty, picking Lisa up, spin her around, and slam my cock deep into her vagina. Within seconds my balls are slapping against her clit as I pound into her.

Angela scoots back on the sand, and Lisa is flexible enough to bend in half, and starts to suck the other woman’s juices right from the source.

Watching the light skinned athlete eat out the ebony bombshell is really turning me on, and I know I’m getting close. As good as Lisa’s inner folds feel wrapped around my penis, I decide to dump my load into Angela. She’d wanted it before, and as long as I choose not to get her pregnant, we should be good.

I wait until I can sense Angela getting close by the sound of her moans, before pulling out of Lisa, dropping to my knees, and sliding back into the prostrate woman. Lisa has to plant her hands above Angela’s shoulders as I plant my mouth forcefully against her labia. The two women begin to kiss madly as I feel both of their orgasms wash over me. The sensations are too strong, and I lose all sense of who or what I am, as I fire my seed deep into the one-time slave’s womb.

Our souls mix and mingle, our minds becoming one, and for a bit my strongest desire is to be with these two forever. Or is it their desire to be with me? I can no longer tell, nor do I even care anymore, as I continue to pump my cock into Angela, making squelching noises, as I churn what seems like a never-ending stream of cum inside her.

I don’t notice when I fall back into the sand breathless, but I do become slightly aware of who I am again, when Lisa slips my softening member into her twat. She leans forward, and tries to suck my cum from the succubus’s sweet cunt.

It’s going to be a long night, I realize, but I don’t think I’m going to mind. At least the rain has lightened to barely a drizzle.

I just hope AnnaBelle is able to get some rest before we storm the home of Varun, the Pillar of Water, tomorrow.

6= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Chapter 14
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The Prophecy

“It’s no good,” I call out, looking at the spinning tires of my car. The Orange Bubble’s undercarriage is flush against the sand and no amount of pushing is going to get her free.

Thankfully all the dents and dings the dang Grindylows had put in her yesterday have healed and my car looks almost new again. I’m still finding it hard to believe that only a short while ago, it had been a burned up husk. The connection between the Orange Bubble and Angela still doesn’t make complete sense to me, but at least I have them both here now.

The succubus, in her Amazon form to help push, brushes off her hands, shaking her head. “It’s not far to Varun’s demesne, but it’ll take a while to swim that far, and we’ll be tired by the time we arrive. Not good conditions for rescuing someone.”

We’ve tried digging the car out, but the constant rain just runs the sand back into our holes. We’ve tried to find some wood or something to put under the tires so that they can get some traction, but everything is just too wet.

“We have company,” Lisa says warily, and I turn to follow her gaze. She was also helping push, while AnnaBelle ran the steering wheel and pedals.

A single Grindylow, old, wrinkled, tentacles crooked at odd angles beneath it, and stooped with age is watching us. By the way it’s holding its trident, I can tell that he needs it for support. At least, I think it’s a ‘he’. The large body of water sits behind the short creature, as it examines us with its large, shimmering, bulbous eyes.

“I don’t think he means us any harm,” Angela murmurs beside me.

“Are you truly a generator?” the green creature asks me. His voice is rough, as though speaking while out of the water takes some extra effort.

I nod, not really knowing what to say. This seems to get the little thing agitated, his many tentacles flapping against the sand, and I prepare myself for some sort of attack. I notice Lisa and Angela doing the same. The sound of the locks on my car informs me that AnnaBelle isn’t missing out on the tension out here.

“Then the prophecy is coming true?” I’m not sure how, but I’m able to detect joy in the small monster’s rough voice.

“What prophecy?” I ask, remembering Arethusa mentioning something about a prophecy as well. In stories, prophecies are never a good thing for those they involve. Of course, this is real life, so maybe the prophecy is about bunnies and rainbows. . . .

Yeah, I don’t believe it either.

The Grindylow calms down and examines me again. Without warning, he begins speaking in his harsh voice. Even with the pouring rain, his words carry a sense of import that changes the mood of our group.

“When the air calms down,
And rain slows on Water’s door.
Comes the time for all to wail.
A deadly new enemy to abhor.

A generator comes forth,
To save all or completely fail.
A foe that’s timeless,
Even on our life’s long scale.

Colors swirl to hide our nemesis,
Our destruction, he strives to make.
Only the blind can resist his will,
Unless his choice is a mistake.

A blade to kill, and a blade to save,
A talisman to forge the path between.
To kill and save, or save and kill,
One path to both, yet choices lean.

Our hero’s life shall meet its end,
Unless he strikes the deadly beast.
His friends shall fall or rise,
Until all his efforts have ceased.”

I just stare at the green creature. I mean, what does one say, after being told something so dark and dreary. Their hero’s life shall meet its end? Friends rise and fall? What the heck? Even the incessant rain seems to grow quite at the import of those words.

“The winds have lessened and yesterday the rain did to,” the ancient Grindylow states into the silence. “Generators have not been seen in either world for millennia. Witnesses saw you use your power to calm the rains, and we know the time is near, for air has lessened his blustering in his own realm.” He uses his trident to walk closer to us, and I hold my ground despite my rising apprehension. “We will aid you on your quest, Generator.” He bows low to me, and I can feel my cheeks go scarlet as the other two women out here look at me. “We are yours to command.”

I jump as he lifts his weapon and slams the butt down in the wet sand three times.

“What the—“ I start to say as the water begins to boil behind the old Grindylow. Well, boil more than the rain was already making it churn.

“Get into your transport, Generator. My people will move you to the water, where you may continue your righteous quest.” The Grindylow bows to us, and I spare only a quick glance to Angela. Her eyes are wide as she stares at the sea, and I turn back to see the green heads of numerous Grindylows bobbing in the surf.

“Best do as he says,” Angela states, and turns to open the car door. Knowing what a pain it is for her to get into the cramped Orange Bubble, I quickly send her original image to her, and marvel as her form shrinks to that of a 1600’s black-oriental slave.

Lisa follows her, and AnnaBelle awkwardly moves into the passenger seat, letting me drive. As soon as my car door closes, the sea appears to puke up a bunch of little green creatures.

They swarm my car, making it rock back and forth. Is this the mistake the prophecy had mentioned? Trusting these little creatures?

My fears are quickly proven unfounded however, as they’re able to lift us out of the sand, and carry us to the lapping waves. They continue to carry us, until the hood of the Orange Bubble is submerged. I feel my panic rise once again at entering the water, but I shove it down. It seems easier to do this time. My mental conditioning with the rain yesterday must be helping some.

Even after letting us go, the green little monsters swim next to us for a ways, before the elderly Grindylow, spry and fleet now that he’s in the water, waves his trident to us in a salute, and the Grindylows depart.

“Angela,” I turn and ask as soon as the last Grindylow vanishes, “what do you know about that prophecy?”

