Home for Horny Monsters Book TwoChapter 3 Planting the Seeds
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Mike opened his eyes. He was lying in his bed with Tink wrapped around his feet. The ceiling up above had somehow become a dome-shaped skylight, allowing him a perfect view of the stars as they swirled about in the night sky of the Dreamscape.
Sleep in the Dreamscape was an enigma for him. Despite knowing that he was asleep, he still became tired after a while and allowed himself to crash on his bed. He didn’t actually have dreams while he was here, but instead entered a meditative state where he simply floated somewhere warm and comforting, alone with his own thoughts.
He had asked Lily about it once, but she had simply shrugged. Apparently there were some things about the Dreamscape that even she wasn’t entirely sure of.
Somewhere in the distance, somebody was singing. He sat up and walked to the window, rubbing large chunks of sand out of his eyes. Down in the backyard, he could see Naia dancing around in her fountain, her movements slowed down to a crawl. It wasn’t the first time he had seen such an anomaly after waking up, and he often wondered what happened to this place when he was in a state of faux sleep.
Out in the gardens behind his home, he saw a figure glowing beneath the light of the moon. He realized that he was watching the faerie queen, and when he opened the window, he also realized that it was her voice that he was hearing.
Curious, he climbed onto the window sill and then slid out, landing softly on the hard ground. He walked down the path, through the back gate, and then kept his distance as he watched the queen move about. He didn’t understand any of the words of her song, but he felt a tremendous sense of loss in her melody that moved him nearly to tears.
Deciding that it was probably better to leave her alone with whatever haunted her, he turned to go back toward the house and jumped when the queen appeared in front of him, her eyes wild and fangs bared.
“Are you following me?” she asked, her voice too loud for his ears.
“I heard you singing,” he confessed. “I was curious is all, this is my head, you know. Don’t worry, I was going back to the house to give you some privacy.”
Her features softened, and she held up her hands. “Wait. Don’t go, not yet.”
Mike hesitated, wondering if he should really be alone with her so far away from the safety of his home. Then again, he also felt like the queen had ample opportunities to ruin his slumber and hadn’t taken them. Resigning himself to whatever happened next, he nodded at her.
“Okay, I won’t.” He didn’t dare say anything else, for he had no idea what the queen actually wanted from him.
“Tell me about the house.” The queen turned her back on him and started walking away. “I’m curious what your plans are for it.”
“My plans?” He followed a few steps behind her, his brow furrowed in concentration. It was sometimes hard to access his own thoughts in any logical order while he was dreaming, and this seemed to be one of those times. “Well, we’ve got a room on the third floor that’s locked off, I would love to get inside there. Depending on what it is, we could use the extra bedroom, but that all depends on Quetzalli. I keep thinking someone else will show up any day now, so would like to be prepared with a bed and some furniture. Poor Kisa was just sleeping in random rooms for the longest—”
“Don’t toy with me, Caretaker. I want to know your long term plans.”
“Oh. Um...” He wasn’t entirely certain how to answer. “Honestly, I wouldn’t mind figuring out a better defense system. I hate that our protection is based on a magical sundial. Abella is great to have as backup, but the number of times I’ve had to fix my house has gotten kind of old. Tink has been spending forever fixing the electrical system, so maybe some sort of modern upgrades?”
“Ugh. I thought maybe you were playing dumb with me, but I can see from inside your head that you have no idea what I’m even talking about.” She turned to face him, her cape flaring dramatically behind her. “I mean the Great Game. What are you planning to do to win it?”
Mike stared at her for several moments, his thoughts suddenly bogged down. He could feel her now, probing his mind for answers, and the sensation wasn’t pleasant at all.
“Gods. You really have no idea, do you?” The queen’s expression became one of astonishment. “You’ve amassed so much power already, yet you don’t even know the stakes for which you are playing.”
“Nope.” He shrugged, more than a little embarrassed. “The shadow mentioned a game once, and I sometimes have visions where I see a chessboard with pieces I can move, but I really haven’t thought about it much past that. Actually, my dream training was an attempt to help me connect with the house, maybe ask it what it wants from me.”
“You want to know what the house wants from you?” She blinked in disbelief. “Shouldn’t that be the other way around? Don’t you want anything from the house?”
“Well, maybe a little peace and quiet. I don’t really think of it as my house, rather it belongs to everybody who lives there.” He turned to look at the silhouette of the house in the darkness. “I guess maybe if we’re being very honest with each other, it’s already given me what I want. Somewhere to belong and a family that loves me.”
“I can’t believe it,” she muttered. “You are aware that the house holds massive amounts of magical power within its walls, yes?”
“Oh, god yeah. It’s been brought up by pretty much everyone that tries to break in. I’ll admit, I’ve been tempted to go digging around for magic items to protect everyone, but I keep getting caught up in almost being murdered and rescuing my friends from imprisonment. No disrespect, just stating a fact is all. Frankly, if people would leave us alone, I would be more than happy to just kind of let things be and enjoy my time with everyone.”
“Hmm.” The queen put her chin in her hand as if contemplating something difficult. “Would you like to know about the game?”
Mike wondered where she was going with this but wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. “Yes, I absolutely would. That would save me so much time I would rather be spending with the others.”
“You mean sexually.” Her tone was matter-of-fact.
“No, not always. Heck, not even with everybody. I’m the Caretaker, so I try to spend time with them each day so they don’t get lonely, and that sometimes means connecting on a more physical level. You can choose to see sex whatever way you want, but others, especially the women in my house, tend to see it as no different than a couple of friends just hanging out naked and giving each other orgasms. It doesn’t have to be a big deal if everyone is having fun, but you shouldn’t assume that I’m just in it for some monster booty.”
“You can see why I may have made assumptions.”
