Home for Horny Monsters Book TwoChapter 3 Planting the Seeds
- 2 years ago
- 29
- 0
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 echo, or come out low, or do anything that would make her realize that she was, in fact, lying in her bed. Her sanity had already taken too many hits recently, and she felt like she was one crack away from using a safety crayon to write legal briefs for dead celebrities. Turning in place, she realized that the garden itself was a giant floating island. Walking to the edge, she frowned at the large amount of sky beneath. Whatever ground existed was somewhere beneath the distant mists below. Squinting, she thought she saw the ripple of waves through the gaps in the fog.
Smoothing out her nightgown, she turned to the garden.
“Okay, dream logic. Clearly the gazebo is meant to be my destination. Probably reminiscent of my latent sexual frustrations or my father’s inability to express his love.” Beth turned toward one of the nearby hedges. A small statue of a bird with a top hat turned its head to face her. “What do you think Mr. Bird?”
“Nevermore?” The statue shrugged its wings. Beth saluted the bird statue, who returned the gesture in kind. Beth wandered through the shorter hedges, stopping to smell the crimson flowers that sprouted above their clipped tops. They smelled of cinnamon and sulphur, the scent burning Beth’s nostrils. Other small statues of animals in top hats greeted her, removing hats or waving pleasantly when she walked past, her nightgown catching on some of the thicker branches.
The hedges had no discernible logic, but Beth was content to drift between them. After all, she would probably wake up the moment she reached the center, no matter when that happened. She greeted more of the statues, which had become larger and more intricate. An elephant used its trunk to tip its hat to her before resuming its gentle spray of water on the foliage.
Beneath the gazebo, a picnic style lunch had been spread out on a soft, red blanket. Wines, cheeses, and a tray of meats awaited her. Soft red cushions surrounded the picnic, and Beth sat down on one of them. Grabbing a bottle of wine, she poured herself a drink.
“I see that someone has joined me.” His voice was thick with an accent very similar to Russian. Taking the cushion opposite her, he lifted the tails of his jacket before sitting. He wore a bright white button down with a purple coat and a matching top hat. His skin was dusky with hints of red in the shadows of his eye sockets, and when he removed his hat a tangle of black and red hair spilled around his shoulders. Two large horns protruded from the upper part of his forehead, and his toothy grin was full of daggers. His bright yellow eyes glowed in the shadows of the gazebo. “I am always in the mood for some good company.”
“Ah shit.” Beth set a piece of cheese back down on the blanket. “That’s just fucking great. Now I can’t eat any of this.”
“Why not? I assure you that the food here is very good.” To demonstrate, he popped a piece of cheese in his mouth. “Delicious.”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s delicious, but not immortal soul delicious.” Beth crossed her arms. “‘I’m guessing that if I eat the food, I get stuck here. Simple as that.”
Her host never broke stride, his smile fixed. “Come now, why would I want to trap you here?”
“Duh.” Beth held up a finger on each hand and stuck them to her forehead. “Demon.”
The demon laughed. “Come now, you really must try this food, I picked it out just for you.”
“Well, maybe just a bite.” Beth lifted the glass in a mock salute. “After all, it isn’t every day that a demon makes you a meal. What’s the occasion?”
“Oh, I wish I could tell you,” the demon replied. “Frankly, I am a little surprised to see you down here. Generally I am informed of my guests prior to meeting them. Your arrival was a bit of a shock.”
“I see. Yet you have quite the spread.” Beth spilled a bit of wine on the back of her hand. She wiped it off on her gown, licking her thumb clean. “Doesn’t strike me as uninvited company.”
“It does take you roughly half an hour to fall through the portal,” the demon said. “That gives me some leeway.”
“So why a garden?” Beth asked. “This place seems like it was ripped straight from Victorian England or something. Hello, the 1800s called, they want their garden back.” Here, in this strange place, she was finally feeling like herself again. She lifted the wine glass to her lips.
