Succubated!

Una placed her hands on the long mahogany table in the loft’s common area and gazed around at her friends. I’m relieved to see everyone here, she thought, and glad they all responded so quickly when I reached out. Still… it’s a lot, having everyone in one place.

She glanced at Susan, who sat beside her, tapping intently on her laptop’s keyboard. Susan’s dark hair, usually tied up in a messy ponytail, hung loosely around her shoulders; her thick glasses reflected the light as she frowned at something unseen. She seemed even more distracted than usual—she’d arrived early but hadn’t said more than a quick hello.

“Do you think we should get started?” The succubus drummed her fingers nervously, but Susan just hummed in acknowledgement and kept typing.

Una looked towards the other end of the table, where Maria perched on a corner of the wood expanse, looking for all the world like a queen holding court. She wore a red silk dress—the Chinese style called a cheongsam—that exposed her cleavage, clung to her hourglass figure, and ended high above the knees to reveal her endless legs.

Una noticed Maria wasn’t bothering to hide her horns, either. Unlike Una’s own, they shone the same creamy color as her skin, and curved in elegant waves that jutted from her thick, blonde hair.

Two unfamiliar figures flanked Maria: the twin siblings Xander and Alexa, both wearing blue jeans and matching white tank tops. There was something odd about those two, but Una couldn’t place her finger on it. The strong resemblance in their tan, muscular builds and bleach-blonde hair seemed unusual, more like identical twins than fraternal, and the way they interacted with Maria suggested something more than mere friendship.

Maria said something to X, who stood near the trio, listening with a polite smile. When Maria broke into a peal of laughter, both Alexa and Xander joined in, their expressions mirroring each other’s adoration for their mistress perfectly. That’s it, Una realized. They’re treating Maria like she’s royalty and they’re her attendants.

As if she’d heard Una’s thoughts, Maria turned towards the older succubus and gave her a knowing smirk. She said something to X, flashing a dazzling smile, and placed an elegantly manicured hand on his chest, leaning in to whisper into his ear. Then Maria glanced up to make eye contact with Una; she winked, her expression full of smug satisfaction.

What’s going on with her? Una wondered, though her stomach twisted with unexpected jealousy. She raised her eyebrow in response to the other woman, giving her a questioning glance. It’s not as if I own X’s affections, but Maria’s treating him as if she wants to play with the new toy I just brought home. Okay, that description might be more accurate than I’d like to admit…The sultry blonde simply turned away, returning her attention to Xander and Alexa.

Una looked over towards Jay Sigma, who seemed to be interviewing Yevgeny, the eldest member of the refugees staying at the Haven, while John looked on protectively. The old vodyanik had dressed as if for a formal occasion, in a suit coat that looked like he’d borrowed it from someone else, a shirt that was buttoned crookedly, and a tie patterned with cartoonish fish. He sat with his arms folded, nodding seriously as Jay asked him a question. Quizzing him about the world he came from, no doubt. Jay’s as curious as Susan about supernatural phenomena, and twice as nosy.

John, standing next to Yev, was a stark contrast, his dark skin and close-cropped black hair offsetting Jay’s light complexion and shaggy cap of red hair. The two of them made quite a pair, with their differing styles: Jay in jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt that read ‘I ❤️ BREAST MILK’; John, in black slacks, a black turtleneck, and a clerical collar, his expression serious.

Una adjusted her own outfit, a navy skirt suit tailored to fit her curves, and felt suddenly self-conscious of her own attempt to project seriousness and confidence. I’m just glad Jay let me get this suit adjusted, she thought ruefully. It’s not like my stipend from the Church covers this kind of couture.

She caught John studying her and couldn’t help but smile back at him. Her priestly boyfriend mouthed something at her. You all right?

Una nodded. Always so damn attentive, Father Hayes, she mused. Even after everything I’m putting you through. She kept trying not to think about the tension that had been growing between them lately, but couldn’t help but notice that John’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

A well-muscled green arm lifted the gate that separated the freight elevator from the loft proper. Paisley stepped out, followed by Sherill; each carried two large sacks of brown paper. “We’ve got the coffee and bagels!” the orc announced, their voice a melodious holler.

