Mike laughed. “What’s the worst you can do? You tried to eat my soul, burn down my house, and kill me. I’m not sure how you are going to top that, unless you have another daughter who is better than the last one.”
“We will find a way, Mr. Radley. One day, we will take something from you, something that you love, and you will give everything to get it back from us.” The corner of her lip twitched.
“Until that day comes,” Mike replied, leaning over the railing, “get the fuck away from my house.”
Elizabeth stood there in silence, the sun beating down on her face. Mike watched in astonishment as her shadow shifted beneath her, multiple limbs reaching for the home but bending away as if repulsed.
“Do your best to enjoy your time on Earth,” Elizabeth said cryptically. “You no longer have much of it.” She spun around and took three steps away from the home, then vanished.
“Fuck.” Mike let out a loud breath. His hands shook as adrenaline raced through his body. He’d been afraid she would attack him and had hoped that his confidence would chase her off.
“Mean lady gone,” Tink announced, standing up from the bushes with her crossbow. Mike wasn’t sure when she had gotten there, but he was relieved to know that the goblin had his back. “Next time, Tink shoot her in the face.”
“Go for it,” Mike told her. “For now, let’s get this porch fixed.”
A warm breeze brushed the back of Daryl’s neck followed by the smell of a late summer day. He looked up from the book he had been reading to watch Elizabeth cross the Great Hall and take her seat at the table.
To the outside world, the Historical Preservation Society appeared to be a local charitable group interested in keeping the past alive through generous donations. In reality, they were a collection of some of the most powerful people on the planet, who were currently using the society to try to take possession of the newly acquired Radley estate and all the magical items within. The monsters that lived there were worth their weight in gold, but the magic the house was rumored to hold was even more valuable.
Several decades back, the society had encountered a man named Garrett who had told them an amazing tale of a veritable treasure trove of magical artifacts that had been sitting under their noses for over a century. In great detail, he had told them about powerful items lost to the annals of time, casually stored within its walls. Daryl and Sarah had both shared a peculiar interest in his description of a tome with an apple on the front. They had deduced that it must be the grimoire of Morgan le Faye, a book that would grant them access to the forbidden magic of Creation itself. For true witches and warlocks, knowledge was far more valuable than money, and they all wanted a piece of what the house had to offer. It had been decades since such a find had been made, and they had been ready to take it from Emily, the previous Caretaker.
In exchange for information on the house, they had taught Garrett to use magic, and he had left on a trip around the world, gathering a small collection of his own mythical beings. The magic from these creatures could usually be harnessed in one form or another, and he had rapidly grown in power and earned his seat at the table with the others.
Then the dumbass had tried to take the house for himself and gotten killed. The magic that protected the house kept anyone out unless they’d been invited inside by the Caretaker. Garrett could have helped them all gain entry with a special wand he had borrowed that had allowed him to control a former lover’s actions, but he had gotten greedy and tried to take everything for himself.
Daryl hoped his death had been painful.
Elizabeth sat down in the seat next to him. There were thirteen chairs total, and the chair on the other side of Elizabeth was the only empty one. It belonged to her daughter, Sarah, who had recently gone missing after attempting a similar assault on the Radley estate. She was presumed dead, but nobody knew for sure.
Including Daryl, only six members of the society were physically present. The other members were represented by shadow figures who sat in their assigned seats. The others were across the planet doing God only knew what. They all had their own projects, after all.
“Tell me what happened,” demanded the shadow at the head of the table. Unlike the other shadows, his eyes glowed like tiny stars and his voice came from all around them. Though the society didn’t have formal ranks, they often referred to their leader as the high priest.
It was a well-deserved title, because the man who held it was somehow powerful enough to astrally project without the main component necessary to do so: a soul.
Elizabeth took a moment to look around the room, making eye contact with everyone before speaking. When she reached Daryl, he winked. She was one of the few members who would even look him in the eyes ever since he had replaced them with the golden pupils of a powerful warlock who had betrayed the society. These eyes were far better than his old ones, able to see things beyond normal human perception.
“We made contact about ten days ago. This much we all know. The new owner, Mike Radley, is a nobody. Or rather, we thought he was.” Elizabeth appeared calm, but Daryl wondered what was going on inside her head. This meeting was essentially a formal report to explain how exactly she and Sarah had fucked up acquiring the house, and it wouldn’t take much for the others to decide to hold her accountable and punish her. Without her daughter for support, Elizabeth’s position in the society had dramatically weakened, and without allies, she could be kicked out or even killed.
“They sent a fire elemental in after him,” Daryl added, then leaned on the table and steepled his slender hands together. He had known Elizabeth and Sarah for over a century now and wanted it known that she still had at least one ally at the table. “Mike Radley was able to destroy it, which caused the situation to escalate. We drastically underestimated him.”
“That is correct,” she said. “We waited until after he refused our cash offer for the house, which was only a couple of days. Like Garrett told us, the house takes time to awaken, but I wonder now if his information was wrong.”
