Thaumatology 03 - Legacy Read online

  Legacy

  The Third Novel in the Thaumatology Series

  By Niall Teasdale

  Copyright 2011 Niall Teasdale

  Contents

  Part One: A Normal Life

  Part Two: Dreams and Delusions

  Part Three: The Ties that Bind

  Part Four: Merlin’s Disciples

  Part Five: The Father of the Bride

  Black Moonlight

  Part One: A Normal Life

  Kennington, London, March 23rd, 2011

  ‘You’re quite sure about this?’ Lily asked. Her voice was quiet, but there was an eager quality to it which said a lot about the answer she was hoping for.

  ‘I was the one who suggested it,’ Ceri replied. ‘It’s your birthday. We do whatever you want. Anything you want. I said I would, I’m not backing out now.’

  Lily gave a tiny, gleeful squeak and her arm, draped around Ceri’s waist, tightened in a hug. Ceri felt Lily’s perfect, firm breasts press into her back, and then soft lips kissing her neck, and she sighed. Ceri was in no way a lesbian, but Lily was something other than a normal girl and it never failed to amaze Ceri that the stunningly beautiful, incredibly sexy half-succubus chose a slightly boyish, nerdy student with pale, freckled skin to go to bed with on a regular basis. But she had, and Ceri would not have changed it for the world. When she had made the birthday offer, she had given it a fifty per cent chance that they would never make it out of bed, and a ninety-nine per cent chance that they would not leave the house until Lily had to go to work in the evening.

  ‘You are absolutely the best mistress any demon could have,’ Lily said. Her breath set the skin on Ceri’s neck tingling.

  ‘You’re the m-mistress today,’ Ceri replied. They had what could be described as a complicated relationship. Lily’s father had been an incubus, a sex demon summoned to a party by a bunch of idiots who thought it would be cool and a great way to break the ice. A few months later, one of the women at the party had discovered the hidden cost, and her daughter had been paying for it ever since. Lily’s demonic side had a lust for power, especially powerful magicians, to be dominated by if she could not dominate them. So Ceri had had to take on the role of Mistress to Lily’s demon, or become that demon’s pet. Still, Lily was growing stronger, better at keeping her inner demon in check, and they both felt that little reversals like this could do no harm once in a while. That had been a great relief to Ceri; she was by no means a naturally dominant personality, and she really just wanted her friend back.

  Lily’s fingers began to draw random patterns across Ceri’s stomach, and Ceri’s breath started to come in pants. ‘What…’ Ceri stammered, ‘what d-does Mistress want f-first?’

