“So I’m still in the Vault?”
“It is like being asleep.” Jenny held up a hand, clenched it dramatically, and then popped it open. “You can wake if you want. Ta-ta, toodle-oo, thanks for coming by!”
Mike squeezed his hand, then released and squeezed again. If he concentrated, he could feel the world around him fade, feel the cold concrete beneath his feet. Relaxing, he let the dollhouse snap back into place. “So why bring me here?”
“I am weak now,” she said, and then his mind was blasted by an image of Beth riding his cock and Jenny’s soul jumping out of her body when she came. “Easier to talk here. It’s quiet, personal, safe, enjoy the fries, they’re fresh today!”
Mike rubbed his chin, doing his best to avoid staring at Jenny’s creepy visage. “You are still recovering.”
Jenny nodded, the motion causing her hair to droop and then part. He caught a glimpse of the pale face beneath those locks and quickly looked away.
“I’m sorry we had to do that,” Mike said. “But I want to talk about it. Are you still mad?”
In response, the whole house shook. The furniture vibrated across the floor, and the walls creaked around him.
Mike waggled a finger back and forth. “Uh-uh. If you throw a tantrum, I’m leaving you here for another week.”
The tremor ceased, and Jenny’s dress stopped moving. “I don’t like it here,” she whispered, her voice coming from everywhere at once. This time, images of the Vault bounced around his head. Shadows crept from one shelf to another, objects moved on their own, and the room was full of whispers. “Not one bit, Chicken Little. The sky is falling.”
“Would you like to leave the Vault?” Mike asked. “And I don’t mean for a little bit. I mean for good.”
The dollhouse rumbled but quickly settled. Jenny took a single step toward him, her body teleporting across the distance. Her figure shimmered, like static on an old TV, and he could see the dark eyes hidden behind her ominous bangs.
“Objection! Sustained! Parole for good behavior!” When she spoke, her voice bounced off the walls, assaulting him from every direction. “Yes! Please, I want to leave!” She then dropped her volume to a whisper again. “I can feel them watching me.”
This time, he was assaulted by hundreds of images at once. He was in the Vault, watching the shadows creep closer in, then he was atop a bonfire, the flames creeping ever closer to his feet. Faces of men and women from centuries past filled his mind, followed by inhuman creatures, bizarre rituals, and then finally a shadow figure with glowing red eyes. Mike stumbled, falling backward, but Jenny seized him by his shirt, holding him up.
“Then let’s go,” Mike said, his voice cracking. “But if you want to leave for good, you need to help me first.”
The house shook, but this time, Jenny remained quiet, her head tilting to one side and revealing an eye with a pinpoint pupil.
After taking a deep breath, Mike told her exactly what he wanted.
Kali traced intricate patterns into the air with one hand, leaving behind fluorescent trails that pulsed in time with the crystal in her other hand. Her spell sucked energy away from the geas, the patterns burning brightly as they drifted through the air.
“It seems I underestimated you,” Sebastien told her, watching the patterns expand until they were nearly ten feet high. Kali smiled in satisfaction, eager to see her runes devour the geas. The spell she was casting had been instrumental in taking out a warlock in the 1800s, but she hadn’t thought of applying it in such a manner until today. The patterns were merging now and forming the letters of an ancient invocation that would let her crack this place open like a giant egg.
A smile crossed her face, but then faltered. The letters themselves changed color, and blinding light filled the front yard. In her hand, the crystal was suddenly too hot to touch, flames curling around her skin. Kali cast the crystal away just before it detonated, the letters first crumbling in on themselves, then exploding. She felt the sound inside her gut, falling to one knee as the blast washed over her. It bent around Sebastien, who used his cane as a staff to protect himself. He shook his head, a small smile on his face.
“You knew that was going to happen,” Kali said, glaring at Sebastien.
“I hoped it would. Can’t have you taking all the glory.” Sebastien crossed the grass, picking up what was left of the crystal. “Completely stripped of its magic,” he announced, crushing the crystal with his fingers. A dark powder drifted away on the slight breeze.
