Inkwell Ch. 02

"Who is Styx?" He asked. Ducici looked confused as well.

"She is the gate keeper of the Messengers." Shesin said. "One must be here to hold her place when she travels back to name her tools."

"Nikita went back to check in and you are her stand in?" Lyrusi asked.

"I tend to her artisan while she is in the High realm, yes." Shesin said.

"You are bound?" Galenee asked.

"I am trained by my messenger. She holds my essence. Is this what bound means?" Shesin asked.

"Nikita trained you?" Estephan asked. Shesin nodded.

"Did she say anything to you this morning?" Galenee asked Estephan.

"Just that she was going to be gone for a few days. She said she was on a schedule for this one and that her first appearance was in three hours. She didn't mention a succubus." He said.

Ding dong, Knock knock knock knock ding dong, knock knock.

Everyone's eyes went towards the bedroom door. Estephan looked at the women in his bed and cringed. If it was his mother, there would be no explaining this one away. He crossed the room and stepped out the door.

Knock Knock. "Come on, open up." A feminine voice said from the other side of the door.

He panicked. He looked into the kitchen Yerni was still on the table. He panicked again because Yerni was still on the table buck naked face down with her ass in the air. He stepped to the door and looked thru the peep hole. Cindy Petrajes stood there looking afraid. She kept looking back as if watching something.

He opened the door a crack. "Cindy? It's early. What's the problem?" He asked.

"There is a guy following me. His sat outside my place all night. I called the police on him but they didn't seem to think it was a big deal. Would you let me in? You were the only person I could think of that was close. My car has a flat. I think the guy did it. I tried calling my dad but all I got was voicemail. Let me in please."

He stepped back and let her in. He was blushing before she even made it over the threshold. She darted in past him and ran for the living room. Once there she curled up in the arm chair and pulled her knees to her chest. She was about to say something but her mouth dropped open when she saw Yerni lying on his table. She shut her mouth and tried not to stare.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." She said shyly.

"Don't mind her. She's just not used to being fucked by a real man." Lyrusi said as she wondered in to the room wearing nothing. Cindy went wide eyed.

"That's hardly the right way to speak in front of a guest." Ducici said, "I will start making breakfast, Master." Then walked into the kitchen wearing only the "Kiss the Cook" apron. "Wake up! Fuck slut. Clean the table."

Cindy started to squirm where she sat. She had seen these women in his parlor. I had not accrued to her that they all lived with him. Of course there was the needing a bigger place thing dad told her about. She felt dirty about knowing this about him. He was a nice guy, good -- sexy looking, and polite. How could he have so many women?

Who was she kidding; she wanted to be one of them. "Um...do all of you live here?" She asked.

"We're just visiting." Galenee said. She had the succubus by the arm.

Cindy fainted seeing the creature. He shook his head. Want was he going to tell he soon to be new landlord. His wasn't just stepping out of the shower at a bad time. This was a harem of nude women. He looked around the room. All of them were going about their morning. Yerni had got off the table and was cleaning it. Ducici was cooking breakfast. Lyrusi was putting the dishes in of the dishwasher away. Galenee walked the succubus over and sat her down on the love seat sitting down next to her.

"I don't suppose anyone has a way of explaining this to her." Pointing at Cindy as he spoke.

"I don't think that is going to be much of an issue." Galenee said. "If she can see the horns then she has been touched by the higher realm."

"Right, no one see's them that aren't allowed to." He said.

"Come over and eat." Ducici said.

He walked over and sat down. "Shesin you were sent, told to be naughty-good. Was there any other instructions that you were to follow while you are here?"

"Take care of the artisan's needs. That was it. I do what you say, Master." She grinned with glittery eyes.

"What the hell is she?!?" Cindy exclaimed.

"Oh shit. Um...Cindy you are going to have to calm down and I will explain." He said.

"Explain the bitch has wings, horns, and a tail. How are you going to explain?" Cindy said.

"What's wrong with horns? He likes mine." Yerni blurted.

Cindy turned and looked at Yerni, her eyes widened in disbelief. Ducici kneeled down next to Cindy and took one of the girls' hands. She looked into her eyes.

"Do you still trust me?" Ducici asked. Galenee readied herself; the succubus was smiling a little too intently.

"I... still trust you." Cindy said.