  ‘Breakfast,’ Lily replied and Ceri let out a long moan.

  ~~~

  There was fresh coffee and bacon sandwiches in the kitchen. Ceri sat naked at the kitchen table while Lily stood leaning against the kitchen counter watching her lover eat. Lily sipped her coffee, sighing slightly as the hot, brown goodness ran down her throat, but her eyes never left Ceri.

  It was a little disconcerting. Lily generally kept her demon side as bottled up as she was able. She was not proud of it; in the past it had driven her to do things she would rather forget. Looking at her now, Ceri could tell she was letting it out, if only on a tight leash. The look in her eyes said, “you’re what I desire.” It said, “you’re mine.”

  What Lily actually said was, ‘You’re absolutely gorgeous, y’know?’

  Ceri blushed. It was hardly true, especially by comparison to the woman saying it. They both had pale skin, but while Ceri’s was white and freckled, Lily’s was creamy and smooth, without a single imperfection. Ceri had short, flat, black hair, distinguished only by a few streaks of red over her brow. Lily had thick, luxuriant, chestnut locks which fell down past her breasts. Ceri’s features were a little boyish; Lily’s were perfectly and exotically sculpted. They both had interesting eyes, Ceri’s a startling blue, Lily’s a deep black, and Ceri had to admit her body was not bad, though Lily had the same sort of fitness with enough added voluptuousness to make her soft but not fat. Ceri had longer legs, but Lily had a demon’s quickness and fantastic grace.

  ‘I’m…’ Ceri began.

  ‘Absolutely the most beautiful creature I know,’ Lily said emphatically.

  There was nothing Ceri could say to that really, so she said, ‘Thank you, Mistress.’

  A ball of blue-white light flew in through the kitchen door, doing a turn around Lily’s head before coming to a stop and resolving into the shape of a four inch tall, brown-skinned woman with purple hair and delicate blue and white wings. Grinning, she darted forward and give Lily a peck on the cheek before darting backward with a smile on her tiny face. ‘Happy birthday, Lily,’ she said.

  ‘Thank you, Twill,’ Lily replied, smiling at the fairy. Twill was their housekeeper and self-elected den mother. She had once told them that she was eighteen, but she acted as though she was far older than either of them and they suspected that “eighteen” was a euphemism of some sort.

  ‘Not eating?’ Twill asked.

  ‘I already ate,’ Lily said, licking her lips and looking back to Ceri. Ceri did not blush this time; she had got over being embarrassed about sex and people knowing she had had it.

  ‘Consuming your lover’s sexual energy doesn’t fill the stomach,’ Twill replied.

  ‘True, but it does take the edge off my appetite and I plan to take Ceri out for lunch.’

  ‘Fair enough,’ Twill said. ‘There will be birthday cake with tea tonight.’ Lily beamed; the switch from slightly haughty Mistress was a little jarring.

  ‘I appreciate the protein and carbs, Twill,’ Ceri said, raising her sandwich in salute.

  Twill smirked. ‘Yes, well, I’d imagine you’ll need to keep your strength up.’

  ‘Definitely,’ Lily said, and she was back to haughty; dark eyes fixed once more on Ceri.

  ‘I shall see the two of you at tea time then,’ Twill said. The fae woman hardly ever wore clothes and was hardly bashful, but she tended to avoid them when they were in “one of those phases.” She darted toward the door, vanishing into a ball of light as she sped off.

  Ceri looked up at Lily and grinned. ‘Push the chair out,’ Lily said, ‘and don’t cross your legs. I want to be able to see you properly.’ Ceri swallowed. Yes, she was really going to have to keep her strength up today.

  Mayfair

  Technically, since they had crossed Regent Street and walked a little way down Vigo Street, they were now in Mayfair, not Soho, but as they walked down a flight of stairs to a door set below street level, Ceri felt more like she was walking into a strip joint than a pub or a bar. On the iron railings at the top of the steps was a small, black sign with ornate, gothic letters on it; black outlined in white. “The Dubh Linn,” it read. Irish and Welsh were not that close, but Ceri suspected it meant “The Black Lake.” The door at the bottom was thick wood and painted black with no windows in it. There was a frosted, wired-glass window part way down the steps which, given the dim light inside and the lamp mounted on the wall opposite, was there so the people inside were aware when someone was about to enter.

  Lily paused on the bottom step. ‘You walk behind me at all times unless I direct you to do otherwise,’ she said. ‘Keep your eyes down, don’t make eye contact with anyone. Don’t speak unless spoken to. Refer to me as “Mistress” at all times, and yourself in the third person. I’ll be calling you Mufty, don’t take offence. Oh, and take your jacket off.’

  Ceri thought about protesting; they were still on the street, if at the bottom of a flight of steps and below street level, and she knew what she was wearing under the jacket. St
