1 comments/ 2857 views/ 5 favorites Demon Coil Ch. 01 By: vignette_ Thank you for taking a look at the first story I've posted here! There isn't any sex in this chapter, so sorry if you're looking for a quick thrill but that is not what I'm here to deliver. I still hope you'll take the time to read and let me know what you think! Be warned that there will be some mild non-consensual themes in future chapters. Also, most of the sex in this story will be between characters of the same gender, as this was originally born of my desire to write a story about a bunch of LGBT+ characters. All characters who will engage in sexual activity are over the age of 18. * * * PROLOGUE The rapture never came. God turned his face from the Earth and, exercising a fallen sense of humor, Lucifer opened the gates of hell and released demons upon the Earth. Lesser demons, their form often akin to reptiles, and their humanoid demon brethren terrorized the world. Their might varied, often possessing magical or elemental powers that were limited only by their imagination and will. One thing remained constant, though, which is that demonic energy and sexual energy were one and the same. Pure demons could not exist without taking sexual energy from other higher beings, whether those beings be human, demonic, or something in between. Demons bred easily with humans, for humans are not far from demons themselves. Part-demons became more and more numerous, possessing power of varying degree, until pure humans were all but wiped out. The newly created hybrids varied greatly, from the traditional depiction of horned and tailed horrors to those who almost pass for human. Horns, claws, scaly skin, glowing eyes, and natural pink hair were all possible. Bored and wishing for the company of his subjects Lucifer recalled his demons to hell. Only the strongest were able to resist and remain on their playground Earth, but the damage was done. Earth was overrun with part-demons and the offspring of the lesser demons who had not been born in hell. Society had collapsed and reformed, the new variety in the population and lack of government or religious influence removing many prejudices or inhibitions that had plagued the Earth before demons. Technology had progressed, but there was no space age future for the citizens of Earth. The great demons that remained took it upon themselves to establish what could only be likened to kingdoms: large stretches of territory, most often centered on a city, where they allowed normal activity to resume as long as a tithe of sexual energy was paid to them. Of course, demons could not be peaceful, and disputes over territory could level an entire city. Almost eighty years after Lucifer recalled his subjects things had quieted down, but one should never become comfortable in times of peace. CHAPTER ONE Lacuna pressed her palm flat to the heavy door and shoved with her mind. She felt the power rush out of her fingers and weaken the steel, allowing her to push it aside like rice paper and gain access to the room beyond. Clicking her tongue to the roof of her mouth she took it all in, from the empty cages hanging high on the ceiling to the debris scattered on the once polished stone floor. The smell was atrocious and the demon she had been ordered to pay tithe to was nowhere in sight, nor had she seen any signs of life in the warren he called home. "Nasah!" she called, and a large reptilian creature scurried into the room, disturbing the detritus with his powerful tail. His long purple tongue lashed out to scent the air, breathing the odors in. He panted and wagged his whole body before rolling in a rotting pile. "Exceptional," Lacuna remarked, walking through the room. It had once held the court of a great demon, but besides Nasah and a few rats Lacuna was now alone. With no warning at all Davnihar and his subjects had vanished, and that spelled trouble for those like her: mostly human. The best they could hope for was to go unnoticed and stay out of demonic politics, but if the demon hunted for a new court and his old territory was open for the taking she would have to go into hiding. A sharp two fingered whistle brought Nasah back to her as she turned to leave. He butted his skull against her hip—that is, a literal skull. The bone was exposed and bleached white, with dark, sightless pits where one would expect eyes. Two horns curved down from above where his ear holes would be if he were a normal creature, and a cut amethyst was embedded in his forehead. The lack of eyes didn't seem to bother Nasah, as he threw a crushed box out of his path with mild telekinetic powers. In fact, Lacuna had never seen him bump into or trip over anything in the three years she had known him. "We'd best tell the crew," she said to Nasah, though the creature could not speak to reply. She brushed cobwebs out of her long lavender hair as they exited the demon's lair, wrinkling her nose. Back on the street she kept out of the lamplight and pulled a hood over her horns with care, as the ends curved up and ruined many a good disguise. Nasah bounded ahead of her, sticking his head into alleys and rifling through garbage. She paid him no attention but stuck her hands in the pockets of her long cloak and walked with long, confident strides. Nasah was pawing at a door and making small scraping noises by rubbing his nose against it when Lacuna caught up to him several city blocks later. "You best have done your business outside," she said, and knocked in a quick rhythm. The door opened and she held her breath as she ducked through the magical barrier, feeling it pull on her arms and slide the hood from her head. Sygny grinned at her on the other side, and she punched the shoulder his slouching shirt left unprotected. "You make the best faces," he laughed. Lacuna made a rude gesture and didn't speak as they walked up the hall and into the common area. Three others lounged on mismatched furniture, picking at holes in the fabric or focusing on the holoscreen as their natures dictated. Sygny dropped his compact form over a couch and landed in Arno's lap, while Lacuna chose to sit on the arm of a chair close to the holoscreen with one knee tucked against her chest. A chorus of groans greeted her when she flipped it off without ceremony. "I was watching that," Tali said, rolling her chubby body off the loveseat onto the grimy carpet. Her performance was marred when a spike on the back of her arm caught the fabric of the couch. Rex detangled her. "Right," Lacuna said, propping her chin in her knee. "You definitely don't want to hear anything I have to say." She clenched her fists, but Nasah chose that moment to leap over the back of her chair and topple her into the coffee table. While she regained herself he panted at the assembled part demons and wagged his tail, tilting his head