None More Black

by Williams, Brett

Becky waved off the question, gestured to the screen. “So what are you going to unlock? What do you have to do?”

  “What do I have to do?”

  “Yeah, you. Your computer, your keyboard, your blood... What do you need to do to unlock something?”

  “Actually, I found an easy one, but you must do it.”

  Becky, looking skeptical, said, “I'm listening.”

  “Simple. You give me a blowjob.”

  “A blowjob unlocks a file.”

  “Hey, the instructions are right here. Want to see?”

  Becky patted her boyfriend on the back. “You know, Gar, if you wanted me to suck your cock, all you needed to do was ask.”

  Gary grinned. “I know. But this is entirely legit. And it's a little more complicated than a simple blowjob. You have to recite this...” He scrolled down through the instruction file and pointed to the associated section on the screen. “You have to recite this with a mouthful of, well, you know.”

  “That's German. I'll probably fuck it up.”

  “If so, we'll try again,” Gary teased. “But actually the pronunciation isn't too difficult. I looked it up on-line and typed out the section in phonetic English.”

  “Well, aren't you a dear.” Becky sipped more vodka. “Show me the fucked-up file. Then whip out your cock. Let's see the magic in action, but then we'll watch a Netflix movie. After you eat me out, of course.”

  Gary, ignoring the suggestion, pulled up the occult-encrypted file and showed Becky its contents. Then they both pushed back their office chairs and, Gary standing and Becky on her knees, commenced with following the instructions.

  “O Kasas, Zeuge meine Perversität und gib mir Zugang!“ Becky gargled the words before swallowing. “It does taste a bit like Mountain Dew,“ she said as she reached for the glass of vodka.

  “Sure it does,” Gary said as he fastened his jeans. “Ta-da!”

  “Holy shit, I can read it.”

  “Not really. I mean, it's in German, but no longer scrambled.”

  “Jesus,” Becky said. “Show me one in Latin again. I want to find a juicy one to read.”

  “Why?”

  “Hello? GothGrrl96 here. I wouldn't mind placing a hex on Amy Mathers.”

  “Who is Amy Mathers?”

  “Oh, just some bitch from work. Total blonde bimbo. Called me the Chubby Vampire while on a smoke break. I know because Theresa Woolworth told me. She works the courtesy desk and runs her mouth non-stop, so word got back to me. So, yeah, total hex for Amy.”

  “I can't believe I'm dating evil incarnate.”

  “Dating, fucking, contributing to the delinquency of a minor.”

  “I should be locked up.”

  “And the key tossed away. But I'll keep you. At least till I turn 21.”

  “I can live with that,” Gary conceded.

  “Speaking of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, I want another drink. And I want you to join me.”

  “Yeah, sure. I'm off work tomorrow.”

  “I'm not but you don't see that stopping me. You're nearly out of vodka, though. What else do you have?”

  Gary thought a moment. “There might be a beer or two in the fridge. Other than that, what you see is what you get.”

  “Fuck me running.”

  “It's easier if you stand still.”

  “Run to the liquor store, buy more vodka for me and whatever you want for yourself.”

  “Aren't you coming with me?”

  “Hell, no. It's cold outside.”

  “What are you going to do while I'm out, browse potential spells now that we know they might actually work?”

  “I'd love to but I left my Latin and German decoder rings at home. Besides, you won't be gone long. I can research those spells later, when you're at work and I'm not. I'll find something on Netflix while you're out.”

  “Good plan.” Gary kissed his girlfriend before donning a coat and leaving the apartment. He'd been intrigued with researching the company behind KaosKansas.com more than the actual spells. While he'd planned to investigate the company tonight, on-line, it was Friday night after all. He'd much prefer to spend the evening with Becky, watching movies, having drinks, and getting lucky. Tomorrow, while she fielded complaints at the customer service desk where she worked, he'd have plenty of time to man the keyboard and sip energy drinks.