“Oh, it was. I was trapped here some time ago by a very powerful man, but I managed to bring some real estate with me.” The demon leaned forward, suddenly vanishing and appearing at Beth’s side. He placed a hand on her wrist, stopping her before she could drink. “I’m afraid I avoided your question earlier. You definitely don’t want to drink that, otherwise your soul becomes trapped here.”
“Oh.” Beth set the glass down. “Does this have to do with the man who sent me here?”
“That would be Master Sebastien. I’m afraid that per terms of my imprisonment, I often must do things I do not particularly find pleasant, such as trapping humans in this place.”
“And eating would trap me here?”
The demon nodded. “It would.”
“I don’t see anybody else here,” Beth noted.
“Oh, that’s because most people don’t last very long here.” The demon frowned, taking Beth’s glass from her hands. He sipped gently at the wine, his thick lips spread thin on the crystal glass.
“You kill them.”
The demon nodded. “Usually. Or I wait until they throw themselves off the island. Whatever I find more entertaining.”
“But why not me?” Beth asked. “Isn’t it your job?”
“Not technically. The exact language involving my imprisonment here dictates that I must answer my master or his associates any three questions once every lunar cycle. Naturally, I try and get out of it if I can. I only have to answer yes or no. However, Sebastien has been gracious enough to provide me visitors on occasion, and I keep them alive as long as they interest me.”
“So you can answer three questions? Any three questions?”
“Well, I can answer any question actually, without limitation. I could give the Society all the details they want, but someone forgot to put that in the language of the spell that bound me here.”
“So I could ask any question and you could answer it?”
“Only if it pleases me.” The demon grinned. “Go ahead. Try.”
“Who was my first kiss?” Beth asked.
“Human or non-human? Family, non-family?”
“Are you stalling?” Beth leaned back on her cushion, her breasts pushing up against the fabric of her nightgown. She saw the demon’s eyes flick down at her figure and then back.
“Hardly. Your mother was your first kiss. When you were three days old, she kissed you on the mouth. Out of reflex, you tried to suck her lips. It counts. Non-family and human was Victor beneath the bleachers in the seventh grade. You did it on a dare. Non-human was Mr. Beary, the teddy bear. You kissed him several times as a child, but when you were eleven, you planted a kiss on that bear in the hopes that he would turn into a prince. You even tried to use tongue, because you saw it in a movie once.”
“Holy shit.” Beth stared at the demon. She hadn’t thought about Victor in years, and she had completely (or deliberately) forgotten Mr. Beary. “Is this a dream?”
“Hard to prove it isn’t,” the demon told her. “No matter what I tell you here, you could argue that the dream made up the memory. In a way, maybe you could think of your actions here as- DON’T DO THAT!” Beth had picked up one of the forks on the table and jabbed it into her leg. She screamed, pulling the fork free as blood flowed freely through the fabric of her nightgown.
“Holy fuck, ow!”
“Well, that settles it.” The demon shook his head. “Not dreaming.”
“Oh, fuck!” Beth balled up her fists. “That really hurts.”
“Yeah, well I prefer you intact.” The demon waved a hand over her leg, and the burning stopped. Beth lifted her nightgown, wiping away the blood with a cloth from the table. Four tiny dots had scarred her legs. “And definitely much quieter.”
Staring at the demon, Beth shook her head. “I thought this was just another one of my weird dreams.”
“And what kind of dreams would those be?” He asked.
Beth blushed. “I think I’ll keep that to myself.” Staring out across the garden, it suddenly dawned on her. If this was real, the thing in her room had been real. What did Sebastien want with a copy of her?
Oh no. Beth thought briefly of Mike. How was this whole mess related to him? Looking at the demon, she smiled politely, a feeling that was only skin deep. She was going to find a way out, and she had a pretty good idea how to make it happen.