The succubus looks troubled, as I let the car have its way. I know we need to get to Brooke, but the old Grindylow’s words are seriously bothering me.

“I don’t know,” she says after a few uncomfortable seconds. “This is the first I’ve heard of it.” She shakes her head as if to get rid of a bad feeling, before adding. “I wouldn’t put too much stock in it, though. Those creatures aren’t known for their intelligence and are considered rather gullible. They likely believe anything they hear.”

I would be inclined to believe her, if for no other reason than that I really don’t like the line about the hero’s life meeting its end, except that Arethusa had mentioned a prophecy as well. Looking into Angela’s eyes, and a quick glance at Lisa, makes me drop it. Brooke needs us right now, and this prophecy business can wait.

As we drive, I remember something about my mystical car, and know that I should have time to get this question answered.

“Angela, you once told me that my car is powered by the same thing that generates energy for me, but never said what exactly that is.” Despite how much I’ve seen the succubus change forms, it still comes as a shock to see her as a short Asian/black girl.

“Ambient energy,” she says in that way of hers, as though those simple words explain everything. Of course, I give her my ‘what do you mean’ stare, and she sighs before clarifying. “All around us is ambient energy. The wind, falling rain, even the ground has ambient energy. This car can tap into a bit of it, and keep running. Generators are a bit different, in that they can tap into a larger amount, turning it to their own use.”

“So, that’s why the rain lessened yesterday?” I ask, understanding why there seemed to be so much more energy from our sex than previously experienced. The cute black woman actually blushes a bit at my statement, but nods.

The rest of the ride is silent, as I think about what she’s revealed, before Angela has me stop about thirty minutes later.

“Head to the surface,” she tells me, and the car begins moving without my direct control. Talk about a backseat driver! “It’s not too late to turn back,” she says to Lisa and AnnaBelle. She knows I’m going forward no matter what. “It will be dangerous down there. Once you drink from the vial, you’ll be able to breathe under the water, but if you fall asleep, or even get knocked out, it’s over.” I can tell she’s speaking more to AnnaBelle than Lisa. Lisa at least has some self-defense skills. AnnaBelle only has her faith.

“A young woman is in need of aid,” the mature woman states. “I will help in every way I’m able. Let us say a prayer, before we drink that.” She doesn’t even wait for acquiescence before bowing her head. “Dear Lord, which art above us, please watch over us as we descend into the inky depths of thine enemy. Allow us to see with your light, and guide our spirits, that we may find the young woman and bring her to safety. Amen.”

I hear a whispered “Amen,” from Lisa, and quickly mumble one myself. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the car actually brightens as AnnaBelle lifts her head back up, and I can see the fervent glow of her faith behind her eyes.

I hand over the two vials, one to each of the normal humans, and watch as Lisa pops the cork off hers, taking a sniff.

“Hmm, reminds me of fishing with my dad, when I was a little girl.” I can see Lisa as a little girl, sitting in a metal boat, an older man with a fishing rod in his hands, and hooks dangling on his vest. The girl sits staring adoringly at her father, as he explains the intricacies of fishing.

Blinking, I return to myself, a bit surprised at the peek into the blonde’s past. Especially since this time, there was nothing sexual going on, until I see a sparkle in the blonde’s eyes, as she winks at me.

AnnaBelle only shudders when she smells hers, but plugs her nose and downs it. Lisa drinks hers at the same time, but she smiles dreamily as she does so.

The smile soon vanishes, as both women begin to grasp at their throats, making choking noises.

“He poisoned them!” I exclaim, worried that this is the mistake I might make.

“No,” Angela shouts, “the potion lets them breathe underwater, but it takes away their ability to breathe normal air.”

“You just think to say this now?” I grumble, knowing that the succubus hadn’t meant any harm.

Angela looks abashed as she tries to open the passenger door from the back seat, but with AnnaBelle turning blue against it, she can’t reach the handle.

Leaning across the older woman, I hit the lever, and she begins to fall back. I only have a second to gasp at the amount of water around us, before AnnaBelle’s hands grip my shirt, pulling me after her.

We land with a splash, and already I can feel water filling my lungs. I can’t breathe! Marchosias had been wrong. I needed the potion too. Gasping, I flail about, trying to get back to the surface, but I never learned how to properly swim. It’s been decades since the last time I was actually in water above my knees, not counting when I was a dragon. My actions are counter-productive, as I lift my legs in an attempt to kick, while my arms waive uselessly. My lungs burn, crying out for air, and even though I can see the rain splattering down on the surface above me, I know I won’t reach it before I black out.

Firm hands grip me, and for a second I think it’s the water finally claiming me after all these years, until I see Lisa’s worried eyes in front of me.

Why is she worried? The thought flits through my panicked brain. She’s in the water now, and can breathe.

Somehow these thoughts are like a reset switch, and my mind calms down as I open my mouth, and fill my lungs. Air doesn’t flow in, but the water feels just as good as I take another watery breath. The sensation of something thicker than air filling my lungs is a whole new experience, and I focus on that thought, rather than the water surrounding me, to keep calm and sane.

Lisa has a hold of my shoulders, and she’s looking deep into my eyes. “Angela needs you,” she says, and despite the water, I seem to be able to hear her just fine. I also notice bubbles popping out of gills on her neck. Knowing what I’m feeling, I wonder what that must feel like to her. I truly hope it didn’t hurt truly her.

With her and AnnaBelle’s help, I make it up to the surface, and spit out the water in my lungs, before I can talk to the succubus.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, seeing Angela is sitting in the passenger’s seat, her pretty feet dipping into the water.

“Were you just going to leave me behind?” She asks, arching one dark eyebrow.

“I can’t swim,” I remind her. “Come on, let’s go.”

“I can’t yet,” she tells me, and I realize what the holdup is. With the help of the other two women, I make it over to the car, and pull myself up to her level. Bringing my lips to hers, I kiss her deeply, sending the image of her as a mermaid, then wrap my arms around her, and fall back into the water.

She tries to yelp as the water surrounds us, but I don’t release our kiss. The succubus is still able to push me away, and I smile as I watch her look at her tail, and then at her naked chest.

Angela easily swims back up to me, and puts on the most demure look I’ve ever seen. “Is this how my mastah likes his slave?” she asks in an accent that sounds authentic. For some reason it rubs me the wrong way. I have no problem playing master and slave, heck I’d done it a couple times with Sheila, my boss, but knowing that Angelica had actually been a slave, takes on a whole different connotation.

“No,” I state firmly, my own voice sounding weird in the water. “This is how I want my dear friend.” The corners of her mouth turn down for a second as I call her a dear friend, and I realize she took it the wrong way, but I don’t know what else to say.

