Malcubus Ch. 01: Cherry

"I'll just do what I was spawned to do. Your job is stand here and be cool."

"She is gonna kill me. Kill me forever."

"I won't even mention you! I won't hint at you!" The auburn-haired girl reached out and pushed him back into the aisle of books with surprising strength. "Just stand here and be cool, dude. That's your job. In half an hour or so, go up and chat to her. Maybe find an excuse to touch her, all friendly-like. Then ask her out for coffee or something. She'll say yes."

He looked at her sceptically. "You are so full of bullshit."

"Nobody up here has trust anymore. I'm telling you, she'll be hanging off your arm by tonight."

Anthony chuckles nervously, another reflex. "Who are you? Some sort of... fairy goddaughter? Cupid?"

"Nah, I'm the angel on your shoulder," Rosmerta says breezily. "Just hang out with the books for a bit, and then get friendly with Makenzie. Trust your guardian angel, Anthony."

"Holy shit. You aren't really an angel, are you? I'm going crazy."

"Not crazy, Anthony," Rosmerta says over her shoulder as she walks away. "Pretty naive, but that's half the fun of finally coming up here, isn't it?"

Anthony stares as the girl walks over to the help desk. Even with the ridiculous scenario (and probably awful consequences) playing out, he spends most of his brainpower staring at her ass. Who the hell can show off the tightness of their tushie while wearing track pants?

Angels, apparently.

The redhead leans over the desk to say hello to Makenzie, asking some question with an innocent expression. Within a few seconds his co-worker is smiling in a friendly manner and the two are chatting animatedly. Anthony can't hear anything properly from his position in the shelves, but he can clearly see when the redhead walks around behind the desk and stands beside Makenzie, still speaking amicably. His co-worker gets up, gesturing helpfully, perhaps offering to find or do something, and then hesitates, staring at the redhead's face. Makenzie is frozen, her smile slowly fading. The redhead steps in and embraces her in a hug, leaning into the crook of Makenzie's neck, then moves back with a friendly pat on the back. Makenzie seems dazed, sitting down gingerly as the redhead hops back out from behind the desk and walks away into the shelves of the library. Anthony wants to follow and question her, but he's distracted by Makenzie: still distracted-looking, staring blankly at her computer screen, ignorant of her silent audience. Soon enough she returns to normal activity, tapping away idly at her computer and helping a lady check out some books, but she does it all with a red flush to her cheeks and a distracted expression on her face.

Anthony cuts his observation short, belatedly trying to find the auburn-haired girl in the book stacks. Although it is a small library, he patrols it twice before realizing that she has left, and once more before accepting it. He thinks of all the things he could ask her, and that he never learnt her name.

Soon enough, however, he works up the courage to approach the help desk. Makenzie's eyes are half-lidded and she sits relaxed, so he thinks she might be falling asleep, but she jerks upright when she hears him beside her and presses her legs together tightly, scooting her chair under the desk and quickly putting both her hands atop the keyboard.

"Tony! Tony... everything okay?"

"Fine," he says. "I, uh, finished restocking T."

"You -- oh, um, yeah, that was what I... yeah." Makenzie's brow, he notices, has a few trace beads of sweat atop it. "Yeah, nice work."

"Are you okay, Makenzie?" he asks.

"Fine, why would you ask?" she says casually, then frowns. "Although, there was... I thought I saw this girl."

His heart races. "A girl? Did she say anything to you?"

Makenzie gazes off into the distance. "I don't think so, I..." Her absent gaze falls across Anthony and she closes her mouth, wriggling further upright in her chair as she looks up at him. To her, he looks tall, imposing, masculine. He's standing over her like he's her boss, after all, even though she's been working here far longer than him. "See, it all blurs together. That's what happens at this place, Tony."

"Lucky us," he says, and she feels that she is the lucky one. "I had a weird conversation myself, but I much prefer talking to you. You're normal."

"Not too normal, right? I know it's boring in here, but there's nothing to talk about. Nothing happens."

"Right. What do you do to entertain yourself, sitting at this desk all day?" Anthony asks.

The question is innocent enough, but Makenzie blushes bright red and has to force herself not to glance down at her lap. "Um. Not much. Just sit. Mostly I don't entertain myself, and I do get bored. God, I want to do something exciting." She leans back a little, trying to suck in her miniscule gut, and wishes she didn't have acne across half her cheek. "I could really use some excitement in my life."