Mike nodded. “Sure, but for me, it’s just so important to make sure that everybody feels important in their own way, especially the ones who don’t get along with the others. Frankly, I’m a bit worried about Jenny, but that’s mostly because she’s ... well, a bit standoffish. Oh, and Yuki. Her heart is broken in so many places, I have no idea the best way to help her. I wouldn’t mind helping Kisa get her memories back, but that would require her to actually be around more often.”
“Is that the black cat I keep seeing around the house? I only catch her from the corner of my eyes, and then she’s gone.”
“Wow, I haven’t even seen her here yet.” Mike looked at the house again and wondered why Kisa’s soul hadn’t shown up with the others. Then again, it wouldn’t have been here for very long. “So, yeah, I assume so. I didn’t know they were all living in here until we started our duel, I have no idea how any of this works. Well, I knew Naia was here, she was going to be my secret weapon.”
“You really do spend time with everyone like you have spent time with them here. Conversations, games, meals. Things like that?”
“I do.”
The queen looked at the sky and took a deep breath. “Your home isn’t the only place the Architect built. And it didn’t always look that way, either. It’s been around a very long time.”
“How many other places were there?” Mike asked.
The queen smiled. “I couldn’t tell you if I wanted to. When a home like yours dies, it leaves a massive hole in the memory of nearly everyone involved. When I try to count them in my head, it’s like they are a bunch of children running around. Just when I think I have them all, I see a new one in my head, and another disappears. I’m afraid that the geas isn’t exclusive to your own home, you see, but I can tell you that at one time, there were many. Right now, I can only say for certain that your home is still active, but that’s because I have had first-hand dealings with you.”
“And what’s the purpose of the house?”
“That I can tell you to a degree. Your home, like the others, is its own pocket dimension. The Architect wanted to create a puzzle with the ultimate prize, but it could only be found by someone who was truly worthy of it. But how do you decide who is worthy so many centuries in advance? The solution was simple; the Architect created many such places, each with a different set of rules. The owners of these places often went by different titles. For example, you are the Caretaker, but I have known others such as King, High Priest, and even Captain.”
“Of a boat?” Mike was almost excited at the idea of a magic ship sailing the high seas and full of magical denizens.
The queen’s eyes went dull for a second. “I assume so. I can almost picture it, but then it fades. I’m sure you understand. But yes, each home is its own puzzle, and yours just happens to be a refuge for monsters who have no other place to call home. I have a vague recollection of the Captain needing to sail their vessel along every known sea, but even they didn’t know for sure if that was the key to unlocking it.”
“Interesting. I’ve lived through some of Emily’s memories, and she seemed to think that she needed to find more monsters to live in the house to unlock its secret.”
“And if that’s the case, would you do so?”
Mike shrugged. “I don’t know. What’s this prize supposed to be?”
The queen laughed. It was like the ringing of distant church bells, and it made his head swim. “You know as much as I do, but it’s supposed to be something really good.”
“Hmm.” The idea of chasing down an unknown treasure seemed more than a little asinine. Emily had devoted a good chunk of her life to such an endeavor, and it hadn’t ended well for her. She could have had so many good years with Yuki, and maybe the others in the home if she had just decided to be happy. “I can’t say I wouldn’t go looking if I ran across a clue, but I guess it’s kind of hard for me to care when I’m already perfectly happy to just do my own thing.”
“Interesting take. You aren’t lured by the promise of power?”
Mike shook his head. “Not really. I’m plenty happy as it is, and I’ve seen what happened to Emily when she pursued it. But now I have a question. Why is it called the Great Game?”
“Ah, that’s a great question. I can only speak second-hand, but here is what I know. At some point, the other Caretakers found a way to communicate with each other. Though they all sought the same prize, they discovered that they enjoyed the collaborative effort of sharing clues and ideas with each other. It was a friendly competition, and they genuinely looked out for each other.”
“Boy, I bet that didn’t last.” They had exited the forest and were now on the beach.
“You are correct. It was discovered that if a Caretaker killed another one, they would take control of the dead Caretaker’s property. These new places would act as an extension of the original home.”
“Wait, really? So this shadow, if he killed me, would he take the house?”
The queen shrugged. “A good question, considering that you’ve already appointed heirs. I don’t know if your death would bypass the laws of the human world.”
“Damn.” He didn’t like that idea at all, but something else occurred to him. “Wait a minute! I know that I own some land in other places. Are those ... former homes, or whatever?”
The queen nodded. “They were taken by previous Caretakers. Emily was ambitious, but she wasn’t responsible for their acquisition.”
His head swam at the implications, and he suddenly remembered a conversation with the shadow. He had been standing in a magnificent garden that was empty of others, but the shadow told him that it had once been full of life. Had that been the meeting place for the others?
“You look troubled.” The queen frowned when she said this.
“I am. The idea that there may be others out there like me is exciting, but what if they are like the shadow? What if they want to conquer and dominate instead of collaborating? I wouldn’t mind having someone to talk to about running things, but I don’t want to put the others in danger.”
“On this, we see eye to eye.” The queen let out a sigh. “Oberon and I had ruled the faerie lands since the beginning of time. When he died, I didn’t just lose the love of my life. I lost my partner, my support, the person I could go to when I couldn’t make a decision. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but it was much lighter when there were two to wear it.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, Your Majesty.”
The queen looked at him, her face scrunched up as if deciding something.
“Call me Titania,” she said. “When we are alone, anyway. It isn’t my true name, but it’s one that the humans are fond of calling me, and I don’t mind it. In fact, I was surprised you never referred to me as such.”
Mike chuckled. “I saw that you had a few different names, but didn’t want to call you the wrong one and piss you off.”
“So you’ve been polite all this time out of self-preservation?” The corner of her lips curled up into a smile.
“You are queen of the fae, after all.”