  38

  Muffled screams escaped the basement to soothe the nerves. Coffee, rich and hot, excited the tongue nearly as much as it excited the olfactory senses as Brant sat in the library pouring over books. A certain German title on torture and its use in binding occult power to objects had caught his attention. And with it, along with an on-line translation program and German-to-English dictionary handy, Brant Wilson had gained much knowledge, with much more to learn.

  As he read he reveled in the undeniable presence of spying eyes.

  He wondered, though, as he sipped from the paper cup with the plastic lid, who had left him the coffee. He had noticed it sitting on the desk, as if it had been there all along. If he didn't know better he'd think Suvos had left it, much as the entity had left that first book for him to notice.

  Perhaps Katie had left it. However Brant doubted that as well. She'd busied herself lately with mundane chores, various errands about town. Things seemingly to make herself scarce. Jenna wouldn't have left the coffee, either. She didn't do anything but snort cocaine and fuck. She'd left her job at the coffeehouse long ago.

  He scanned the library for other occupants. Much like today, he sometimes became so focused on reading material that he failed to notice Brainy or one of the coven enter. A small fire snapped and popped in the fireplace, a fire Brant had not lighted and due to the warm Austin temperature outside no one else would have lighted, either. Had they ever purposefully lighted a fire in the room? Perhaps once, in the beginning.

  Perhaps it never burned itself out, Brant mused.

  The candles, though, Katie or one of the other girls tended to light of their own accord, and many candles burned now, throughout the room.

  He noticed Fat Witch sitting at another table, an open book before her, paper coffee cup bearing the same logo within reach. So she had brought the coffee. It could mean any of several things:

  A simple, nice gesture

  One of her friends had decided not to meet her here after she bought it

  An attempt to gain his favor

  Which meant she wanted a lucrative position here besides housekeeping

  She hoped to lay him again soon, alone, outside of a ceremony

  Brant found himself growing stiff at the prospect and turned his attention back to the book before she noticed him staring.

  He had just tuned out the world to concentrate on a passage in the book when a chiming doorbell snapped him angrily back to the present.

  “God damn it.”

  Jenna would not answer the door and somehow he suspected Katie was out running an errand.

  “I'll get it, Mr. B,” Fat Witch said.

  Mr. B? Brant thought. First of all, it should be Mr. W, for Mr. Wilson. And secondly, since when did she adopt Brainy's nickname for me? Since she decided she wanted something.

  He didn't like the idea of an attempt to manipulate him with such simple measures, but he did appreciate her desire to answer the damn door enough that he almost thanked her.

  His attention hadn't quite returned to the text when a familiar voice echoed in the room:

  “I thought I might find you at home.”

  “Joshua Elliot,” Brant said as he rose from his chair, “what brings you here on this fine day?”

  “Fine day? It's raining cats and dogs outside. Hell of a pop-up thunderstorm. I nearly waited till tomorrow to stop by, but this couldn't wait.”

  Brant shook Elliot's hand, said, “I thought What's-his-name was handling the divorce.”

  “This isn't about the divorce. Nice job you've done with this place, by the way. You barely had a stick of furniture the last tim
e I was here.”

  “If this isn't about the divorce, then what's it about, and why didn't you simply give me a call? Or send an email.”

  “Honestly, I wanted to see the place.”

  “I can give you the grand tour, if you like. Would you care for a drink?”

  Joshua Elliot raised a palm. “No, thank you. No drink for me, but I wouldn't mind a quick tour. The highlights will suffice.”

  “Suit yourself.”

  “What's that noise? It sounds like someone screaming.”

  Brant smiled. “It is indeed. A torture chamber in the basement. Perhaps you'd care to begin the tour there.”

  “Lead the way.”

  Joshua Elliot, as Kasas' representative, seemed quite impressed by the setup in the basement. He seemed similarly impressed with the cubicles in the sun room and the private visitor's suite on the main floor. On the second level Brant happily displayed Jenna's mirrored room and explained the purpose behind the setup.