Seeing how easy it is for her to move around the water with her tail, I concentrate, and try to form my own legs into one, but it doesn’t work. What the heck? I can breathe underwater thanks to my time with Brooke, but I can’t make a fish’s tail? Hmm, would a dragon’s tail work? A couple seconds and a bit of a drain on my system later, my tailbone feels heavy. I give it a shake, and feel myself propelled through the water.

All three women are laughing at me, and I realize that I tore my pants in making the tail. “Dang it!” I swear, as I try to pull the rags back up to cover my genitals. After a few seconds of enduring their rising laughter at my attempts, I finally just give up, and let them sink to the sea’s floor.

AnnaBelle ceases laughing as I turn to face them, and starts glaring instead, but I notice her taking a few glances at my manhood anyway.

It takes me a couple minutes to get the hang of using my tail to propel myself in the direction I want to go, and realize that swimming is a lot easier than trying to fly.

Grabbing Lisa, Angela grabs AnnaBelle, and this way we move quickly through the water, diving deeper.

* * *

“Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” AnnaBelle asks, as we look down on a scene of wonder. Buildings of every shape and size rise up from the sea floor. Tall thin structures that seem to be made of glass and are entirely see-thru, tower over squat perfectly round buildings made of some sort of shimmering blue or purple stone. Coral homes abut fields of seaweed, and schools of fish and other creatures swim around the metropolitan place. The entire city is massive, stretching in all directions as far as the eye can see. It would be entirely dark, if not for all the lights shining at the top of every building and at every corner.

I’m sure if I had perfect color vision, I would enjoy the scenery more, but right now all I can think about is Brooke being held captive in there somewhere.

“Is that where she’s being held?” I ask Angela, pointing to what can only be described as an underwater castle. Its minarets stand taller than any other structure, piercing the water with their pointed tops. I can’t help but wonder if the artists behind Disney’s The Little Mermaid had been here, and received inspiration from this castle, though the one they drew did this one little justice on its sheer size.

“How will we ever find her in that?” Lisa asks surprisingly. She’s normally so upbeat and optimistic, but looking at that castle, I have to wonder the same thing.

“As long as she hasn’t been moved,” mermaid Angela begins, “I can take us right to her.” She swims over to me, and looks me seriously in the eyes. “You might not like what you see down there, Lyden. She was being tortured when I left.”

“All the more reason to get her out of there, then,” I state firmly, cursing myself for all the delays and detours we’d taken. Had I known she was being mistreated, I would have been quicker. I don’t even wait as I charge for the castle, dragging Lisa behind me.

“Lyden, wait!” Angela yells behind me, but I don’t slow down, until she swims in front of me, blocking my path. “We can’t just go charging in there. We have to be more discreet.”

Looking around at our group, I realize she’s right. AnnaBelle and Lisa are still dressed in clothing from Earth, and while they can breathe underwater, they still look very human. It’s not likely that any human-looking non-humans will be down there. With my tail, and Angela looking like a mermaid, we’ll likely blend in well enough, but the other two women won’t.

“What. . . .” I begin, not sure exactly what to ask.

“Relax,” the succubus says soothingly. “I wouldn’t have let them come if I didn’t have a plan to get us in there. Just wait here for a moment.” She turns and looks down, waiting for something, and I start to get antsy. Why is she just waiting?

A few minutes later, I see a group of four creatures swimming towards us.

“Calm down,” Angela says when she sees me tense up. “Just follow my lead.”

As the creatures come closer, I see that they’re three mermen and a mermaid, all topless. The men’s muscles are thick, and ripple as they swim. Even the woman looks tough. Two of the men and the woman each have a sword in hand. The third man carries a trident, and seems to be in charge.

“State your business for coming to Atlantis,” the trident toting merman states officiously.

Atlantis?

Angela swims forward, stopping a respectful distance away, and bows to their leader. The bow actually looks odd in the water, but she pulls it off. “Captain,” she starts, “I come bearing gifts from Marchosias. These two women have been breed to look human, yet are able to breathe in your lord’s realm. I have been told that Lord Varun is expecting this year’s tribute from the demon Marchosias.”

The captain approaches the two women, and only gives my tail a cursory glance, and my bare groin an unhappy frown. “They look human, alright,” he states. “Where did you get the clothing? It looks authentic as well.”

Angela gives an easy laugh before replying. “I’m actually a succubus, only in this form to assist in delivering my master’s rent. I can travel freely between realms, as long as I’m cautious.”

“I know what you are, demon. I could smell your stink a mile off.” It takes some effort not to whip the merman with my tail at his insulting comment. The man is arrogant, and condescending, but I see a warning glance from Angela, and hold still. He notices anyway. “Seems your lackey doesn’t know his place.”

“Please ignore him, captain. He was a failed breeding experiment. A mute. I only brought him to assist in delivering these other women,” she easily lies. I knew that succubae had to be masters of deceit, but if I didn’t know any better, she’d have me believing her.

I wonder though, if the laws state that there can be no interbreeding, how would Marchosias get away with it?

The captain grunts, and dismisses me like a piece of trash. “See that he behaves.” He swims around us once more, before adding, “You can leave them in my care, and be gone.” He waves his three subordinates towards us, but Angela clears her throat.

“Respectfully, Captain, my orders were to deliver them directly into the dungeons. My master doesn’t want another incident.” Angela’s tone is respectful, but at the same time insistent.

The captain glares at the succubus, while the other three surround us. If this goes badly, we’re in trouble. Looking at the mer-people, I notice the mermaid sneaking glances at my package. I try to give her a winning smile, but she huffs and looks away. Her attitude doesn’t hide her slight blush though.

“That situation was rectified, and the one responsible punished. Do not impugn upon my honor, succubus.” There is no mistaking the anger in the merman’s voice.

What incident is this? I wonder, but things are moving too fast for me to think long on it.

“I understand, captain, but my orders were clear. My punishment will be severe if I fail my master.” My heart almost breaks to hear the pleading in her voice, even though I know the story is false.

“What do I care about the punishment of a succubus?” the captain glares at the dark-skinned succubus. The mermaid swims up to the captain and whispers something to him. He backhands her, sending her sprawling through the water. “Don’t presume to tell me my job, Ondine.” Despite being struck, Ondine rights herself, and takes up her post again, her cheek turning red where the captain had struck her. The captain turns back to Angela with a sour look on his face. “Fine, we will take you to the dungeons, succubus, and then you will depart, or face Lord Varun’s wrath.” He smiles wickedly as he adds, “And lately, his wrath has been vicious, indeed. Especially to women.”

He begins to swim away, and the other three around us indicate we should follow. I take Lisa again, as we’re escorted to the massive castle. I don’t miss the fact that Ondine swims next to me, with one merman behind us, and the other one on the other side of Angela and AnnaBelle.

Looking at Ondine, I begin to wonder if all mermaids have smaller breasts, as her brown hair streams behind her in the water.