“Indeed I am.” They were walking on the beach where the water drifted onto the shore. The water was cool and rolled just over Mike’s ankles as the two of them continued along the beach.
“Since we’re being so informal, you can call me Mike,” he told her. “But only when we’re alone.”
Titania laughed, and all of the tension in her body seemed to disappear. Her wings hung off of her back like a floating cloak, and he wondered what it would feel like to touch them.
“I have to say, this has definitely been an interesting experience for me,” she told him. “Not so much the fighting. I am used to being angry and getting my way.”
“Naturally,” he agreed.
“I’m more referring to the fact that I’ve spent so many days in your head without a care in the world. It has been quite some time since I’ve been able to let my guard down, to not worry about what is happening in my realm.” She stopped and looked out at the water. “Without Oberon, I’ve had to make the tough calls by myself. In some ways, he was the light-hearted one, the regent who understood what made his people happy. In the same way that Sulyvahn and Cecilia are counterparts, he was mine. His weaknesses were my strengths, but that was by design. Between the two of us, we made the perfect team.”
Mike nodded. “I’ve never had a second half, not in that sense, anyway. I was too messed up as a kid, and that carried over into adulthood. Naia is the closest thing to one, but only because she smoothed all of my rough edges so that I could function. Everyone in the house contributes in some manner, but I’m sure you understand that.”
“I have enjoyed spending time with them myself.” She looked at him, her face suddenly serious. “If I asked you if I could move into your home, would you let me?”
Mike shrugged. “Personally, I’m all about second chances, but the others would also get a vote. I’m not technically their leader, I’m just the guy who turns the sundial and keeps the bills paid, and most of those have been automated already. But I would be willing to put in a good word for you.”
“Could you imagine it, though? A former queen, being able to live in your home, free of her burden?” Her eyes were closed now, and the wind from the ocean tousled her golden hair. Fireflies had emerged from the sand and flitted around them blinking yellow, blue, and green. “These are ideas I can never confess to another being, but I feel I can safely speak of them here.”
He nodded. “If anyone’s listening in, I’m unaware of it. And you have my word that I won’t share anything you tell me in confidence, as long as we’re on friendly terms.”
“It is considered ill-advised to make such a promise to the fae,” she whispered. “What if I should decide to take you up on it?”
He shrugged. “If you think it would help you feel better, go ahead. Vent a little. Cry. Throw a huge temper tantrum. I won’t tell anyone about it.”
“Do you know why I’ve been taking long walks with the others, Caretaker?” She opened her eyes, and golden light blazed from them as if a switch had been flipped.
“I thought you wanted some personal space with a little company is all. Everyone here is really nice, some just take longer to get to know.”
“I spoke with them to ensure that they were not enslaved, that they were here of their own free will. That you did not pretend for my sake, did not try to trick me with this strange soul of yours. In terms I think you can understand, I wanted to know if you were too good to be true.”
This made him laugh. “Honestly, I’m just doing my best to stay alive and be myself. I think the others see me as better than I really am, but that’s okay. That’s how love is supposed to work, right?”
“Indeed.” The queen took a step toward him and grabbed onto him with all four hands, two on his shoulders, the others on his waist. “I would like to make a bargain.”
“A bargain?” It suddenly occurred to him that he was no longer close to the house. If she were to try something, would the others even be able to come and save him? Would they even know to?
“This Dreamscape of yours has become a refuge for me, a place that I do not fear appearing weak, nor do I fear dishonesty.”
“Have you talked to Lily yet?” he muttered. “Cause I know she has to tell the truth, but she will bend it quite a lot.”
Titania snorted. “Indeed. But what I refer to is the idea that all these souls of yours have value, not in their essence, but in their counsel. In fact, the nymph is far wiser than expected.”
“Absolutely.” There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that this was true.
“I spoke of this story to each of them and asked that they keep it a secret from you. Tonight, I have discovered to my delight that they have kept their word, and you are hearing this tale for the first time. This is something I value highly, for any decision I make in the fae realm has no bearing on their existence here.”
“You can trust them to be objective.”
“Precisely.” Titania was so close to him now that he could feel the warmth of her body, smell the mint of her breath. If she was getting ready to pull one over on him, he was not ready for it. “I want you for your mind, Caretaker. I wish to be able to come and visit this place as I please, to be free to roam, to speak of my problems with no fear of reprisal. This place is special, even to an immortal such as myself.”
“That ... uh...” He wasn’t so sure about giving the queen unfettered access to his brain, but how could he put it politely? “I guess I have some concerns.”
“I understand. But you should know that my presence here would be on your terms alone. I cannot visit while you are awake, and even while you sleep, you may not notice my presence at all. I would do nothing to hinder or harm you, though I may seek your advice or company on occasion. I wish to see the man you become, Mike Radley. You intrigue me.”
“As long as you intend no ill will and cause no harm, I think that would be fine.” If there was a loophole she intended to exploit, he would have the actual Lily come inside his head and beat her ass, if necessary. Between his gut telling him it was okay and the sheer vulnerability radiating from the queen, he felt it was a good deal.
“Good. In exchange for this access, I am prepared to give you something valuable in return. I will lose our duel, but I cannot simply forfeit.” She tilted her head knowingly. “Even though it would be a sound decision to forfeit, such actions can create powerful magic of their own and may weaken my hold on the fae realm. There are dark forces that wait everywhere, Caretaker. This is a valuable lesson that I believe you have already learned.”
“Indeed, but ... what, you just want me to beat you at the duel?”
She nodded. “I wish for you to use your magic on me, per our agreement. If I lose the duel, then it will be known that it was by your magic and trickery alone. Any status I lose among the nobles will be seen as minimal, and the fallout will be arbitrary. Showing favor to a mortal is one thing, but a complete forfeiture of a duel is unacceptable.”