“Alex!” Dana sat up, scattering an array of metal tools onto the floor of her apartment. The sound they made upon striking the ground was deafening, causing Dana put her hands over her ears. It had been the life support dream again, the sound of Alex’s last breath being drawn, watching the nurses leave the room with a look of defeat on their faces.
“Fuck,” she whispers, staring at the mess on the floor. Hours of painstakingly crafting gears, modeling them on her computer and then using the 3D printer at school to make them. She had brought home several prototypes, hoping to find the proper combination that would allow the clock to work again She had even visited an antique clock repair downtown, letting the octogenarian owner show her how they ticked, but to no avail. None of the obvious patterns fit, and research on the clock itself yielded nothing, which made her think it was a one of a kind creation. She stared at the random assembly in front of her, the strange stack she had formed that now lie scattered across her floor.
She needed a drink. She went to the fridge to grab a beer, her eyes instead settling on the bottle of vodka tucked in the vegetable crisper. A beer sounded nice and cold, refreshing even.
She didn’t want refreshing-she wanted something with bite. She pulled the top off of the vodka and sucked greedily at it, wondering how long it would take for fire to fill her belly, for the edges of the world to blur. Staring over the railing at the motorcycle on the floor of the garage, Dana poured a tiny bit of vodka over the railing, watching it splash on the cold concrete.
“For Alex.” She drank again, stopping herself before she took it too far. She knew better than most what would happen if she kept drinking. The vodka would catch up with her, and who knew where she would wake up. Picking up her keys and wallet, she tossed them in the back of her sock drawer. She didn’t need to go anywhere, and she didn’t want to be tempted to.
What time was it anyway? Picking up her phone, she frowned at the clock. It was almost one in the morning. There really wasn’t anywhere for her to go after all. She saw that she had a voicemail, so put the phone on speaker, setting it down on her desk.
“Hey Dana, it’s Rick!” The voice from her phone was friendly, but tired. Rick was a college dropout who was trying to support his mom and little sister by working sixty hours a week. He spent most of those hours slinging pies behind the counter. Dana stripped out of her pants, tossing them on the bed.
“Hi Rick,” she muttered, picking her pants back up and checking the pockets. She found the tube of chapstick she had been looking for, and set it on the desk. She threw her pants even farther, the legs catching her comforter just right that her pants now dangled over the other end of her bed.
“Hey, look, so the reason I called was some guy came in here tonight asking about some deliveries we made. It was to that creepy old house, the one everyone says is haunted. Anyway, he wanted to speak with you, but I couldn’t give him your info directly, I think it’s a company policy thing. He left his number and all, so next time you come in, it’s inside your locker.”
Dana stared at the phone. Why would somebody want to talk to her about Mike’s house?
“Okay, so I’ll see you when I see you. Take care.” With that, Rick hung up his phone. Dana took off her shirt and slid into a tank top. Looking at the bed, she found her gaze drawn once more to the clock.
How many hours had she lost already trying to fix the damn thing? She moved closer, tugging gently on the minute hand. The clock face swung open, revealing the complex machine inside. When properly assembled, there would be nearly no room for anything else. Dana had devoted hours to carefully removing the cracked and broken gears, documenting where each one went on a large piece of butcher paper she had taped to her desk. Her protractor, triangle and compass had received more use in the last 48 hours than they had through high school and college. There was something soothing about the diagrams, imagining how all of the pieces fit together, wondering what sound the chime would make.
“What the fuck?” Dana ran her fingers along the edge of the paper. Several lines had been drawn on the side, tiny arrows that pointed off the page. She untaped the butcher paper and flipped it over.
An exploded diagram of a clock assembly had been drawn on the back. Expertly shaded and heavily detailed, Dana realized that she couldn’t tell if she was looking at a drawing or a photograph. In awe, she put the paper back on the desk, the new image toward her, and taped it down.
Breathing heavily, she knelt to the floor and picked up one of her new gears. Hovering over the image, she found its counterpart. Setting the gear in place, it was a perfect fit.
