by Mark Albany
Jen—I’d taken to calling her Jen after what we’d been through—was still holding onto me and trying not to cry, and failing. I still had no idea how to deal with her without hurting her feelings somehow. Troll women were a lot easier to handle. They were a lot more emotionally distant than the men, which was good and bad. On the one hand, it led to a lot of annoying guessing games. On the other hand, there wasn’t a whole lot of comforting needed when the shit hit the fan. I know that’s something only a man would say, but it’s the truth.
“Miss… Miss?” one of the security guards asked, leaning closer and, to his credit, trying to be sensitive about it. “If you wouldn’t mind giving us a quick statement about what you saw? What attacked you?”
Again, with that look right at me when he mentioned what she might have seen, as though she were covering for me… how, exactly? By crying on my shoulder? I still wasn’t sure if or how they thought I was guilty of anything, but at this point, they were probably just looking for a scapegoat, a way to finish this quickly and quietly. Honestly, I was all for it if it got Jen off my shoulder. Once they took me aside somewhere private, I could flash my FBI badge at them and get them on the job of actually trying to solve the mysterious disappearances.
Then again, I wasn’t sure if I wanted these poor motherfuckers wandering into what could only be described as a fully supernatural attack on the campus. They seemed like the kind of people who wouldn’t handle it well.
Besides, it would give them nightmares.
I was pretty sure that Jennifer would have a hard time coming to terms with what she’d seen. Demons were rare enough that seeing one in the flesh could be misinterpreted as something else altogether. Shifters liked taking on that form, or at least, the kind that was most often represented in pop culture. Demons, vampires, and werewolves were favorites of the shifter motherfuckers.
But, what I’d just seen was no kind of shifter. Assassin demons left behind a very particular scent, which I’d smelled as I’d canvassed my immediate surroundings while still entangled with Jen. No shifter that I knew of left behind yellow blood that smelled of sulfur.
I needed to detail the entire episode to Ryko. And I would if I could only disentangle myself from the most inept investigation of all time. And a sobbing cheerleader.
“I think we need to take you back to our HQ for further questioning, and maybe set up an official inquiry with the police,” one of the security men said to me as he reached out to grab my arm.
An official inquiry was code for, ‘we think you’re guilty but don’t want to cause a scene.’ I’d learned that much from my training with the FBI, just like I’d learned that I didn’t need to go anywhere with them unless they came up with some good probable cause and a pair of big-ass handcuffs. As much as I wanted some time alone with these guys, the last thing my reputation needed was to be marched off campus by some local, paid by the hour rent-a-cops.
But, before I could voice my complaint, I was surprised to hear Jen jump to my defense.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” the cheerleader asked, tilting her head and putting on that kind of accusatory tone that only cheerleaders could, despite a hint of cracking appearing in her voice. “If there’s anyone’s witness testimony you need, it’s mine, right? The testimony which says that a monster appeared out of nowhere and would have kidnapped me or worse and that the only reason nothing too bad happened to me was that Nate, here, came to my rescue.”
“That’s all true,” I said.
“That’s what you say,” the security guard replied.
Frowning, I stared at him. “I’m the one talking, so of course it’s what I say.”
The trio of security guards exchanged glances, looking around and trying to make sense of what they heard. Jenn, sensing an advantage, quickly took it.
“Nate, I need you to walk me back to my house,” Jen said firmly. She grabbed me by the arm and tugged me toward the section of the campus that was set aside for the frat and sorority houses. I shrugged and grinned back at the befuddled guards as I followed Jen’s lead.
Despite the fact that her actions had clearly been a show to get me out of having to spend the night being worked over by a selection of USC’s finest, she still hugged close to me, her eyes darting across the shadows that filled the campus when night fell.
I wasn’t so arrogant to assume that the demon in question wouldn’t come back, so I searched for the creature as well. I didn’t have my elemental knife anymore, though, which begged the question of exactly what I could do if the creature came at me again. The fact that it or others like it wasn’t attacking made me wonder if they thought I had more weapons like the one buried in the creature’s hand.
There weren’t any on me, although a couple more could be found in the bag that was tucked under my bed at the dorm. I would get them out at my earliest convenience, as there was nothing I liked less than being caught out in the open and defenseless. Well, no troll was ever fully defenseless but using my tusks wasn’t my favorite ability, no matter how useful they could be.
We reached the sorority house that Jen called home, a massive brick Greek Revival-style structure that looked like it could house hundreds of people. The news had already reached the people inside, likely through a variety of social media posts on the topic. They were surprised to see me with her. The suspicion of my having done something to her had spread, but Jen made it clear that she wasn’t going to abide any talk like that by inviting me to come in with her and follow her upstairs.
Rooms in sorority houses were a lot more comfortable than those in the dorm buildings, even if they were still sharing one between two women.
I took in the interested looks of Jen’s sorority sisters as we crossed the foyer and headed up the wide, wooden stairs, glancing at the walls which were a shrine to sisterhood: lots of headshots and photos of the ladies arm-in-arm, laughing, preening, dressed to the nines.
