Thaumatology 05 - Disturbia Read online

  ‘Well…’

  ‘She’s got a point, Sean,’ Kate said.

  Broadstreet shrugged slightly and offered his wrists up so that Ceri could take the cuffs off. ‘What if there were several of them?’ he asked.

  ‘Broad area sleep spell,’ Ceri replied. ‘Or Lily.’

  ‘Lily, right… Come on then, Miss Carpenter. Let’s see what you do. You’re not going to make me fog out while you snap the cuffs on are you?’

  ‘Oh no,’ Lily said, smiling sweetly as she started across the mats.

  ‘Are you really sure you want to do this, Sean?’ Kate asked.

  ‘Yeah, I’m not so sure…’ Ceri began.

  ‘I have to write the evaluation report on what I’ve seen,’ Broadstreet said.

  Ceri shrugged. ‘Don’t say we didn’t warn you.’ As she walked past Lily she slapped her raised palm. ‘Tag.’

  Lily continued to smile at Broadstreet as he took up his stance once more. ‘Come on, copper,’ he said in his terrible fake-thug accent, ‘try an’ take me.’

  ‘Only six inches,’ Lily said, looking at the dagger, ‘I was hoping for something… bigger.’

  Broadstreet grinned, trying to make it look mean. ‘Trust me, honey, I can show you a good time.’

  ‘Please,’ Lily replied, ‘let me go first.’ Broadstreet’s eyes rolled back and he crumpled to the floor with a groan. Smiling, Lily walked over, took the knife from his unresisting hand, and snapped the cuffs on.

  When Broadstreet had stopped twitching and climbed to his feet looking rather flushed he said, ‘So, uh, that’s what a succubus aura feels like?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Kate said. ‘It’s a bit of a rush.’

  ‘She usually only catches me with it when I’m tired,’ Ceri said. ‘Which means I fall asleep before I do the whole lying on the floor… twitching… drooling.’ Broadstreet reached up and checked his chin for drool. It would likely have been less noticeable if he had not been handcuffed at the time. Ceri took pity on him and unclasped the cuffs.

  ‘And if there were more than one?’ Broadstreet asked, probably knowing the answer.

  ‘It affects anyone looking at me within range,’ Lily said. ‘I’m getting pretty good at controlling it now. You notice Kate didn’t end up on the floor.’

  ‘This time,’ Ceri added.

  ‘I volunteered last time,’ Kate protested. ‘John didn’t believe how strong that aura is.’

  Broadstreet adjusted his trousers. ‘I can vouch for it being strong,’ he said. ‘What would you do if I was just some accountant feeling suicidal or whatever?’

  Ceri looked at Lily again. Lily grinned. ‘Succubi can determine the desires of anyone they can see and get close enough to,’ she said.

  ‘Add that to some psychology,’ Ceri added. ‘Lil’s pretty good with that too. Between her various jobs she’s got pretty good at reading people.’

  ‘Which jobs?’ Broadstreet asked.

  ‘Barmaid,’ Lily replied, ‘prostitute, waitress.’

  He nodded. ‘Yeah, I can see where that would work. Okay, I can write that up. That’s pretty much it for today. Next Tuesday you’ll have Kate to deal with.’

  ‘SCEA,’ Kate said, ‘you’ll love it.’

  ‘Aha!’ Lily exclaimed happily. ‘So it is “ski.”’

  Kate grinned, and then frowned as her phone trilled at her. Unfolding it, she connected the call and said, ‘Middleshaw,’ into the receiver. There was a pause and then she added, ‘Be right there.’

  Ceri raised an eyebrow at her mildly confused expression. ‘Something odd?’

  ‘A werewolf threw himself in front of a train at Westferry,’ the sergeant said. ‘I’ve never heard of a suicidal werewolf before.’

  Ceri shrugged; she had not heard of it either. ‘I know I’m not officially an advisor yet, but I’ll ask Alexandra tonight. If anyone knows about suicidal werewolves, she will. She’s been around a lot.’

  Battersea

  ‘Hmm, yes,’ Alexandra said as she poured the tea. ‘Anita? You said one of the pack had heard something about this didn’t you?’

  The Amazonian Captain of the Guard turned from where she was talking to one of her underlings and walked over to the oil can fire in the middle of the clearing. ‘Mal,’ she said. ‘Do you want him to come over? I think he’s in the park.’ It was probably the first time Ceri had ever seen her wearing clothes. Her lean, muscled body was usually either furry or naked, but today she was wearing a short skirt and a leather jacket, though the jacket was unzipped and there was nothing under it.