ill, she had promised; Lily’s rules. She unzipped the leather biker jacket, a present from the North Hills werewolves, and slipped it off her shoulders. Lily had dressed her up in a tiny leather skirt and a near-transparent, mesh teddy, and Ceri had wondered why she was dressed like that at the restaurant they had had lunch in if Lily was letting her keep the jacket on. Clearly this was the reason.

  Pushing the door open, Lily walked into the bar. Ceri followed demurely behind her, her jacket held at her side. The place was dimly lit, but she could make out bare brick walls and a ceiling of unclad wooden boards supported on thick, dark wood pillars. It was mid-afternoon, but there were several customers in. They sat in small groups around circular tables or in dark booths against the walls. At one end of the room, furthest from the door, was a bar with a tall, very attractive, dark-haired man standing behind it.

  Lily started toward the bar and Ceri followed, trying hard to avoid meeting anyone’s gaze. It was not easy since everyone was looking at her. With a combination of surprise and horror she realised that they were actually looking at her, not Lily. She caught glimpses of hungry-looking smiles; one man ran his tongue across werewolf fangs. Stripping on the street had got her a little excited, but the attention she was now getting was both frightening and intensely erotic, and her body was responding to it whether she wanted it to or not.

  ‘Lily Girl!’ Ceri did not look up, but it had to be the barman speaking. He had an Irish accent and she guessed he was fae. ‘I’ve not seen you in…’

  ‘Almost five years,’ Lily replied blandly. ‘Afternoon, Sean, you haven’t changed a bit, neither has this hole.’

  ‘Well, y’know,’ Sean replied, ‘the customers like the ambiance. Who’s the hufty?’

  ‘No one of consequence,’ Lily replied. She turned slightly to glance back at Ceri. ‘Go and get us a booth, Mufty,’ she said. Ceri did not take offence; she had no idea what it meant.

  Ceri bobbed a little curtsey and said, ‘Yes, Mistress,’ before turning and walking across the room to an empty booth. She slid to the back of the semi-circular bench, putting her jacket down behind her back and waiting patiently for Lily.

  There was a burst of laughter from the area of the bar and a few seconds later Lily was strutting toward the booth with two glasses of red wine in her hands. She placed one in front of Ceri and then slid in beside her. The half-succubus took a drink of wine and then settled back against the cushioned back of the booth with a mildly irritated sounding sigh. ‘This place makes me cringe,’ she said quietly.

  ‘Then, if you’ll permit Mufty to ask, Mistress,’ Ceri almost whispered, ‘why are we here?’

  Lily was silent for several seconds and Ceri wondered whether she had overstepped their pretend bounds for the day. She took a sip of her wine and her eyes widened; it was absolutely gorgeous, deliciously crisp yet full of fruity flavour. ‘Careful with the wine,’ Lily said. ‘We’re having one glass and then leaving. Fae wine can be absolutely deadly.’

  ‘It’s… beautiful,’ Ceri said, taking another sip.

  ‘Half a glass and you can kiss your inhibitions goodbye,’ Lily said. ‘Humans who finish a second glass tend to wake up wondering where the last year went. You never get a hangover from it though.’

  It was a struggle to put the glass down without taking another drink, but Ceri managed it. She could already feel her body growing warm. She could still feel eyes on her, but now the attention was just a turn on. Lily had still not answered her question and she was starting to wonder whether she would at all.

  ‘I worked here,’ Lily said. ‘Behind the bar when I first came to London.’

  ‘Weren’t you a little young?’ Ceri asked. Lily had been fifteen when she had run away from her home in Bristol.

  ‘I looked older, and Sean doesn’t give a rat’s arse about that kind of legality.’ Lily took another swig of her wine, savouring the taste for a second. ‘This place is like the underworld version of the Dragon. The supernaturals who come here are really dangerous. Later, when I got into prostitution and porn, I’d come here to pick up snacks. The only humans who come here are chew toys, addicts, or wannabes who will be one of the first two soon enough.’

  Ceri took a swig of her drink. She was starting to see why she was getting the attention rather than Lily. Her vision swam a little. ‘What does “mufty” mean anyway?’

  Lily’s lips curled into a slight smile. ‘Mufty, or myfty, means “my fuck toy.” Sorry, it didn’t occur that you might not know why you should be offended. Though it’s usually said with a little affection. It’s more possessive than hufty, which is “human fuck toy.” Mufties are universally stupid, addicted, or enthralled so you don’t really fit the bill, but you’re acting the part beautifully.’ Ceri smirked and Lily frowned at her. ‘What?’

  ‘If Mistress and Mufty don’t have sex for a day or so, Mufty starts getting… twitchy,’ Ceri said. ‘Mufty is a real mufty.’

  Lily winced. ‘I didn’t mean that to happen.’ Sex with a succubus was incredible, and incredibly addictive. Lily had always made a point of never having a regular partner before Ceri for that very reason.