Had she drawn this in her sleep? Grabbing some more parts from the floor, she put them in place, finding where each one of them went. Older parts were shaded differently, their drawings colored slightly darker than the rest. Setting her beer to the side, she began moving the pieces around, figuring out which ones worked and which didn’t.
Though she worked in silence, the steady ticking of a clock filled her mind as she continued working into the night.
“So what should I call you?” Beth asked. “I’ve read enough books to know that you won’t give me your real name. Or at least that you shouldn’t.”
The demon sipped at his wine and smiled. “You can call me Oliver. I once had the fortune of working with a man by that name, and have been fond of it ever since.”
“Okay Oliver. I was hoping we could play a game. You see, I notice that you said you would answer me any question, but only if it pleases you.” Beth picked up a piece of cheese, put it near her mouth, then tossed it back on the table. “You see, I get the impression that you don’t want me to leave here. However, I do not wish to stay. So there must be something I can offer you in return for such information.”
“You mean other then amusement?” Oliver set his wine glass down, and pulled off his gloves. The dusky red hue of his skin was like merlot, and his fingernails were black and glossy. He traced a line down Beth’s chin, across her neck, and then along her bare shoulder, toying with the strap of her nightgown. “Hmm. Give me a minute to think about your proposition.”
“While you think, may I look around your garden?”
“Please.” Oliver smiled, his horns glistening. Beth stood, wandering out into the small maze of hedges. She lightly touched the foliage, greeting the statues again as she passed.
She needed Oliver to take the bait. The thought that the demon was real sent a chill down her spine, but lit a fire in her groin. She wondered if he had a tail, or if his horns were sensitive. Something about his skin made her want to taste him, explore every inch of his body, find out what a demon liked. His attitude wasn’t unpleasant, and she was sure he was bored out of his mind waiting for something to do. A large hippo statue waved at her enthusiastically from the other side of a small hedge, so she waved back. The garden was charming, but she felt like there was a far more sinister side to the demon and his methodologies.
God, the thought of him was making her wet.
“I have decided.” Oliver appeared before her, the air reeking suddenly of matches and coal. “We shall play a game. Winning the game means that I will tell you how to leave. Losing the game means that you remain here with me.” His hands were on her, a fresh prize in his sights. She felt the power of his touch, the heat of his flesh through her nightgown. “What do you say to the terms?”
“How can I trust that you will keep your word?” Beth asked.
“Demons cannot tell a lie when directly asked. We can twist the truth, or deceive, but the nature of any indentured servant such as myself is the inability to lie.” Oliver shrugged. “It is quite the inconvenience, but it makes me very good at what I do.”
“Winning means that you allow me to leave unhindered. You nor anything here will attempt to stop me.” Beth winked. “I also accept your terms on the grounds that the process for leaving is actually possible for a woman of my abilities. I would hate to discover that leaving requires the use of magic or transforming into a bird and flying away.”
Oliver’s grin faltered. “What are you, an attorney?”
“Oh, I’m much worse.” Beth moved close enough that she could smell the wine on his hot breath. “I’m a woman with an education.”
Oliver laughed, his eyes crinkling in delight. “Oh, I am going to have so much fun with you!” He waved his hand and they were back in the gazebo. Curtains hung from the windows, transforming the gazebo into a room. The food was gone, replaced by a series of soft, leather chairs.
“We have a deal?” Beth asked.
“Absolutely.” Oliver bowed, indicating with his hands that she should sit on the couch nearest to him. She did his bidding, crossing her legs slowly. “Now, the rules for this game are simple. You are allowed to ask me any three questions, which I will answer truthfully. However, I will ask you to perform a task for me before I answer any of your questions. You will use these three questions to figure out how to escape from this place. The game ends when you either refuse to complete a task, or you figure out how to leave. Do these rules make sense to you?”
“I think so,” Beth told him. “However, prior to the game itself actually starting, I want to clarify a few of these rules.”
Oliver’s face twitched again. “You do?”
