Thaumatology 07 - Eagle's Shadow

by Teasdale, Niall

Ceri picked up her tray. ‘I’d got the impression she liked the view, yes, but we’ll be meeting Michael at the house and I don’t really pick up stray women.’

  ‘I know,’ Lily replied. ‘Shame though, she looks kinky.’

  Giving her pet a smirk, Ceri headed back to Nita’s table. She placed the glass down in front of the dusky woman with a smile, and Nita reached for it, her fingers brushing Ceri’s. There was no apology or embarrassment; a deliberate action aimed at skin contact. Ceri smiled at her. ‘Enjoy your drink.’

  ‘A lot of werewolves in tonight,’ Nita said.

  Ceri had intended to head back to the bar, but she could not be rude to a customer. ‘It’s full moon on Tuesday, we get more wolves at this time of the month. Don’t be offended if some of them try to chat you up. You’re attractive and they’re getting more excited.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Nita said, ‘and I won’t. You must have a lot of trouble with them though.’

  Yeah, the slightly predatory smile reminded Ceri of Lily on the prowl. ‘Thank you,’ Ceri replied. ‘I don’t though.’

  ‘I can’t imagine why not.’

  ‘Oh, they’ll chat me up and paw at me, but they’re no trouble.’ Aside from anything else, the werewolves all knew she was mated and would not try anything without Michael’s permission.

  Nita looked around at the boisterous werewolf groups at the tables around the room. ‘I’m sure they think themselves lucky to get that much.’

  Smiling, Ceri said, ‘Maybe. If you’ll excuse me…’ She moved off, clearing glasses from a nearby table before heading back to the bar and Lily. ‘Yeah, she’s definitely chatting me up.’

  ‘Maybe you should let her,’ Lily said.

  ‘Huh?’

  ‘She’s way better than the Specials on twenty-two, and she does actually fancy you, but she reads wrong.’

  ‘And that’s a reason to take her home?’

  ‘If she actually means harm the wards will warn us, and I think we’ll get more from her than she will from us.’

  Ceri considered it. Lily was probably right; knowing she was probably up to something they could likely find out more between them than Nita was likely to get from her visit. Perhaps the woman would go back to her masters and report that Ceri was a total sexual deviant, but unlikely to be an assassin. That would be a best possible case, but perhaps it was worth a try. ‘We’ll see what happens,’ she said. ‘She might get a little put off if she finds out she’s going to be part of a foursome.’

  ‘No,’ Lily said. ‘That wouldn’t stop her.’

  February 5th

  Ceri watched Nita as she headed to the back of the club where she would find the most sumptuous public toilets available this side of the Chinese embassy. She had her strut on and the quick glance she gave Ceri as she walked between the tables just put more sway in her hips. Ceri appreciated the gesture, but she was not really watching Nita’s figure.

  Nita was a practitioner; there were the tell-tale signs of development in her Chakral Median which came from using it to fuel and develop spells. However, there was something else, and that was a little more worrying. A thin spider’s web of filaments stretched down from Nita’s Chakral Ajna node at the back of her skull; a form of spiritual corruption. Demonic taint tended to be black and it spread upward from Muladhara. Ceri had seen other forms of taint, but demonic was the most common. It might be interesting to find out what kind of pact Nita had.

  ‘Practitioner,’ Lily commented.

  ‘Pacted,’ Ceri replied. ‘Not demonic though.’

  ‘That’s what you’re curious about?’

  ‘Uh-huh, well, one of the things.’

  ‘I’m wondering whether she’s as flexible as she looks.’

  Ceri giggled. ‘That was another thing I was curious about. It’ll almost be a shame if she doesn’t try something.’

  ‘Be careful you two,’ Alec said from behind them. ‘If she’s CIA, she’s likely better trained than you, and she looks like she’s got some Indian in her. If she’s a practitioner than it’s possibly shamanic magic.’

  ‘Evocation,’ Ceri said. ‘You think she’s tribal?’

  ‘I met a couple of them with the American Army after my pack was wiped out,’ Alec said, nodding. ‘The features look right, but I think she’s half-white.’

  ‘I’ve never met an evoker before,’ Ceri said, a half-smile developing.

  ‘You’ve just made her more curious now,’ Lily pointed out.

  ‘Spirit pacts might explain the different taint,’ Ceri mused.