The succubus sprang for Estephan. She didn't reach him, Galenee blindsided her mid pounce. Shesin wouldn't have gotten him anyway; he stepped quickly across and grabbed Cindy in a choke hold. Ducici jumped at his aggression. She twisted and hissed. Her form shifted as his hold on her threatened to rob her of conciseness.

"Banshee." Lyrusi spat.

"YOU can stop struggling or I will ship you back to the higher realm with a broken neck." He grumbled.

"How did you know?" Ducici asked sadly.

Yerni helped Galenee pull the succubus back to her feet and hold her still. Galenee looked at Estephan with a questioned look as well. All of the women stood there waiting for his answer. His heart raced as if it were trying to keep tempo with his thoughts.

"Her ears aren't pierced. When you stepped to her I noticed she didn't have her earrings in, or holes to wear them. And if it wasn't Cindy, it had to be a higher realm being. Guess you didn't figure on other mythics' still being here." He said. "You want to tell me your name, or am I just going to call you slave-slut number 2?"

"Number 2?" Lyrusi asked.

"This would be slave-slut 1, right master?" Yerni asked.

"You would be correct. Name, now."

"Joxifa." She gasped.

Estephan dumped her back into the chair. He took two steps and leveled his eyes into the succubus's. She squirmed but didn't look away. He brought his hand up and smacked her. Not hard but enough that her eyes went wide and she left out a single whimper.

"You do as I tell you? Or was that a lie?" He asked as he raised his hand again.

"I want sex; I do what you tell me, master." Shesin said.

He leaned forward and in her ear, "Lick Joxifa's pussy until I tell you to stop. Hold her down and no sucking, just lick." He pulled her from the grasp of the others and shoved her into the lap of Joxifa.

"Watch her while I get finish getting ready. I have to be in the shop in an hour." He said to Galenee. "The rest of you clean up a little and get some clothes on. Let's try to get thru the day and we'll figure out what else to do when we get back, alright?"

Everyone hopped to and did as they were asked. He dressed and gathered what he needed to take. He looked out to check a few times. The succubus was licking a squirming banshee's twat every time he looked. Ducici seemed a bit unnerved by it; the others just snickered except Galenee. She seemed to be enjoying her guard duty, her feelings of wanting some too confused him. Stepping back into the living room all the women were ready to go.

He walked over to the chair and grabbed one of Shesin's horns, "Stop licking."

Shesin did as she was told. "Yerni, you and Lyrusi grab Joxifa, Galenee you want to keep ahold of this one for me please?" Pulling Shesin over to Galenee's side. "Ducici you are in the passenger seat. You three are in the middle and Galenee, you two are in the back." He leaned down and whispered, "You might want to thank her for so dutifully watching over you. If I think for one moment you are a threat to me or the others..." He let the comment fall.

They loaded up and he started the engine. He eyes caught sight of Galenee staring at him. She had a questioning look in her eyes. He could feel her confusion. It was probably a lot less common for girl-girl sex to take place in the higher realm. He gave her a wink in the rearview. After that he lost sight of Shesin and soon heard moans and gasps from the seats behind him.

He pulled into the parking lot. There weren't many spaces to choose from. Almost a dozen people milled around in front of his parlor. None of them he recognized. He looked back at Joxifa with a sneer. Ms. Petrajes had better not be harmed or he would ...? What could he do? He thought about it.

"Morning, Mr. Estephan." A younger woman said. He smiled back.

As the ladies got out of the truck a tall pinch faced man approached. "Mr. Prizton, I am placing you under arrest." He said.

"What? For what?" Estephan said.

"Illegal dumping of hazardous materials. Will you come along quietly?"

"No I will not." He replied. Half the people standing there stepped towards the guy. "Everyone calm down. This gentleman is only doing his job. Shall we go inside and discuss this slanderous miscommunication?"

"I can't let you do that. Your shop is being quarantined."

"Well that is just too bad for you then."

"Good morning Mr. Prizton. I think he has the right to remove personal effects before you try to enforce that injunction, Gregg." Officer Wright said from Estephan's left.

"You think you can tell me what to do Mr. Wright?"

"I'd listen to him before you. He has a gun." Lyrusi whispered. A roll of snickers came from anyone that heard it thou.

"Alright folks, give Mr. Prizton 15 minutes to take care of this and I'm sure we will all be able to get on with our lives." Office Wright said not sparing any sarcasm. "If you would sir."

