Alicia relaxed and waited to see who would appear at the door. She didn’t wait long as in walked an incredibly handsome man in a very expensive looking suit and shirt. He wore no tie. Instead, the top few buttons on his shirt lay open to show off the top of his defined pectorals. The man had an unshaven look to him with strong cheekbones and chiselled features. The suit hugged his figure giving him an enviable silhouette that many men would love to have.
‘Yasmin, my goodness, it’s such a pleasure to see you again. It’s been too long.’
‘Thank you, Marmaduke, you have been expecting us?’
‘I have yes, only a few of us knew about your visit, though, as you requested. Was there any trouble on your arrival?’
‘Nothing much no,’ Yasmin answered. ‘Are we interrupting anything?’
‘Oh, only the usual club night, nothing to concern yourself with. Follow me, I will show you to your meeting,’ he said, and led them out of the room.
As they walked through the maze of corridors Alicia could make out some strange sounds coming from inside the house. It sounded like some melodic kind of music as well as human moans and yelps. Alicia furrowed her brow in confusion and concentration as they walked, trying to make out more of the noise as it grew louder the further they went into the building.
Marmaduke led them upstairs and as they passed through a door with glass panes, Alicia found herself on a balcony above a huge room filled with people. This was the noise she could hear, and it all suddenly made sense. Everyone in here wore masks, sometimes just around their eyes, others with their whole face covered, but no one was without one. Most of the people in here were totally naked apart from the mask, and indulging in all kinds of sex acts all over the room. Most partook in some kind of group sex and everyone looked to be enjoying themselves.
To one side played a band, who all wore similar masks, but without eye holes, rendering them blind. They also wore clothes and headphones as they played.
What was this, what was she looking at? It was some kind of sex party, sure, but it looked like a very high-class one with an air of ritual to it.
Alicia had slowed to look over the balcony at the writhing bodies as they moved in a hypnotic and rhythmic fashion. Below her, a girl who lay on her back on a table while two others, a man and a woman, were between her legs giving her oral pleasure, looked up at her. The girl licked her lips, smiling up at Alicia as she used her hands to push the heads of her two partners into her. Alicia paused briefly, a feeling of arousal growing in her loins. As she did so, Kez came to her side and put her hand on the small of Alicia’s back, keeping her walking.
‘What… what am I seeing here?’ Alicia asked.
‘This is the Hellfire Club, run by Marmaduke and his Coven. It’s a secret society for the rich and famous, or infamous. Down there will be bankers, judges, business people, celebrities, politicians, royalty perhaps. You get the idea. Membership is anonymous and grants you certain privileges that only a Magus can provide, including completely anonymous nights of debauchery like this.’
‘But, what do we get out of it?’
‘Leverage my dear, leverage,’ said Kez, and walked on with a smile. ‘Come on, let’s not keep Yasmin waiting.’
Alicia snapped out of it and hurried along the balcony to catch up with Yasmin, Nate and Marmaduke as they moved through another door and into another corridor.
A couple more turns and they came to a door, which Marmaduke opened for them. In the room beyond, three people, two men and one woman, knelt on the floor on the far side of a table that sat low to the ground.
They all looked to be of Japanese origin and came to their feet as Yasmin entered. The eldest of the three remained in front of the other two younger individuals, who appeared to be his aides
The trio bowed in greeting, Alicia copied Yasmin, Kez and Nate and did the same bow in return. As Alicia concentrated, she felt sure she could sense Magic coming from these three people. It was difficult to gauge due to the powerful Magic that shone from Yasmin and her companions, as well as the effects that had been cast upon the house, but if she had to guess, she would say that these three were either Magi or Scions.
‘Yasmin-san, it is a pleasure to meet with you once again,’ the older man said as he crouched back down to his knees, his aides helping him sit before pouring the green tea that sat on the table for him and Yasmin.
‘Kenji, the pleasure is all mine. You and your business have been loyal partners for many years now. I thank you for this.’