  ‘No,’ Alexandra replied. ‘What do you recall of the report?’

  ‘One of the Dog Boys,’ Anita said. ‘No name. Mal was out begging on the station platform when this wolf, man-form wolf, came running up the stairs, straight across the platform and jumped. Train smacked him right in the face.’

  ‘It sounds more like he was running from something,’ Ceri suggested. She was naked, aside from the furry form of Michael more or less draped around her shoulders.

  ‘No one was following him, according to Mal.’ Anita shrugged; it was the Dog Boys, she could have cared less, if she had tried really hard.

  ‘Suicide is not entirely unheard of among wolves,’ Alexandra said, her voice musing. She looked up thoughtfully, the light from the almost full moon catching in her long, silver hair. ‘However, on a waxing moon? When it happens it’s almost always a female who’s lost her mate, and it happens very near the new moon.’

  Ceri nodded. Werewolves were not governed by the moon the way their distant cousins the lycanthropes were, but it did tend to affect their mood. The waxing moon made them upbeat, energetic; the waning moon saw them more lethargic. This close to full they were almost hyper, which was why Michael was hugging her so tightly. ‘Do you know if Mal talked to the police?’ she asked.

  Anita shook her head. ‘He packed his stuff and scarpered as soon as it happened.’

  ‘Do you think you could get him to write down what he saw? I’ll pass it on to Kate.’

  Alexandra smiled. ‘I’ll get someone to write it down for him. He can’t read or write.’

  With a nod, Anita started to turn away and then looked back. ‘Briefing in ten minutes,’ she said. ‘Either put some clothes on or get into fur. There are some kids on the bank opposite with binoculars.’

  Ceri rolled her eyes. Well, that explained Anita’s outfit; she gave her briefing to the Guards in human form since she could articulate better. ‘Teenagers,’ she said, exasperated.

  ‘You were one once, dear,’ Alexandra pointed out. ‘Michael still is.’

  Ceri did not need reminding of their age gap. ‘We’ll be there, Anita,’ she said.

  Alexandra curled her legs under her and sat down with the kind of grace it looked like she had spent years acquiring. The old Alpha was over a hundred so she probably had. ‘Amphetamines have a nasty effect on wolves,’ she said. ‘I’d suggest they run a toxicology series on the body, assuming they haven’t already. Make sure they check for alchemical and herbal products. I know of a couple of Wolfsbane distillations which cause paranoia and hallucinations to our kind.’

  ‘I’ll call in the morning.’

  Alexandra nodded and looked thoughtful. She was amazingly good at looking thoughtful. Ceri suspected it was another thing you acquired with age. ‘Of course,’ the Alpha said after a minute or so, ‘he could have been being chased by something no one else could see.’

  Ceri frowned. Well, if they were still working the case next week, perhaps she would get asked to help on it. If there was one thing Ceri hated, it was a mystery.

  Soho, August 13th

  The Dragon was full of hyperactive werewolves. Very few undead came in on full moon nights and the celebrities who turned up were the ones who enjoyed boisterous, randy fun. No one escaped being groped, not the film star on one of Lily’s tables, not the sole vampire who had come in with a few human friends on a girl’s night out, not even Carter since there was a table full of gir
ls from the Royals in the middle of the room.

  At first, Ceri had been a little worried that Michael would get annoyed at her being groped by horny wolves, but he seemed to be rather enjoying it. There was a big smile on his face as she escaped the tables and walked the last few feet to the bar. He looked utterly edible in his leather jeans and a T-shirt tight enough to have been shrink-wrapped on with Black Moonlight scrawled across it in pseudo-gothic lettering. He was still seven years younger than she was, but the more time he spent in the Guard, and around Ceri and Lily, the more he seemed to be maturing. The shy, uncomfortable look he had worn so often in the past was replaced by a grinning confidence.

  ‘Five ‘Banes, Alec,’ Ceri called across the bar, then she turned her attention to Michael. ‘What are you grinning at?’

  ‘Watching you,’ he said. ‘You’re amazing the way you can actually carry drinks through that scrum. Don’t get me wrong, Lily’s a little better and the other girls are good, but they’ve been doing it longer.’

  ‘I’m being felt up by dozens of wolves and you’re grinning at it?’