  Alec chuckled. ‘Just be careful. Check her for bugs. And she’s coming back.’

  The tall, lithe woman appeared from the back and started toward her table. She paused, appearing to consider her next move, and then turned to walk over to Ceri and Lily. Ceri felt Alec slip away behind them.

  ‘Hi,’ Nita said, a little hesitantly.

  ‘Hi Nita,’ Ceri said. ‘This is Lily.’

  Nita’s eyes traced over Lily’s body; it was an awesome body and well worth looking over. ‘Hi,’ Nita said. ‘You’re gorgeous.’

  Lily smiled. ‘Thank you, it comes with the genetics. Excuse me though, I need to see to some customers.’

  Nita did not watch as Lily walked away. It could have been that she preferred a body type closer to her own, not everyone went for a more voluptuous figure like Lily’s, but Ceri suspected it was just a matter of focussing on her target. ‘I was, uh, wondering when you got off work?’

  ‘Four am, when the club closes, or just after.’

  ‘Oh,’ she looked a little downcast, ‘that late? I was hoping, well…’ Ceri held her smile and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. ‘Well, I was hoping we could go for a drink, or… something.’

  ‘The only places open after this place closes are the vampire bars and the Dubh Linn. You don’t want to go to any of those.’

  ‘The Dubh Linn?’ Either she was a good actress or she really did not know the name.

  ‘It’s a pub for… You just don’t want to go there. Besides, I’ll be heading home with Lily.’

  ‘Oh.’ Now she looked really crestfallen.

  ‘So I can’t go for a drink,’ Ceri went on, ‘but we can go for something else if you’re okay with sharing.’

  Nita’s eyes widened and she glanced back down the room to where Lily was chatting to a group of werewolves on table six. She turned back. ‘Both of you?’

  ‘Yes, but we’d be meeting up with Michael at the house, he’s a werewolf.’ Ceri kept her tone matter-of-fact, as though it were perfectly normal to pick up A Random Female and take her home for a foursome.

  Nita’s eyes widened a little. ‘A, uh… a werewolf too?’ She licked her lips.

  ‘If you’re only into girls…’

  ‘Uh, no…’ Nita’s lips twitched into a grin. ‘I didn’t think I’d get that lucky tonight.’

  Ceri smiled. Hook, line, and sinker.

  Kennington

  Nita’s lithe body strained on the bed, her back arched and her hands making fists in the sheets. She had been hanging on the very edge of the same orgasm for fifteen minutes and she was starting to look frantic. Lily’s mouth was, undoubtedly, doing wonderful things between Nita’s legs, but it was Lily’s feeding that was driving the woman mad.

  Lily was doing it slowly. She fed by bringing her partner to orgasm and then drawing energy from their Tantric Median. When she stopped, they came, but until then they were left hanging, in ecstasy, until Lily chose to let them climax. If she kept feeding for long enough, chose to take too much energy, Lily could kill someone that way, but she was careful and very good at what she did. Nita was not going to die, though she might think she was.

  Ceri and Michael watched the show from a corner of the bed. Neither moved, but Michael seemed to be enjoying what Ceri’s inner muscles were doing to him. He had been surprised when she had established a mental link with him. She had never needed to use the telepathy spell on him before and he was as delighted with it as L
ily had been. As Ceri’s thoughts had mingled with his own he had instantly understood what would be happening and so he had been quite ready to act as though his lovers often brought home another plaything. In turn, Nita had shown no sign of discomfort when Ceri had suggested Michael should fuck their guest first, even though he was still furry.

  Ceri watched Nita’s small, firm breasts rise and fall with her laboured breathing. Watched sweat run down between them to pool in the hollow of her throat. Lily let out a soft hum of pleasure and suddenly Nita’s body was thrashing as all that pent up energy washed through her. Ceri, and Michael, knew how that felt; the most incredible orgasm ever was exploding through her. It was like someone had plugged you right into the mains and turned your whole body into elemental starlight. It was incredibly intense; pleasure without limit. It was addictive and amazing, and when it finally ended you just wished it could start all over again. You knew if it did you would never live through it, but you did not care…

  ‘Am… am I dead,’ Nita stammered.

  ‘No, hun,’ Lily told her, ‘it just feels like dying.’

  ‘That’s… that’s what… succubus… feels like,’ Nita panted.