Kali stood, shrugging off his comment. “No matter. I know a hundred different spells I can try.”
“And you are welcome to them.” Sebastien checked his watch, a gold Rolex with his name on the back. “However, my plan is going to start any minute now. Feel free to watch all your hard work amount to nothing.”
Kali shook her head, then put a calming hand on the snake at her side. The python lowered its head, rubbing its face against her thigh.
“We’ll see,” she whispered, gazing at the windows of the house once more.
Mike closed the back door, squinting in the morning light. The sun’s rays were scattered across the mist hovering over Naia’s fountain, casting rainbows of light in every direction like a giant prism. The nymph was busy dancing on the surface of the water, her white gown billowing behind her while birds flew in circles around her body.
“How did it go?” Zel asked from her spot off to the side. She had set up a table and was busy scribbling in a giant leather journal while watching Naia. Mike saw that she had sketched Naia perfectly, a drawing that looked almost like a photograph.
“Ask her yourself, though, she might not answer.” Mike set Jenny down on the table. The doll gave a small curtsy, causing Zel to startle, her equine hindquarters briefly losing control. “Jenny, this is Zel. She’s new to the house.”
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Zel gave a rather eloquent bow of her own. “I am unfamiliar with your species, I’m afraid, so pardon my reaction.”
“Tormented human soul trapped inside of a doll. It’s a long story.” Mike saw that Naia was no longer dancing, her attention on the three at the table. “She agreed to help.”
“But at what cost?” Naia looked doubtful, her crossed arms pressing her breasts against her chest.
Mike shook his head. “For now, her freedom from the Vault. Without a host, it takes a tremendous amount of energy for her to do anything. Speaking of which, Zel, I’m going to need a pick-me-up.”
“You just woke up,” Zel said, furrowing her brow.
Mike sighed. “Being a spirit, Jenny needs to run on the energy of her surroundings. The Vault acts as a giant barrier to prevent things like her from walking off on their own. I guess I’m acting as a spiritual battery for Jenny right now, or at least that’s how she explained it to me.” He pictured the images Jenny had shown him. It had taken a bit, but once she had convinced him that she wasn’t going to eat his soul, he had agreed to be her energy source until she got a body. “We are keeping things to a minimum, but I feel like I’ve finished a brutal workout, and that’s just from our talk. Do you have anything that will give me a boost?”
“Actually, a couple of things.” Zel disappeared into the garage, and Mike followed. She had already set up shop in there, using the workbench as her apothecary. In the corner, she had built herself a bed out of several blankets he had found in the house. Zel was busy eyeballing a few flasks, holding them up to a lamp she had installed on the workbench.
“And?”
“Well, a couple of options. I’m hesitant to give you any more of that potion. Since it seems to be a spiritual drain, I can supplement some of that granola with peppermint extract and wolfsbane. That should act as an upper. I also have something that acts like adrenaline, but that’s only for emergencies. Hmm.” Zel pulled out a small mortar and pestle before crushing up some leaves. She poured in
some viscous fluid from a test tube and then added some small grains of salt. It smelled like VapoRub from across the room, and Mike’s mouth went dry.
“Okay, here. Try this.” Zel presented him with a small flask.
“All of it?” Mike asked.
“Yep.” Zel nodded, her hair bouncing across her breasts. “Might taste weird, so swallow it quickly.”
Mike took her advice and chugged the chunky liquid. It tasted disgusting but filled his belly with an immediate warmth. The bond he had with Jenny was tangible, like a bungee cord stretched tight and threatening to drag him under. He felt its draining effects diminish significantly. “Hey, that worked pretty great. What was in there?”
“I used some dried tea leaves for their caffeine. I thought that would act as a fairly good stimulant. Black salt from a volcano, hard stuff to come by, but I have plenty. A couple other minor additives, and then your semen from yesterday.”
Mike’s throat tightened. “My…my semen? You made me drink my semen?” He fought the urge to gag.