For the third time today, Anthony is brave. "Well, I can't promise excitement, but I was wondering if you wanted to..."

He gives her the usual soft pitch -- coffee, rather than a drink -- but instead of rebuffing him as expected, Makenzie's eyes light up. Within five minutes they've planned to make the most of their Friday night and find a bar. Within an hour she's actively flirting with him.

Within four hours his shift is done. Makenzie still has another two hours to go, but the library is almost empty, and she feels safe enough to slip a hand beneath her skirt once more.

***

You: Warren. Buddy. Gotta talk serious for a moment

0455 352 909: bad srs?

You: Not sure yet, but hope not.

0455 352 909: Shoot

You: You've dated two really clingy girls.

You: 2 questions. 1, does clingy doom the relationship from start? = never go near ever, or just a downside that can be balanced or managed?

0455 352 909: srs answer?

You: Pls

0455 352 909: Clingy's great while together if you like the girl/hanging out with girls in general

0455 352 909: Affection, constant sexting, etc. Plus after being apart, reunion sex = amazing.

0455 352 909: Let me know when I'm bragging

You: Q2, how soon did you know Ichiko was crazy clingy? Were there early warning signs? Crazy eyes?

0455 352 909: Wait. You haven't met a girl have u Eric?

You: ...there may be a girl.

0455 352 909: HA

0455 352 909: FUCK YES

0455 352 909: You have no idea how happy I am

0455 352 909: anyone we know?

You: No, and pls don't get excited. I don't know whether this will even be a thing

0455 352 909: It has to be a thing

You: 1: I refuse to get hopeful, it's really hard to believe this is happening

You: 2: Reasonable Eric is screaming that it would be a TERRIBLE idea to go after this girl

0455 352 909: DO IT FAGET

0455 352 909: but seriously do it

0455 352 909: if I survived Ichiko you can survive desperate girl

0455 352 909: NOTHING wrong with desperate chicks btw

You: I'm hesitating because she's almost certainly batshit insane by any normal human measure.

0455 352 909: all the more reason to go for it

You: Isn't the rule 'don't have sex with crazy chicks'

0455 352 909: no, it's 'always have sex with crazy chicks'

You: ...

0455 352 909: which of us has more experience with women, bro?

You: Point.

0455 352 909: srs talk

0455 352 909: crazy chicks are great. They give you tonnes of shit, but that keeps things exciting, and predictable comfortable relationships kill girlboners dead. YOU have to break up w/ crazy chicks

0455 352 909: point two for crazy chicks: sure, eventually you'll have to break up w/ them. But until then the sex is AMAZING

0455 352 909: srsly bro, crazy chicks are always best at sex.

You: In this case, I actually believe you.

You: Not sure how helpful this has been, I'm still pretty sure this is a terrible idea that will haunt me for all eternity

0455 352 909: as if you're gonna reject ANY non-landwhale girl. If you really want a no-go order I'd have to meet her

You: Not a good idea yet. Fuck. If I run into serious problems with this shit, you'll help me right?

0455 352 909: Bro. You'll be fine. And on the tiny chance shit goes shitty, I'll help you out.

You: Thanks Warren. Here's hoping you don't come to regret saying that.

0455 352 909: sounds like you'll be doing any regretting first. Jks. Go for it bro. Every hole's a goal.

You: I think she'll be going after me.

***

"Hey, sexy," Rosmerta said as she approached.

I tried to act cool as I put my phone away, as if I hadn't been sneaking glances at the library entrance for the past fifteen minutes. "Uh, hi."

The demon looked none the worse for wear -- no obvious bloodstains or other-fluid-stains, hair still straight and shiny, the same perky expression she'd had when I'd dropped her off. She sidled up to me and slid a svelte arm around my side, familiar as anything. "Did you miss me?"

"What do you think?"

"I wouldn't presume to know your mind, Eric," she said with a flutter of her eyelashes. "But I know I missed you."

"Really?" I asked, gormlessly.

"Really," she insisted as we walked out to the car. She shifted into a whisper when we passed a woman pushing a shopping trolley. "I didn't realize what it would be like, with a body of flesh. The need... I'm so horny for you, master, I can't stand it."

That made walking a little less comfortable.

Rosmerta sniffed appreciatively as we reached the car park. "You don't smell like grease."

"I, uh, ducked into the gym to take a shower. How do you know what grease smells like, anyway? Does McDonalds have a franchise in, um, in the Umbra?"