Estephan opened the parlor and let the ladies in, as well as Officer Wright, and Captain Dumbass. Soon as the guy stepped into the place his face lost color and he riffled his pockets. Officer Wright just kept watch over the guy. The ladies all set themselves to getting the parlor ready for visitors. Ducici set the coffee pots to brew, Lyrusi checked the info-card stands, and Galenee took Joxifa and Shesin into the office. Yerni stepped over to the counter and waited for Estephan.

"This is a tattoo parlor?" Gregg questioned. "Do you even use needles?"

"Yes. Ink needles. If you are trying to accuse me of syringe dumping, I don't use them. All of the numbing agents I use are topical. And my needles are smelted in the back and transported to the Haz-Mat by me personally. Care to have a look?" Estephan said. "Lyrusi please give him a look in the back, please don't go grabbing on things, my stock room was Medical certified, as well as my ink room."

"I will go with them. Hey were you serious about the tattoo?" Officer Wright asked.

"Of course." He replied with a 'hello' expression.

Within twenty minutes Gregg was sputtering and being lead out by Officer Wright. The shop opened with a cheer from a few of the customers waiting. The day went by in a blur. By 3 o'clock he had put on three tattoos and taken the deposits. He looked in on Shesin and Joxifa often. Neither of them seemed overly concerned about getting away. Galenee came in toting Chinese take-out again.

He ate and watched. Shesin read anything she got her hands on. He even took to handing her a few things. Joxifa fidgeted but said nothing and wouldn't look at him. Four commissions later they were ready to close up and head home. Lyrusi had told him Cindy called earlier in the day and was unaware of the Banshee's impersonation of her. That was a relief, Cindy was not involved.

"You are an amazing individual Estephan Prizton." Lady Artopos said.

He spun on a heel to look at her. "Another test?" He accused.

"No, the same one. Did you find it odd that I never told you what rules had to be followed? You have yet to ask any of the girls any questions about the higher realm. Why is that?" She asked.

"I don't care about the higher realm! I care about the here and now. Not the hereafter." He said.

"Calm down, you will get there a lot faster if you don't learn to relax." She said. "Well in your position a little stress is to be expected. However, you caught my Banshee, and have a succubus in your charge. If I may ask how did you get her?"

"Styx sent her to hold Nikita's place. Thou that is only what Shesin said. I for one would like two things from you."

"Only two?" She asked.

"I don't want my life handed to me, so yes, two." He said. Atropos smiled. "First thing I want is a guide book of some sort, with information on who is who. Second, I want an envoy, Joxifa."

"Interesting choices, why Joxifa?"

"Because she did what she did under your orders. I don't think she needs to be shunned for it." He said.

"She's a Banshee." Atropos said gruffly.

"Why do you say it like that? Like she isn't good enough, or not worth giving the job to. I wouldn't have guessed prejudice was a trait of the high realm. Would you have been as quick to say that if I said Shesin?" He said as he paced.

"You don't know what you are asking. Banshees are flighty and somewhat unreliable. They suffer insanity under the light of the full moon. Not the best choice for a position of some import." She said.

"I would have her knowing this. How is a person going to learn and grow if they are judged by what they are instead of whom?" He said.

"Beings of the higher realm don't learn, they adapt." Artopos said.

"Then she will adapt. Now about that book. When do you think I will be getting that?" He said as he looked into the eyes of each of the mythical ladies. Ducici looked at him in awe. Lyrusi was an echo of Yerni in a feeling that he needed to be fucked into unconsciousness for his chivalry. Galenee was stoic, her feelings about the situation unclear. Shesin looked at him in shock revealing the intelligence behind her wide eyes. Joxifa sat there terrified. Far more than when he grabbed her and held her in a choke hold. He turned and looked Atropos in the eyes.

"Did Styx send the succubus or was that you as well?" He asked.

Shesin went icy cold. He had his answer even if Atropos didn't answer.

"Yes she did, I was informed. Your testing is not quiet done yet. Adding distraction is only part of it." She lied badly.

Every word was a lie, and he could feel it. Galenee grinned privately but her feelings were clear. Shesin was confused, Styx had sent her, but no one was told about it. Joxifa trembled. He was arguing with a fate to make her something. Her inner turmoil's started running across each other, he was magnificent.

"You're lying. And with that you can leave this realm. I will expect that book. Soon!" He stated with authority.

Atropos leered at him. Waving her hand a book slammed loudly into the floor causing a few of the ladies to jump. She started to fade and he caught a glimpse of a haunted smile on face. It chilled him. That was not what he expected to happen.