As we enter the city, I marvel at the architecture around us. Doors open up to the water on every level; there is no need to only have entryways at the base, as anyone can swim.

“You swim worse than a newborn,” Ondine snidely says next to me, and I have to keep my mouth shut, as I’m supposed to be mute. Instead I try to smile dumbly at her, nodding my head. She doesn’t seem impressed.

Our escort leads us down to the seafloor, and over to a door in the side of one of the castle’s minarets. He pounds on the door and a moment later a panel moves aside. The unmistakable eyes of a Grindylow peep out.

“Tribute to Varun from the demon Marchosias,” the captain announces, disgust in his tone and the door opens a moment later. “Take them in, and come right back out.” He glances at the little Grindylow, and it’s obvious he thinks very little of the creature. “This thing will show you where they belong,” he states, referring to the Grindylow as an object.

“Might I ask one last boon?” Angela asks, and I see anger flare up in the captain’s eyes, but she continues. “The streets can be dangerous for my kind here, and I fear for our safety as we attempt to leave your city. Would you mind escorting us out?”

My eyes nearly bulge at her request. Is she crazy? This self-centered merman would never let us leave all together, especially not if we have Brooke with us. What is she thinking?

The captain glares at the four of us, before responding. “I couldn’t care less about your safety, succubus, but for some reason Lord Varun allows that demon master of yours to reside on our borders. It won’t due to anger him any further.” Is that a smug look I see on Ondine’s face? Is that what she’d said to the captain to get him to escort us down here? Unfortunately, I’m not the only one to see it. “Ondine here can escort you back.” He turns to the mermaid, a malicious gleam in his eyes. “Escort them all the way in and back out; then when you have taken them outside the city, return and report directly to my chambers.” His tone indicates that she won’t like reporting back to him.

Great! Way to go, Angela, I think. Now we have a babysitter. Really, what is she thinking?

Before anything else can be said, the captain gathers up his other two mermen and they swim off.

Despite myself, I feel bad for the mermaid. We had gotten her into trouble, and while she might be the enemy, she hadn’t done anything to us personally to deserve her treatment.

I open my mouth to apologize to her, but remember I’m supposed to be a mute, and close it again, glaring at Angela.

“Come on,” Ondine says dejectedly. “Let’s get this over with.”

She swims through the opening, and we follow, but not before I shoot Angela another dark glance. For some reason she just smiles at me. I wonder what’s going through the two human women’s minds, as we enter the dim corridor. They’ve remained silent the whole time.

I’m soon lost, as we make turn after turn, until we enter an area full of cells. Most of them are full, and their occupants look at us dejectedly, but none of them speak.

“Why are the cells so full?” Angela asks the mermaid.

Ondine glares at her for a second, before sighing resignedly and answering, “Lord Varun is wise, and sees traitors better than his own guards.” Her words say one thing, her tone another. Lord Varun has grown paranoid. Is this because of TanaVesta’s treatment?

Ondine leads us ever deeper, and I notice that Grindylows are the jail keepers. Are they on our side? Not very likely, I realize. They wouldn’t have had time to hear about what happened on the beach.

Finally the disgruntled mermaid stops before an empty cell, and orders a Grindylow to open it. As the little green creature unlocks the cell, the real mermaid turns to us, and for some reason I see hope in her eyes.

“Would your master be willing to take me in?” The words surprise me, but Angela only smiles. She must have known this was coming, but how?

“He would be willing I think, but you know that you would be ostracized. No longer allowed back here,” the succubus mermaid says evenly. “You would be an outcast.”

The mermaid seems to think this over for a bit, before replying. “Every day it becomes more dangerous here. Varun has grown more and more paranoid. I will never advance as a guard, and there is no place for me here.” She looks around nervously, and I’m surprised she ignores the Grindylow. I don’t miss her leaving out the ‘Lord’ before saying the Pillar of Water’s name. “Females are in the most danger. Any slight mistake and we’re thrown in one of these cells. Even after Brooke rescued our Lord from the Pillar of Fire, he refuses to trust any mermaids.”

Thinking back, I realize that most of the creatures down here that I could recognize the gender of, have been female. With Ondine ordered to come back and face her captain, I don’t blame her for wanting to get away when she has the chance. Hearing Brooke’s name, though, sends a bolt of electricity through my system, and it takes all of my effort not to demand to know where my childhood friend is being kept.

Before I have the chance to act, however, the Grindylow does, striking the mermaid in the back of the skull, and knocking her out. He then drags her into the cell, and locks it.

I stare in shock at the little creature, wondering what’s going on. “Come Generator,” the little green creature says. “Your friend is this way.”

“What’s going on?” Lisa asks, speaking for the first time in awhile. Angela and I exchange glances, but apparently even she hadn’t been expecting this.

“We can’t just leave this poor creature,” AnnaBelle says, but the Grindylow is already taking off. I can worry about Ondine later. Right now, Brooke needs me.

Grabbing Lisa once more, I use my dragon’s tail to propel me through the water after our little helper. We don’t go far, before he stops and unlocks another cell.

“Don’t look,” Angela warns, but it’s too late.

Brooke is inside. Or what’s left of her. Fingers are missing from her right hand, and the fins on her tail are completely missing. Her face is mottled with bruises and cuts, as is the rest of her bare torso. Her normally small breasts are swollen with bruises, and I can’t imagine the torture she’s been through.

Tears come to my eyes, but they blend in immediately with the surrounding water. I’m too late, I realize. She’s already dead. Once again, I curse myself for not rushing right down here to rescue her. I know I never would have made it without doing everything else, but I still can’t stop the self-recriminating thoughts accusing me of not doing enough.

“No!” I cry out as I enter the cell, not wanting to believe it. Picking her up in my arms, I cradle her damaged face to my chest, sobbing at the frustration of it all. Why couldn’t I have been quicker?

Then I remember that she had left to warn others of TanaVesta’s treachery, when she’d been captured. If I hadn’t told her about the Pillar of Fire’s plans, she never would have left, and she’d be alive now.

“Lyden,” AnnaBelle says to me softly, “we need to go.”

Looking up, I glare at the woman, ready to unleash my wrath. I know she doesn’t deserve it, but damn it, doesn’t she understand? The woman that had been there for me ever since I was a child is dead, and it’s my fault.

A groan pulls my attention away from AnnaBelle, and I find myself looking down into open sea-green eyes.

“Lyden?” Brooke asks, confusion thick in her raw voice. She pushes me away from her, shaking her head. “No! You can’t be. Lyden can’t come down here. He’s too afraid of the water.” She tries to scuttle away from me, but she’s weak and her tail isn’t working properly.

“Brooke, it’s me,” I tell her excitedly. She’s ALIVE! “I got over my fear to rescue you!”

“Not so loud,” Angela hisses at me, but I don’t care. Brooke is alive, and that’s all that matters. I wasn’t too late.