“You do know what my magic does, right?” He wanted to be absolutely sure that she understood what was about to happen. “It isn’t just about being able to scream like Cecilia or manipulate the Dreamscape like Lily. It’s ... kind of a sex thing.”
“This is your world, Mike Radley. I ask that anything you do here with me remain a secret between us.” Her upper hands slid up to his neck, and her lower hands moved around to his back as she pulled him close. “Can we agree on this?”
“Yes,” he whispered, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I guess I’ll just tell everybody that I got really lucky and won somehow.”
“Oh, you’re about to get luckier than you’ve ever been. Let me feel it, Caretaker. Show me your true power.”
The Dreamscape rumbled. In the real world, his magic felt like a snake, coiled around his spine. Here, however, it was part of the terrain itself, and the cool wind of night howled around them as the sky lit up with distant lightning blasts. He had never tried to use his magic while inside his own dreams and watched in awe as the ocean churned, sending twisted geysers into the sky.
“Interesting,” noted Titania. “I really thought that—”
Her eyes went blank for a second as the air around them crackled with electrical energy. Blue sparks had formed along the beach, and the fireflies now lit up in sync with the lightning. Filaments of light hummed from the trees as the world around them was saturated in his magic, and Mike lifted his hand to touch the queen on her lips.
When his finger connected with the delicate flesh, there was a loud pop of electricity. For just a moment, he was standing inside of her body. Every inch of her flesh became known to him, and he could feel the sudden flood of heat that suffused her body from her stomach to her thighs.
His consciousness shifted, and now he was back. The world had taken on a purple hue, and the moon above them shimmered as if it was reflected in a pool of water.
“Oh.” Her eyes were on him, her pupils wide in surprise.
He nodded knowingly, and then stepped forward and pressed his lips to hers. The magical energy between them hummed, and the grains of sand on the beach jumped about like oil in a hot pan. Her upper hands fought to remove his shirt while her lower hands undid his pants. Meanwhile, he moved his hands across the front of her body, squeezing her breasts through the thick fabric of her gown.
She moaned into his mouth, and his cock became hard. Her aura permeated his very body, and he felt as if his whole body was vibrating now. The magical energy in the area intensified, and Titania melted into his arms. He pushed her head back to kiss at her neck, then pulled down the front of her gown. When her breasts popped free, his eyes widened in the realization that the queen was even more endowed than he thought. Maybe she used magic, or a sturdy fae undergarment to contain them, but now that they had been revealed in all their glory, it really didn’t matter.
“Yes,” she hissed, and he lifted her bountiful breasts to his mouth and sucked at her nipples. Her areola were gold in color and shimmered as if painted with glitter. He knew exactly where to nibble and lick to get her excited, and he had that odd sensation of being in her body once again. There were so many buttons of hers to push, and he knew exactly which ones would do the job.
The beach had formed a giant depression around them, and seawater was rushing in, only it created an odd swirling pattern around the edges, as if afraid to come closer. Titania’s wings unfolded, and she lifted the two of them up into the air. His body became weightless, and he had no trouble keeping up with her.
“That’s it, Caretaker, show me what it means to be loved. Fill that empty void inside of me with something other than loneliness.”
He sucked on her neck, just beneath her ear, as he lifted the front of her gown high enough that he could trace his fingers along her inner thighs. A slippery fluid had already accumulated along her legs, and when he touched her molten core, he found that she didn’t have any pubic hair. Her labia was laid out in multiple layers, just like a rose, and he stroked her until the petals unfolded, allowing him to dip his fingers inside.
“Oh, gods, I haven’t had anything within me in decades,” she gasped. “I can feel your energy surging through me, making my blood boil for more. Do you know what it means to make love to the fae, Caretaker? Can you even handle it?”
He chuckled, then put his lips against her ears.
“I’m going to fuck you until you are little more than a puddle,” he told her. His cock was positively throbbing now, and he lifted it and let go, causing it to smack against her belly. “And then, when you can no longer move, I plan to fuck you some more.”
“Oh gods,” she muttered, then pressed her breasts together for him to bury his face into. They were now tumbling about in the air as the Dreamscape inverted around them. His mind was now constantly flipping between her body and his own, but he was always in control of his actions.
Mike grabbed the queen by her hair and pulled, tilting her hair back. He now hovered over her, and he stuck his thumb inside her mouth.
“It’s time for the queen to suck my cock,” he said, then moved his dick over her face.
Her face flushed green and pink, and her eyes had widened to the point that she looked intoxicated. All she could do was nod and open her mouth wide, her tongue licking at her lips as he laid his glans on her lower lip. All four of her hands were touching his thighs and his scrotum, moving about and causing him to shiver with pleasure.
When she inhaled him into her mouth, he felt a massive power shift, and his magic flowed into her. She groaned, causing his shaft to vibrate inside of her mouth. While one hand worked the base of his shaft, another crept along his taint and teased his ass while the other two grabbed tightly onto his butt cheeks.
She pulled him into her as far as she could, then gasped and spat him out. His cock was covered in her spit, and she tried to consume him again, only to fail.
“You need more practice,” he chuckled. “Maybe this is what I should do to you every time you come here.”
“Don’t ... make promises,” she warned him, then sucked him into her mouth again. When she gagged, she spat him out again. “You’re only human, after all.”
“But we aren’t.” It was Lily’s voice, and she spoke from just over his shoulder. “You wanted to see the full extent of his magic...”
“And that includes us.” It was Naia this time, and she now hovered behind the queen. She reached around Titania’s waist and grabbed her thighs. The nymph spun about and buried her head between Titania’s legs.
Lily grabbed Titania’s hair and pulled, forcing her onto Mike’s cock. When the queen gurgled and choked, Lily knelt down and whispered, “You don’t need to breathe, chill the fuck out.”