We entered Jen’s room, which was larger than expected and furnished just as I’d imagined it would be. The walls were papered with posters of rock stars, rappers, and ads from fashion magazines along with a few campaign posters from an older woman who was running for President.
Jen shut the door and collapsed on the bed, burying her face in a huge, frilly pillow. If there had ever been a time to bolt, this would be it, I thought, but watching bawling her eyes out made me realize that it was probably best if someone kept her company. I lightly rubbed my right tusk. She had put herself out there to keep me from being dragged off and questioned, after all. I could spare a couple of minutes. Besides, it’s not every day that you’re nearly killed by a demonic assassin.
I sat in the easy chair set up next to her bed, careful to evenly distribute my weight over the delicate piece of furniture, and placed my hand on her shoulder. She didn’t respond immediately but she did lay hers over mine, holding it in place as she took her time recovering.
Finally, she looked up from her pillow, sucking in deep breaths and wiping a handful of tears from her cheeks. Her mascara was a little smeared but not much. I didn’t know much about makeup, so I didn’t know if this was normal or not.
“I really appreciate what you did before, Nate,” she whispered, a little hoarse, still holding my hand under hers. “Not a lot of people would have done what you did.”
I shrugged. “I’d bet that there are about fifty people around campus who would rush in to help.”
“Not if they saw what attacked me,” she pointed out.
That was a good point, I thought with a nod. “Then again, I didn’t see it until after I’d already engaged, and by then, it was a little late to run away screaming in terror.”
“I don’t think you would have done that,” she whispered. “You saved me. Don’t think I’ll forget that, because I won’t.”
“Well, you kept those dumbasses from trying to pin it on me,” I replied, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “I see that as you starting to repay that debt.”
She ch
uckled, shaking her head. “It was the least I could do. I saw what they wanted—find an easy scapegoat to pin it on to show that the university is doing something about the missing girls.”
“Get some rest,” I said. “It might seem impossible but knowing that you’re safe now should bring your adrenaline down. Before you know it, you’ll be sleeping like a baby.”
“How do you know I’m safe?” she asked and gripped my hand again, a little tighter this time.
“Because I’ve seen things like that creature before.”
“What was it?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
She smiled. “I’m talking to a half-troll in a sorority house, Nate. Try me.”
“Dark Shadows, they’re sometimes called,” I replied. “A demon assassin.”
“Sent to do what?”
“Kidnap and kill.”
“Naturally. On whose behalf?”
I reached over and tapped her pretty little nose. “That’s the million-dollar question. But, the way I see it, whoever is behind this is probably spooked after we kicked the crap out of that demon. The rest of tonight should be quiet.”
“I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s almost like it’s targeting us sisters, you know?”
I nodded. “But, you’re safe here. Get some rest.”
She nodded, believing me for the moment as she released my hand and dropped back onto the bed. Her eyes were already fluttering shut by the time I reached the door. She would be all right, I thought. She had a good mind, and the kind of attitude that wouldn’t allow anyone to get to her too badly.
I smiled, gently closed the door, and made my way out of the house. She was right about one thing, though: the targeted women were all sorority girls. Now that I knew this, my recommendation would be to send a female agent in to infiltrate one of the houses and stay close to try and make sure that nobody else was taken. Ryko wouldn’t go for that, though. I was stuck here on my own.
Which meant the best move to stay close enough to intercept any other potential abductions was to rush a frat, and hope that our monsters were willing to wait until after rush week.
Getting back to my room seemed almost anti-climactic compared to the rest of my day. I tried calling Ryko, but he was engaged in other business. I left him a message to call me as soon as he could, as there were developments in the case that I didn’t feel like entrusting to one of the message services that were a part of the comm-link companies.
On the way back to my dorm, I noted that the security guards were still scouring the campus, showing that they were doing something to address what had happened. I had the feeling that the goodwill Jen’s word had earned me would not last if they found me skulking around after nightfall.
I took a moment to collect a sample of the demon’s yellow blood from the scene of the fight and made a note to run it through a couple of tests, then headed back to my room.
The door was locked, the way I’d left it. When I entered, I saw that Kelly was already in bed, apparently asleep and wrapped up in her covers. I didn’t want to wake her up since I assumed that she’d had a long night of studying and probably would have a long day of the same tomorrow. I’d had a long day, too, and the evening had been even longer. I was still a little sore from the demon knocking me around. I wanted to shower, wash the whole day off me, and start anew tomorrow, with more facts on the case to work with.
The shower’s warm water was soothing and soon, I was brooding on the nature of demons. Their status in both worlds was a subject of considerable debate, and there was a divergence in opinion over whether they were entirely malevolent. There were some who said they could step into the light on occasion, while others, mostly older trolls and orcs and the like, believed that the only good demon was a dead one.
I left an update on the mission via the online filing system of the operation—heavily encrypted, of course. Ryko would have to contact me about it once he had a little time to research and process it. The orc’s resources in the non-human communities were truly impressive.