“But . . . but how?” the damaged mermaid asks.

“That doesn’t matter right now,” I say, swimming over to her. “We need to get you out of here.”

“I-I can’t,” she stutters, looking at her ruined tail and hand.

I ignore her as I pull her into a tight embrace, forgetting about her injuries until I hear her grunt in pain. I loosen my grip, but she pulls me back to her, hugging me as tightly as her weakened arms are able to.

“Generator,” I hear the Grindylow say respectfully, recalling to me that the little creature was still there, “you need to go, before someone else arrives.”

Looking to the little green guy I nod, before looking back into Brooke’s swollen eyes. “I’m not leaving you behind,” I tell her, and cut off her protests with a soft kiss.

Glittering multi-colored light suddenly shines brightly in the cell, and something tickles my mind. Almost, I feel as though I should be hearing something, but my ears feel stopped up.

“What’s going on?” someone asks, and I can hear them just fine, but my concentration is absorbed by the glowing multi-faceted light hanging right outside the cell. An orb about two feet in diameter floats there, and from time to time throws off a myriad of colors.

“Lyden,” Angela says, fear thick in her voice, “I think it wants an answer.”

I stare at the succubus, confused. An answer? An answer to what?

The colors flash again, and I have to shield my eyes, but I still don’t know what it wants.

“What’s it saying?” I ask. “I don’t understand.”

“Oh, dear Lord,” AnnaBelle beseeches the light, her tone awed and pious, “forgive this man his sins. We didn’t know you were watching over her.”

The light flares, and I swear it’s angry, but I still can’t understand the thing. I can easily sense its power, and can see the other women quaking where they float in the water.

“But . . . my Lord,” AnnaBelle says in confusion, “I don’t understand. Why would you want him dead?” The light speaks again in its colorful way, and I watch as AnnaBelle debases herself before the thing. “Forgive me Lord, for questioning your wisdom. It will be as you command.”

AnnaBelle turns to me, a deep sorrow in her clear brown eyes. “I’m sorry Lyden, but God has spoken. His will be done.” She pushes off the floor, coming for me, her hands outstretched, but the Grindylow intercepts her, entangling her arms within its tentacles.

“Go!” the Grindylow commands, but I won’t leave AnnaBelle behind, even if she is trying to kill me.

What is that light? What has it done to AnnaBelle, to make her think that this is her God? Hadn’t Angela told her that God was the Pillar of Light? Or is this the Pillar of Light?

The question is knocked from my mind, as Lisa’s foot connects with my skull. Dazedly, I look at the blonde woman, as she comes at me, and I see the colored lights reflecting from her blue eyes. That thing is controlling them!

I try to fend off Lisa’s attacks, but the water slows my movements, while seeming to aid her. She is too skilled, and I feel her hands tighten around my throat. Desperately I look around, and see Angela trying to use her arms to swim to me, her eyes clear, but her tail refuses to work. Fear and worry are in the succubus’s eyes, but not the multi-hued light. At least she is mostly free of the thing’s influence.

A quick glance at Brooke shows that she is free of the thing’s mind control also, but equally unable to reach me with her injuries.

Why is it only Lisa and AnnaBelle that are affected by the thing?

My vision starts to go black, as I’m struggling to breathe through Lisa’s choking grasp, and I focus my mind on the glowing orb. Is this the timeless foe the prophecy warns about? Is this the same one that’d been in TanaVesta’s chambers? If so, a generator is supposed to come forth, and save or fail. How can I fight something like this?

I remember something Angela recently told me about my ability; that I absorb ambient energy. Well, this thing is throwing off energy like it was going out of style. Concentrating the last of my consciousness on it, I try to absorb its energy. Perhaps if I get enough, I can block its control over my friends.

The area sudden grows dark, and I feel Lisa’s hands loosen their grip just before I pass out.

“Oh my god,” Lisa exclaims, covering her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t stop myself. Lyden, are you okay?” Suddenly I’m surrounded by three women, all looking at me worriedly, even Brooke. “I knew what I was doing, but I wasn’t in control.”

“Get off me!” I hear AnnaBelle cry out. “My Lord, where did you go?”

“It’s okay,” I tell the Grindylow who’s still holding the older woman. “The thing’s gone now.”

The green little guy warily releases AnnaBelle from its tentacles, and swims a short distance, never taking his eyes off of her.

For her part, the older woman sinks to the floor, and weeps. I can’t imagine what she must be going through.

“We need to get going, before that thing sends reinforcements,” I say, rubbing at my sore throat. My voice is raw, and Lisa is still telling me how sorry she is, but I cut her off with a hug. “It’s not your fault,” I tell her. “I know that, but we really need to get out of here.”

The others agree, though Brooke tries to protest. “Leave me here. I’ll just slow you down.”

“To hell with that!” I exclaim, pulling the too thin mermaid up under my right arm, and grabbing Lisa’s hand, I use my tail to propel us out of the cell, following the Grindylow.

“What about Ondine?” AnnaBelle demands as Angela hauls her along. I can still hear sadness in her voice, but she seems to be recovering. “We can’t just leave her here!”

Damn her and her bleeding heart, I think viciously. I know her attacking me hadn’t been her fault, but I’m still angry at the situation, and my head still hurts from where Lisa had kicked it.

“Lyden,” she continues to plead, “what happened to not leaving someone behind?”

And there she goes, using my own words and principles against me.

“Ondine?” Brooke asks. “She’s down here?”

“Yes,” I reply, trying not to sound too angry. “She asked us to take her with us, but she didn’t know we were really here to rescue you.”

“Lyden,” Brooke’s face is right next to mine, and I can hear some measure of strength return to her voice. “Ondine was always kind to me. If she needs our help, you can’t leave her.”

“Damn it!” I swear, not even trying to hide my anger.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you swear,” Brooke says, shocked at my language, and just like that, my anger flees.

What is wrong with me? They’re right, of course. I can’t leave the other mermaid down here, where I know she’ll be punished for letting us escape. Is this the mistake the prophecy warns me of?

Shaking my head, I realize I need to stop second guessing every decision I make. That way will lead to madness and nothing ever getting accomplished. I wish I’d never heard that danged prophecy.

“Grindylow,” I call after the creature leading us, “we need to get back to Ondine.”

If he hears me or ignores me, I’m not sure, but a couple seconds later, he stops outside of the mermaid’s cell.

Ondine is awake, and she glares at us, until she sees Brooke under my arm. “You were really here to rescue her,” she says, and I can’t tell if she’s happy about that, or some other emotion. Why can’t I get Angela’s ability to read someone’s motives? “Please, take me with you!”

I nod to the Grindylow, and he unlocks the cell door.

“We’d better get moving!” Angela states, her tone filled with worry and fear. “I can hear them coming.”