in askance. Arno patted his gem with a calloused hand. A door across the room opened before Lacuna could continue, and she slid into the seat of the chair when the newcomer glared. "Hey Joss," she said, meeting their crystalline eyes under the low hood. They nodded and took their seat, left empty unless they were sitting in it. Black robes pooled around them. "What were you going to say?" the whispery voice asked. Joss was more demon than all of them put together, enough to make their presence unnerving even to Nasah, who knew better than to fool around with the leader and protector of their misfit group. The security Joss afforded everyone was worth the skin crawling feeling one got looking into their demonic eyes. Lacuna cleared her throat. "Davnihar is gone," she said. "The court is empty, our tithe is unpaid, and there's no sign of life in his warren. Just, vanished." The fooling around that had continued even in Joss' presence stopped while everyone considered the implications of Lacuna's news. Sygny made a strange sound in the back of his throat. Joss was of course the least affected and came to the same conclusion Lacuna had back at the warren. "This territory is open for the taking, and Davnihar is looking for someplace new. A battle, if not war, could be in the offing," he said, crossing his thin pale hands over one another as he surveyed each face in the room. "We will be fine." Famous last words. * * * The ground shook under her feet, forcing her to her knees. Nasah whisked a rock out from under her leg before she fell on it. "Thank you," she panted, before forcing herself to rise and keep running, Nasah at her heels. The leather soles of her boots kept her somewhat protected from the heat that rose through the cracks ahead of her and bothered her fully demonic companion not at all. He would have been safe if he had stayed in the great demon's court, but he followed Lacuna as she escaped the furious Ospoxun, the demon who had taken over Davnihar's territory following his disappearance. In her head she nicknamed him "Pox" and it raised her spirits. A block later the heat subsided and the cracks closed. Lacuna flopped down on a stoop, eyeing her surroundings. All the windows were barred or boarded; whether the buildings were deserted or their residents were hiding it was hard to tell. No one was visible, human or demon, on the street. As she regained her breath she thought she saw a curtain flick open and then closed behind third story bars, but she couldn't be sure. Nasah clacked his jaw, nudging Lacuna's boot. When she looked down she saw that a gash on her shin bled through a rip in her pants. "Looks like we should get home, before something sneaks out of a dusty corner and tries to lick that," she said to her companion, and the demon took off down the street in response. Now that the adrenaline no longer coursed through her veins Lacuna could feel her injury, and she groaned as her pants brushed against it. She needed to take care of it before an intrepid demon collected her dripping blood; great demons could do a lot of nasty magic with it. She couldn't even remember when she had gotten the cut, but to say her retreat from Ospoxun's lair had been hectic was an understatement. Once she passed through Sygny's grabby portal Rex took her hand in his clawed one, dragging her back through their hideout and plunking her on a table in his workroom. His muscular frame and the silver tattoos all over his black skin belied his gentle touch as he cut the soiled denim away from her wound. "You always insist on getting so dirty," he commented in a musical voice. "The world is dirty," Lacuna said, wincing as Rex poured a bubbling potion on her shin. "Of course," he said, distracted. "I'm going to have to stitch this. It's deep." Lacuna leaned back on the table, covering her eyes so she couldn't see the needle biting into her flesh. Rex had put something on it to numb the pain, but there was still a tugging sensation. When he was finished with the four stitches he covered his work with a bright white bandage that boasted an adhesive back. Holding out a hand to Lacuna to help her sit back up he said, "Now that you're not going to expire from an infection, please tell me how this happened." "It's a funny story," Lacuna replied, jumping down from the table without feeling a twinge from her leg, thanks to Rex's ministrations. Nasah pushed through the workroom's swinging door and watched as she examined a bright green potion on one of the shelves. When it became obvious it wasn't something for him to eat he sprawled under Rex's desk instead. The big man sat behind it, and she saw his hand disappear below the surface just before the chilling sound of Nasah crunching a gemstone cut through the room. "You're spoiling him," she said, distracted. "Hmm," was his only response, his blue eyes meeting her gold ones. She sighed. "Right, the demon. Poxy Ospoxun. He's gay," she said. "I can see how that would make the tithe a problem. We'll have to send Arno. He will be upset." "You're telling me," she said, dropping into the chair in front of Rex's desk. Nasah curled the end of his tail around her ankle. "I heard his subjects snickering when I came in, but I thought nothing of it. Anyone who follows a great demon finds us amusing for our resistance, of course. But, as it turns out, I'm the fifth one today to come and pay tithe with titties. He was a little upset, even though how would we know? Lit the place on fire pretty spectacularly. I think he's made of lava. And pustules." Lacuna crinkled her nose, both about the demon and the vision she made in the mirror behind Rex's desk. "My hair is a mess," she said. Rex nodded. "I'll let Joss know about the development," he said, "and Arno of course. You go take a shower. The bandage is waterproof." "But I like my coating of dirt," she whined at Rex's back as he pushed through the door. Nasah chose to stay with her, looking up and tilting his head expectantly. "No, you got your treat already," she told him, and got up as well, heading to the room she shared with Tali. Her roommate was sharpening one of the spikes on the back of her creamy forearm when Lacuna appeared, and she grinned. "Had to get mama Rex to stitch you up?" she asked in her chirpy voice, snapping her bubblegum. Nasah hopped up onto Lacuna's vacant bed. "Quiet you," Lacuna grumbled. She bit her lip, grabbing a towel from on top of the hamper and disappearing into the bathroom. "Lacuna, Lacuna, thinks she's a big kahuna, tangles with the demons but—" Lacuna wouldn't find out what Tali planned on rhyming with the last, because she slammed the door and turned the water pressure to high. Once she was in the shower she leaned her forehead and its two tiny horns against the wall, letting the water soak her hair and deepen its color to a brilliant