  ‘Like Mufty cares,’ Ceri replied, grinning. ‘Mufty could break it if she wanted to and Mistress wouldn’t take advantage.’ She took another drink. Her skin was starting to tingle.

  ‘You are really good at that,’ Lily said, relaxing again. ‘I could get used to it.’

  ‘Mufty is rather enjoying it,’ Ceri replied. ‘Is she turning Mistress on?’

  ‘She does that just by being there. And I’m not the only one.’

  Ceri put her glass down, surprised to see it was over half gone. She blinked. ‘Mufty thinks half the room wants to try her out.’

  ‘Then you’re wrong,’ Lily stated. ‘The entire room wants to insert various parts of their bodies into every hole you have, and in three cases, their fangs into your neck.’

  Ceri shuddered. A small part of her mind knew the wine was affecting her. ‘Mufty would like that,’ she said.

  Lily drained her glass and slipped out of the seat. Ceri blinked again and almost looked up, but stopped herself. She quickly finished her own wine. The buzz was incredible and she realised that her nipples were trying to break out through the mesh of her teddy. Lily looked down at her and raised her voice enough that Ceri was sure the whole room could hear her. ‘Come on, you little slut. Just for that we’re going home. When I’ve finished with you you won’t be sitting down for a week.’

  Her cheeks glowing scarlet, Ceri followed Lily to the door through all the watching eyes and the sounds of sniggering. She was so caught up in her role that Lily had to remind her to put her jacket on when they got outside the door.

  Soho

  The Jade Dragon was not particularly busy, but that just worked for Lily and Ceri. Lily spent less time dealing with her tables, and more time leaning against the bar beside Ceri. Carter, the owner and manager of the Dragon, was being indulgent; his best waitress was being a little lax this evening, but it was her birthday, and she had helped save the world before Christmas.

  ‘At least business is picking up again,’ Ceri commented. She shifted slightly on her stool; her behind was, in fact, a little tender.

  Carter nodded. He had a smile on his face which did not have a slight look of worry to it for the first time since New Year. At the winter Solstice, Ceri had stopped an ancient ghost from bringing about the end of the world, with a little help from Lily and some werewolves. It had cost her personally, but it had also cost the northern hemisphere its most severe winter in decades. There had been snow until the end of January, which had kept the North Hills werewolf pack at her house for the entire month. That had been kind of a win-lose proposition; she liked them all, but nomad werewolves cooped up for a month got irritable. Even with the snow gone, February had been a miserable, stormy month and it had been looking like March would be the same. People had stuck to their homes and business at all of Carter’s clubs had been slow. Thankfully, the last couple
of weeks had been better and now the long term forecast coming out of the diviners at the Met Office suggested the summer would be a scorcher.

  ‘I shouldn’t complain,’ Carter said. ‘If you hadn’t put a stop to Remus’ plans it would still be snowing.’

  ‘And by now Dane and his people would be clawing at the walls,’ Alec added from behind the bar. Alec was a werewolf, a ronin, not belonging to any pack. He did, however, have a good relationship with several of the packs around London and beyond, and he mixed a mean cocktail.

  ‘Huh,’ Lily said, ‘and if I have to attend another werewolf orgy…’

  Ceri patted her arm. ‘I know, terribly arduous for a succubus, having all that sex.’

  Lily giggled. ‘Watch it, Mufty, or you’ll get another spanking.’

  ‘Not a very nice thing to call her, Lily,’ Carter commented, frowning at the two girls.

  ‘What? She actually likes it!’

  ‘I think it’s kind of cute,’ Ceri agreed.

  ‘Where,’ Carter said, ‘did you learn what it means?’

  ‘I took her to the Dubh Linn this afternoon,’ Lily replied before Ceri could say anything.

  Carter’s frown deepened. ‘Why?’ he asked flatly.

  ‘Because,’ Lily said, her voice a little distant, ‘it’s my twenty-fifth birthday. I used to go there all the time when I was twenty. It made me feel good, desirable, and I could pick up snacks. Then I met you, and then Ceri, and I put all that behind me. Five years ago.’

  ‘So why go back?’ Alec asked.

  ‘So I could walk in there and they could all see how much better I was.’ She blinked slowly and shook her head a little. A grin broke out on her face. ‘Also it was just awesome walking in there with Ceri playing my little mufty. You should’ve seen her, she was perfect. There were about fifteen supernaturals in there and every last one of them wanted her. I’ve never felt so proud to have her as a mistress. Well, except maybe when she was blasting holes in Remus.’

  Carter turned his head and raised an eyebrow at Ceri. She shrugged and gave a sheepish grin. ‘I promised her, for her birthday, we could do anything she wanted. We had some fae wine, which was… wow! And, um, I did feel really desirable.’