  Michael shrugged. ‘Yeah, but they don’t mean anything by it. They know you’re with me. It’s a compliment.’

  Ceri’s eyebrows rose and she cocked her hip. ‘To whom?’

  ‘Oh, both of us,’ Michael said quickly. ‘They think you’re attractive and they want you, and they’re showing it, but they’re all deferring to me.’

  Alec leaned over the bar, placing drinks on Ceri’s tray. ‘Nice catch, kid,’ he said; Michael blushed. ‘He’s right though,’ Alec added to Ceri. ‘I’ve seen the looks. They’re all making damn sure he knows they’re not horning in on his mate.’

  Ceri looked between the two wolves. ‘Does the whole of London know I’m his mate?’

  ‘Oh no,’ Alec said. ‘Actually, the whole of London knows he’s your mate.’ Ceri looked quizzically at the older werewolf. ‘You’re Ceridwyn Brent,’ he explained, ‘the human girl who killed Remus, freed Luperca, and can turn into a black-fur by the blessing of the Goddess. Michael’s your mate.’

  ‘Oh,’ Ceri said, not sure what kind of response was appropriate. ‘Well… I better get them their drinks before they start howling again.’ She picked up the tray and started back through the room, her hips swaying as much to avoid hands as for style.

  As she walked back Lily fell into step beside her, flashing a look of exasperation before looping an arm around Ceri’s waist. Her fingertips brushed Ceri’s hips sending a jolt of electricity up her body. At work Lily ran her aura on low almost the entire time; it helped get her big tips. Not that the aura was needed to make Ceri’s body tingle at Lily’s touch. Ceri returned the favour and was pleased to note the tiny shiver which ran through Lily’s body in response. The fact that a simple touch was enough to turn on a woman who could have literally anyone in the room was a huge boost to Ceri’s sometimes fragile ego.

  Without warning, and with some surprise value, Carter appeared right behind them. ‘Ladies,’ he said quietly, ‘please rescue me from the horde of delinquents on table eighteen.’

  Ceri half-turned to look at the table of werewolf girls. They were giggling happily, dosed up on cocktails, and more or less wearing clothes; Ceri’s Dragon micro-dress covered more than what some of them had on. They cooed and waved at Carter as he looked their way. Ceri figured it was worth a try; she looped an arm around Carter’s shoulders and mouthed, ‘mine.’ Six she-wolves pouted playfully and then turned to giggle at each other.

  ‘What did you do back there?’ Carter asked when they were back at the bar, Ceri and Lily on either side of Michael.

  ‘I claimed you,’ Ceri said. Michael had a sudden coughing fit as he tried to simultaneously laugh and drink whiskey.

  ‘I beg your pardon,’ the playboy said.

  ‘I, um, claimed you. If they want you now they’ll have to ask me.’ Ceri frowned slightly. ‘Or do they have to ask Michael?’

  ‘You,’ Michael said. ‘He’s yours, not mine.’

  Carter glared at Alec, who seemed to be finding the entire thing too funny for words. Actually, he was slowly sinking under the bar trying not to laugh out loud. ‘I’m not entirely sure I appreciate being claimed,’ Carter said.

  ‘Well, you did ask to be rescued,’ Ceri said. ‘They’ll be less grabby now.’

  ‘It does mean you’ll have to sleep with her now, of course,’ Lily said. Her tone was casual enough to make it sound like she was serious.

  ‘I, uh…’ Carter said. He was rarely lost for words. Ceri looked at him and saw the conflicted emotions flicker across his face. He was moderately sure Lily was joking, but not entirely sure. He actually wanted to do it, but he so did not want to do it. That weird combination of reactions had confused Ceri since she had met the man.

  Michael, apparently, saw the same conflict and rescued him. ‘I’m afraid I’d have to object,’ he said. ‘It’s full moon night and I’ve got plans for my mate.’

  Behind her back, Ceri squeezed Michael’s hand in thanks. ‘Sorry, Boss, my mate says we can’t.’

  Carter managed to get sufficient sarcasm into his voice. ‘I’ll do my best to contain my disappointment.’ He looked across the counter, and then down. ‘Laughing Boy, a double would be appreciated.’

  Alec hauled himself up off the floor of the bar and reached for a whiskey bottle, wiping tears from his eyes with his other hand. ‘Sure, Boss,’ he said. ‘Or should I call you Ceri’s Toy Boy from now on?’