"Alright let's get out of here before anything else wants to have an attitude." He said.

Galenee pulled Shesin up and took her by the arm, more of a leading gesture them restraining one. Lyrusi bounced over to his left arm as Yerni slinked under his right. Ducici stood looking at the book.

"Are you coming, Joxifa. Or would you rather be sent back?" He asked as he untangled himself from the ladies at his sides.

"You're serious?" She chirped.

"Yes I am." He said as he leaned down at picked up the book. "Let's go."

The ride home was silent. No one seemed to know what to say. He pulled into the parking space in front of his apartment. Mr. Petrajes stood at his apartment door waiting. The timing was off, but this was a meeting he knew was going to take place. He shut off the engine.

"It's late sir. Couldn't this meeting wait till the morning?" He said stepping from the SUV.

"Hardly, my wife wants some tattoos to hide her scars as well." He said.

"I can do that." Estephan said. "Come by the shop and we'll see what she wants."

"She can't, she is hospitalized at the moment." He said.

"Oh, I can work out something." He grabbed the book and headed for the door. "Was that all you wanted to talk about?"

"No. I have these." He said holding up a roll of paper. "Blue prints, so you can lay out the floor plan of your apartment. I am true to me word."

"Thank you Mr. Petrajes that will be so helpful." Ducici said warmly. "Come in, I'll put on some tea."

With a nod to Galenee, Joxifa and Shesin were lead into the bed room. Yerni and Lyrusi coyly relieved him of the rolled up blue print and laid it out to the coffee table. He took the book in to his bed room.

"Tie her to a chair." Pointing at the succubus. "Find out why she is really here. I will be in with questions of my own. Am I going to have to claim her in a similar fashion as I did with the rest of you?" He asked Galenee.

"I don't know." She replied.

"We'll strip her and worry about it later. Her to. Then the chair. I will give you a personal thank you for the extra efforts Galenee. Might even leave some hickies on your sweet neck." He said.

Galenee eyes glittered as she quivered. She started pulling the cloths off of Shesin. Joxifa mouth dropped open seeing the sylph's reaction to his words. He opened his closet and tossed his box of Christmas ties on the bed. He stepped behind Galenee and shoved his hands on the front of her outfit.

"If your cloths happen to fall of taking care of these two I would be able to thank you faster." He said huskily in her ear as his fingers rubbed circles over her hard clit.

"Yes sir." Galenee sighed.

"Hop to it then." He said stepping back and swatting her wiggling ass.

She took to her chores quickly. He stepped from the room and saw the three ladies hovering around Mr. Petrajes provocatively. He looked on the verge of fainting. He cleared his throat and they moved away giving the older man a little breathing room.

"How do you do that?" He asked.

"Do what sir?" Estephan asked in return.

"Hold the attention of this many beautiful ladies?" He asked. "I was a bit of a ladies man in my time, but you got me beat four times over."

"Do you love your wife sir?" Estephan asked warmly.

"Yes!" Mr. Petrajes exclaimed.

"Then sir, I can't in good conscience tell you that." He said in humor.

"Wha... Oh... hahaha. You can't." He laughed.

It was an hour or so later, he was showing Mr. Petrajes to the door and bidding him good night. The place would be huge compared to this one. His thoughts were randomly jumping from fantasy to practical concerns and back. He walked towards the bedroom. When he got to the door all of the ladies had crowded into the room.

"Ok, why are all of you in here?" He asked.

"Here are the answers for you." Galenee said pointing into the book.

"Really." He said as he sat down and started reading.

The book had a clear and easy to understand outline of what his status as 'Patron' held. He couldn't be unheeded by anyone from the higher realm. His word was law in the mortal realm. The loop hole in that was if he showed indifference to them, they were free. It made a sense in a heuristic way. When a being of the higher realm came here, someone had to acknowledge their power or they were powerless. If they were seen as powerful without limits, they could run riot.

And to hold a mythic to his service he had to claim them. Thru contract or, in the case of Nikita and her companions, with sex. Something about that seemed out of proportion. He had enjoyed it or that he was looking forward to extending it Shesin and Joxifa. There was a whole section on 'mythic gifts' to a mortal. It makes them sound like bribes. It wasn't told to him that way but it made sense. They give you something to let them stay, the better the gift, the less likely a mortal is going to give it up sending you away.