amethyst. It stuck to her dark tan back and covered the inverse, white freckles that coated her shoulders. She should be glad that she no longer had to pay the tithe, as letting a great demon play with her and strip all the sexual energy out of her body left her exhausted for days. But, at the same time it was a power trip, walking into the demon's warren and knowing she was untouchable because she was the tithe. The tithe was useful, and for all her small magics she wasn't Rex, with his knowledge of medicine, Tali, who could make anything explode, or Arno who built machinery from scraps. Sygny had more magic than she could ever dream of. Lacuna smacked the heel of her fist against the tile like a hammer. "Shit," she said. All she had was fighting skill, but who didn't know how to fight? Dead people, and she couldn't compare herself to them. When Lacuna finally turned off the water Tali was leaning against the inside of the bathroom door, the steam making her long chocolate brown hair frizzy. Lacuna stepped out from behind the shower curtain, drying herself off as Tali leered and blew a pink bubble. "You're a perv," she told her roommate, and looked down to see the younger girl's green eyes sparkle as they left the bathroom. "Does your leg hurt?" Tali asked. Lacuna took stock and nodded. Whatever Rex had numbed her with was wearing off. "Let's go get some lunch then, to distract you." "I'm getting dressed first." "Why?" "Perv," Lacuna said in answer, pushing Tali out of the bedroom while she hunted for something decent to wear. * * * A great crash from the basement drowned out the action movie they were watching on the holoscreen, and Sygny winced. Lacuna reached over and patted his back, but pulled her hand away after a second. Another thunderous noise followed it less than fifteen seconds later. Tali stretched her legs out onto the coffee table and said, "He better not set off any of my bombs. Those are delicate." "I know," Sygny said, rubbing his soft palms against one another. Lacuna saw sweat beading at his temple and his green streaked brown bed head was falling into his eyes. "Should you go see him?" Lacuna asked, eyeing the floor. Arno threw something else, though it sounded smaller than his previous choices, but still about the size of his boyfriend. Their mechanic was strong. The small man next to her wiped his hand across his forehead, further destroying his hairstyle, but said, "No. Best not to. I'll go talk to him after he's calmed down. Right now he would just—" he stopped when Rex gave him a scandalized look. "Never mind." "We know anyway," Tali said with an impish grin. She made a rude hand gesture. Rex covered his eyes. "Hello," Joss said, and they all jumped, landing back in their seats with a puff of dust, as it was Lacuna's week to vacuum. Lacuna looked over her shoulder as they glided into the room from the kitchen, though she couldn't remember seeing them there the moment before. When the next crash came Joss didn't even blink, though Tali jumped again and looked around with her lips in a tight line. "Maybe I should go move the more delicate things," she said. "That would be amenable," Joss told her, and she left at once. "I'm sure Lacuna has told you about the latest development," they continued, and Lacuna nodded. "Excellent. It seems that our district is now in the hands of someone less savory, not that Davnihar was anything to write home about. This will change little, as long as we pay the tithe and protect ourselves. He's moved in remarkably fast, and with no loud competition. That is fortunate. Even if he is more... vocal than Davnihar was." Lacuna wrinkled her nose that that. If Joss meant vocal as in ready to rip apart a city block with a volcano, then she could agree. Ospoxun seemed hungry for power in a way their previous great demon had not been. Sygny bit his lip, crossing his legs and leaning forward over them. "But Arno has to pay the tithe," he said. "Yes," Joss replied. "He doesn't like it." "There's nothing to be done, mage. You are so close to human you might die if you paid the tithe," Joss' eyes were hard, and Sygny backed down. "And I have none of the energy he seeks," Rex added in a soft voice, saying what Joss had been too polite to. Though demons lived on lust and sexual conquest and Rex was part demon, he had no energy for a great demon to take. Lacuna knew he had spent a long time searching for answers, but most of them knew nothing about their demonic origins before their distant relatives returned to hell Lacuna glared at Rex, sitting on the couch across from her. "And there's nothing wrong with being a solus," she said, crossing her arms. As she knew nothing of her own history or even her childhood and teenage years she refused to judge anyone else's past. Joss and Sygny did not comment, but the small man moved to sit on Rex's couch rather than Lacuna's. The crashing noises from the basement seemed less and less frequent. The tension broke when Tali stomped into the room, a streak of motor oil or some other lubricant smeared across her flowery dress. "Asshole," she said, sitting in Sygny's vacated seat with care, pulling the garment away from her body. Lacuna dodged a wicked arm spike. "You shouldn't have said anything to him," Sygny told her, and she did not deny that she had attempted to engage Arno in conversation. "At least he's not going to set anything off now," she grouched, watching her dress as Sygny twiddled his fingers over it and lifted the stain away as if it was a solid ribbon. "Thanks," she said. "I just separated the oil from the cloth by forming a weft of magic underneath it," he said bouncing in his seat. "I was reading this theory about..." he trailed off when Joss held up a hand. "Perhaps you should speak with Arno," they suggested, turning their gaze towards the basement door. "Of course. If he just wasn't such a stickler for monogamy. So old fashioned." Sygny disappeared through the door and shut it behind him. Rex fidgeted again. "So what are we supposed to do?" Tali asked, her eyes on Joss. "Wait, watch. See if Ospoxun calms down once he receives proper tithe. You know that it is... difficult for demons to exist without energy," Joss said. Demon Coil Ch. 01 "Maybe we'd all be better off if he went back to hell," Tali said. Though they did not speak in reply, Joss stood up and walked back towards their rooms. "You always piss Joss off," Lacuna commented, glaring at her roommate. "They know I don't really mean it," she said, but did not argue further. Instead, her eyes lit up. "Let's go out," she said. Lacuna put her hand to Tali's forehead, pulling it away after a moment. "You don't feel feverish," she said, "but I was sure I heard you say we should go out when there's an angry, tithe-less demon splitting cracks in the sidewalk. He isn't lacking for power yet." The