“I do. You see, my concern is that the task you give me may also be impossible to complete. For example, task one may be “remain here forever,” in which case I can neither complete the task or get my question answered. Now, doing such a thing would, I believe, be in direct violation of the nature of the game, which is to permit me the opportunity to earn my freedom. In that case, however, this would not be a game at all, but a way for you to torture me for your amusement, thereby invalidating your statement about honesty from a demon.” Beth examined her fingernails. “I have a hunch that you were hoping I had a question about the rules, thereby using one of my three allotted questions and earning you a free task.”
Oliver’s grin faltered, then returned even bigger than ever. “Oh, you really will be fun! Okay, I’ll give you this as a freebie. None of these tasks are impossible to complete, though you may find them distasteful. However, I will test you to see how far you will go to escape this place, and I intend to win.”
“Sounds fair. But there’s no reason we can’t be friendly about it.” Beth patted the cushion next to her. “So, let me see. I want to get out of here, but I know if I ask you that, you will find a way to stonewall me.”
“Perhaps.” Oliver slid onto the couch next to her. “It seems that you are taking the game to heart. Trying to predict how your question can be twisted to serve my own needs. Very interesting. I rarely encounter a human who puts this much thought into things.”
“I’m sure you have some interesting stories.”
“I do.” Oliver smiled. “I must admit, this game is a favorite of mine. I have played it many times before. I enjoy watching the human psyche at work, whether it is building itself up or breaking apart.”
“I’m sure you do.” He was so close to her now, she found it distracting. “Has anyone ever won the game before and left?”
Oliver’s eyes lit from within, his yellow eyes dilating. He inhaled deeply, taking in Beth’s scent.
“Masturbate for me,” he whispered in her ear. “I want to watch you lick your own cream off your fingers.”
“Interesting choice,” Beth told him, turning on the couch. She spread her legs, revealing her cotton blue panties to him. A damp spot had long ago formed in the crotch, and she massaged her swollen labia through the fabric. It was like taking a drink of water after eating a pepper—it eased the burn, but only for a second. Beth squeezed her breast, gently massaging the underside and lightly twisting her own nipple.
Oliver’s gaze was intoxicating. He never blinked, his grin a permanent fixture on his face. He had turned to see her better, sitting on his knees. Beth realized that his jacket was long gone, and he wore just his button down shirt and a pair of black slacks. Rubbing herself through her panties, she let out a tiny moan.
“Good,” Oliver told her, licking his lips. Beth saw that the end of his tongue was forked, and she wondered how it would feel between her legs, if he could capture her clitoris between its folds, massaging the sides of her engorged clitoris while he parted her lips with his fingers.
Beth shivered, the muscles in her pelvis squeezing. She pressed up through the fabric, teasing her opening with her covered fingers, moving them from side to side. Her labia parted gently beneath her touch, the soft fabric of her panties sliding across the entirety of her sex, stimulating her everywhere at once.
“Mmh,” she moaned, staring deep into Oliver’s eyes. She focused her attention once more on her slit, tugging her clitoral hood upward, causing her swollen clitoris to drag across the underside of the fabric. The cotton was just rough enough to send another thrill up her body.
Oliver watched her for several minutes, a grin fixed on his face. She could see him growing hard through his trousers, make out the long, thick shape of the cock hidden beneath his clothes. She wondered if it would be a weird color, or if it was extra thick, maybe it had thorns, or two heads, or...
The first wave of pleasure passed through her body, and she flooded her panties with more of her juices. Releasing her breast, she pulled the fabric of her panties to one side, teasing her hole with her other hand, running her fingers along the edges of her vagina, dipping her fingers in gently. She would barely go in farther than an inch, swiveling her fingers around, pushing against the inner walls to stretch them out. The muscles in her ass twitched with anticipation, and Oliver drank in the sight, crouching down to get a better look.
“You are good at this,” he told her.