I can’t hear anything, but I’m not willing to chance it either. We get moving, and Ondine swims next to me. “Let me take Brooke,” she states. “I can swim faster, and you can too if you only have to carry one.”

Can I trust her? And if so, do I hand over Brooke, or Lisa?

I hear a shout behind us, and realize I don’t have time to decide. I’ll be able to swim better with Lisa, and since Ondine can swim faster than I can, she has a better chance of saving Brooke. Lisa at least has some skill to fight, as my ringing head can attest. I hand over the broken and passed out mermaid, and redouble my efforts, doing my best to keep up with the agile Grindylow darting down the winding corridors. Looking behind us, I can’t see our pursuers, and guess that they found Brooke’s cell empty.

Looking at my companions, I groan to realize the only one of us that’s armed is Ondine, and her loyalties are still uncertain.

The Grindylow holds the door open for us, as we all zip through the exit. We all angle upwards, pushing hard for the surface. Angela and Ondine easily outpace me, but I catch up to them when they stop under my car.

My car. . . . The Orange Bubble. There are six of us now. Even if someone gets into the space under the hood, it’s going to get very cramped in there.

I look at Brooke, unconscious in Ondine’s arms, and know she can’t be cramped up right now, without further complicating her injuries.

“Angela, Lisa, AnnaBelle, and Brooke will have to get in the car,” I tell the other women. “The rest of us can hold onto the outside, while we move to the beach. Angela, you drive.”

No one moves.

“Lyden, there’s another problem,” AnnaBelle says, and I glare at her. I still haven’t completely forgiven her for being the first to attack me. She’s undaunted though, and continues, “Lisa and I still can’t breathe up there.”

It takes me a couple seconds to understand her words. What does she mean she can’t breathe. Of course she . . . oh, right. She has to fall asleep first, before the potion will wear off, but if they do that under the water, they’ll drown. Not only that, but do we have the time for them to take a nap? It won’t take long for Varun’s guards to put two and two together, and realize where we went.

But if they get into the air, they’ll choke and. . . .

“Lisa, AnnaBelle, get in the car!” I yell to them.

“But—“ AnnaBelle starts, but I interrupt.

“Trust me!” I state and shove Lisa for my vehicle.

“I trust you,” Lisa says, and finishes the swim. I watch as she sucks in a deep breath, and hauls herself out of the water.

“It’s in the Lor—“ AnnaBelle stops and shakes her head. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.” I almost feel sorry for her as she swims to my car, and gets out of the water. The woman had thought she was talking to her God, and been disabused of the notion very rudely. I can still see her eyes though, as she tried to attack me. They had been clear of the light’s influence. She truly had believed that her God was commanding her to kill me.

I follow after the women, trying to push all the water out of my lungs, before I break the surface. I still end up hacking and coughing, and by the time my lungs are clear, and I can wipe clean my eyes, I’m shocked to find a little four inch golden fairy laughing at me.

Three more heads bob out of the water, rain pouring down around us, and Angela is the first to speak. “Arethusa! What are you doing here?”

The golden fairy titters for a few more seconds, before merrily stating, “The generator seems like he might be fun to hang around, as long as he can keep his hands to himself this time.” Her attitude is very different from when she was being held captive in Marchosias’s chamber.

I ignore the pixie, as I concentrate to remove my tail, and crawl into my vehicle. The two human women are gasping, still trying to breathe. AnnaBelle looks at me accusingly, but my heart warms to see Lisa’s trust still in her blue eyes as she chokes.

“As soon as you pass out, you’ll be able to breathe,” I tell them. Understanding lights their eyes and both women stop fighting. Lisa actually tries to hold what little breath she has left and ends up passing out first. As soon as she does, water streams from her mouth, and it actually looks bluer than normal water. The blonde sucks in a deep lungful of air, but stays unconscious.

AnnaBelle passes out right afterwards, and again I watch the unnaturally blue water pour from her mouth, before she starts breathing normally again.

As if the potion has a mind of its own, I watch as the two streams come together, and then as it heads out my car door.

“Lyden, they’re coming,” Angela shouts from the water, and I curse as I remember our original predicament.

“There’s no way you’re all going to fit inside that little thing,” Arethusa says happily. The rain pours down around the little fairy, as she takes flight and examines my car. “I was right,” she states a moment later. “You are a lot more entertaining.” The tiny pixie begins to chant, and I notice her body glowing brightly as she gathers energy for whatever spell she’s about to cast. It still surprises me that the drenching rain doesn’t affect her.

My orange car begins to glow a golden yellow color, and everything seem to stretch out. My doors get farther away, and the back seat grows wider. AnnaBelle and Lisa both tip over, still sleeping, but breathing peacefully. A second seat pops up behind them, and the interior continues expanding, but a sudden scream from outside pulls my attention away.

“Stop it!” Angela cries in anguish, as she holds her hands against her head. “Please, stop it!” The succubus begins to sink back under the water and I dive in after her, barely noting as Arethusa stops her chanting.

Angela meets me coming for her, and together we swim back up to the surface.

“Are you okay?” I gasp as soon as my head breaks the water.

Angela nods her dark tresses at me, but I can still see the shadow of her pain behind her almond shaped eyes.

“Yes,” I hear Arethusa titter. “Very interesting.” The golden little woman looks speculatively from the Orange Bubble to Angela and back again.

I turn to berate her for her cavalier attitude, but remember that we’re being chased.

“Everyone in the—“ I cut off as I look at my car. The Orange bubble is the same. When the fairy quit chanting, it must have reverted back to its original form. Growling, I realize that the only way we’re going to get away is to either leave someone behind, or get very cramped in my little car. There is only one real option. “Everyone in!” I yell, and watch as Angela and Ondine help each other get a groaning Brooke into my car. It’s too dangerous to let anyone hang onto the outside, and try to get away.

“It’s bigger on the inside,” I hear Ondine state as she crawls in.

It can’t be, I think, as Arethusa zips in through the door, and I hear her little titter echo inside. Reaching the open door, I look in, and see that it truly is bigger on the inside. Suddenly I understand Angela’s pain. She’s tied to the car, through the portions of her soul. I can’t imagine what that would have felt like. Then I remember the Orange Bubble getting burned up, and the condition the succubus had been in after the picnic at AnnaBelle’s church. I’m going to have to treat my car a lot better.

Angela and Ondine lay Brooke out comfortably in the car, as I get behind the driver’s seat. I experience an odd sensation of vertigo, as the windshield displays a stretched out version of the horizon. Willing the car underwater and back to the beach off in the distance, I stand and marvel at the way my car is laid out now. There is easy standing space, as well as walking room. There are now two rows of back seats and even a massive bed covered in golden yellow blankets behind that. The floor is covered in a lush golden carpet, and golden tapestries hang down over the windows.

“Are you okay?” I ask Angela again.