Finished with my shower and ready for bed, I realized that there was something on my pillow. It was a holo device, not a phone, something designed to show off the holographic images recorded by the person who made them. As tech went, they were still being improved, but very interesting nonetheless.
There was a small note on the device. ‘Play Me,’ it said, with a little heart following the words.
I looked over at Kelly, the obvious origin of the note and device, and pressed ‘Play.’ It flickered a few times, configuring to show the surface that it was on before the actual image appeared. Unsurprisingly, it was Kelly, although the image showed only her head. And she was frowning at me, her head on a pillow. From the indentation on the pillow, I could tell that it was my bed she was using.
“So, I’m going to bed,” she said, looking up at the device, then at me. “I’m going to sleep. I thought you should know, for the record, what you missed.”
She didn’t know what I’d spent my evening doing, I thought, scowling. It was kind of a relief, but it also seemed like she was blaming me for it.
The camera tilted down, showing me a pair of perfect breasts. Her taut nipples instantly turned my thoughts to wrapping my lips around them. She cupped her hands around both, squeezing them sensually, all while looking into the camera and pulling one of them up far enough to run her tongue over the nipple.
The camera shifted back up to focus on her eyes. “Too bad, right? We’ll see if you get another chance, or not. I haven’t decided yet.”
The holo image went dead, and the device asked me if I wanted to play it again. I tilted my head, honestly tempted as I ran my tongue over my suddenly dry lips. I wouldn’t have thought that I was a fan of this particular kind of teasing…but I suddenly realized that I enjoyed it. Kelly hadn’t seemed like the kind of person who did this sort of thing, but then, what did I know about humans?
All I knew was that I couldn’t wait to see what she had in mind next.
I slipped under the covers, wrapped myself up, and drifted off as sleep. It had been a long day, mentally and physically, and I was soon dreaming.
The knife was in my hands. Whole again, I thought. Weird. I could have sworn that the blade broke off. Everything around me was dark. I felt it seep into my pores, dripping through my skin.
And I saw the lights of the campus streetlamps still glowing.
I couldn’t help the chills running down my spine. The hairs on the back of my neck rose. I spun around as the sight of shadows moving caught my eye. The blade flashed out, seeking a target.
Something wrapped around my wrist before the knife found it. The demon easily overpowered me, dropping me hard onto on my bruised back. I groaned and fought back, but its grip was like a vice, impossible to break. I struggled, and yet nothing moved. The yellow, impossible eyes gleamed down at me.
Something wrapped around my throat. I couldn’t breathe. There was nothing I could do except struggle pointlessly.
Just as I ran out of breath, something snapped in my head. The knife wasn’t broken.
Weird, the kinds of things that snapped you out of a nightmare. I jumped up from the bed, gasping for breath, suddenly in control of my actions as I looked around the room, trying to collect my senses. It wasn’t difficult. I wasn’t usually one for nightmares, but when they did come, I had enough mental acuity to push them down rather vigorously.
I sighed, shaking my head and in that motion, realized that I was being watched. That feeling rose along my spine, making me uncomfortable.
I looked across the room to see that Kelly had her eyes glued to me. My heart was hammering my chest, but even in the dim light, I saw the intention in her eyes. It seemed as though I would have that next chance, after all.
She pulled her blanket away, showing that she was as naked as when she had taken that video for me. There was barely enough light for me to see her body as she glided noiselessly to her f
eet and crossed the narrow area between my bed and hers in a few luxuriously slow steps, intent on letting me watch as she reached down to pull my blanket away. She smiled when she saw a reaction already showing under my briefs.
“Hello there,” she whispered, reaching down to touch it and lightly run her fingers over the quickly-growing length.
“Going to do more than watch this time?” I asked, and she responded with a simple nod while licking her lips. “Then get on the bed.”
She obliged by draping herself over me, straddling my hips as she leaned down to kiss my lips while pressing her breasts firmly into my chest, shuddering with pleasure as I grew large enough to put pressure between her thighs.
“Fuck,” she whispered as she ground against me, moaning against my lips as her tongue slipped inside my mouth.
She paused when I wrapped my hands around her head and pulled her attention to my eyes.
“You teased me,” I whispered. “Now, I’ll tease you.”
She looked excited and nodded, not resisting as I guided her down, letting her drag her body over mine to feel my arousal as I slowly pulled her down until she felt my cock push against her face. She reached up and pulled my briefs low enough for the length to spring free and touch her cheek. I heard her gasp and felt her shudder against me as I tilted her head, encouraging her to look up into my eyes as her tongue flicked out to run along the bottom of the shaft. She moaned as she did.
She tried to move up to the head, but I stopped her.
“Play with yourself,” I growled, propping myself up against the head of my bed and watching as she followed my instructions. Her right hand slipped between her thighs and started to move as I guided her head down until her tongue was lavishing my balls with attention, letting her suck one of them into her mouth and moan. I felt her shivering through my fingers, which were tangled in her hair. I kept her low for a moment, my eyes closing as I enjoyed the sensuous feeling of her mouth on me.