The two least likely members of Una’s circle had arrived early and insisted on getting refreshments for the meeting, despite Una telling them it wasn’t necessary. Both the orc and the young dream-eater looked quite different from Una’s memories of them—in Sherill’s case, because the girl had made a full recovery from her injuries and an ordeal of imprisonment.

Color and roundness had returned to Sherill’s cheeks, although there was still a haunted look in her eyes, and her chestnut hair was thicker and more lustrous than Una remembered, falling in unruly waves around her shoulders. She wore an oversized lavender sweatshirt with small plastic horns and floppy black ears attached to the hood. Amusingly, those ears and horns matched the girl’s actual pairs, which remained hidden beneath layers of hair and fabric. An attempt at camouflage? Or maybe a college kid’s subtle statement of identity?

Paisley, however, looked like an entirely different orc. This wasn’t all that uncommon among Paisley’s people, as Una understood it: orc bodies shifted fluidly to match each orc’s mood and gender, though on the whole they tended to remain green, well- muscled, and taller than human average, with tusks jutting upward from a lower jaw and a prominent, upturned nose.

Una recognized Paisley’s features in their new shape, but the orc’s face and body were softer, with wider hips and gentle curves at chest and cheeks. The linebacker build of their male form had melted into something more akin to a swimmer, lean but powerful—and clad in a white tank-top and plaid miniskirt that exposed plenty of smooth emerald thigh. Their hair was styled in an undercut, with a few locks dyed a deep purple.

As Sherill and Paisley unpacked the food on Jay’s long dining table, earning plenty of eager attention from Xander and Jay in particular, Una felt a prickle of attention brush past her awareness. Her tail, currently wrapped around her waist, twitched reflexively. She’d almost failed to notice her final guest, who’d slipped in behind Paisley and Sherill and was leaning against the doorframe of the freight elevator with her arms crossed. Cassandra looked as if she’d rather be anywhere else, her face set in a studied nonchalance that Una could tell masked unease. The succubus almost waved to the demon hunter, then thought better of it.

“All done,” said Susan in a sing-song tone. “We may convene the meeting.”

Una wrinkled her forehead. “All done with what, exactly?” She hadn’t noticed what Susan was working on during the last half-hour, but assumed it must have been important for her to ignore the surrounding conversation.

Susan looked up from her laptop screen with a start, and blinked owlishly at Una. “I have compiled a list of the business entities linked to Matt Kyber, aka Matthaios Kyberus, including shell companies, subsidiaries, joint ventures and partnerships.” She gestured to the screen, where Una saw several columns of numbers and text. “I have also cross-referenced these with known assets connected to the occupant of the penthouse you indicated, whose name isn’t listed… that was a little tricky. He seems to operate through a private bank called Fitch, Selwyn and Kirk.”

Una blinked. “I… thank you, Susan, but how the hell did you put that together so fast?”

Susan smiled pleasantly. Her glasses flashed with reflected light as she tapped the laptop’s keyboard. “It’s all available somewhere in the noosphere,” she said. “I just needed time to process the information. I am very efficient.”

Una shook her head slowly. Susan seemed… off, somehow. More intense and focused, but less present than normal, as though part of her mind was elsewhere, running calculations and processing information. Una leaned her head to the side and gazed into her girlfriend’s eyes, noticing the golden flecks that danced against Susan’s chocolate-brown irises, melting into each other and forming patterns that wove a tracery of light, an embroidered net that beckoned…

Una blinked and straightened, a shiver running down her spine. “You’re nothing if not efficient, love,” she said with haste, and then turned back to the others, clearing her throat and raising her hands to draw their attention. Her gathered friends and lovers, all caught up in conversation, mouthfuls of bagel, or brooding silence, paused in their activity and turned towards her.

“Welcome, everyone,” Una said, her contralto voice carrying clearly across the space of the open loft. “Thank you for coming on short notice. I appreciate you all being here to talk about some issues that have… gotten complicated in recent weeks.”

She glanced at Cassandra, who met her gaze briefly, then looked away. Her gaze drifted across the rest of the group, and she took a deep breath. Here we go.