“Plenty of practice,” Beth said, switching to two fingers. Her hips rose of their own volition, attempting to force her fingers even farther in. She angled her hand upward and allowed her pussy to swallow both fingers, moaning out loud. Pressing tightly against her clit with her free hand, she rubbed herself furiously, pushing her fingers up as far as they would go, spreading them apart inside. She pictured the demon pushing himself into her, then a dragon, then a werewolf, her mind blending together any number of fantasies, pushing her closer and closer to the edge.
“Fuck ... fuck...” Beth panted, pulling her hand out long enough to add a third finger. She rubbed her clit hard now, her orgasm building, her pussy tightening against her own fingers. “Fuck ... fuck ... FUCK!” Crossing her legs, she used them to push her hand up into her pussy, the inner walls clamping down on her fingers like a vice. She let out several moans, cries that broke free of their own volition. She felt the rush of cum on her hand, a sticky pool forming just beneath her ass. Gasping for air, she stared through Oliver, her mind in another place entirely for over a minute. Suddenly remember her part of the bargain, she pulled her soaking wet fingers from her aching pussy, and held them before her eyes. Long strands of her own cum clung between her fingers like spider webs. Making eye contact with the demon, she stuck her fingers in her mouth, letting out a delicious moan of approval.
Oliver watched her come down from her orgasm, his hungry eyes on her body. Beth pulled her fingers free from her mouth, dipping them once more between her legs, catching a tiny bit of cum on her fingertips. He took her hand in his own, his skin warm to the touch, and his forked tongue slowly licked her fluids clean. He sucked her finger into his mouth, which immediately stoked the fire in her belly once more.
Oliver watched her come down from her orgasm, his hungry eyes on her body. Beth pulled her fingers free from her mouth, dipping them once more between her legs, catching a tiny bit of cum on her fingertips. He took her hand in his own, his skin warm to the touch, and his forked tongue slowly licked her fluids clean. He sucked her finger into his mouth, which immediately stoked the fire in her belly once more.
“Yes,” he answered. “Somebody has won this game before, and they did leave.” His eyes glowed softly. “I didn’t expect you to do it. Not without some hesitation at least.”
“I’m not like the other girls,” Beth said, winking. “I was happy to put on a show for you.”
“I could tell.” Oliver’s grin had reappeared, but there was more behind it. “I wonder what else you’d be willing to do for me?”
“You only have two more chances to find out,” Beth told him. “Make the best of them.”
“Oh, I sincerely doubt that. I have a feeling that you and I will be spending plenty of time together in here.” Oliver licked his lips again. “What is your next question?”
“I’m not in a rush to ask.” Beth sat up, putting her face near the demon’s. “And I want to give you plenty of time to think of what you’ll make me do next.” She placed her lips against his, sliding her arms along his waist. His body felt hot through the fabric of his clothes, and he responded, his arms sliding around her waist.
She was in no rush at all.
The gears sat before her, intricately linked to one another, held together by small metal posts. Using a pair of tweezers, she delicately slid the last one into place, experiencing an enormous amount of satisfaction watching the teeth slide past each other.
“Holy shit,” Dana muttered, giving the gear a gentle push. The whole assembly rotated smoothly beneath her fingers, the crisscrossing motion of the metal gears instantly soothing her heart and relaxing her soul. She kept pushing on the gear with the side of one finger, delighting in how easily the whole assembly spun. It was nearly soundless.
“Hmm?” Dana looked at the clock. It was nearly five in the morning. She had been up all night, and her whole body suddenly felt it. Her spine cracked when she extended her hands backward and stretched, her shoulders popping loudly. Yawning, she examined the inside of the clock, gently picking up the gear assembly. She separated it into three pieces, smaller bits that she could install. Sliding the first one in, she felt a sudden sense of elation watching the cogs in the back adjust to allow the repaired piece in. The second piece moved in just as smoothly, lining up dead center behind the face of the clock. A shit eating grin on her face, Dana picked up the last piece and pushed it into place.