‘We are grateful Yasmin-san. We have much to discuss.’
‘Indeed.’
‘We trust the assistance we gave you during the recent turmoil in New York went as planned?’
‘It did, apart from the loss of your agent Mr Takahashi,’ Yasmin said.
Kenji lifted his head a little bit and looked away from Yasmin as if he were trying to stop himself from some kind of emotional outburst. Alicia wondered what had happened here, what was she missing?
‘That, is one of the reasons for this meeting Yasmin-san, as I have a request.’
‘Name it,’ Yasmin said.
‘I wish for you to resurrect my daughter, Kimi so that she might complete her mission against my son.’
Yasmin ever so slightly cocked her head to one side and seemed to think about this for a moment. Alicia had no idea who this Kimi was or what her mission against her brother might be, but it sounded very serious.
Yasmin looked up at Kenji again and spoke in low tones. ‘I will agree to this, on one condition. The assassination will happen when and how I say it does. Between now and then, Kimi works for me, but on the completion of her mission, she will be free to go.’
Kenji’s eyes narrowed as Yasmin finished her sentence. He appeared to think about her terms, before looking back up at her.
‘Provided this is completed within five years from today, I accept. After five years, Kimi is free to go’
‘Excellent,’ Yasmin said. ‘I will be in touch when Kimi is revived,’ she said, clearly happy with the result.
- The Pit Nightclub, New York.
Eudoxia moved slowly through the tunnels beneath her club, keeping as quiet as she could, hoping that Nymira had chosen to move on.
So far, everything had been as quiet as a tomb, and only the body of Elba and the ransacked rooms showed any sign of Nymira having been here.
She peeked around the next doorway into her office, to find it similarly wrecked, and sighed at the mess before her. She’d come here alone, much to the annoyance of her two remaining Coven mates, but they knew it was the right thing to do. No point in them all getting killed by a marauding Nomad.
Moving deeper into the office, she edged around her desk to see a file open on it. The file contained documents relating to The Darkside of the Moon Nightclub, and as Eudoxia scanned the text, she noticed that it mentioned Amanda a couple of times.
j
Checking in & Checking out
The Darkside of the Moon Nightclub, New York.
Jan 13th
Yoh’s arm clamped around her neck, squeezing hard and making it difficult for her to breath. As she gasped for breath, she pulled at his arm with one hand while jabbing her free elbow into his kidneys as hard as she could.
‘Give up Amanda-san?’ Yoh said, the strain showing in his voice.
Her kidney strikes weren’t working, so she chose another tactic and shifted her weight. Yoh saw what was coming but didn’t move quick enough, and with a pivot, she lifted Yoh off his feet and flung him over her shoulder, keeping hold of his arm and as he landed on his back, twisting his arm into a painful lock.
‘Aaagh, he yelped.
‘Me, give up? Never,’ Amanda said as Yoh tapped out with his free hand.
Amanda let go of him and stepped away, her white Martial Arts uniform looking somewhat dishevelled from the fight. She straightened herself out and walked to the nearby bench where she picked up her towel and dried her forehead and face.
&nbs
p; Yoh walked up next to her and sat down on the bench, wiping the sweat away from his own face.
‘Thank you for the sparring session,’ Amanda said, as she sat down next to him, catching her breath.
‘Anytime, I enjoy the challenge,’ he said.
‘Hopefully, you’re not too tired to take on me,’ said Liz’s voice from the stairwell as she stepped up onto the gym level of Amanda’s house.
‘Looks like you have a new challenger so it does,’ Amanda smiled.
‘Of course Liz, it would be an honour,’ he said.
Liz smiled and tied her blonde hair back as she walked over to the bench, dropping her own towel onto it.
Amanda stood up and gathered her things as she did so.
‘You’re not staying to watch?’ Liz asked.
‘I’m going to pop over to the Darkside and see Toni and Tabitha. It’s been a while since I last heard from them and with Melissa’s recent passing, I’m a little worried.’