“You should know by now that semen is more than just cells and fluid. Human semen contains a bit of your life force, which is easily replenished. Your semen, however, is dramatically stronger than that of an ordinary human. Since you are feeling drained by the doll, I figured why not use your own life force to bolster your spiritual energy?” Zel beamed. “And it looks like it’s working!”
“Ugh.” Mike stared at his shoes. He guessed there was no helping it now. “Well, thanks. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. You can repay me later by helping me replenish my stock.” She winked at him. “Oh, and don’t forget these!” She handed him a few of her special granola bars. “Eat them if you start feeling hungry!”
“Yeah. Thanks.” He pocketed the bars, promising himself that he would hold off unless absolutely necessary. Walking back outside, he saw that Jenny now stood on the fountain’s edge, face turned up toward Naia. He couldn’t hear what Naia was telling her, but the doll kept nodding emphatically in agreement.
“Hey. You look better.” Naia threw a sly grin at him.
“Yeah. Zel made me a potion.” Mike’s lips tightened at the memory. “I don’t feel nearly as depleted.”
“I feel the same way when I drink it too.” Naia licked her lips mischievously.
“You knew about this?”
“Zel and I sat up for a while talking about all sorts of things.” Naia winked at him. “You know us girls. Pillow fights, freezing each other’s bras, talking about boys.”
“Prank calling the neighbors, showing people your tits on the internet, ordering pizzas for people you don’t like. And apparently discussing the restorative properties of my spunk.”
“We were just comparing notes.” Naia gave him a mock pout. “I mean, if you’re going to bring strange girls home, we’re gonna talk about your junk.”
Mike rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I suppose that’s fair.” He looked down at Jenny. She stood patiently on the edge of the fountain. If he didn’t know any better, he would think a child had left her there. “You’re not talking about my junk with Jenny, are you?”
“That’s actually a sore subject,” Naia whispered. “The whole ‘not having a body’ issue.”
“Oh.” That made sense. Jenny had been a young woman when she had been accused of adultery, then burned at the stake for being a witch some centuries ago. “I’ll tone it down a bit.”
“You’re so considerate.” Naia kissed his cheek. “So what next?”
“We wait for Beth to get here. I’m not entirely certain how I’m going to break it to her, but I’m afraid we’re going to need to borrow her body. Jenny said that she’s been through the Labyrinth, and it would be easier to guide me while inside a body. I suggested using mine, but then I would be in the doll and not much use. That and apparently she can’t use mine.”
“That would be the soul exchange,” Naia whispered. “Anyone who tries to boot you out ends up going against that chunk of my soul.”
“Like in the Dreamscape,” Mike said, remembering how he had found Naia hidden inside his own psyche.
“Exactly,” Naia said. “It’s your secret weapon.”
“I’ll have to remember that.” Mike crossed to the other side of the fountain. “Well, I guess I’d better get ready. I’m not sure when Beth is getting here, but she said she was coming early.”
“Good luck.” Naia waved at Mike, and he walked back inside. He grabbed the dagger from where he had hidden it, then sat on the couch with Jenny. The doll sat with him, kicking her legs on the edge of the cushion. Mike watched the doll, wary of any sudden changes in behavior. Their talk had been relatively brief, Jenny communicating through pictures in his mind more than anything else. While it was clear that she hadn’t yet forgiven him, it seemed she was just as eager for a second chance as he was.
Mike slid the dagger out of the sheath, inspecting it for the first time. He expected a magic weapon capable of cutting through most anything to be lots of things, but boring wasn’t one of them. The blade had a small groove in the middle, the hilt a simple T shape. The handle had been wrapped in leather that looked old. He wondered if it would glow in his hands if orcs came near. Or was it trolls? He was having trouble keeping his thoughts straight. He swung it experimentally. Could he actually use it on a living creature?
The doorbell rang, the sound echoing through the house. Taking a deep breath, he looked out the window. He couldn’t see who was at the door, but he did see that the woman in white was missing from his front yard. Shit.