  “Are you sure I can't interest you in spending some time with my coke whore?” Brant inquired.

  “Tempting as it may be,” Elliot said, “I shall pass. But I will check out the web cam link you suggested.”

  They returned to the main level, where they met Katie as she returned home from an outing.

  After a brief introduction Brant said, “How about Katie? You could use the visitor's suite.”

  A shocked expressed crossed Elliot's face before he replied, “She is your daughter, correct?”

  “My one and only.”

  “I really should be getting back to the office. But first, the reason for my visit. Kasas wishes to meet with you. Summon him, as you did initially, at your earliest convenience.”

  “In regards to...?” Brant fished.

  “That's between you and Kasas.” Elliot clapped Brant on the shoulder. “I really must be going now.”

  Screams of ecstasy drove him wild while tortured screams provided an accompaniment from the neighboring room. Fingernails clawed his back as he impaled Brainy in the center of the inverted pentagram on the basement floor. With arms and legs wrapped around him, her sweet sounds filled his ear. He stood, hands on her buttocks, repeatedly raising her up only to fuck her hard and deep until he nearly couldn't stand the pleasure any more. He longed to release inside her.

  “Da mihi Deus semen,” Brainy pleaded. “Give it to me now!”

  Brant couldn't resist any longer. He impaled her tight slit once more before pumping in his load.

  He stood there a moment, savoring the feel of her contracting muscles, and began to wilt inside her.

  Brainy said, “Da mihi urinam vocare Kasas.” She wanted his urine.

  Her face became orgasmic as he voided his bladder inside her.

  “Oh, god,” Brainy said. “Set me down, I can't hold it for long.”

  She stood on shaky legs and hovered over the wide-mouth wine glass set in the center of the symbol. She then carefully expelled the urine, spilling some on the floor as she adjusted her aim. Then, readjusting first, her own bladder voided and the large glass nearly filled with the weak yellow-tinged liquid. Semen swirled at the bottom.

  “That was so hot,” Brainy said. “I thought I'd be turned off but, jeez, that was incredible.”

  “I believe the spigot has a bit more,” Brant said as he casually tempted Brainy down to her knees. He began to recite the Latin that would summon a communication link with his benefactor as the young woman suckled from his drooping penis.

  “...Kasas domine, invocans te, et prosternerem preces vestras,” Brant finished.

  Urine began to swirl in the glass, the air became electrically charged, lights dimmed and a booming voice halted Brainy's enthusiastic fellatio.

  Brant Wilson, my representative in the technological world, you have been busy.

  “Very busy,” he replied, trying to shake a cold chill coursing up his spine. “We've made much progress.”

  Yes, progress. Introduce me to the tramp on her knees. I do prefer formalities, on occasion, even when not necessary.

  “Kasas, this is Lisa...”

  Lisa Witherspoon. Yes, I know. A very adept student.

  Brant felt a pang of regret for not having known her complete name.

  Brainy halted fellatio and hugged Brant's thigh. She replied, “It's a pleasure to meet you, o' Kasas.”

  If not for his technological knowledge, you'd be most powerful in the coven.

  “I do my part,” Brainy said.

  And then some. Continue your studies, you shall be powerful someday, and I want you here with me.

  “Thank you,” Brainy said.

  “So,” Brant said to keep the conversation moving, “to what do I owe this honor?”

  I suppose since you brought her we can continue in her presence. Quite simply, I'm unhappy with you, Brant Wilson.

  “Unhappy with me? I can't see how. I've...”

  You've done all I've asked and then some. This computer network you've built is undeniably brilliant.

  “We've begun collecting data that surely you or whoever or whatever is on the other end of our connection will find very useful. Information on people searching out occult knowledge and...”

  And acts of debauchery and debasement. Which, I should also mention, I've very pleased at the goings-on beneath your roof.

  “Then what's the problem?”