‘Aaah, of course. Wish them all the best from me won’t you,’ Liz said.
‘And from me also,’ Yoh said.
‘I will, I’m sure they’re fine,’ Amanda said. ‘Give it some socks won’t you!’ Amanda said to Liz as she walked past.
‘Eh?’ Liz said, a little confused.
‘Give it your all, go for it,’ she said, clarifying her comment.
‘Aaah, sure, will do, you Irish bint,’ Liz joked back.
Amanda laughed and walked out and down the steps to the floor below, heading back to her room where she stripped down and climbed into the shower. As she stood there letting the water hammer away at her shoulders and back, washing away the fatigue and minor pains from the fight with Yoh, she couldn’t help but think back to her chat with Maria the day before about living her life and enjoying things a little more.
Having a sparring session with Yoh had been fun, and it had been a while since she had last fought him. Getting up close and personal with him, feeling his body pressed up against hers, even though he had her in a choke hold, did feel good. But the time for doing anything with Yoh again had long since passed. She had indulged in one night of passion with him shortly after first arriving in New York as a Magus, which had been a lot of fun and something of a release after not getting any for about two years before that. But things had changed between her and Yoh, and fantasising about him running his hands over her body, licking her breasts while filling her up with his manhood was all well and good, and led to a very satisfying self-made orgasm as she touched herself in the shower. But, it would never happen again between them, they were no longer in that same place as people and she felt sure that they would only ever be friends going forward. Still, a girl could fantasise, there was no harm in that.
Finishing her shower, she got herself changed before concentrating and calling on her Magic.
Refuelling her Aegis first, she made sure she was ready for anything, Magically speaking, before picturing the Darkside of the Moon Nightclub in her head and Porting across town, appearing in the back of the club's grounds.
The huge black painted converted church looked imposing in the daylight towering above her, its spires clawing at the grey skies above.
The huge black edifice seemed like a suitable place for these two grieving women to live, so she made her way to the side door through the grounds of the club.
She could sense the hum of the buildings Aegis, its protective shield that surrounded it and kept out any unwanted Magi. Letting her senses drop into the Magical spectrum, Amanda eyed the Aegis and pressed her lips together in concern. The Aegis really wasn’t strong enough, any half competent Magus could bring it down in one quick casting if they tried, and to her or a Master, it might as well not be there at all. She wondered if the death of their friend had caused Toni and Tabitha to become distracted, to let a few things fall into disrepair. Like most things, an Aegis on a building needed to be strengthened from time to time to stop if from slowly fading away. The results of a Magical effect, such as an enhanced body, could last forever, but the effects themselves, rarely did.
Although Amanda could rip down that Aegis like a cobweb in front of a door, it wasn’t the right thing to do and would probably cause alarm where none was wanted. So she walked up to the side door and pressed the buzzer.
She didn’t wait long, and as she heard the sound of the lock being turned, she wondered if she might be greeted by Howie again. As the lock clicked home, she could see the part of the Aegis over the door faded to allow entry to Magi such as her.
The door swung outwards and the huge form of her friend Howie stood in the doorway. Howie was not a small man and towered over Amanda by about a whole head. He wore his usual security outfit of a dark suit, his jacket left undone for the moment, his top buttons open, showing off the top of his powerful chest. Howie shaved his head, keeping it smooth with no hair that a drunk could grab when he ejected someone from the club. His dark eyes settled on Amanda with a huge welcoming smile on his face, his white teeth standing in stark contrast to his dark skin.
‘Amanda, how you doin’? It’s been ages girl.’
‘Yeah, sorry, I should have popped over sooner. What's the craic? How’ve you been? God love yeh, you look good so you do,’ she said, her Irish accent coming out strong.
‘I’m alright thanks, keeping this place in line for the girls. And you?’
‘Aa, sure you know yeh self, same old, same old. It’s the girls I came to see actually.’