  Ceri smiled, not that Nita could see it; they had not told her what Lily was, but a high like that could lead to carelessness. ‘Incredible, isn’t she?’ Ceri said. Michael was starting to make little mewling noises in her ear which was quite gratifying since Lily had only taught her the technique the week before.

  ‘Amaze… amazing.’

  ‘She had me on the point of death once,’ Ceri said softly. ‘It was the most incredible high I’ve ever felt.’

  Nita moaned. ‘I’d love that.’

  ‘You wouldn’t,’ Lily said, ‘believe me.’ She glanced at Ceri. ‘Is Michael ready?’

  ‘On the edge.’

  Lily gave a dirty, evil giggle and slapped Nita’s leg. ‘Turn over. We’re going to teach you what “fucked” really means.’

  ‘I don’t think I can…’ Nita began.

  Ceri slipped off Michael with a sigh and a fluttering of eyelids. ‘Turn over!’ she snapped, putting a lot of authority and a hint of suggestion behind the order. Nita was on her stomach, her butt stuck in the air, before she could think and did not seem to have noticed the magic which had pushed her to it. Smiling, Ceri crawled down the bed to where she could pull Nita’s head into her lap while Michael moved in behind her. Nita’s gorgeous, black hair, now un-braided, fell across Ceri’s thighs, a black pool in the candle light. Nita gasped as Michael entered her, the gasp converting quickly into a moan, which would soon become panting as Lily fed on Michael, and Michael kept on driving into Nita until Lily let him come.

  As Nita’s mind slipped away into its most primitive, animal mode, Ceri’s mind slipped in, unobserved, and began hunting through the agent’s memories.

  ~~~

  ‘She’s CIA,’ Ceri said quietly. She lay with Lily’s head on her shoulder. It was long after dawn and Michael was keeping Nita busy in the shower. He did not seem to mind being the distraction, but then Nita had shown something of a liking for the kind of rough sex that werewolves found irresistible. ‘Her job is to gather information, not do anything nasty.’

  ‘Knowledge is power,’ Lily replied.

  ‘Isn’t that the kind of thing I’m supposed to say?’

  ‘Maybe I’m learning.’

  Ceri grinned. ‘Her brief was that I was probably deviant enough to pick her up, so I guess we confirmed that, but she’s open-minded enough that she’ll report on what she sees and hears, not on her preconceived ideas.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘So I’m going to ask her to stay for lunch. If she wants to know about us, she can find out the whole deal.’

  ‘Does Twill know…?’

  ‘I called her from the club,’ Ceri said. Somehow the idea of using the same telepathy spell on Twill as she had on Michael was just not something Ceri wanted to do. Twill had secrets and Ceri did not really want to know what they were, even accidentally. ‘She knows what we’re up to.’

  Lily giggled. ‘Nita’s going to be in for a shock though.’

  A scream of pleasure came in from the bathroom. ‘I think she’ll cope,’ Ceri replied.

  ~~~

  ‘Do you, uh, always walk around the house naked?’ Nita asked. She was sat curled up in the guest chair in the lounge and she seemed quite comfortable without clothes on herself.

  ‘I do,’ Lily said from her place on the footstool beside Ceri’s chair, ‘and Michael’s a werewolf. Ceri’s a Sunday nudist.’

  Ceri reached out to stroke Lily’s hair. ‘She does get dressed for guests, though it’d be a little superfluous after what we got up to last night.’

  Nita’s cheeks coloured a little. ‘I guess, yeah. I… I wasn’t expecting to… That was quite a night.’

  ‘We don’t usually have someone to entertain,’ Ceri told her. ‘It does spice things up, and we pulled out the stops.’

  Nita’s wide mouth curled into a bright smile and she chuckled softly. ‘No kidding, I’m surprised I can walk.’ She looked down at Michael sat beside Ceri’s legs. ‘You’re younger than I thought, but I… really enjoyed the advantages of that.’

  ‘I get that a lot,’ Michael commented. ‘I enjoyed it too. You’d make a good bitch.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Nita replied.

  ‘You’ve been with werewolves before,’ Ceri said.

  ‘A couple. Enough to know that was a compliment.’ Nita shook her head slightly, grinning still. ‘You’re a strange little group. I mean, I’m glad I decided to try picking you up, but you’re a weird collection of people.’

  ‘We get that a lot too,’ Lily said.

  ‘Lily was looking for a place to live,’ Ceri said, ‘and I was looking for a lodger after my parents died.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Nita said.