“The archdemon Nezz is still after me. As most of you know, he destroyed the compound in the Catskills where the Vatican’s Curia for Supernatural Warfare locked me up. Then he pursued me into the mountains, and he hasn’t stopped chasing me since.” Una sighed. Why does this feel like I’m taking up space with my problems? Or am I giving a sermon, as I once loved to?

Sherill raised her hand, and Una nodded. “And I wasn’t the only one held there. Sherill and I escaped together, and Yevgeny Borodkin is here as well, representing the others who’ve taken refuge here in New York after we all got out of there.” In acknowledgement, Yevgeny gave a deep nod with a hand on his chest.

Una looked back at the half-baku. “Sherill, did you have a question?”

The young woman lowered her hand and bit her lip. “I… I just wondered. It was that priest, Monsignor Spencer. He made my father forget I was there, and was in charge of the… tests and things they did to me.” Sherill seemed to struggle for words. “But did Nezz kill him? Or did he… change into Nezz? I don’t understand.”

Una took a deep breath before continuing. “Neither, from what I’ve seen. Spencer somehow… contained Nezz, without being fully possessed. I’m afraid that my fight with Spencer might have allowed Nezz to reverse the situation, so that Spencer is… he’s still alive, kind of. Trapped within Nezz, who’s free to do as he wishes.”

Across the room, Una saw Cassandra stalk forward to take up a position against one of the concrete pillars, arms folded. The demon hunter’s lips pressed together in a thin line, and her eyes narrowed.

“That man deserves no better,” said Yevgeny, whose voice held a hint of a growl. “He’s a torturer and a butcher, a monster. Not everyone he imprisoned in that place escaped, you know. Some were too weak, or broken in spirit or body.” The elderly vodyanik’s eyes glinted with bitterness.

Sherill looked stricken, and John reached out to touch her shoulder comfortingly. “I won’t waste breath defending Thomas Spencer,” said the broad-shouldered priest. “The man was a disgrace to the Church and the cloth. But if Nezz is on the loose, he’s the real problem now, right? Him and that lackey of his, Kyber.”

Undaunted by the discussion, Susan spoke in a calm and matter-of-fact tone. “Kyber has been a known associate of multiple archdemons since at least the late Roman Empire,” Susan said, looking up from her computer to meet Una’s gaze. “He’s operated as a fixer for other entities, arranging deals and contracts, providing favors and services.”

Una nodded, though she felt discomfited by Susan’s detached tone. “That all fits, yes. Kyber is a sneaky trickster and a master of underhanded negotiation. He’s already tried to recruit John, and although he promised to contact me instead of my friends, I’m worried that Kyber may try to threaten or hurt you to get at me. I want all of you to be on guard.”

“That’s basically what you said in that two-page text message you sent everybody.” Maria waved her hands as she spoke, her tone slightly petulant. “Be careful! They want me and they’ll come after you. But what exactly are we talking about? He’s going to send monsters after us? Or try to trick us into signing a contract in blood? Oooh, I know! Maybe… don’t sign anything in blood!” Her smile was mischievous but with a sharp edge.

X lifted his hand, two fingers pointed towards the ceiling. “I don’t know any of you, and I only met the Lady Una the other day, but I can attest that the threat is real. Brutish flying creatures with claws and fangs, and a cloud of… terrible moths. I don’t know how to describe it.” He shuddered at the memory. “They attacked the airship we were on.” Maria raised an eyebrow, eyeing X with curiosity.

“That’s right,” Una said, and let out a sigh. “I apologize for being vague in my earlier messages. A lot has happened, but perhaps I should just tell you all exactly what kind of threat we’re dealing with. After we all returned to New York, I flew across Manhattan trying to get back here. Nezz intercepted me with a swarm of moths. Stygian Moths, I think they’re called.”

Jay made a small noise of surprise. “Skull markings on their wings? Like a Death’s Head Hawk Moth, but bigger, and they shed lots of scale dust? There have been sightings of those recently. Nasty things; you don’t want to breathe in the dust.”