The final gear caught the lip of the inside. She spun it until it was lined up and then inserted the rest of the assembly inside the clock. Squeezing her hands tightly in anticipation, she closed the clock face and used the key to adjust the hands. She twisted the dial until the time was current, and then pushed the key into a different slot, winding up the spring within. She could feel the gears resist, and she only gave it a couple of turns before pulling the key free. Kneeling down, she gave the pendulum a push, watching it sway back and forth.
Tick, tick, tick, said the clock, the second hand moving around the face.
“That’s right motherfucker!” Pumping her hands victoriously, she jumped up and down, yelling in triumph. She had done it, she had fixed the clock! Rubbing her hands together, she sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at her handiwork. The pendulum swung gently back and forth, Dana’s eyes suddenly heavy.
She needed to tell Mike she had fixed it. She would probably drop by tomorrow, have him come over and help her move it onto a truck or something. She pictured the look of surprise on his face, maybe an invitation in to explore the old house, help repair some other antiques in his house. She could finally afford to fix up the bike and go on her road trip.
Lying down with a sleepy smile, she allowed the clock to lull her to sleep. Sinking into dreams of Alex, she listened to the ticks as they came slower, eventually becoming the gentle waves of her dreams.
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...
Introduction: Batwoman goes in search of Selina Kyle aka Catwoman, only to find her fill-in, Holly Robinson. It was all going so well. A simple looting of a rich persons home of a few baubles, and what not. Yep, everything was going so well until she found herself blacking out from something hitting her. She groaned as she came to, her vision blurry as she looked around. Where am I? she groaned, then tried to move only to find herself hanging from the ceiling and shackled thoroughly. ouuuhhh…...
She groaned as she came to, her vision blurry as she looked around. "Where am I?" she groaned, then tried to move only to find herself hanging from the ceiling and shackled thoroughly. "ouuuhhh..." she groaned in pain. "As to the where, you're in an adult toy factory. As for the why, because I saw you and decided you might be the one person that can give me what I want." Stepping from behind the hanging woman, Batwoman let the fingers of her left hand trace Holly's right thigh...
Lily sipped at her cocktail, smiling at the ocean waves that crashed into the shore, scattering sand along its edges. Technicolor crabs that looked like they had been drawn by a toddler scurried in every direction, a remnant of a childhood memory seeking shelter from the crushing surf. While the drink was good, Lily was a little sad that it had no bite to it — it was impossible to get truly drunk from a dream. “Hey!” Lily held up her drink. One of her beach minions ran forward to refill it....
Mike gazed morosely at his cellphone, watching the timer for the sundial eventually hit zero. For good or bad, he wouldn’t be there to reset it. Time was up. Standing on the terrace of the tower, it took a supreme effort to stick his phone back in his pocket rather than throw it off the side. “I take it the dial has reset.” Ratu spoke from the chaise lounge behind him, her legs dangling off the side. She was engrossed in another of Yuki’s journals. She had stayed up most of the night,...
“A dullahan?” Mike frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t know the term.” “I’m yer friendly headless horseman, lad.” The dullahan still held his own head in one hand, and was now swinging it back and forth like a macabre pendulum. “My job is similar to a banshees in that I deal with dead spirits, though I usually cut a more dashing figure on my horse. So I guess I’m technically just headless.” The grin on his face was impossibly wide, his lips stretched nearly to his ears. “I want to speak to the...
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...
Daryl stood outside the garage apartment, staring up at the windows above the garage door. It had been no easy matter tracking down the delivery girl. Luckily, she worked several jobs around town, and was well known by name at more than a few establishments. Those who knew her also knew her story. Apparently the love of her life had died in a terrible motorcycle accident. They had scraped what was left of Alex Winters off of the highway, leaving behind grieving parents and a closed casket...