shorter girl pulled on Lacuna's arm, dragging her to her feet. "We're not what he wants anyway. We should be able to have some fun." Wary of Tali's spikes, Lacuna allowed herself to be dragged into their bedroom, nudging Nasah's sleeping form so she would have room to sit on her bed. Tali began to pull all manner of clothing from her dresser and closet, holding up pieces to her body and looking in the mirror before discarding them. "I know it's in here somewhere," she muttered, digging in a hamper. There were clothes strewn everywhere when she finally pulled her prize free and hung the skintight silver dress on a hook. "That better not be for me," Lacuna said. "Of course not. I know better. You'll have to rock the butch biker look. Be my security." Tali winked and batted her long eyelashes over shining green eyes, swinging her ample hips as she walked across the room. Lacuna could see how arresting it would be once she put on the dress. "If I left it up to you, we'd go out once a millennium. Please?" Lacuna looked down at the ripped black denim and leather boots she wore below a t-shirt that was the same shade as her hair. When she reached for the leather jacket Nasah half slept on Tali grinned and disappeared into the bathroom. "I'll just be five minutes!" she called so Lacuna could hear. "Yeah right!" Demon Coil Ch. 02 CHAPTER TWO Tali turned heads as they walked down the street, flipping her voluminous hair over her shoulders and shooting sultry looks at passerby. Lacuna walked behind her and a little to the left, knowing that Tali could take care of herself, and getting stabbed by her spikes usually deterred any street harassment. Nasah had stayed behind, seeming excited by the opportunity to sleep in Lacuna's bed while she was out of it. "Where are we going exactly?" Lacuna asked. "Wait and see!" Tali replied before she skipped ahead, forcing Lacuna to walk faster. They turned down several alleys, and Lacuna chose not to complain because they were at least traveling away from Ospoxun's warren. When Lacuna was convinced Tali must have been in agony from walking so far in her neon pink heels she finally led them off the dark street and down a flight of stairs. When she raised her hand to knock on the door a panel snapped open and a pair of electric blue eyes glared at them. Once the barrier was broken Lacuna could hear bass thumping somewhere inside the building. "We're full," a deep voice said. With the height of her shoes Tali was able to meet the eyes without looking up. "Tell Saebur it's Tali," she said. The eyes narrowed, but the panel closed and it only took about fifteen seconds for the door to open and reveal the entrance. Tali reached back to grab Lacuna's hand before disappearing into the inky darkness, unfazed by the barrier. Lacuna shuddered as the protection magic touched her but kept her expression stony. As soon as it released her only a short hallway with a coat check stood between them and the main floor of the club, which pulsed with electronic music and so much bass any lyrics were unintelligible. Lacuna declined to hand over her jacket and Tali wasn't wearing one, so they bypassed the green haired part demon watching over the hallway. Leaning down less than usual, Lacuna pressed her lips to Tali's ear and said, "Get me a drink." Laughing, Tali pushed through the crowd and headed to the bar. Lacuna scanned the room as Tali yelled her order to the bartender and came back with two drinks, which were a disturbing shade of pink. She handed one to Lacuna and made a gesture for "bottoms up." After wrinkling her nose at how obscenely sugary it was Lacuna obliged, and then watched as Tali slipped out onto the dance floor. She had curves in all the right places and no shortage of people grinding against her to the heavy beat. Lacuna considered getting another drink as she leaned against the wall, appreciating the view. "Fuck she's hot," a deep voice said in Lacuna's ear, and she stepped into the person's body as she turned to face them. "She's mine," was Lacuna's fierce reply as she looked up into the same electric blue eyes from the door. It wasn't true, but she didn't trust him at all. He licked his lips, and his tongue was the same disconcerting blue color. It almost glowed. "Too bad," he said, but he didn't sound upset enough. Before she could continue he came even closer and added, "Let's dance," before pulling her into the music. Lacuna was detached as he focused on her, always keeping an eye on Tali in her peripheral vision. She couldn't hear what he said, but nodded at the right times. Lights swung above their heads, illuminating her companion's broad shoulders and nice physique in so many colors that she wasn't sure of his natural skin tone. If he hadn't unnerved her so much she would have been interested. Tali pushed over to them, dragging Lacuna to her and pressing their bodies together, shutting out the blue-eyed man. In her heels Tali was only two inches shorter, and Lacuna didn't resist when Tali pulled her into a searing kiss, her soft body pressed against Lacuna's lean muscles. She could feel the other girl's smile, and licked her full lower lip as she pulled away. She caught the man's eye, winking at him as she pressed her hands into Tali's back. "So that's how you want to play," Lacuna whispered, though she wasn't sure if Tali heard. She ran her fingers up through Tali's soft brown hair, pulling her head back to nip at her creamy neck. When Tali sighed she spun her around and pulled her back close to run her hands down the slinky dress. The man was staring at them, and Lacuna leered back, mouthing, "Mine." He disappeared into the crowd as Tali encouraged Lacuna to move her hips to the music. After a few minutes the song changed, the DJ slowing the beat and lowering the volume slightly. Tali laughed and tried to keep dancing, but this time Lacuna dragged her to the bar as the dance floor crowd thinned. "I should take you out more often," Tali said. Lacuna scowled in reply as she felt herself sweating under her jacket, but there was a small smile on her lips. They watched the bartender make them two more pink drinks and found a barstool, Lacuna pulling Tali into her lap so she could sit too. Lacuna chugged her drink again, setting the ice filled glass on the bar and putting an arm around Tali as she braced the other against the counter to balance them on the small stool. "Where'd mister electric eyes go?" Lacuna asked as Tali sipped her drink. Her companion scanned the room, but then shrugged. "Who is he?" "Just a bouncer. He works other places too." "Maybe he was just on his break then," Lacuna said. Tali leaned her head against Lacuna's shoulder and licked her neck, running her tongue up and around the shell of her ear. Lacuna shivered, feeling Tali's breath chill her skin. "Hmm," Tali offered, her