“I see. And what happened next?” The shadow at the end of the table shifted. Clearly the high priest’s attention was on the real world as well; he appeared to be in the middle of dining, a shadowy goblet raised to his lips.
“We decided that the best course of action would be to eliminate him discreetly. Despite any power he has already amassed, his mind would be incapable of withstanding a spiritual assault.” Elizabeth shivered visibly. “So we utilized the succubus.”
Whispers around the table were exchanged and then immediately ceased. The shadow at the other end of the table darkened, and the lights in the room dimmed.
“Where is my succubus?” he asked.
Daryl kept his face neutral. If the high priest wanted, he could turn Elizabeth to a pile of ash, and it was well known that the succubus was a cherished possession of the high priest. Used primarily for assassinations, she slumbered inside of a fist-sized ruby known as the Heart of the Succubus.
Elizabeth shook her head. “I used the heart to send the succubus after Mr. Radley and promptly locked it away. Sarah removed it from the safe for observation while I slept, I assume because she was anxious to know when he was dead. It was her fire elemental that got destroyed, and she was quite angry about it. When I woke up in the morning, I found that Sarah, the heart, and a few other magical implements had gone missing.”
“I see.” The shadow leaned on the table, frost spreading from his fingertips and across the wood. “And have we located Sarah?”
“Attempts have been made,” Daryl announced. “I myself have cast several locator spells, both on the missing objects and on Sarah herself.”
“And?” The voice was impatient, and a couple of those physically present scooted back from the table, making room for the potential outburst to come.
“The bracelet is gone, its magic spent. There exists no further trace of it on
this plane.” Daryl paused to sip water from his chalice. Elizabeth could be reduced to ash in an instant, but he was a necromancer and had plenty of tricks up his sleeve. He had a tremendous amount of respect for the high priest but did not fear him as the others did. “I tracked the other magic items to the grounds of the home but was unable to penetrate the magical barrier of the geas around it. The wand, the dagger, and Sarah never emerged from that place.”
More mumbling around the table. Each of those things was irreplaceable, but the dagger most so. As far as any of them knew, there wasn’t another like it.
“And my succubus?” the high priest asked.
“I fear she is yours no longer. The tracking spell I used came up empty, so I used the Infernal Mirror to try and find her,” Daryl continued. The Infernal Mirror was one of the greatest objects in their possession; long ago, the society had managed to summon and trap a greater demon inside, one capable of answering three yes-or-no questions asked of it once every lunar cycle. “When I discovered the loss of the heart, I asked if Lily’s pact was still intact. The demon told me no.”
A shadowy hand slammed onto the table, and the earth quaked beneath them. “And your second question?”
“I asked the mirror if Mike was her new master, and the demon laughed.” Daryl shook his head. Everyone knew that laughter meant that the demon had found a way to avoid answering, a fault in the question itself. This also wasted the question. “Unless Lily has been destroyed, I am at a loss. Something has happened outside of my understanding regarding this matter, and I defer to your guidance.”
“And your third question?” Activating the mirror meant asking all three questions at once. The other members leaned in with interest.
“I asked the mirror if Sarah still lived,” Elizabeth said, her gaze steady on the high priest. “The demon laughed until I severed the connection.”
More mumbling at the table, low whispers that sounded like a bundle of snakes. Daryl watched the high priest, interested to see his reaction.
“I believe this matter will require more personal attention,” said the high priest. “Something more than simply going to the house and threatening the Caretaker. Kali and Sebastien, I want you to travel to the States and assist Daryl with recovering the dagger and the succubus. Find somebody who has already been in the house, someone who has been invited. They are the key to breaching the barrier of the geas, for only those invited in by the Caretaker can enter it freely.”
Two of the shadows at the table nodded.
“What about me?” Elizabeth asked.
“You are too close to the issue, and until we know your daughter’s fate, I want you nowhere near that house.”
“And what about Mike Radley?” Daryl asked.
“If the opportunity comes, kill him. But take no chances.” The high priest faded from view, the lights in the room brightening as he left. His final instructions echoed along the walls, half command, half warning.
“And find my succubus!”
Wiping sweat from his brow, Mike squinted up at the setting sun. He and Tink had made quick work of installing the new decking on the front porch, establishing a rhythm where Tink would lay one plank and set it with a single screw, and then Mike would put in the next three while Tink measured, cut, and set the next board. Luckily the day had been relatively cool, but Mike’s shoulders were sore from working for the last three hours, and he was thirsty.
He stood and walked inside to refill his water bottle, then sucked greedily at the cool fluid while wondering if he should start making dinner. He had defrosted some burger meat, which would go perfect on the little gas grill he had purchased and put out back near the fountain. Burgers would be quick enough, he decided while strolling out the back to preheat the grill. Tink would hardly even notice his absence—the little goblin was a workhorse and would soldier on without him.