  Carter growled at him.

  Kennington, August 14th

  Ceri’s hands gripped the sheets convulsively. There was a line of energy between her clitoris and the centre of her forehead and it was pumping with wave after wave after wave of energy. She was hanging on the edge of the same orgasm she had been about to have for the last fifteen minutes. Her nerves were on fire, her breath was drawn in heaving gasps when she managed to draw breath. It was like dying. It was like being so alive it hurt. Then, without warning, the wave broke, slamming through her brain like a tsunami.

  When she opened her eyes, Lily was straddling Michael’s hips, slowly rising and falling. Michael’s eyes were clamped shut. Ceri licked her lips, tasting salt. ‘Pet,’ she said softly, ‘you’re fucking my mate.’

  ‘Yes, Mistress, but I’m doing it very slowly.’ Her body shuddered. ‘And I’m not feeding.’

  Ceri watched for several seconds; it was intensely erotic and her breathing started to quicken despite her recent climax. ‘Is, um…’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Well… is it better with me or Michael?’

  Lily did not stop her motion, but her face grew thoughtful. ‘Men have the advantage of physical stimulation…’ She shuddered again and had to pause. ‘It’s not just… just the flow of energy. But… oh… but with you I… oh… uh… I feel what you feel… Oh fuck, yes!’

  Ceri felt the wash of pleasure swelling up through her own body as Lily came. She gasped, her mind ringing. Yes, there was that, when Ceri climaxed Lily would feel it. ‘P-plusses and minuses then,’ she said.

  ‘Y-yes,’ Lily stammered. ‘Maybe we should work on your sixty-nine technique though.’ She looked down at Michael, her hips rotating slowly. ‘He’s still hard, you want to take over?’

  Ceri grinned and got to her knees to take Lily’s place. Michael gave out a little whimper.

  ~~~

  ‘You look like two young ladies kept you awake all night doing indescribable things,’ Twill said as she hovered a full mug of coffee over to Michael.

  Ceri and Lily giggled. ‘They weren’t ladies,’ Lily said, ‘they were me and Ceri.’

  ‘Well, I won’t disagree,’ Twill replied, smiling sweetly. ‘Would you like a bacon sandwich, you poor, abused young wolf?’

  ‘That would be great, ma-Twill,’ Michael said. ‘Sorry, tired makes me revert to a pup.’

  Twill smiled. ‘That’s quite all right.’ Behind her, without her looking, a frying pan lifted to the cooker, the fridge opened to disgo
rge bacon rashers, and the gas lit under the pan.

  Michael blinked and looked up at Ceri. ‘That tattoo of yours looks good, by the way.’ Ceri looked confused for a second and then remembered the tattoo on her back which had started appearing from under her skin recently. ‘I noticed it last night,’ he added, ‘but I was… uh, kind of occupied at the time.’

  Ceri considered the possible times he could have got a really good look at her back and flushed. Yeah, he had been occupied. She was surprised he had had enough brain power to take note of the tattoo.

  ‘Turn around then,’ Lily demanded. ‘Let’s have a proper look.’

  Sighing, Ceri turned in her seat and bent over so that Lily could look at her back. The tattoo, or birthmark, or whatever it was, was over her pelvic bone on her right hip. Lily’s fingers traced over the skin there and Ceri felt it tingle; she’d have thought her body would have had enough after last night. ‘It is pretty good,’ Lily said, ‘and probably complete. It’s got the same look to it that your old tattoos had. Kind of like ink under skin, but not. And it does match the necklace she gave you.’

  ‘Right,’ Ceri said. Brenhines, one of the dragons who were currently keeping an eye on her and probably one of the ones in Ceri’s bloodline, had given her a silver necklace with the same design as her new tattoo on it; a dragon bent around into a circle with a tribal sort of style to the art. Ceri had not asked Ed about it yet, but he was due over soon… ‘Time to ask my teacher about that then,’ she said.

  ~~~

  ‘Well,’ Ed said, ‘I haven’t seen one of those in… a few centuries.’

  ‘You recognise it then?’ Ceri asked, turning the rectangle of silvery metal so that she could see the engraving. ‘My tattoo is the same design.’

  ‘Interesting. The necklaces were given out once a year, on the morning of the Summer Solstice, to the most promising student in… well, since you like to call it Atlantis, let us stick with that. That was the emblem of Brenin and Brenhines, not that they used those names then.’