lips pressed close. "I shouldn't encourage you." "Maybe you should," Tali said, her eyes flicking to a dark corner, but then she laughed at her own joke. They watched the crowd as the beat picked back up, Tali seeming content to take her time with the drink. Lacuna ran her fingers down Tali's free arm out of boredom and for the satisfaction she gained each time she touched a spike and her companion shivered. Tali's drink was almost clear by the time she finished it, and Lacuna wrinkled her nose. "Doesn't it taste weird watered down?" she asked. "Did you taste it at all?" Tali retorted, causing Lacuna to dump her off her lap. "Rude." "Let's dance!" Tali replied, and as if the DJ read her mind the music ramped up so Lacuna could not hear what was said next, but she got the idea. Fingers ran along Lacuna's stomach under her jacket, plucking at her shirt and touching her skin. They moved together and managed to find a break in the crowd for a moment, Tali's continuous giggle lost in the thunderous bass as Lacuna spun and dipped her to break their heated contact. Tali grinned at her and kissed her when Lacuna pulled her back up, opening her mouth to breathe against Lacuna's lips. She sagged against her companion, obviously out of breath, and Lacuna towed her off the dance floor. Tali rested her head into Lacuna's neck, nibbling on her freckles. "I don't know why I'm so tired," she said into her ear. Lacuna pushed her away while keeping a hold on her upper arms, and looked into her eyes. "Are you okay?" she half yelled so Tali could hear her across the small distance between them. A light swung across Tali's face, illuminating her unfocused eyes. "I don't—" her knees buckled, but Lacuna kept her upright. "Shit," she said, and wrapped her left arm around Tali's shoulders while trying to avoid getting impaled by an arm spike. "We're getting out of here." Lacuna managed to support Tali to the door, not wanting to make their situation obvious. The bouncer wasn't there, but when she looked over her shoulder she saw electric blue eyes in the distance and cursed again. Once they got outside she dragged Tali down the street and sat her on a bench. As she pulled out her phone to text Rex for help she glared at her friend. "Did you take a pill or something?" she demanded, her voice coming out too loud even to her music deafened ears. She looked down at her phone and was relieved to see a text back. She told the phone to give Rex her current location and shoved it in her jeans pocket. Tali forced herself to focus on Lacuna. "No," she whined, trying to shift her body and almost falling. Lacuna clenched her fists hard before forcing herself to uncurl her fingers. "You're sure?" she asked. "Mhmm," was the reply. Lacuna sat down, letting Tali rest her head against her. "Don't puke on me." "'Kay." Lacuna sighed, adjusting Tali's dead weight so she could pull her phone back out. It was just after midnight, and she hoped the traffic wasn't too bad. The street they were on was deserted, at least. She was glad Rex had answered, not liking the idea of dragging Tali all the way home in this state. But, what was this state exactly? As far as Lacuna could tell, Tali had consumed the exact same drinks she had, and Lacuna was fine. She wasn't even drunk! Arno's van pulled up while she was musing, Rex waving from behind the wheel. "A little help out here?" Lacuna said when he rolled down the window, her voice readjusted to the silent atmosphere. "What did she do?" he asked, coming around and opening the sliding door so they could put Tali on the bench seat. The other girl's soft breath rustled her hair, but Tali was otherwise unconscious. "I have no idea." "Huh," he replied, but didn't press her for details. Once Tali was safe in the van Lacuna's temper began to build. Rex locked the window controls so she could fidget with the button on the passenger side and continued to say nothing, allowing her to stew. When they got back to their building she slammed out of the van, giving Rex the task of hauling Tali inside. She barely even shrugged at the barrier when Sygny opened the door. Then she stomped back to her room, not bothering to turn on the lights. "Get out of my bed!" she yelled at Nasah, and threw herself into it when he moved. His reptilian tongue flicked her cheek as she began to cry. * * * Rex inserted a cannula into Tali's forearm and noted the small twitch at the corner of her eye. He touched her forehead with his clawed fingers, but did not feel a fever. "Is she going to be okay?" Sygny asked. Rex had told him to stay by the desk, but he kept standing up and then forcing himself to sit back down in the plush chair. He twiddled his fingers and added, "Maybe I could try—" "No," Rex cut him off, but without malice. He hooked a rehydration solution up to the IV. "She'll be fine. She just needs fluids and rest." He picked up the vial of dark red blood that he had drawn and inserted it into a processor behind his desk, patting Sygny's shoulder as he walked by. "Where's Lacuna?" he asked. "She's in her room. Not before she slammed every door in the place though!" Sygny's voice rose. "Hmm," Rex replied, his gaze even. "Not even coming in here to check on Tali. How dare she!" Sygny moved to stand up, but Rex's strong grip held him in the chair. "Leave her alone. She's probably upset with herself, and you barging in there to yell at her won't help." "Okay. But tomorrow..." he trailed off. "No." Sygny opened his mouth to argue again, but Nasah appeared as if from nowhere and smacked his bare skull against Sygny's knee. "Ow!" the small mage said. Nasah sat, focusing his sightless eyes on Rex and lolling his tongue out of his mouth. "How's Lacuna?" Rex asked the demon creature. Nasah lay down, putting his head on his paws. Though his ability to make facial expressions was severely limited, it was clear his posture implied sadness. "As I told you," Rex said to Sygny. "Nasah always takes her side. Ever since she came here," he crossed his arms, reminding Rex that for all his staggering magical power he was barely nineteen, and could still act like a child. "Why don't you go help Arno? He still won't talk to anyone else, and he has to pay the tithe tomorrow. I don't trust him not to jump into a pile of Tali's bombs," Rex said, a laugh in his voice. Sygny nodded and left the room to head down into the basement. Rex turned to the unconscious woman on his table, his blue eyes on the monitor that displayed her vital signs. She didn't stir. A soft ding sounded behind him, and he turned to read the screen displaying the results of Tali's blood test. The soft green readout was as comforting as the results were not. "What is this?" he whispered, and Nasah walked over to press against his hip, looking up and tilting his head. Rex instructed the machine to send the results to his