Una gave the hacker a thin-lipped smile. “Exactly. It can cause hallucinations, disturbing visions. I escaped, but it was a trick to get me to Nezz’s penthouse. He’s calling himself Nestor, although he’s large enough that he barely seems human. Kyber tried to offer me a job, and I refused.”

Maria raised one carefully shaped eyebrow. “What kind of job?”

Una grimaced and rolled her eyes slightly. “He claimed he was making a reality TV show about supernatural beings and wanted me to be the host.” Maria’s laugh was a high peal of delight; Xander and Alexa chuckled along. Una waved her hands dismissively. “Yes, yes… Definitely not something I’d want to do. But I’m sure it was a ruse, anyway.”

She perched on a stool at the head of the table and continued. “Kyber kept trying to persuade me to work with him, in dreams as well.” Sherill perked up again at that; Una had been meaning to ask the dream-eater about her experiences, but the time had never seemed right. “Then he tried to persuade John to work with him.”

The priest clasped his hands and spoke. “He claimed his company wanted to invest in the Haven, help fund repairs and that sort of thing. But his language was… subtly threatening? He said it’d be unfortunate if anything happened to Letitia.” Una saw John’s knuckles tense with anger. “Like a gangster with a protection racket.”

Maria frowned and lifted a finger. “Wait, I don’t get it. He wants to donate money to the Haven? It’s not like you’d have to sign over your soul for that, right?”

Cassandra stepped forward, now just a few feet from the table. “Never accept any deal from a demon who tries to bargain with you. Especially not one like Kyber. Demon hunters carry wax plugs so we can avoid even listening to honeyed words from tricksters like that.” Her expression hadn’t changed from its usual mask of stoicism, though her voice was tight with frustration.

Jay let out a short laugh. “That way you can kill them first and deal with questions later, huh?” Una winced inwardly. Those two personalities will mix about as well as oil and a lit match.

“Do I know you?” Cassandra’s full attention fixed itself on Jay, like a cat watching a mouse. Una felt her heart skip a beat.

“I doubt it,” said Jay, with the casual arrogance that Una knew all too well. “Jay Sigma—enchanté. But I’m guessing you must be the notorious demon hunter, Cassandra. I’ve seen some of your work around town.”

Una wasn’t sure what Jay was referring to, but she cleared her throat before the exchange could continue. “Cassandra’s suggestions seem wise. I tried to negotiate with Kyber, to get information out of him and keep him from trying his tricks on… well, on any of you, or the folks at the Haven. That didn’t go so well.” She paused, feeling a flush rise to her cheeks.

“That’s when he drugged you?” John’s tone was sharp and full of concern. Bless him, thought Una. But the last thing I need is John trying to avenge wrongs against me.

“It was some kind of attack that used my sigil—ah, that’s hard to explain. He used what he knows about my demonic essence, I guess you could say. It made me pass out, and trapped me in an inner… mental landscape. Kind of like a long dream.”

Una made pointed eye contact with Sherill. “But after I overcame many obstacles in that dream and reached the end of a journey, I woke up. I’m still wondering whether my visions arose from my psyche trying to pull me out of whatever they did to me.” Sherill nodded quietly and gave Una a thoughtful look.

“When I woke up,” Una continued, “my body had changed itself… I’d turned into something like a 12-year-old version of myself, small but strong? I changed back and escaped. Nezz sent these gargoyle-like creatures after me, and more moths. I met X, and he helped me get home.” She shrugged, taking a deep breath now that her story had finished.

“Hold on a second!” Jay was on his feet, his hands planted on the table and his expression incredulous. “You’re saying that while you were unconscious, your body changed shape into a younger version of yourself? That shouldn’t be possible with your nano-systems in place. We should get you into my lab immediately for a thorough scan and analysis.”

“Jay, if you’ll just wait a bit, I’d be happy to—“ Una began, but Susan interrupted her.

“I must concur,” the bespectacled woman said in a neutral tone. “Unknown factors may interact unpredictably, given both a nanite network and an active succubus sigil. Recommendations must include a thorough examination.”

Una stared at Susan, at a loss for words. A growl from Cassandra broke the silence.