Titania relaxed, and Mike felt the head of his cock pop past the back of her mouth. His eyes rolled back in pleasure, and it was only when the queen let out a loud grunt that he looked down to see what had happened.
“She is so smooth.” Abella was hovering behind the queen, rubbing the base of the faerie queen’s wings. “There’s a small patch of fur back here, it feels like I’m petting a baby bunny.”
“Gah!” Titania’s mouth popped free for a second, her eyes blank as her hips swiveled in circles now. Naia’s head had become translucent as a part of her body created a thick, circular streaming loop of water that blasted the queen’s pelvis like a high-pressure bathtub faucet.
“I bet she’s wet enough for you now, Romeo.” Lily’s hands were running along Mike’s chest and stomach now. “I want to watch you fuck her so bad, I can taste it.”
Naia moved wordlessly out of the way as Abella shifted the queen up so that Titania’s parted legs were now in front of Mike. The queen looked down at Mike, her eyes pleading.
He teased her with his fingers, noticing almost at once that she didn’t have an anus. So much for pulling the stick out of her ass, he thought to himself. Her flower-like labia opened like the aperture of a camera when he stuck his finger inside, and he was surprised to see not one but several bright green fleshy nubs that emerged from between her lips.
Yuki stood by the back door, her eyes on Naia’s fountain. The nymph was currently absent, resting in her spring. Unstoning the others had taken some time. After reviving Beth, the minotaur had been next, and it had taken almost everyone to calm the beast down. Scowling, he had stormed back into the Labyrinth, disappearing behind its thick, metal doors. Beth had been unable to follow, still weak from her transformation. Sofia had simply collapsed, holding her sides tightly. Naia, after a...
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Mike wasn’t sure what he expected to see once inside the tower, but it certainly wasn’t this. What he had thought was the entrance to the tower was in fact an outer wall. A large courtyard full of flowers and creeper vines would have been impressive enough, but the sheer number of butterflies, bees, and even birds had him staring in awe. An entire ecosystem had been formed inside these walls, complete with a small waterfall that flowed out of the cliff itself and fed into an irrigation...
Mike stared at the piece of paper in front of him, then looked up. Jenny stood on the other side of the paper, holding a large pencil in both hands. She was tapping her foot impatiently. He sighed. “How about W?” Jenny drew the last leg on the hanging stick figure, then drew an X over each of his eyes. He heard a distant cackle come from all around the room, and she dropped her pencil. He scrutinized the puzzle before him and then looked at her. Somehow, despite guessing all the vowels,...
Mike held the small sledgehammer in both hands, dubious that he would be able to strike another living being with it, much less a minotaur. Still, it was better than nothing, which made him feel a little bit better. Mike had debated purchasing a gun, but he knew next to nothing about them other than to point the long, skinny end at stuff you wanted to kill. His lack of education aside, Naia had warned him against such a purchase for the sole reason that she had no idea what other creatures...
The gray skies of the Underworld did little to improve Mike’s mood, and the occasional wail from the house made his stomach sour. Yet he sat quietly as Yuki told Amymone about how she had escaped from her tower. “ ... and after we sent the Society packing, Mike forgave me for trying to kill him.” Her tale done, Yuki put her hands in her lap. “And so I live in the house again. It’s really weird that nobody remembers me, but I’m hoping to try and rebuild those relationships. It’s frustrating,...
Mike yawned, covering his mouth, then set his book down on the cart. It was dangerously full, and he knew that Sofia would ream him out if he just kept cramming books onto it. “Can you take this to the platform?” he asked Death. “Yes I can, Mike Radley.” The grim reaper grabbed the cart with bony hands and pushed it down the corridor, the wheels squeaking softly. Mike rubbed his eyes and yawned again, then checked his phone. He had no signal in the Library, but all he wanted was to see the...
Dana was upstairs when she heard the front door explode. Quetzalli emerged from her bedroom with a concerned look on her face, and the two of them rushed to the top of the stairs to look below. There was a flash of light, followed by a scream from Beth. Quetzalli was already heading for the stairs when a man in a hoodie pointed his wand up at her and hissed something under his breath. Dana shoved Quetzalli out of the way in time to catch the brunt of the magic, and the shockwave carried both...
Kali’s fists clenched and unclenched in the back of the town car. Daryl was kneeling on the floor in front of her, contemplating the large patch of skin that had been blasted off the side of her ribs. He gave it a gentle tug, making Kali wince. “You always impress me,” Daryl said, pulling a scalpel from the small kit on the floor. “Anyone else would have passed out from the pain.” “I don’t feel pain.” Her eyes bulged from her head, many of the veins burst from the lightning blast. Daryl...
“Ow, fuck!” Mike winced as Naia inspected the large bruise forming above his hip bone where Abella had squeezed him with her stony thighs. The Mandragora plant had actually injured him less than the gargoyle had, surprisingly enough. Save for some scrapes on his hands (well, and not being eaten), he was fine. “Yeah, that will sting for a while.” Naia placed a kiss on it. “You had me so worried! I’ve never seen the Mandragora do that before. You’re going to need to feed it pretty...
Change of Seasons By Tigger (C)opyright 2017 Author's Note. Since the original Seasons of Change by Joel Lawrence dates to 1989, and my own most recent posted story of Seasons House was posted almost 11 years ago, the names and faces in this story (especially since many of them have several names) may not be familiar or easily recalled. Given that there are almost twenty fairly long to very long stories in the Seasons Universe, I have come up with two aids to readers. 1. ...
Mike sat with Naia on the edge of the fountain, their arms wrapped around each other. He took in her scent, which was reminiscent of rain and the forest floor. When she finally released him, she had a scowl fixed on her face. “You had better come back alive,” she told him. “Or I will be very cross with you.” “Don’t worry. I’m going to be very careful. If things start to go south before I get there, I’ll come back and try again next year.” Truthfully, he hoped that wasn’t the case. How many...