Naia floated lazily in her fountain, watching tiny birds land in the upper basin to bathe. A stray duck had taken up residence too, swimming quiet circles around the nymph and quacking softly to her. Several small animals made daily pilgrimages to the fountain. Mike’s presence didn’t seem to bother them in the least, and on more than one occasion, he had heard Naia singing to them. She was like a storybook princess, and Mike wondered if someday a prince would come and steal her away from him.
“How is it going out front?” Naia asked. Unable to go anywhere but the fountain and the enchanted tub in the master bathroom, she relied on Mike for news about the house.
“Good. Tink will probably finish in the next hour without me.” Mike knelt beneath the grill and turned on the gas. “Once the porch is done, we can get the trellis in and work on replacing those bushes.”
“Sounds like you’ve been working hard.” The nymph vanished beneath the water and reappeared moments later, the fabric of her dress clinging to her breasts. “Maybe you should take a break?”
Mike chuckled. “I suppose I might be up for some rest and relaxation. I warn you though, I stink.” He clicked the starter on the grill, and it roared to life.
Naia laughed, a sound like tiny bells. “Maybe I don’t mind how you smell?”
“I think you’re about to find out.” Walking toward the fountain, Mike lifted his shirt over his head, temporarily losing sight of where he was going. Without warning, two powerful hands grabbed him around the waist and yanked him straight up in the air. When he cried out in alarm, Naia laughed in response. The flight was brief and tumultuous, and moments later he was gently set down on a hard surface.
“What the fuck?” After pulling his shirt back down, he realized that he was now on the roof of the house between two turrets. This portion of the roof was very slightly sloped and appeared to be reinforced with metal.
“I didn’t mean to startle you.” A powerful tail wrapped around his waist, turning him in place.
He stared into Abella’s dark eyes.
“Naia was supposed to lure you out into the open for me, but I didn’t expect you to start stripping down already.”
“Lure me out into the open?” Mike asked. Looking down off the roof, he could see part of the fountain and most of the garden around it. The old iron gate that separated the backyard from the forest was the only part of the wall around the property that wasn’t made of stone. “Why?”
“I’ve been watching you all day. Seeing you work. Watching you sweat.” The powerful creature before him looked at her hands, her fingers weaving together and apart. “Naia told me I needed to be more forward with you, but it’s been so hard to get you alone since last week.”
Mike knew exactly what she was talking about. Ever since the incident with Sarah, Cecilia or Tink was always by his side as a precaution. Abella’s body was made of stone, which meant she couldn’t come inside the house without potentially damaging the floor. He glanced across the roof, spotting that Abella’s usual perches had been reinforced with steel beams that had been painted to match the wood.
“Get me alone for what?” He held back a grin, watching the gargoyle for a response.
Her stony skin darkened, a color that traveled down her neck and across her upper chest. When her wings were folded in, she appeared to be wearing a soft gray cloak, but recently he could tell that she had adjusted her wings to reveal more of her cleavage.
“I watch you all the time, from above. And sometimes it makes me think of that time we, you know…,” Abella said shyly, then forced a smile. “And I was hoping we could maybe do that again.”
“Go to the greenhouse?”
“No.” Abella shook her head. “I want to have those…feelings again.”
The first time Mike had met Abella, she had rescued him from the Mandragora plant, which had hungrily dragged him into the greenhouse. The interior of the greenhouse was like a separate world, and the two of them had become stranded on a cliffside with an approaching storm. Her life force had been d
rained by the Mandragora, and she had suggested a sexual coupling to transfer enough energy to her, allowing her to fly away to safety.
“I see.” Mike reached out to push a strand of jet-black hair across her forehead. It felt stiff like hay but yielded. “It seems like that was forever ago.” Even though it had only been last week, he had been nearly killed on three separate occasions since. Each time, Abella had been there for him, and perhaps he wasn’t spending nearly as much time with her as he should be.
“Yes,” Abella agreed. “Things have been pretty busy.”
“Well, this time, we don’t have a storm approaching.” Moving in, he slid a hand around her waist. “So maybe we should take our time.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
His lips found hers. He had to take care, for although her skin yielded to his touch, it was still far tougher than his own. She gently kissed him back, her tongue finding his, and he slid one of his hands beneath her wings to caress her breasts. They were like giant stress relief balls, the flesh moving but requiring serious hand strength to do so. Mike squeezed them roughly, causing Abella to moan into his mouth. She didn’t have nipples, so he allowed his fingers to roam, squeezing her breasts from beneath and then sliding across her stony flesh, moving down to squeeze her ass.
“Mmh!” Abella moaned.
Mike squeezed the part of her ass attached to her tail, pushing in and massaging the base of it. She leaned into him, the weight of her knocking him unsteady, and it took all his strength to remain upright.
“Abella…”
“Go with it.” She shoved him onto his back, then slid across him, her wings extending wide. While fumbling with his belt, she yanked hard enough on the buckle to break it, then tugged his pants down.
Mike’s cock, freed from its prison, bridged the gap between them. It rubbed along the base of her stomach, and she moved over him, her powerful thighs spreading out. Her mouth found his again, and she stroked him gently with one hand, teasing her own opening with his cock.
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