“Please be Beth, please be Beth,” he whispered under his breath, then answered the door, the dagger clenched tightly behind his back. Beth stood on the porch, a bag over one shoulder and a handful of files in the other. There was no sign of the woman in white, but the cold feeling in his gut intensified. Leaning out the door, he looked all around, wondering where she could have gone. Cecilia appeared briefly by her swing, then shrugged. She clearly had no idea either.
“Come in, quickly.” He pulled Beth inside by her wrist, shutting the door behind her. Letting out a deep breath, he looked outside again. “Did you happen to see anybody else out front?”
“No. Should I have?” The question didn’t seem to faze her at all, which meant she must be telling the truth. It suddenly occurred to Mike that the snake woman out front could just as easily cast a spell to blend in or maybe even become invisible. Rubbing his face with the palms of his hands, he sighed. The anxious feeling in his gut was still there, and he was convinced that if he looked out one of the windows, he would see the witch staring back in. His mind filled with visions of the front yard, teeming with snakes. It had never actually occurred to him that inviting Beth over meant putting her life in danger.
“No, don’t worry about it.” He was about to tell her a lot of things, things that weren’t going to make sense, and he felt that starting with a society of witches trying to break into his house would be a bad idea. “It’s a long story, but we’ll get around to it eventually.”
“So what did you need my help with?” she asked. Today she wore a white blouse with a black pencil skirt that clung tightly to her thighs with black shoes to match, and her hair had been pulled up into a bun. As usual, she was a vision to behold, but something was off. Mike looked at her for a few seconds, wondering where to begin. He felt antsy, appraising Beth once more. Why couldn’t he shake the danger sense in his gut?
“It’s complicated,” he told her, unsure of how to continue. “I want to show you something.” He walked into the living room and stood next to the fireplace. Jenny had returned to her position on the mantel, so he picked her up and held her out. “Do you remember when I gave you this?”
“Yes.” She took the doll from him. “I took it home with me. You said to get rid of it.”
“It isn’t just a doll. Here, may I?” He took Jenny back from h
er before setting the doll down on the table. “So I suppose you are wondering how it got back here. Take a seat.” He sat on one of the chairs. Beth made herself comfortable on the couch, setting down the files. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her blouse, then tucked away a wisp of hair that had come loose.
His whole body went numb, the feeling in his gut expanding through his limbs. What had been a simple attempt to tuck away a strand of hair had suddenly become a revelation. It was subtle, nearly impossible to notice, and even Mike had doubts. But the chill in his stomach persisted, and he had to know why his brain was telling him that this wasn’t actually Beth.
But how? It looked like her, right? When she had tucked away that stray hair, Mike had noticed that the part in her hair was on the wrong side of her head. But was he wrong? There was an easy way to find out.
“Just a sec.” Mike pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly snapped a picture. It only took him a second to flip the image horizontally, and the revelation chilled him. The Beth on his phone looked correct, a mirror image of the one sitting across from him, except the one across from him seemed to realize what he was doing on his phone.
“I wish you hadn’t done that,” she said, then lunged at him with lightning speed, her files now scattered everywhere. Strong hands caught him around the throat and yanked him out of his seat. Gasping for air, he struggled to free himself, but her grip was impossible to break. She casually lifted him in the air, his legs dangling below him.
The doorbell rang.
“You need to answer the door,” she told him. “Let him in.”
“Let…who…” He kicked her legs, but she ignored him. He swung his legs even harder now, planting his feet firmly in her gut, but it felt like pushing off a brick wall. Beth marched him toward the door, stepping over the fallen folders.
What was going on here?
Jenny, still on the table, tipped over and crashed to the floor, then ran across the room and disappeared beneath the couch. The couch lifted off the ground, hovered briefly in the air, then launched itself across the room at Beth. It busted apart on impact, and Beth grunted, largely ignoring the assault.
Radley's Labyrinth for Horny Monsters Page 16