“Did you have a good nap?” The voice was cold, snapping Mike out of his slumber. Tink’s arms clutched him tightly, and he pushed the blankets off of his head, staring at the dark figure in his room. He reached out to touch the lamp, warm light bathing the angry figure in the doorway. She stood with her arms crossed and a messenger bag slung over her shoulder. “Uh ... hi Beth.” Mike slid sideways out of the blankets. “So, uh, I’m sure you have some questions.” Sitting up, Mike tried to keep...
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...
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...
Thirai arangil aasai theera manaiviyai oothu vitu veetirku thirumbinom, bikeil selum pozhuthu kuda manaivi kama veri thera vilai. Aval en sunniyai pidithu thadavi konde vanthaal, en sunni paarthi varai viraithu irunthathu. Veetirku sariyaaga 2 maniku sendrom, manaivi amma veetil kathu kondu irunthaargal. Manaivi sendrathum anaivarum mathiya unavu sapitom, enaku udambu sorvaaga irunthathu. Athanaal naan sapitu vitu uranga aarambithen, manaivi amma avargal veetirku kilambugiraargal endru soli...
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...
Hi friends, indru kathaiyil puthithaaga thirumanam aagi naangu maathame aagum pennai sex seitha kathaiyai ungalidam pagirugiren. Vaarungal tamil kama kathaikul selalam, en peyar manikandan vayathu 24 aagugirathu. Naan oru MNC niruvanathil velai paarthu varugiren, en sontha oor salem aanal chennaiyil velai paarthu varugiren. Ippozhuthu work from home velai thaan paarkiren, en nanbanin thangaiku thirumanam nadaka irupathaal ennai nanban veetirku azhaithaan. Naan avan veetirku 8 varudam munbu...
Andru nal iravu nanbanin manaivi mulaiyil paal kudithu aval kuthiyil sogusaaga oothu sunni vinthai vaaiyil kudika koduthen. Manaivi en udan nandraaga oothu aval pundaiyil vinthu vantha udan en sunniyai umbi kanjai kudithaal. Naan sorgathil irunthen, andru iravu vegamaaga oothu muditha udan manaivi kanavan irukum araiyai thirranthaal. En idam nee enge paduak pogirai endru ketal? Naan sofavil paduthu kolugiren endru sirithu vazhinthu konde solinen. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa antha iravai ennal...
This story uses characters owned by Warner Bros./DC Comics. They are used here strictly in a not for profit fan story meant for readers enjoyment. It is free to be archived on any site wishing to do so, provided the authors are given credit. CATWOMAN AND BATMAN - THE WAGER by Eric and Steve Zink Part 1 Catwoman walked in to her meeting with Batman. It was hardly surprising that she moved with such a feline grace. Selina enjoyed Batman's admiration, and she smiled...
Andru kaalaiyil manaiviyai nirvanamaaga oothu aval pundaiyil kanju vara vaithu irunthen. Pinbu en sunni muzhuvathum aval pundai kanjaaga irunthathu, manaivi ennai paarthu en pundaiyil thaan vinthu vanthu vitathe pinbu en sunniyai innum pundaikul vitu kondu irukiraai endral. Naan sunniyai veliyil eduthen, manaivi unaku en soothil ooka aasai irunthaal oothu kol endraal. Ilai enaku soothil ooka aasai ilai endren, pinbu manaivi sunniyai pidithu adithu vital. Iru murai adikum pozhuthe en sunniyil...
Andru kaalaiyil manaiviyai nirvanamaaga oothu aval pundaiyil kanju vara vaithu irunthen. Pinbu en sunni muzhuvathum aval pundai kanjaaga irunthathu, manaivi ennai paarthu en pundaiyil thaan vinthu vanthu vitathe pinbu en sunniyai innum pundaikul vitu kondu irukiraai endral. Naan sunniyai veliyil eduthen, manaivi unaku en soothil ooka aasai irunthaal oothu kol endraal. Ilai enaku soothil ooka aasai ilai endren, pinbu manaivi sunniyai pidithu adithu vital. Iru murai adikum pozhuthe en sunniyil...
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...
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 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...