computer, and he sat down at his desk with Nasah at his feet. Almost everything looked normal to Rex, but he scrolled down until his computer screen displayed the anomaly he had noticed. He plugged the unfamiliar compound into his favorite database and results began populating the screen. Rex opened the first article, which matched almost the entire compound, and it described the toxin Tali had ingested as a date rape style drug. He wasn't surprised, based on its effects. However, that wasn't the entire problem. He searched again for the missing part of the compound by itself, and only one result was returned. "What the hell?" he asked himself, reaching out to touch the screen and pulling his hand back at the last second. He stood up, the chair hitting the wall behind him. Nasah hurried after him as he ran to Joss' suite. * * * Tali was propped up on pillows on the couch, her eyes half closed and her hair sticking up in all directions. Lacuna sat beside her but with a good foot of space between them, her fists balled up in her lap. No one mentioned that her eyes were red. Sygny was sitting on his feet, leaning his head against Arno's shoulder, and Rex was pacing with Nasah following him, almost tripping him whenever Rex turned. Lacuna couldn't remember the last time she had seen him so upset. "Where is Joss?" Sygny asked, waving his hands toward the ceiling and making the protective net that encircled the living area visible for a moment. He would have to open it for Joss to get in when they returned. "He'll be back soon," Rex said, but he didn't look at Sygny. Nasah whined. "I'm thirsty," Tali said, and Lacuna stood up. Before Sygny could stop her, she ran into the barrier. "Ow." "Sorry," Sygny said. "You have to give me a second." The barrier flashed visible again, revealing a slit where Lacuna was standing that snapped closed as soon as she passed through. Lacuna returned moments later with a glass of water and Joss, remembering to have Sygny let them back in. She handed the glass to Tali without looking at her and sat back down. "As far as we can gather, Tali is the only victim," Joss said without preamble, sitting in their usual chair. Their eyes flicked to Lacuna, but their crystalline gaze did not feel accusatory. "But what is it?" Lacuna asked. "Roofies are normal. She should have watched the bartender more carefully." She smacked her knee and looked down. "I should have too." "It's possible that you were the intended target," Rex said, and Lacuna's gold eyes flashed as she looked at him. He shrugged. "It's a tracker," Joss said, and gestured to the invisible net. "It is my understanding that Sygny can keep Tali from being detected while the toxin clears her system, as Rex assures me it will. It's organic." "But why would someone want Tali?" Lacuna asked, her voice rising. "There's no reason to. Which is why we think they wanted you," Rex said. "What?!" "Please don't yell," Tali said, putting her free hand to her head. "Sorry." "It's the best theory. When you came to us three years ago we had no idea where you came from, and neither did you," Joss explained in an even tone, as if Lacuna's outburst had not occurred. They looked at her again, but without accusation. "You went to Ospoxun's warren, allowing every new demon in the area to see you. Maybe someone recognized you." "What are we supposed to do about this?" Lacuna asked. "Nothing, yet. Let Arno go and tithe today. We can't do anything while Ospoxun is so angry, so we'll talk about it when he gets back." "If I get back," Arno muttered, and Sygny smacked his shoulder. "You'll be fine," his partner said. "Don't talk like that." Sygny kissed his cheek and opened the barrier for him, and Arno left. "What do you want to watch?" Lacuna asked no one in particular as Joss left the room. She picked up the holoscreen controller and forced herself to smile. Demon Coil Ch. 03 Demon Coil Ch. 04 CHAPTER FOUR Tali's gaze transferred from the holoscreen to Lacuna. "You're being an ass," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. Lacuna looked away. "Like that. You haven't looked at me since I woke up." "Can we talk about this... somewhere else?" Lacuna asked, her eyes darting around the room. Rex was nowhere in sight and Sygny and Arno were still in their room as far as she could tell, but she felt exposed. "I guess," Tali said. She stood, walking towards their room. Lacuna followed and shut the door behind them, choosing to sit on her bed. Tali caught Lacuna's gaze and sat with her back against the wall on her own. The shorter girl's lip quivered as she looked at Lacuna. "I hate how you don't care," she said. "I'm a game to you." "Fuck. Tali..." Lacuna said, playing with a braid in her long hair. She dropped it and started plaiting a different lavender tress. "We're not dating." "But we're friends," Tali shot back. "But that's not what you want." "No." "I don't know how to date people," Lacuna admitted, running her fingers through the small braid to undo it. Tali didn't reply, but looked away. "Maybe I could try, though. If you help me with something." "That's not the right way to do this," Tali said, still not looking at her. "I want you to want to date me. But what do you need help with?" she asked, her natural curiosity winning over. "Are you doing something bad?" her tone of voice made it clear that she didn't mind at all. Lacuna explained the note, and Joss' insistence that she not go. "But this is my past," she told Tali. "I need to know. I can't be in the dark about myself forever. All I know is that three years ago you guys found me bleeding to death on the street, with no memory of where I came from, or even my name." "Of course I'll help," Tali said. She stood up, walking across the space between their beds on silent bare feet and pressing her hand to Lacuna's stomach, where she knew there was a scar. Lacuna looked up to her; Tali's face was above hers for once. Wavy brown hair formed a curtain around their heads. "Is this okay?" Tali asked in a whisper, running her hand up Lacuna's ribcage. "Yes. No. What does it mean?" "Nothing you don't want it to," Tali replied, and dropped her full lips to Lacuna's, their kiss unmarred by alcohol or the pounding bass from the club. Lacuna gasped in surprise, and Tali pushed her back onto the bed. "You're wearing too many clothes," Lacuna said, panting. Tali smiled, stepping away from the bed. Lacuna lifted herself onto her elbows watch as Tali's shirt disappeared, revealing her soft stomach and full breasts. She left her skirt on and returned to the bed. "Your turn," she whispered, and helped Lacuna sit up again so she could pull the black tank top over her head. She pushed Lacuna's bra straps off her shoulders and the garment dropped, revealing perky breasts. Tali smiled before running her tongue over the dark brown nipples and