The demon hunter had glided across the room unnoticed, and now stood beside Susan’s chair, staring at her with narrowed eyes. “What is going on with her, Una? Is it the… you know?”

Susan tilted her head smoothly to look up at the demon hunter. “What do you mean, Cassandra?” Her voice held the same neutral tone as it had before, but her expression was quizzical. The muscles in the demon hunter’s neck tensed.

Una raised her hand, cautioning. “Cass… yes, it’s probably what you’re thinking. Can we talk about this later?” What am I supposed to tell you, Una asked herself. That the girl you’ve had a crush on for months is changing in ways I can’t comprehend? How I keep licking up her bodily fluids and expelling them as steam to hold the change at bay? That I feel terrified and paralyzed?

“Fine,” Cassandra said between clenched teeth. She stalked away from the table, towards an open space near the windows. Her hands curled into fists.

“Excuse me, but are we done here yet?” Maria was examining her nails. “Not that I don’t love hearing about your problems, Una, but some of us have social obligations to keep.”

John looked at her sharply. “Do you think you’re immune to this? You’ve got some of Una’s energy running through you. Damn, woman… look at your horns! What if these ancient demons decide you’re the next item on their shopping list?”

Xander poked a thumb at his chest. “That’s what me and my sister are here for, bro. Maria knows she can rely on us.” Maria favored the well-muscled blonde with a lazy smile, ignoring John’s raised eyebrow.

Una cleared her throat, trying to get the meeting back on track. “Look,” she started. “I hope the danger is clear. Susan, can you send everyone the descriptions of Nezz and Kyber that I gave you, and that list you mentioned of the companies they might be operating through?”

“Already done,” said Susan, her lips curving into a slight smile. She tapped her laptop, then closed the screen. “However, all present must remain mindful that demons of this power level may assume myriad forms.”

“Great,” drawled Jay Sigma. “Let’s see: don’t sign anything. No bargains or dealing with the devil. Don’t talk to strangers, watch out for gargoyles and moths. We have to give the crimson succu-babe here a checkup, and I suppose I should beef up security around here. Anything else?”

“Yes,” said Una. “We still need to help Cesar and Bill… Maria’s sex partners. The two she transformed into women.” She caught Alexa’s immediate reaction: the brash young woman’s eyebrows raised slightly, though her face remained neutral. X also shifted in his seat, his expression betraying curiosity. As I suspected, Una thought. It’s not hard to tell who’s been through something as life-changing as a switch in genders.

Maria waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, they’re fine. I talked to them yesterday. Well, Cesar is fine, and I think Bill is… well, he’s staying in and binging a lot of streaming shows.”

Una squeezed the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger. “Maria. We’re responsible for both of them. Unlike us, neither of them wanted to become women. We need to figure out how to… well, change them back, and cope with it in the meantime?”

Xander leaned back in his chair and flicked a toothpick away with one meaty finger. “You make them sound like burn victims. It’s not so bad growing tits! Right, sis?” Alexa elbowed him in the ribs.

“How many people… have been altered like this?” X asked softly. He looked up at Una, who opened her mouth to reply before Susan broke in.

“Spread of transformative demonic energy through sexual contact may ebb with increased control and mastery. Simultaneously, I am conducting research into a method of reversal involving a second ritual infusion of energy.” Susan’s expression remained serene, but Una could see golden flecks glowing faintly behind the lenses of her glasses.

Una blinked. “That’s… good news. What do we have to do to change them back?”

“Both Maria and Una are necessary. I will minister to you. Exact details forthcoming… I’d estimate a few more days for safety checks.” The scholar’s tone remained flat, and everyone near Susan shifted uncomfortably.

Maria leaned forward with a glint in her eye. “Sounds interesting… but what if they don’t want to change back?”

Una released a heavy sigh. “What do you mean, Maria? They’re stuck in bodies they didn’t ask for.”

The blonde demi-succubus smirked back at her crimson-skinned friend, and Una thought she detected a hint of malice in the expression. “Just don’t be sure you know what’s best for all of us, Mistress Una. We weren’t all priests before we changed.”