“It feels weird,” she tells me, “as if I’m too big for my own skin.”

“I thought this would be a lot more comfortable,” Arethusa pipes up. “If you’d have given me more time, I could have added in an area for a fire pit, a place to use the bathroom, a pool, and even a fountain.”

“Please, NO,” Angela moans, holding her stomach.

Brooke moans on the floor, and I look at the redhead. In the brighter light of my car’s interior, she looks even worse. I can see where her old cuts are, the flesh around them red and raw. Scales are missing from her tail, and I realize she isn’t changing back. Even Ondine has changed to two legs. Guiltily, I have to admit that she has a rather nice set of legs, leading up to—NO! I need to worry about Brooke.

With a quick thought, I send Angela the image of her as a nurse. The same nurse that had helped bring me back to health. I’m not sure if this form imparts any extra knowledge, but it couldn’t hurt. Her blonde hair drops down onto a slender body, covered in a white smock. Sharp blue eyes sit above a pert nose, and a set of deep red, very full lips.

Angela doesn’t miss her transformation, and even the fairy claps appreciatively. The succubus looks at me, only saying, “I understand,” before checking over the prostrate mermaid.

“Am I the only one who’s going to be naked?” Ondine asks, and then blushes as she looks at me. She’s not the only naked one, and suddenly I’m embarrassed to be nude in front of so many women.

“There are clothes for all in the back,” Arethusa states, and I glance at her to see her staring at my cock and slightly rubbing her behind.

I don’t waste any time before heading back to where the bed is, and finding a wardrobe full of clothing. None of it looks like any clothes that are worn on Earth, but I find a decent sized robe, and wrap it about me. The thing has a shiny golden hem—I’m beginning to see a trend in almost everything Arethusa does—but at least the rest of it is a deep blue or purple color.

Ondine puts on a pair of golden baggy pants that I think are called pantaloons, and a loose white blouse that almost looks see-thru, but I can’t make out any details.

“How is she?” I ask, as I get back up to Brooke and Angela.

“Not good,” I’m informed as the succubus frowns down at her patient. “She’s going to need your help again, just to live. I don’t know if we can restore her fingers or fins though.”

I open my mouth to say I’ll help in any way I can, when my car starts honking frantically, and Angela groans, holding her stomach again.

“They caught us,” she moans, before tipping over and groaning some more.

Rushing back up to the driver’s seat, I see we’re surrounded by mer-people. They’re slashing at my car with both swords and tridents. Most bounce off harmlessly, but a couple tear gouges in the frame. Angela groans each time something pierces my car, and I even see a few small cuts spread across her cheeks.

“Sonnuva. . . .” I curse, as I crank the wheel to the left—should I call it port since I’m in the water?— and mash down on the gas. A shocked looked merman gets pressed against the driver’s side window, and I crank the wheel the other way, scaring away a merman that had been about to jab my car with his trident. As I swerve and bob, I notice that there are no mermaids amongst them, only males. Part of me wishes to see the arrogant captain we’d dealt with earlier, but if he’s in the mix, I can’t tell.

I see the ground coming up to meet the surface of the water and remember that the portal is actually just above the beach. I’m going to have to get a running jump at it, and hope my aim is right.

Of course, I can’t do it, unless I can drive straight, but I’m afraid the mermen will tear my car, and by connection, Angela, apart, if I stop swerving.

A merman in front of me suddenly arches his back, and I can see three small tines protruding from his chest. A Grindylow tries to shake the dead man from his trident, before turning and attacking another one. The mermen are thrown into chaos as Grindylows swarm over them, and I have my chance.

I see a shimmer ahead, above the surface of the water, and aim the Orange Bubble for it, willing my car to go as fast as it can.

We break the surface, and go airborne for barely a moment. I have just enough time to see the water churning green, white, and blood red, before we’re surrounded by water again. I see two pillars zoom by, and know we’re back on Earth.

Directing my car to head home as fast as it can, I turn back to face everyone else, and find three sets of angry eyes glaring at me. Lisa and AnnaBelle have woken up, and I can tell that their ride had been a rough one while I’d been dodging the mermen. Only Arethusa seems unruffled, as she grins down at everyone while flitting around.

I ignore them, though as I rush to check on Angela and Brooke. Angela is no longer groaning, and even as I watch, her cuts and scrapes begin to heal.

“Where are we?” Ondine asks, pulling aside a tapestry, and looking out at a school of fish getting out of the Orange Bubble’s way.

“Earth,” I tell her. “Will the mermen follow?”

The mermaid’s eyes grow wide, as she looks back at me in terror. “I thought we were going to the demon, Marchosias. It’s forbidden for me on pain of death to go to Earth.”

“So we’re safe for the time being,” I state, nodding my head. “I’m also guessing that it’s forbidden to abandon your duty, help a prisoner escape, and follow a group of people away from Atlantis?” When she nods, I smile at her, until she understands. She was already a criminal, and she is going to be a lot safer on Earth, than in the demon’s lair.

“Someone help me carry these two back to the bed,” I say, nodding to the two women on the floor.

Lisa rushes over, and picks up the mermaid, while I carry Angela. The martial artist looks questioningly at the woman in her nurse’s uniform, and I just say, “Angela.” She nods, and together we get the women laid down, and under the covers.

“What are you wearing?” Lisa asks me, trying to hide her smile at my outlandish garb.

“Don’t ask,” I reply wryly, before turning to everyone else. “It’s going to take awhile to get home. We might as well get what rest we can, and thanks to Arethusa, we have the room to do so.”

The fairy actually blushes as she says, “Please, call me Areth.” I find a blanket in the wardrobe, and make myself a comfortable place at the foot of the bed. Brooke needs my help the most right now, and I need to sleep to get to give it to her.

Exhausted, I fall asleep almost instantly, but don’t find myself in Brooke’s mind.

“Why am I here?” I ask Angela without any heat as she stands in front of me, still in her nurse persona.

“I figured we could work together to heal her,” the succubus says.

“But you said she isn’t into women,” I remind her.

Angela smiles as she walks up to me, and plants a soft kiss on my lips. Her own ruby red lips are soft as they press against mine, and I can immediately feel my body reacting to her seductive presence. “She doesn’t need to know I’m there. I’m a succubus, remember?”

She takes a step away from me, and I feel a shift in the atmosphere. Everything remains pitch black around me, but things now have a red tinge that is more felt than seen. Instinctively I know we have moved to Brooke’s psyche.

“Lyden?” I hear Brooke’s voice, and turn to see the mermaid fully dressed and standing on two feet. She looks whole and healthy, and I can’t hide my smile at how good she looks. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Angela standing there. The succubus places one finger over her lips, and I know that Brooke can’t see or sense her.

This is going to be interesting. Or entertaining, as Areth would say.