then biting one gently. Lacuna gasped, arching her back and burying her fingers in Tali's hair. Lacuna rolled them to the center of the bed, pinning Tali's wrists above her head with one hand, making sure her spikes didn't catch in the pillows. Her free hand teased Tali's body, pinching her nipples and tickling her soft stomach. Tali giggled and tried to twist away, but only managed to press her hip into Lacuna, who pushed back and let go of her arms. "Got you," Tali whispered, rolling them over again. Lacuna accepted that with a smile, enjoying the view as Tali slid down her taut stomach and dipped her tongue into her navel. When she got to the waistband of Lacuna's shorts she grinned and bit the denim above the button, pulling it up and then down to undo the closure. Lacuna reached down to help her pull them the rest of the way off, taking her panties with them. Tali hummed, and gave Lacuna a sly look. "So eager," she said. Lacuna stuck out her tongue and wiggled her knees farther apart. "Less talking," Lacuna panted, and tried to lift her hips. "But I like talking," Tali replied, holding off until Lacuna whined in desperation before running her tongue along her slit, just once. "Fuck you, tease," Lacuna said, struggling. She put her hands over Tali's, but the other girl's grip on her hips was too strong, and she didn't have enough leverage. "Say please," Tali said, her lips close enough that Lacuna could feel her warm breath. "Please," Lacuna whined. "Please what?" "Fuck." Tali waited, enjoying Lacuna's struggles. "Please lick my pussy. Make me cum," Lacuna said, her nails digging into Tali's hands. Tali obliged, licking her lips and diving into Lacuna's inviting heat, teasing her pussy with her tongue and coming up for air to flick her clit. Lacuna writhed on the bed, begging Tali not to stop, moving her hands to her hair and guiding her back when she wanted to stray. Tali could feel her own juices making her thighs slippery as Lacuna moaned, and right before she went over the edge Tali stopped, stroking Lacuna's hip with her fingers. "Shh..." she whispered as Lacuna panted. Lacuna's gold eyes snapped open, and Tali crawled back up her body to press their lips together, sharing the tangy taste of sex. She bit Lacuna's lip, their mouths opening and tongues teasing as Lacuna ran her hands down Tali's soft back, petting the creamy skin. "On your back," Lacuna ordered, and Tali obeyed, watching as Lacuna flipped up her skirt, pretending to hide behind the fabric. She found the zipper on the side and released Tali from the garment, throwing it to the floor. "What do we have here," she said, running her fingers along Tali's dripping pussy, tucking two inside her and feeling the walls contract against her. She sat back on her feet, watching Tali's face as she played with her, rubbing against her inner walls and using her thumb against her clit. "More. Please," Tali panted, and Lacuna leaned down to add her tongue, running it over everything to collect Tali's juices. "Come here," Tali said, and Lacuna's looked up to see Tali making a come hither gesture. Lacuna reached up to run her fingers over one of Tali's spikes, making her twitch. She was thus distracted while Lacuna flipped around and presented her pussy. "Mmm," Lacuna hummed against Tali's clit, dipping her fingers back in from the new angle as she felt Tali's tongue on her again. She curled her fingers to torture Tali from the inside and they drove each other, burying moans in each other's flesh and building the heat between them. Just when she felt Tali about to slide over the edge Lacuna pulled back, gently licking over her lips and running her hands down Tali's thighs. She struggled underneath, but Lacuna's knees penned her in as her hands pressed down to keep Tali from raising her hips. Tali kept working on Lacuna as she tried to twist herself free, making Lacuna start to shudder, her pussy pulsing. When she couldn't take anymore she lifted her mouth and sucked Tali's clit between her lips. Tali's moans of pleasure as she succumbed and came brought Lacuna off and she collapsed, flicking Tali's clit one more time with her tongue as waves of pleasure rolled through her body. "C'mere," Tali muttered as they melted into the sheets, Lacuna's head pillowed on her thigh. It took a valiant effort but she turned over and maneuvered her head to the right end of the bed, curling up against her lover. Tali ran her hand down Lacuna's arm as she nestled into Tali's breasts and let her tangled lavender hair drape around them. * * * "I hate wearing black," Tali said, looking down at her outfit. "I was actually worried you might not own anything black," Lacuna replied before sticking her head out into the hallway. "Pfft," Tali said. "As long as you don't have to wear pink we're safe. Is it clear?" "Yeah, no one's out there. Let's go." They slipped out of their room and hurried to the basement door, tiptoeing down the stairs. Lacuna flipped the light switch at the bottom and revealed the space. Tali's area was on one side, explosives scattered around in a manner that couldn't be safe. Arno's half of the basement was also deserted, his van taking up one side in front of the garage door. There were also various automotive parts and a shiny motorcycle that he was working on for someone in town. "Are we forgetting anything?" Lacuna asked, looking at Tali as she packed a few things from her worktable into a black bag. Tali shook her head no and, upon seeing the bombs disappear into the bag, Lacuna hoped they wouldn't need to blow anything up. Walking over she touched her shoulder, turning her around to look into her eyes. "You're sure you're okay with this?" she asked, running her fingers over Tali's black jacket. "Yes," Tali said, her hand on the bag's zipper. She opened her mouth to say something else but before she could do so she froze, looking over Lacuna's shoulder at the stairs. "What was that?" she asked, her voice dropped to a whisper. Lacuna fell silent as well, listening for whatever Tali had heard as she turned her head. Sure enough, there were footsteps on the stairs, and then the sound of a door closing. "Shit, shit, shit," Lacuna whispered, her eyes darting around. "Shh." They both waited, confused when no face appeared. "What the..." Lacuna began, but dropped her eyes after a moment and breathed a sigh of relief. "Nasah," she said, her voice rising above a whisper as she reached over to pat the demon's skull. "You scared the hell out of us." He lolled his tongue out, tilting his head. "Well, I'm not going to say no to him coming, but we better go now," Tali said, disappearing behind the van to open the normal door next to the motorized garage one. Lacuna followed, Nasah happily padding along behind her. They disappeared into the night, Lacuna pulling a hood over her distinctive