Beth stepped out of the secret tunnel into the center of the Labyrinth, her shoe catching a rock and sending it skittering across the cold stone. Up above, a large gemstone shone like a tiny star, warming the entire room to a comfortable temperature. Large tables were covered in different magical items in various states of disrepair, and rats moved around in the shadows, carrying what looked like rocks of different sizes. Ratu was leaning over a stack of books, her kimono hanging open and...
The technicolor clouds of the Dreamscape parted as Mike fell through them, and he flipped himself over in an attempt to finally stick the landing on the beach. For a moment, he thought he had it, but at the last second his feet swung out from under him and he slammed into the ground hard enough that the beach crumbled beneath him. He fought to stay above the flowing sand that rushed in to fill the gap, and was busy pinwheeling his arms when a golden ray of light broke through the sky above to...
“ ... and that brings me to here.” Dana sat on the edge of the fountain, her chin in her hands. She wondered if she should feel more upset, regaling the others with her tale. Tears were beyond her ability. The strange numbness of her body applied even more so to her eyes. She could no longer feel them, and it was taking effort to remember to blink. “So if I don’t deliver Mike or whatever special treasure the house hides, he will leave me like this.” Naia, Cecilia, and Zel looked at each...
Beth scowled at the water. She was sitting on the shore of the Labyrinth’s circular river, watching it rush past. Her knees were pulled against her chest beneath a powder blue skirt, and she tossed another rock into the cold water. It disappeared with a small splash, and Asterion lifted his head from his position next to her to see what had happened. “Is everything okay?” he asked. She rolled her eyes, but didn’t look at the minotaur. “Yeah, it’s fine.” In truth, it wasn’t. Ever since her...
His soul floated, hiding just beneath his skin, dreading the moment that his eyes would open, streaming reality in High Definition through his very being. It wasn’t that he was afraid to face the morning, but rather that he was afraid of how much pain he would be in upon awakening. The morning before, his whole being had been in agony. Between fucking Jenny out of Beth and then carrying Beth home, he wondered if his body would decide to be tired or sore instead. How does a body decide how...
Stirring Memories The group was huddled on the floor, staring at the mock map Mike had made of the hallway. He had used his knife to carve wooden blocks from the still flopping dresser, lying the pieces end to end. The smaller ones had already stopped shaking, and the larger ones were weakening. Cecilia hovered overhead, and Carmina stood amongst the blocks. Carmina had gone first, flying along the ceiling and then back again. Cecilia had become invisible, traversing the same distance. The...
Kali stood in the front yard, her dark eyes focused on the Radley house. She could see tell-tale signs of the Geas all around her like a giant, magical bubble that shifted away from her when she tried to pop it. She had been fascinated by the spell ever since she had heard about it, but had been warned away from trying to mess with it. While Emily was alive, any attempt to come near the house had ended in death for Society members after the fiasco with Garrett. After Emily had died, she and...
Yuki sat on the porch swing, staring out at the front yard with a cup of tea in her hands. The debris from the magic storm was strewn across the grounds, making the land look like a small junkyard. Somehow, it served as a perfect metaphor for her life right now, a giant mess with nobody to help clean it up. She took a sip of tea, letting out a sigh as the hot liquid streamed down her throat. The front door opened behind her and Mike walked out, then sat down next to her on the swing. She...
“Actually, there is something.” Mike carefully walked around the furniture in the room, pulling the doll from the mantle of the fireplace. He came back, handing it to her. The docile porcelain features of the doll gazed imploringly into Beth’s eyes, as if it was sad to be leaving. “I don’t care how, just get rid of it.” Beth realized that even she thought the doll was spooky. Staring into its painted eyes, she couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m on it. Have a good night, Mike.” She left him, a...
Big Hands, Big Feet The walk back through the tunnels was uneventful. Back in the throne room, Mike had Beth broker a new agreement with the rats. If they wanted to stay, they could, but they needed to close off any tunnels to the outside world that could be used to get in. The rats were hesitant to deny their request, particularly because Tink kept throwing everyone stink eye while holding her club and Mike held Jenny in his arms like a pet. The doll didn’t reanimate on the way back, but...
She sat in the black sedan, watching the old, victorian era home across the street. Through the gate and the hedges, she could only make out the upper levels, replete with turrets and large, ornate windows. Inside that home, she knew would find her prey, but one problem remained. Of the many magical enchantments the house had, the most annoying of them all was that you had to be invited. They had bypassed this little detail with the succubus —using Mike’s blood had let them bypass the...
Kisa sat on the roof of the house, her eyes locked on the wrought iron gate at the back of the property line. It had been over a week since Mike had gone through it and returned with the devil dog in tow. Despite his reassurance that Cerberus was no longer a danger to them, all she could picture in her mind was being chased through the misty woods by a fire breathing beast. Memories of her trip into the Underworld from so long ago had rushed in on her like ice water. She had fled from the...
The drive to the storage unit took over an hour. Staring at the fields on the edge of town, Beth couldn’t fathom why Emily would insist on a storage unit so far away from civilization, especially when there were several good ones within fifteen minutes of her home. “Fries,” she said, and Lily, acting as her copilot, held up the small red fry cup like an offering to the gods. Beth grabbed a few, stuffing them in her mouth carefully to avoid smudging her lipstick. They had grabbed a bite to...
Water flowed through a crack in the wall. On the other side, Mike could hear the river. Placing his hands against the hard stone, he could feel the vibrations through it. Cupping his hands, he collected a mouthful of water and drank it. It was cold with a slight metallic taste, but Blue had informed him that it was safe enough to drink. “Is it good?” Blue asked from her perch on his shoulder. “It tastes like water,” Mike responded, sucking down huge mouthfuls. Wiping his mouth, he turned...