“I can’t believe you came for me!” Brooke rushes forward, and flings herself against me. I catch her easily, using my own willpower to keep myself upright. “How did you get over your fear of deep water?” she cries into my neck.

Looking over at Angela, I make sure she hears my words as well. “You’d be surprised what I’m willing to go through for the people I love.”

Brooke pulls away from me, and her eyes search mine. Behind her, I can see a tear roll down Angela’s cheek and off her chin. I can no longer deny that I love both these women. I don’t care what that says about my own personality, or moral code. Brooke has been with me since I was a child. Yes, I know she may have had a hand in killing my parents, but I’ll deal with that later. We’ve been through too much history together to feel anything else.

Angela had introduced me to a whole new world. If not for her, I might never have known about my heritage, or my abilities. She’s also saved my hide more than once.

I love both women.

“But we can’t be together,” Brooke states, trying to pull away again, but I refuse to let her go. “We talked about this. It can’t happen between us.”

“Would you just be quiet, and enjoy the moment,” I softly chide her, and she stops struggling. “You need to recover, and I can help you. If you don’t want to be together out there in the real world, then fine. But don’t deny yourself what I know your heart feels in here.”

“I want to, Lyden,” she pleads with me, “I really do, but can we keep that line separate?”

“Does it matter?” I ask, raising one eyebrow and challenging her.

“You’ve been taking lessons from the succubus,” she accuses me, lightly hitting my chest with her open palm. “I take it she’s the black girl that helped save me?” I nod, and she smiles ruefully. “She’s a better woman than I gave her credit for,” she murmurs, but then her eyes grow wide as she looks up at me. “But don’t you dare tell her I said that!”

It takes all my effort not to laugh, or look at the succubus, still invisible to the mermaid.

“She won’t hear it from my lips,” I promise her.

“I know it won’t last, but I see no reason we can’t be together only in our minds.” She seals her words with a kiss, and I feel her clothing vanish a moment before my own disappear. She breaks the kiss again, and I can tell that she’s trying to come to a decision. “You’d better not make me regret this Lyden Snow, but yes, I do love you too.”

Smiling, I lift her up, and mentally tilt the world around us, until she’s lying on top of me. Her hips slowly begin to move on top of me, and I’m still rock hard from Angela’s kiss. A part of me feels guilty about that, so I pull her body up mine, until I can plant my lips against her sex.

Using my tongue, I split her labia, and taste her juices, enjoying the tangy taste. Some irreverent part of my mind wonders why a mermaid doesn’t taste fishy, but I push that thought aside. She doesn’t, and I like that!

Her fingers dig into my hair, as she grinds her pussy against my mouth. “Oh, Lyden, yes, right there.” Reaching around her body with my right hand, I find her small left breast, and tweak her nipple, sending her body into convulsions.

I immediately throw up a mental shield; blocking any energy that might come my way, but feel nothing. As she comes down from her climax, she stands, and I catch a glimpse of Angela, only a few feet away from us, her large left breast in her left hand, nipple rolling between her fingers, and her right hand busily rubbing her clit. The view ends as Brooke turns around, and sits back on my face, bends over and I feel my cock slip between her soft lips.

My moan is muffled by her wet slit, as I feel her tongue moving around the rim of my rod. My hands move around her body, grabbing each globe of her rear and pulling her down tighter against my hungry mouth.

Running my tongue around her clit, I nuzzle my nose into her hole, then suck hard, pulling her clitoris between my teeth, and nibbling lightly. She starts to go wild, but I don’t loosen my grip, until she’s done flooding my mouth with her delectable juices.

I can feel her saliva sliding down my shaft and dripping from my scrotum as her head bobs up and down. My cock conforms to her throat, as she begins to swallow it deeper, occasionally coming up for air, before dropping back down again. Her red curly hair tickles my thighs, and I try to concentrate on that sensation, to last longer.

Finally I can take it no longer, and have to pull her off me. A few more seconds, and she would have had me blowing down her throat. While I know the ultimate reason for me being here in her mind is to heal her with my own orgasm, I want to prolong the experience as long as possible.

“You’re too good at what you do,” I tell her smiling, and then smile even more as she blushes, moving her hair behind her left ear with one hand, and looking demurely away.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Angela sitting with her legs spread, three fingers buried deep in her coochy, and bringing herself off. Even when she orgasms, I don’t feel any transfer or mixing of souls. Why is it different here? Obviously it worked last time, while in the Sahara Desert. Brooke had gotten better then. But why the difference in sensations between here and reality?

My attention returns to Brooke when she crawls over me and presses her lips against mine. Her hand snakes down between us, and she grabs me at my base, rubbing my head against the entrance to her promised land. Thankfully, there was a break between her amazing blowjob and the moment I enter her, or the pure delight of feeling her pussy stretch around my penis would have set me off.

It only takes her a few seconds to get me fully inside her, and we moan into each others’ mouths at our completion. Her hands are on my cheeks, as her tongue dives into my mouth in time with our hips humping against each other.

My cock stirs around her insides, and I can feel another orgasm coming close for her, as she gasps, and hugs me tightly to her slim body.

“Oh, Lyden, I love you so much. Thank you for rescuing me. You have no idea how much you mean to me!” she moans into my ear.

“I love you,” I state simply, and feel her vaginal walls clamp down hard on me. I have to stop moving all together, as her fluids gush out around my penetrating member.

This time around in her mind is different, and not just because Angela is here. It’s more emotional, and I feel closer to both women than ever before. I guess this is the difference between making love, and having sex.

Using my mental strength, I lift the mermaid off me, and turn her around. Placing her on her hands and knees, I plant my feet on either side of her, grip her slim hips, and slide back into her pussy. It feels like I go even deeper into her in this position. Pulling all the way out except for the tip, I slam back forward, pulling her hips back to meet me. My balls slap against her clit, and she shudders and moans as I repeat the motion again and again.

I watch in shock as the succubus gets up from her position on our right, and plants herself in front of Brooke, only a few inches away. Thankfully the mermaid can’t see her, as the hot nurse slips the middle two fingers on her right hand into her slit, and reaches around with her other hand to slip one finger into her anus. She grins wickedly at me, as she uses both arms, her large breasts jiggling deliciously, to bring herself off again right in front of the mermaid.

Between Angela’s visual treat, and the blissful warmth of Brooke’s vagina around my cock, I can’t hold back any more. Pulling out, I fire my first load across the redhead’s back, then aim higher, and the next volley splatters across the slutty nurse.

I don’t even try to block any energy, as I just enjoy my own climax, the lustful look painted across the succubus’s beautiful face, and Brooke’s own moans of pleasure.

===============================
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Here are the next set of chapters. If I have time tomorrow, I’ll continue on. If not, be patient. You’re getting this for free.

These five chapters are brought to you by Garbonzo and me once again, for your stiffening, or slickening pleasure.

---