hair. It was dark but there were occasional functioning streetlights, and the smog above the city reflected light so they could see where to place their feet. As they headed to the address neither of them spoke, but the tension was focused outwards. "Next left?" Tali whispered, breaking the silence. "Yeah. I'm not going near the warren," Lacuna replied. They crept down an alley with Nasah on Lacuna's heels. She tried her best not to let him trip her. "Do you hear anything?" "No. Wait. Shh," Lacuna said, dropping into a crouch and sliding around the corner of the building. Light footsteps met the concrete farther along, stopping at a door thirty feet away. The pedestrian took off their hood, revealing Joss' silvery hair. They knocked on the door and waited. Movement at the other end of the street caught Lacuna's eye and she just silenced herself from calling out a warning. Three figures melted out of the shadows, a smaller shape behind them. Joss didn't seem to notice them, waiting at the door with as relaxed a posture as they ever held. Tali pressed against her back and she felt something hot in her core. "Oh no," Tali breathed, and Lacuna reached up to pinch her. "Shh!" The figures approached within ten feet of Joss. At the last moment they spun, flinging their arms out in a sweeping gesture. The group froze. "Who are you?" Joss asked, their voice slicing through the air. One of the interlopers collapsed to the ground, panting. "Who... are... you?" a male voice said, pained as if he had been choked. "A representative." "Not... who we asked... for," the kneeling male said, starting to regain his air. "Too bad. What do you want with her?" Joss' voice was like ice, and Lacuna felt Tali press harder against her, trying to lean around the corner, but she pushed back. "We'll only speak to her." "I'm sure we can work something out," Joss said, and snapped their fingers. The speaker went back to his feet with such speed that Lacuna almost missed it. At the same time the other two dropped to the ground. "They're dead," Joss added. A streetlight crackled to temporary life but the area was otherwise silent. Joss must have released the speaker, who Lacuna could now see was a male part demon with curled white horns on his head, because he swayed and fell to his knees with none of the precision he had under Joss' control. "You're lying," was what Lacuna thought she heard him say and he moved over to one of the fallen figures, pressing his hand against its neck. "Why would I lie? I only need one of you to tell me what's going on here," Joss said. There was a long moment of silence. "Ospoxun wants her. That's all we know. Well, knew," he said. "You're going to kill me now, aren't you?" "Yes," Joss said, lifting a hand. Before he could cut off the boy's air again, though, a sharp whistle split the air. "Ow," Tali whispered, moving away from Lacuna, who couldn't tear her eyes off the street. Something was coming, smaller than a humanoid but much faster. The boy rolled out of the way as it charged, striking Joss in the chest. He slammed against the door behind him and Lacuna stood, moving from foot to foot and trying to decide what to do. Nasah decided for her, bounding around the corner and tearing down the street. He grabbed the thing by the tail—making Lacuna realize it must be another lesser demon—and shook his head back and forth with loud growls. When it turned to face the new threat Lacuna saw bright green eyes looking out of a dark, reptilian face. It tried to take a bite out of Nasah's head but did no damage against his hard skull. "Where's the kid?" Tali asked from behind her, looking down the street. He was nowhere in sight. "Oh, no," was all Lacuna had to say. Nasah and the other demon were in the street now, snarling. Nasah had unsheathed his amethyst claws, which Lacuna knew were much harder than the stone they appeared to be. He slashed at his enemy. Joss seemed to be standing, though when they shook out their arms something dark splattered against the sidewalk. "They're hurt," Tali said. "And we'll be hurt if we help them," Lacuna replied. "I'm not supposed to be here, and by extension neither are you." The sounds of the demon battle in the street covered their conversation but Lacuna was much more worried about what else it might attract. Joss could handle themselves, she hoped. She turned to Tali, reaching out to grab her wrist below the spikes. "We need to go. Now." "Alright, alright." Tali said. * * * "Maybe I'd feel less like slime if we learned something," Tali said. She had traded her black attire for heart printed leggings, high-waisted shorts, and a crocheted crop top decorated with pastel green hearts. She sat on Lacuna's bed with her back against the wall braiding Lacuna's hair. "Clearly Ospoxun is the key," Lacuna said. "We need to figure out where he came from." "And how are we supposed to do that?" Tali asked, pulling a hair band off her wrist and tying off the braid she had been working on. "Easy," Lacuna said. Tali snorted. "No, really. Joss is going to figure it out for us. They're going to be pissed. I told you they got security footage of that bouncer, who knows how. But they have more resources than us, that's for sure." "And they kill people for fun." "What did you expect? Joss is basically a great demon, with how little humanity they have. They care for us for some reason, but even then—you should have seen what they said to me. Tore me down," Lacuna said, squaring her shoulder's against Joss' words the afternoon before. "What did you do in your past life?" Tali asked, her voice quieter as she ran her fingers along the braid. Lacuna's hair was like silk. "Fuck if I know," she said. If she stopped to think about it too long her head started spinning, chasing its tail as one useless theory blended into another. Sygny had even tried to fix her once, some hypnosis crack that he read somewhere. She had been ill for days, her head spinning every time she stood up, but it hadn't worked. "Hey," Tali said, tugging on her shoulder. Lacuna snapped around, staring at her with unfocused eyes. "Come back," Tali said, and Lacuna blinked, forcing herself out of her thoughts. She sighed, lifting a hand to press the heel into her forehead. "Lay down," Tali said, and there was an edge of command in her voice that Lacuna obeyed. Tali joined her, forcing their eyes to meet. "It's going to be okay. We'll figure it out," she said, continuing to pet Lacuna's hair. Their lips met, molding into each other lazily. Tali nipped gently at Lacuna's mouth, and she responded with a gentle tease of her tongue. Lacuna pressed her knee in between Tali's thighs, forcing them apart and pressing herself closer as they tangled together. After a while she let her lips trail away, burying her face in her lover's neck and hoping the morning would bring answers.