Mike yawned, the morning light through the white curtains casting a blissful glow on the room. He scratched the back of his neck, his foot kicking the lump near the bottom of his bed. He sat up, leaning forward to give the lump a playful pat. “It’s time to get up, Tink.” Mike watched the lump slide to the edge of the bed, disappearing over the edge with a thud. “Owie,” Tink muttered, standing up holding her bottom. She was wearing a tank top night shirt, one of the things Mike had ordered...
Mike realized his mistake as soon as it happened. Upon walking out the main entrance, they had stopped long enough for Beth to bid farewell to Asterion. The group all stood at the edge of the reflecting pool, their shortcut back to the house. When Beth rejoined them, Tink counted down from three and they all jumped in at the same time. That’s when Mike remembered that the magical shortcut would take them all to the downstairs closet. Not until the water soaked through his shoes did it occur...
They came again in the early hours of the morning, moving silently behind the outer wall. They triggered the wards Yuki had set, causing the kitsune to watch their approach through the window with bated breath. She could see them now, ominous shadows that peered over the wall and then vanished, gathering near the entrance for their next attack. Yuki had spent hours building her defenses back up, her mind and body tired from the effort, hoping to catch some sleep. Now, she watched with eager...
Mike’s heart pounded in his chest at the sight of the thing. The Jabberwock regarded the small group of people in its master’s home, then opened its mouth to let out a cry that made him think of a pterodactyl on steroids. Jabberwock saliva misted the entire room, and everyone covered their ears to shut out the cry. Daisy bolted, vanishing down the stairs and leaving a glittering trail behind her. Zel made a break for it, and the Jabberwock lunged for her, leaving a bloody gash in her...
“Are we ready?” Mike asked. The others nodded, each one at their stations. Tink had tied Beth to a chair which had been placed in the fountain, standing behind her with a knife at the ready. Abella was out of sight, watching from up above in case everything went wrong. She had explicit instructions to do whatever it took to protect the members of the house. Naia stood behind Beth, her lips a crooked smirk. “We are ready.” Cecilia said, standing next to him. Mike took a deep breath, taking...
Breakdown in Negotiations Mike pulled his shirt on in front of the bathroom mirror, Naia watching him from the tub. He could see the look of concern on her face, knew that the question was coming, and he had no idea how to dodge it. “Are you okay?” He let out a sigh. “No.” “Tell me.” He didn’t want to. He never wanted to talk about it with anybody. Yet, when he turned to face her directly, he remembered that she was the other part of his soul. She completed him in a way he couldn’t quite...
The Fool The railing was smooth to the touch, as if it had been recently polished. She touched a knot in the wood, her fingers caressing the fractured ridges. Closing her eyes, she took in the smell of the place. The rich scent of oil, sawdust, and water from the fountain out back filled her with a swirl of nostalgia, causing her to inhale again, only deeper this time. So many old scents and a few that were new. Behind them all was the faint, faded scent of sunflowers and...
Sleep came for Mike, but it was far from restful. Unable to properly enter the Dreamscape again, he tossed and turned in his bed, his brain unwilling to let things rest. His first thoughts were on Cecilia. He could see her now, trapped inside a silver cage in the middle of a glen surrounded by waterfalls. Breaking the lock on the cage, he stepped inside—only to have her melt like wax in his arms and slide through holes in the floor. “Cecilia,” he cried out, her name slurring as if spoken in...
Five Minutes Ago “You take me to the nicest places,” Beth said, stepping over a small, mossy rock. The world around them was dark, and the light from their cellphones poorly illuminated the forest floor. A breeze had formed as the cool, night air of Ireland blew through the portal into Mike’s front yard. The portal had been chewed into the inner wall of a crumbling home out in the woods, obviously long forgotten. “I do my best.” He stepped over a large rock and offered his hand when she...
Roommate Trouble Beth sat at the large dining room table with a small plate of bacon, some coffee and a large plate with the remnants of a strawberry crepe. She scribbled a few more words on a notepad by her laptop, frowning at the list. “Any luck?” Sofia asked, walking in with her own breakfast. The cyclops took the seat across from Beth. A few of the seats in the formal dining room had been designed for larger people, allowing the cyclops to sit comfortably at the table. As far as Beth...
Beth tumbled gently to the floor beneath, flipping her body at the last second to land on her feet. Staring up, all she could see were the clouds she had passed through on the way down. She had several red marks on her left arm, each one from a nasty pinch that she gave herself to try and wake up from this strangest of dreams. Now that she was on the ground, she saw that she stood in a beautiful garden with a large marble gazebo in the middle. “How peculiar,” she said, expecting her voice to...
Kisa stood in the kitchen and scowled at the pantry door. How many times had she wandered in here and absent-mindedly opened it? At least three times a day, and now that she was here again, she had decided to look through the whole pantry and discover just what it was that she was looking for. Her missing memories really bothered her. She had just assumed that something would come back to her in the last few days, but all she got was static. Vivid images of the old man stirred something up...
Seven of Swords Beth said very little to the minotaur as they climbed the trail to the top of the cliffs. She could tell he wanted to comfort her, but there weren’t words or deeds to make the situation right. Her plan was to speak with Naia and Sofia right away, to see if either of them could offer her any help. There were only a few days to make her decision, and she wouldn’t be able to live with any of her options. She remembered when she was little, her parents started arguing...
Mike opened his eyes, staring at the waning sunlight through the canopy overhead. Scattered rays were dying, a sign that the sun was sinking toward the skyline, ready to slumber until the break of dawn. The forest was quiet – a complete lack of animals meant that the only sound Mike could hear was the occasional rippling of the leaves as the wind brushed them against one another. Lifting his head, he knew that he needed to get back. Though his slumber had been restless, he had clearly slept...