Cassandra had moved again, with that unnerving silent grace that proved so difficult to notice; she stood again near the table, glaring down at Maria. “I can smell it on you and them.” The demon hunter’s nostrils flared. “You’ve all got the mark of the cursed, changed by demonic energy.” Cassandra’s finger moved across Xander, Alexa, and finally X. “You, you, and you.”

She turned to Una. “This is what I warned you about. Followers. Both of you are succubae now. If my clan were here, their swords would be at your throats.” Uncomfortable silence fell across the gathering, except for the soft hum of machinery from Jay Sigma’s workstation in the corner.

“You changed Maria first, and now she’s changed… how many? Four?” Cassandra’s finger pointed towards Una now, accusing. “And you clearly can’t control yourself, either.” Her other hand gestured at X, who sat frozen, eyes wide.

“Una, you unleashed an archdemon. You might blame the Church’s schemes for that, but the architect of those schemes is as good as dead. Now you’re creating new demons, or at least demonkin. What if they wake up with horns next?” Cassandra’s face was flushed, her eyes wild. “How long until you give into the temptation to use your darker powers, to control hearts and minds?”

John stood up. “Now hold on just a second, Cassandra. We talked about—”

Una slammed her palm onto the surface of the table. “Enough!” To her surprise, the impact left a deep crack on the table’s polished wood surface. She looked up and met the silent gazes of her gathered companions, her chest rising and falling.

“Cassandra,” she said. “You’re right.”

The demon hunter folded her arms, her lips set in a thin, hard line.

“For a while, I’ve felt that everything was spiraling out of control. And you’re right, Cass. I’ve been the catalyst for a lot of that—and though I didn’t choose this strange path, I owe it to all of you to try to… fix things? To protect each other. Keep the situation from worsening. That’s why I asked all of you here. And I need your help.” Una implored with her eyes as she searched Cassandra’s stern features.

Cassandra broke eye contact, staring out of the window. “I can’t, Una. I can’t be part of this.”

“We may need your assistance in the event of an emergency.” Una glanced at Susan with surprise. The scholar’s voice had lost its neutral tone, taking on a pleading edge. “Please reconsider.”

Still standing by the window, Cassandra angled her head to look directly at Susan without meeting Una’s gaze. “You have my number. But I won’t condone this… cult.” She spat out the last word, turning to stalk towards the freight elevator.

“Cass!” John called out to her, but she ignored him. He looked at Una, his expression grim.

“Wow, she’s a real barrel of laughs,” Maria muttered, looking unusually self-conscious.

Cassandra turned back towards the group as the elevator arrived. “I offered you a quick death once, Una Belmont. That was before I knew you. But had I known what would come to pass… well, maybe I should have taken my shot.” Her voice was icy, and her eyes burned with intensity.

The demon hunter entered the lift, and the door slid shut with a soft thunk. John sat back down, looking stunned, and Maria stood up.

“Well, it sure has been fun seeing all of you!” Her cheerful tone rang with sarcasm. “Twins, we have a party to get to in… what, five hours? Just enough time to fuck, nap, shower, and get dolled up.” Xander and Alexa rose as well, exchanging a sly glance.

“What about you, cutie?” Maria leaned forward, her breasts pressing against X’s shoulder. The olive-skinned man looked up, and Una could see the surprise on his face. “You’re welcome to come along. All kinds of queer kids and twists show up at SUBMISSION. And my crew will be the hottest thing on the dance floor!”

X swallowed and shook his head. “I… I don’t think I’m ready for anything like that.”

Maria shrugged with a smile and turned to her entourage. “Escort me to the bathroom first, twin set. I don’t want to run into that nasty demon hunter; we used to be friends, but lately she’s no fun at all! And so prejudiced against demons, jeez louise…!”

The trio headed off together, and Una heard Maria’s giggle fade away. She sank back into a seat and looked around at her remaining friends, most of whom were staring at her with a mix of sympathy and apprehension. Only Susan remained placid, but her golden-brown eyes sparkled.

“I’m sorry, everyone.” Her voice sounded hollow, distant. “Thank you for coming.”