"You have a gym membership, I know what grease smells like. We certainly are a well-rounded pair of individuals, aren't we?"

She hadn't answered my question, but by the time we spotted my car I'd come up with a better one. "Wait... 'body of flesh'. What did you mean? Is this the first time you've been summoned?"

Those entrancing eyes blinked at me like I'd just blown a long, loud raspberry. "Well, yes, of course. I can hardly wander about the Fundament in my original form; I developed this body upon your spell."

It was good that nobody was around, because this was getting weird. "This isn't what you really look like?"

Again with the desultory stare. "This is the real me, master -- well, technically my other form is the real me, but I think you see the resemblance." I recalled the half-remembered image of last night -- wings, horns, tail -- before she continued. "My Umbral form was similar in theme, I suppose, but it certainly lacked all the fluid this body produces."

"Okay, I think I get it. Being summoned was like a chrysalis. This is the real you, you just matured as of... shit, almost sixteen hours ago." We'd arrived at the car, and I felt a twinge of regret when Rosmerta parted from my side. I opened the doors. "Like demon puberty?"

"I suppose, although you're not going to have to worry about any monthly bleeding from me," she said, then looked at the ground shyly. "At least in general. I suppose technically I'm still a virgin."

My keys missed the ignition slot. I stared at her. "What?"

A cute blush spread across her face, making her freckles stand out.

"No, seriously, what?" It seemed almost ridiculous enough to laugh at. "You're a succubus! I thought all you did was, you know, have sex!"

"All I want to do is have sex," she said, "with you."

"You're really a virgin?"

"Not quite as much as you are," she said, regaining some confidence, "but functionally, yes. There is little Fundamental matter in the Umbra at all, let alone mortal males. Who would have deflowered me?"

No dudes in Hell? That was reassuring, but it was remarkably hard to focus on theological quandaries with a cute girl next to me talking about her hymen. "That's... um. Okay. You know, if I'm being objective, that's by far the least weird thing about this whole day."

"You're not disappointed?"

"What?" I reached out and took her hand. "Rosmerta, are you a complete idiot? Of course I'm... Look, you're amazing, and... Ah, shit." I squeezed her fingers. "Being completely honest, I'm actually kind of glad we get to lose it together."

She grinned at me evilly. "Trust me, my master: you have absolutely no idea."

My destination -- our destination, I supposed, if I was really going through with this -- lay several kilometres away. My beat-up Corolla was no-one's idea of a sweet ride, but driving always relaxed me nonetheless. Heading away from the city towards the less populous suburbs, there was little traffic.

The succubus played with the radio for a while, oohing and aahing at the various stations. Apparently there was plenty of mortal music in the Umbra, but nothing like this. When I asked her what was the most recent decade they played down below, she just shrugged.

"Surely you know what year it is when you're, I don't know, pirating mp3s off our internet or something?"

Rosmerta shook her head. "Time is different in the Umbra, if it truly exists there at all. We can scry upon the Fundament, but its years and dates are hard to comprehend, and to be honest, not particularly interesting. Mortals don't really change, after all."

"Different," I mused. "How do you mean?"

"How should I know?" She poked me gently below the ribs. "Maybe you summoned the wrong demon. Should have gone for a child of Envy, they're obsessed with you mortals."

"But you aren't?"

"I'm obsessed with one mortal," she grinned. Pulling open the waistband of her track pants, she slipped a finger out of my view. "Want to guess just how much?"

My eyes bugged at the sight of movement under the fabric, and I forced my gaze back to the road before we ploughed into the curb. "Bloody hell!"

"It's not either of those things, trust me."

"Fucking..." She'd turned the radio off, and I could hear her masturbating. The road was starting to curve up into the hills and I needed to play closer attention to it. Apparently that offended Rosmerta because she cleared her throat at me, then did so again when I kept my eyes ahead and my knuckles white on the wheel.

"A-hem. Pit take you, Eric, this isn't as much fun if you don't look at me."

"I'm trying to -- " I made the mistake of turning around, and the lazy grin stretched across her lips was almost as alluring as the knowledge of just what she was doing with her hand. "C-can you please stop that?" I stuttered.

"Why?" she asked innocently. "I've been waiting for you all day, and now you expect me to just sit here staring at you and not touch myself?"

I slowed down to reduce the likelihood of dying horribly on the next few turns. There was no-one immediately behind us, thankfully, because when Rosmerta gave a gentle sigh of pleasure I almost took out a speed limit sign.