‘Oooh, you break my heart girl, there I was thinking you were here to see little ol’ me.’
Amanda smiled. ‘Maybe after, if you’re free?’
Howie raised his eyebrows. ‘Uh, sure, could do, let me see what I can do,’ he said as he let her in and closed the door behind her.
‘How have they been? I presume you know that they lost their friend recently.’
‘I heard yeah. They’ve been keeping quiet and staying out of the way a little more than usual, letting the manager run the club pretty much. I’m sure they’ll see you, though.’
‘They’ve been okay then, they’re coping?’ Amanda asked.
‘Seems that way Red,’ he said as he led her out into the club proper. She’d seen the place in daylight before, and it always looked a little odd to see the place fully lit without the strobes and coloured lights. But, she paid it little mind and followed Howie up to the VIP level upstairs.
The place seemed very quiet.
‘You here alone today?’ Amanda asked.
‘I always get here first and open up before the rest of the team arrives. They’ll be here later. The girls often sleep here, going to bed in the early hours and not rising until midday, which is when I get here usually,’ Howie said.
Amanda nodded and followed Howie to the office door on the VIP level, where he sounded a buzzer that Amanda could hear upstairs somewhere.
Amanda looked up. Above them, a suspended walkway hung inside the pitched roof space of the former church in a cross shape to mirror the basic layout of the club. The bell tower of the church had been extensively renovated and filled with two levels of living space that hung above the club itself, its first floor level with the walkways in the roof space so that they extended from the four sides of the living area. A door from the living space opened and Tabitha stepped out onto the hanging walkway and looked down.
Amanda smiled up at her and waved. ‘Hiya, have you got a moment, I just wanted to stop by and see how yeh are.’
‘Oh, hi Amanda, sure, come on up, I’ll get the door for you.’ She said and stepped back inside. Moments later the office door buzzed and unlocked. Howie pushed it open and held it for Amanda.
‘Thank you,’ Amanda said. Howie had always been the chivalrous type, and Amanda thought it was cute. ‘I’ll come find you in a bit,’ Amanda said with a smile and a wink, enjoying the smile he gave her in return and walked inside.
She had a complicated history with Howie, and she always felt there was something there between them, althoug
h it had never been acted on over the years. While she had lived with him, back when she first came to New York as a stowaway on a cargo ship, he had taken her in and looked after her. She’d made a few advances during that time, but nothing too serious, and he had always resisted her, saying that it just didn’t feel right. And then, after she had started walking the streets with Georgina, and he found out, their relationship had crumbled and it had taken a long time for her to pluck up the courage to see him again. After a few more meetings over the past year, their friendship seemed to have returned. But Amanda had always kept him at arm’s length. She wasn’t sure that forcing the life of a Magus upon him was the right and responsible thing for her to do. Her life was fraught with danger and people wanting to kill her and her friends. Forcing that on him by association just didn’t seem like the right thing to do.
She wondered if there might be a way to make it work, though, somehow, if she were careful to keep things quiet.
She wasn’t sure, but she really did want to take Howie to dinner and to see if there really was anything there between them.
Of course, then there was the issue of her open relationship with Maria. Well, maybe her love life was about to get a little more complicated.
In the meantime, she needed to go and see her friends and check they were okay.
She walked through to the back of the office and found a large set of stairs that led up to the walkway in the eaves of the roof space, as she ascended the steps Tabitha appeared at the top and smiled down at her.
Tabitha, like most Magi due to their ability to Magically alter their bodies, was a good looking girl. Slim with a feline quality to her face, emphasised by her golden yellow eyes that had been Magically changed to be like a cats with a vertical slit for the pupil rather than a circle. Her blonde hair was cut into a bob cut, just a little longer than her jaw line and today she wore dark coloured leggings and a baggy top. She smiled down at Amanda in greeting, but there was sadness behind that smile, and Amanda felt very sorry for her and Toni. They had been through a lot these past few months, losing their coven, including their close friend Melissa.
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