Yevgeny spoke, his gravelly voice sounding almost fatherly. “Sorry for what, Miss Una? Times are hard, scary. Everyone reacts differently. Some get angry. Others cry or try to laugh it off, yes?” He put one arm around John and the other around Sherill; they both looked startled at his familiar touch but didn’t resist.

“Look at these two,” the vodyanik continued. “Both strong, smart, and good. And always they try to get along, to stick others together.” Sherill looked embarrassed enough to melt through the floor; John smiled and patted the old man’s hand. “Others—they have sharper edges. And you, you have the wisdom and the burden too. But it’s okay. We all get through together.”

Una couldn’t help but smile, though she felt exhaustion and anxiety tugging at the fringes of her mind. “Thank you, Yevgeny Borodkin. Really.”

“So… how can we help?” Paisley finally spoke, leaning forward to rest their green arms on the table. “You know, now that the dramatic part of this meeting appears to be finished?”

Sherill nodded, her dark hair bobbing. “Yeah. That’s why I’m here too.”

Jay Sigma hopped up. “Aha… the orc!”

Paisley gave the red-headed human an odd look. “I do have a name, you realize?”

“Apologies, Paisley. You must be from Threnkenar, am I right?” Jay rubbed his hands together, and Paisley looked startled.

“Um… I haven’t been back there in years, but yes. How did you know?”

Jay grinned. “Your dialect, and a hunch about your gender morphology. Would you mind taking a look at some equipment I’ve got in the back? It’s a Threnk gate-scanner.”

Paisley flicked their left tusk with a thumb. “I’ll be a lizard’s left bollock… I mean, I got middling marks in aetheric engineering, but I’ll look if it’ll help the cause.”

Jay led the orc away, and Una turned to Sherill. “If you can stay for a little while, you can probably guess what I want to ask you about.”

The half-baku girl nodded shyly. “Dreams?”

Susan spoke. “Excellent. You’ll take care of your examination, and I will record the consultation with Miss Kincaid about your visions. Tomorrow, we will cement our alliances: appointment at the Department of Supernatural Affairs, 11 AM.”

Una stared at Susan in confusion. “I… what?” She turned to John, who shrugged, glanced past him to a nervous-looking X, and then back to Susan. “Susan, love… you don’t have to act like my secretary. And who’s this appointment with?”

“My vow remains: sing your praises for all eternity, my mistress,” the scholar responded, her voice still carrying a faint note of emotion. “As for the appointment, it seemed urgent enough to accept without prior consultation. Director Victoria Lombardi, yourself, myself, Gabriella Pérez. Fifth guest: unannounced.”

Una shook her head. “All right. But it’ll have to be a three-coffee morning: we have things to do later tonight.”

“Examination of your sigil, body, and dreams should take priority,” Susan noted. The other four at the table were watching the pair with a mix of trepidation and fascination.

“After that,” Una said. “Don’t you think your own situation requires some maintenance? You’re awfully… golden right now.”

“I understand.” Susan’s eyes held the faintest shine of mischief. “You wish to drink the nectar of my loins and teats, then discharge the excess so that my mortality grounds me once more?”

Una coughed, and X nearly spit out a mouthful of coffee. “Ah… yes.”

Yevgeny slapped his thigh with an amused leer. “Perhaps I should leave you young ones to this… drinking. Or did you want me to wait with you, Sherinka?”

The baku girl shook her head, looking as if she might shrink into her hoodie and vanish. “No… I’ll be okay, Yev. Um, are you going to be here, Father?”

John looked sidelong at her and nodded calmly, though Una could tell he was struggling not to laugh. “Yeah. We can figure out dinner. You’re welcome to come with, X. But Una… what did you mean, things to do later tonight?”

Una rubbed the base of her left horn. “Are Maria and her friends still doing… whatever they’re up to in the bathroom?”

John glanced toward the hallway. “Looks like it. Why?”

The succubus stood and stretched, adjusting the straps of her lacy camisole. “I doubt they’d want us along. Maria’s been acting like I’m her disapproving older sister. But I think this might be an excellent night to hit the dance floor.”