"Fuck, stop it, you crazy bitch!" Profanity slipped out as my heart rate spiked.

"Ohh," she sighed, "call me that again."

"Rosmerta!" I begged, "I know you're horny, but I am hornier."

"Doubt it."

"Seriously, this is obscene, and I need to be able to focus to drive safely. You know that comes with a 'body of flesh', right? Injury? Dying?"

"I'd rather the little death... Fine. We'd better reach wherever you're taking us soon, though." She straightened up in her seat and slid her hand back out of her pants. Although I was trying hard to be a responsible road user, I couldn't help but notice the faint sheen of moisture upon her index and middle fingers. I gulped even harder when she raised them to her pink lips.

She noticed my furtive glances. "Oh, sorry, I'm being rude," she said. "Do you want a taste?"

Her fingers were waving under my nose before I can react, and I could smell them, smell her. It was a vital odour, not pungent or fishy like people say, but very much organic. Like the sweat across your own shoulders after a light workout, like an unidentifiable whiff from a restaurant across the street. Like fruit and fire.

I knew that if I let that finger enter my mouth, we wouldn't be driving anywhere further tonight.

Shaking my head furiously, I let go of the wheel with one hand to push her away. "No," I said as firmly as possible. "We're getting where we're going, Rosie. No more temptation until then."

Although I was trying to not have any peripheral vision whatsoever, I heard her snort. "Fine. But I'm not letting this go to waste."

I heard a wet sound, soft in both texture and volume. The tight jeans I'd changed into after work were causing me serious discomfort.

After a while Rosmerta spoke, and her voice had mercifully lost its husky, seductive tone. Now she sounded genuine, girly, and perhaps touched. "You... called me 'Rosie'."

"Uh, yeah, I just... It's an abbreviation. Most people do that, with names, this century. I can - "

"I like it."

My ears popped. I kept driving.

As the setting sun started casting its light through rather than over the trees, I told 'Rosie' where we were going.

Going back to the house with the succubus was ill-advised at this time of day. Both Carrie and my dad would be home soon and the risk of them noticing my companion was too great. That left precious few places, however, that we could go to be alone and to... to do whatever the hell it was I was getting myself into. A shitty motel, while affordable, certainly didn't seem appropriate for what was about to happen.

And if I'd completely misread the spell instructions and this was the last big mistake of my life, well, I wouldn't mind dying somewhere nice.

The lookout was a small one, ten minutes down dirt roads from the larger lookout that got most of the sightseers. This one, a simple semi-circle of cleared grass among the trees clinging to the mountainside, had less glare at this time of day... and we were unlikely to be interrupted.

"Back before my mum left," I said, "we used to live near the foot of the mountains. It was pretty far from the city, but nice, you know? I'd bully Dad into taking Warren and I up here some weekends -- there's rainforest, and there are some waterfalls and stuff that you can swim in."

"It sounds lovely. Could you take me there, someday?"

I was a little surprised by the request, but thinking about it made me feel happy rather than merely horny. "Uh, sure," I said. "I think I'd like that."

She nodded towards the lookout clearing, just visible down a thin path from the roadside where we'd parked. "Is this the place?"

"Yeah."

"Looks like we've got it all to ourselves."

"Uh, yeah," I said nervously.

Rosie patted me on the shoulder sympathetically, then smiled. "Come on, I'll race you!" She was out of the car and down the path before I could say anything.

Slowly, I got out of the car. Deep breaths, Eric. Grabbing the picnic blanket and a pillow from the boot, I started away from the road and down the path, a big knot of energy untangling itself in my stomach. Maybe it was untangling lower down as well. This was all I'd been thinking about all day.

A magpie crowed in the trees above me, bringing me back into reality. Framed by the sloping rainforest on either side, I could see half the city coloured amber by the setting sun behind me. I could see the hilly clump of buildings where I worked, and the reservoir near where I'd gone to school. I could see the shadows lengthening as afternoon waned to twilight.

And I could see her.

Rosmerta had stripped off my sandshoes and squatted barefoot in the grass, gazing around her in wonder. One hand clenched in the thick, wild grass, and the other held a magpie feather like it was a made of sterling silver. She spoke without looking back at me. "It's beautiful," she said without looking back at me.

Nervous energy roiling in my stomach, I spread out the picnic blanket beside her. "No trees in the Umbra?"