  Ceri shrugged slightly. ‘It was a few years ago now, I’m kind of used to it. I met Michael while I was researching werewolf pack behaviour. I’m a thaumatologist, but I have a few hobbies.’

  ‘You met and…’

  ‘Love at first scent,’ Michael said. ‘Then I actually saw her and I had to have her.’ He shrugged slightly. ‘My Alpha says it’s because she smells of power.’

  ‘You’re a practitioner too?’ Nita asked.

  Ceri nodded. ‘I know a few spells.’

  Lily snorted out a laugh. ‘She’s really powerful. She’s killed demons, defeated spirits, saved the world a couple of times.’

  ‘Wow,’ Nita said, her arched eyebrows rising.

  ‘What about you?’ Ceri asked.

  ‘Not a lot to tell,’ Nita replied, shrugging a little. ‘I was born in America, orphaned early. I came over here a couple of years ago to work. I’m in antiquities. I specialise in dating old stuff, basically. Authentication, dating, historical research, valuation.’

  ‘Really?’ Ceri said. ‘Come and have a look at something.’ She rose out of her chair and started for the door. Nita frowned, but got to her feet with the smooth grace of a dancer, or maybe someone with a lot of martial arts training, and followed Ceri across the landing to the study on the other side of the house.

  Ceri walked over to the fire, reached up, and lifted down the staff which was hung over the mantle. She turned, resting the heel of the five-foot length of wood on the carpet. It was ornately carved, thicker at the top than the bottom, and the upper third was inlaid with blue, glassy material. Set into its head was a crystal sphere, dull at first, but seeming to react to Ceri’s touch by glowing a soft blue deep in its core. ‘It was a present,’ Ceri said. ‘The man who gave it to me didn’t know much about it.’

  Nita’s eyes watched the shaft of wood. ‘I’ve never seen anything…’ She held out a hand. ‘May I?’ Ceri handed the staff over and the light died in the globe as it left her fingers. Nita lifted it, tracing her fingers over the enamel. ‘It’s heavy.’ Ceri smiled and nodded. Nita swallowed. ‘I’ve never seen anything quite like this,’ she
admitted. ‘Could I take some pictures? I’d really like to research it. See if I can find anything.’

  ‘Sure,’ Ceri said, reaching out to take the staff back. ‘After lunch. You will stay for lunch, won’t you? Twill says there’s plenty. Roast beef.’ She grinned. ‘Michael loves a roast on a Sunday.’

  ‘Uh, sure, I’d love to. Do you always treat your random pick-ups to Sunday roast?’

  Ceri turned from hanging the staff back over the fireplace, gave Nita a smile, and started for the door. ‘I wouldn’t know. You’re the first person I’ve ever randomly picked up.’

  ‘I got the impression it was something you were used to.’ She followed after Ceri, looking a little bemused.

  ‘I spend a lot of time with wolves,’ Ceri replied. ‘Werewolves are a lot more casual about sex, especially within the pack. If someone offers and they find them attractive, they don’t see a lot of point in turning them down. If there’s a mate involved then they have to agree of course.’

  ‘Not the case here though.’

  ‘Michael’s my mate,’ Ceri said. ‘There’s no… ceremony or anything like that. I’m a member of the Battersea pack, he’s my mate.’

  ‘Oh.’ They started into the lounge. ‘Where does Lily fit in?’

  ‘She’s my pet demon,’ Ceri replied. ‘Aren’t you, love?’

  ‘That’s me,’ Lily said brightly. ‘Don’t look all surprised. I’m a half-succubus and my demon side needs keeping in check. Ceri can help by making sure it knows who’s boss. Plus, I love it.’ She grinned widely enough to show her fangs.

  ‘The main problem is that she’s really difficult to punish,’ Ceri said, slipping back into her seat between Lily and Michael. ‘I have to be really stern and she’s too cute to be angry with for long.’

  Lily lowered her head and then raised her face toward Nita, lifting her eyes submissively and forming her lips into a slight pout. Nita watched, fascinated, her lips parting. Lily’s bottom lip began to tremble and her eyes widened…

  ‘Oh God, please stop!’ Nita wailed. ‘How could you possibly be mean to that?!’

  ‘I had about five years of practice in standing up to it before we finally went to bed with each other,’ Ceri replied, giggling.