“Whoa!” Mike splashed water everywhere in his haste to get out of the tub. This time, Naia didn’t fight him as he scrambled out into the bathroom, covering up with a towel. She pouted as he slid across the floor, looking for his pants. Seeing that she hadn’t moved from her spot in the tub, Mike felt his heart rate level out, the burst of adrenaline gone. “Who ... what are you?” He asked, trying to keep his eyes off of her breasts. Other than the strange markings on her ribs, her skin was...
((note: story inspired by NilioJ (Harry potter spell book of desire‘s)) (Note 3. For the purposes of this story, all students start hogwarts at the age of 18, as Hogwarts is a High School/ College. ALL students are 18+. Salazar Slytherin was a pure-blood wizard, noted for his cunning and determination. He was regarded as one of the greatest wizards of the age, respectively as a Parselmouth and as a skilled Legilimens. Slytherin was one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft...
Fantasy“Easy, kisa.” The familiar voice was thick with a Russian accent and elicited both feelings of warmth and sadness. It spoke to her from the void, guiding her back to the world of the living. The darkness peeled away to reveal a small dance studio with wooden floors and large windows overlooking a city. One of the interior walls was a mirror, and in the reflection was a young, black teen who sat on the floor, her face wracked with pain as an older man held her left leg in place while...
The day was dark enough without the addition of the snowfall pelting the ground, blanketing the casket that now held my dear wife of some thirty-five years. I didn't feel the cold however, I was already numb emotionally as I stood there. Standing by my side were my two daughters, Rachel and Kimberly, along with my son Pete home on emergency leave from the service. Hard enough on them burying their mother during a near blinding snow storm, each one of them berating themselves for not being...
The day was dark enough without the addition of the snowfall pelting the ground, blanketing the casket that now held my dear wife of some thirty-five years. I didn’t feel the cold however, I was already numb emotionally as I stood there. Standing by my side were my two daughters, Rachel and Kimberly, along with my son Pete home on emergency leave from the service. Hard enough on them burying their mother during a near blinding snow storm, each one of them berating themselves for not being...
The Naga, the Fox and the Wardrobe The door of the wardrobe didn’t move. Puzzled, Mike grabbed the handle even tighter and pulled again, but it still wouldn’t budge. The wardrobe felt like it had been anchored into the wall, the door completely immobile. Frustrated, he tried rattling the door when he realized that he had missed one very important detail. Right below the handle was a small keyhole. “Ugh.” He got ready to kick the wardrobe out of frustration when he remembered that he had a...
The Hanged Man His chest was on fire and he couldn’t move. His limbs were super heavy and he couldn’t feel his legs anymore. Am I dying? Loud thuds like distant thunder beat in his chest and he thought he heard someone saying his name. His head cleared, and it occurred to him that he had looked onto the shores of the afterlife and they had looked nothing like this. A loud scraping sound filled his senses and he was suddenly blinded by a bright light and someone called his name. Oh shit....
“Ugh.” Mike held up a hand to shut out the sun’s light. It had been a late night trying to lay down all the new sod in the front yard. The lightning blasts and storm had killed off most of it, and only a few of the shrubs had survived. The delivery had showed up six hours late, and Mike and the others had to hastily unroll the sod beneath a scorching afternoon sun. Tink had crawled into bed with dirt on her hands and feet, her goggles pulled down over her neck. Mike had fallen asleep in his...
The sudden shift in time and position was immediately disorienting. One second, she was on the first floor of the Radley house, the world spinning around her. The next, she was running along a busted bridge, her legs not quite right beneath her. She tripped, colliding with someone else on the bridge, and they tumbled off together. Once she hit the cold water, her synapses fired all at once, restarting her brain and giving her full control. “Beth!” A hand swung out, grabbing her wrist, but...
Up on the third floor, Mike contemplated the large set of double doors in front of him. The wall where the wardrobe used to be had been replaced with a slightly wider hallway that terminated after a few yards at a large pair of metal doors with a series of gears built into them. He tested the handle, but the door didn’t budge. Symbols were emblazoned across both doors with shapes that seemed astronomical in nature—he recognized the symbol for the moon and the sun, and the planet Mars, but...
"Quick," he said, "grab the forty miles per hour sign." She bent down and felt around under her seat for the A3-sized placards that he had made up. She pulled them out and flipped through them, looking for the one he wanted. "Good grief, would you look at this idiot?" growled Michael. "Doesn't he know what a de-restricted sign means, for heaven's sake?" He changed down into third gear and cruised up to a few yards behind the bumper of the car in front, edging out towards the...
That evening, Sarah stopped by and asked if we wouldn't mind coming over to meet her parents. Mom and I followed her across the way to her house. Her mom greeted us at the door and welcomed us inside. The smell of freshly baked cookies filled the house, and I spotted a plate of them on the coffee table in the living room. Her dad sat in one of the chairs. Mom and I sat down on the couch, and Mrs. Laurent took one of the other empty seats. Sarah passed around the cookies, then disappeared...
Four figures were seen with each other, locked together by their hips and holding each other's thighs. They were clearly very voluptuous women with extra body parts below. In front was an orange haired werewolf getting anally reamed and jerked off by a vampire behind her while the vampire was being pounded by a dark skinned mummy. And said mummy was being pounded by a green skinned zombie woman of some sort. To the side of the orgy lied a human woman oozing and caked in cum. The monster women...
FantasyThis story introduces two characters to the readers. I will bring them back every once in a while but this was the first time I used them they came to me as a result of a story written called Yukon by – well it does not matter. It is a continuation to a story "Yukon." A couple go to Yukon, wife is fucked silly by a scum bag monster of a man who has done it before to others; husband is forced to put up with it until he finally figures out a way to kill the monster. Wife tells him monster is...