  The booming voice of Kasas, while echoing around them had somehow drowned out the cries of agony from the next room and, Brant realized, drew attention to the swirling piss in the glass. The fluid, clouded with semen, became clearer. A static charge filled his hair and he noticed an image take shape within the glass, much like a crystal ball. The image appeared to be a typed letter of some sort. At the bottom it had...

  You may recognize this document. Our non-disclosure agreement, signed in blood by you at the bottom.

  “Yes, I recognize it. Is that what this is about? Are you suggesting...?”

  You've breached our agreement.

  “I never—”

  Ah, but you did. You did so by granting Suvos a watchful eye within these walls.

  “I needed the books,” Brant defended. “Besides, Suvos has ways of learning things. It's common knowledge what I'm doing. I needed to learn in order to create. The network we're building would be nothing more than a co-located cluster of interfaces into hell without such a library.

  The one you call Shadow Man, he is a representative of Suvos, much as you are my representative...

  Brainy interjected, “We've confined Shadow Man to a mirrored room. He isn't really a problem now.”

  Silence!

  “We can remove the access and return or destroy the books—”

  No. This is what humans might call a game between Suvos and I. He is also what you might call a voyeur. That's how he gains knowledge. Granted, he could, as you so crudely pointed out, gain his knowledge from outside these walls, but that is not the case here.

  “No, it isn't,” Brant conceded.

  And so, for that reason, I am forced to act accordingly.

  Yes, I am pleased at the debauchery taking place here, but this is nothing compared to what you would find in, as you say, hell. No, you'll not remove access to Suvos. You'll do quite the opposite.

  “I'm sorry but I don't understand.”

  How shall I put it so you as a mere mortal may comprehend…? You've opened a window into what Suvos and all of hell consider a laughingstock. The goings-on in this house – the mere fact you allow spying eyes here – are an embarrassment to me. For that I require a sacrifice worthy of my name.

  “Done,” Brant agreed.

  I also wish this house to become a spectacle befitting of my name, since you’ve allowed witnesses from my world.

  “No problem.”

  As for the breach of contract, that is another matter that cannot be dealt with lightly.

  “What the hell do you mean?” Brainy’s words reflected Brant’s thoughts.

  A
resonate chuckle shook the walls.

  It will not be pleasant. But fortunately for you, Brant Wilson, I admire your tenacity and the work you are doing here for me. It's also fortunate that my sense of time is not akin to yours. However, much pain and suffering await you.

  That is all.

  A shattering of the wine glass left a puddle of piss on the basement floor as supernatural energy escaped the room and cries of agony returned.

  Along with the cries came a sense of dread.

  39

  I build a network to provide the most occult knowledge on the planet, along with a data collection engine for Kasas, Brant thought, and this is the god-damned thanks I get? Well, fuck you. Breach of contract my ass.

  “We'll figure out something,” Brainy, trailing behind him, said. “We have time.”

  “There is no way out. Not with Kasas.”

  “That doesn't sound like the Mr. B I know.”

  Brant, ignoring the comment, headed upstairs donning a bathrobe. Brainy, still undressed, stopped at the foot of the stairs. He knew she'd:

  Pick up the broken glass from the shattered wine glass

  Mop the floor

  Shower

  Dress

  Start researching ways to appease or stop Kasas

  Brant stopped by the wet bar for a drink and ended up with an open bottle of vodka from the freezer. He took it upstairs, swigging as he went, past moans emanating from Jenna's room, into the master suite where he knew he'd find Katie.

  “Daddy.” Sitting up in bed she scrambled to hide something under a blanket. “Did I do something wrong?”

  Although he knew she'd been snorting cocaine lately, when she gave Jenna her daily fix, he answered, “No.”

  “But you look so upset. I just thought...”

  “Don't think so much.”

  “I'm sorry, Daddy.” Her chin quivered as if she might cry. “I'll do better. I'll make you love me again.”

  “Better? Better? Listen, I just said that you didn't do anything wrong. I do love you.”

  “Then why are you yelling at me?”

  “I'm not...” Brant lowered his volume. “I'm not yelling at you. I'm just...”