The Generator: The Succubae Seduction (29 page)

My feet come to a complete stop, and I turn to see the front runners come into view. They spot me at the same instant. The sound of their glee at spying their prey giving up is horrible to my ears.

My heart pounds painfully in my chest as I plant my feet the way Lisa showed me, hands raised and loose, ready to defend myself. Faces of friends flash before my eyes; Jennifer Lansbury, Sheila Lance, Angela, Becky and Lisa, and even Thomas from work. Friends from my past and even a few not so friendly faces flit through my consciousness as certain death bears down on me.

A golden bullet zips past my head. I have just enough time to make out Arethusa floating five feet in front of me, hands outstretched, singing something in a language I don’t understand. Her entire body takes on a glow that brightens as the Cyclopes get closer, until her song reaches a crescendo, and her glow expands to fill the cave from wall to wall.

The lead monster smacks into the glow, and it sounds like a massive bass drum sounds off as he’s flung back and into his oncoming comrades.

Arethusa collapses to the floor of the cavern and doesn’t move, mere inches from the bright obstacle. Rushing to my fallen savior, I scoop her up and start running again. My strength is tapped, and I can only gain normal human running speed, but I use that for all I’m worth. There’s no telling how long that shield will hold up.

The blue-haired succubus is waiting for us, just around the first corner. I see the relief in her eyes as she sees us.

“Idiot!” She screams as she falls into step beside us. “The fairy would have died without you anyway. What were you thinking?”

Joy at the fact that I’m still alive and breathing bubbles up in my chest, and I can’t stop the burst of laughter that boils forth. “Ha! Like the fairy was your only concern,” I respond between gulps of air, and a few quick steps later I find myself back out in the torrential rain.

It takes me a few moments to realize that Angela stopped, and I turn to look at her. “What are you doing? I don’t know how long Arethusa’s shield will hold them back. Let’s go!”

“Please, call me Areth,” the fairy says. I watch as she spreads her wings, smiling up at the rain. I’m half-worried that the falling water will hurt her, but she seems to be regaining strength from it, instead. “Those beasts won’t come out into the rain, and it never stops raining here.”

Realizing that I’m finally safe—or as safe as I’ll ever be in this realm—I collapse to the soft loam of the forest floor, breathing hard.

“What happened back there?” I ask the little woman still in my hand.

“You were in danger, and I figured since you’d saved me, I might as well return the favor.” She shakes her body, sending tiny droplets of water out that immediately get absorbed into the falling rain. The gesture is useless, however as she’s just as wet afterwards, her golden hair plastered to her lithe body as she had been before. “Don’t expect it again, though. We’re even.”

“I meant, about freaking out with the Cyclopes,” I say.

“Let’s just say that they didn’t enjoy something that I thought was very entertaining, which led to me being stuck to that glowing orb.” Without a further word, she hops out of my hand, spreads her wings and flies away. The rain doesn’t even slow her down.

“Where’s she going,” Angela comes to stand beside me, holding her hand out to help me back to my feet. “She’ll die if she gets too far away.”

I look back at the cave entrance to make sure we’re far enough away from Marchosias’s lair before answering. “No she won’t,” I say, a giddy mood overcoming me again, and I start laughing at the confused look on the other woman’s face. “Come on. I’ll explain as we get back to my car.”

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Lyden,” Angela says, trying to sound serious after I finish telling her what I’d done. She contradicts her tone with a small grin. “I don’t think anyone’s pulled a fast one on Marchosias in centuries. He must have been enjoying the show too much, to catch that slight change.”

“I think you’re just jealous,” I respond, laughing at the scandalized look on her face.

“I’m a succubus,” she informs me as if that’s answer enough.

“But you were human first,” I remind her.

The edge of the forest comes into view, revealing a site that takes my breath away.

Small, green, scaly skinned creatures are swarming my car, shaking it back and forth, waving tridents, and trying to get at the two women inside. They have tentacles instead of legs and pointed ears. I can see Lisa in the driver’s seat, but the tires only spin in the sand as she tries to drive away.

“What the heck!” I exclaim upon seeing the tableau on the beach. “Can’t we catch a break?”

“Grindylows,” I hear Angela mutter. I note something odd in her tone, and look over to see her holding her head. With her link to the Orange Bubble, I wonder what that must feel like to her. “I hate those things.” She turns to me, a grimace on her face. “Think you have enough strength to turn into a dragon? It’ll be easier to scare them off, than fight them. They’re natural cowards.”

Looking to the creatures again, about eight or nine of them, I shudder at the thought of taking on the small creatures. Those pitchforks look deadly.

“I’m exhausted,” I tell her honestly, but something else occurs to me. Closing my eyes, I concentrate on Angela, picturing her as the Amazon again, with a thick bow staff in her hands, a blade poking out of each end, and a sword on her back. A tiger-skin toga wraps around her firm body. Opening my eyes, I see my imagination standing before me.

“One of these days, I’m going to take you in this form, and see how much of a fantasy this really is for you.” She grins down at me from her new taller height, and I just grin back up at her.

“Hand me that sword on your back,” I tell her, “and let’s see what this fantasy can do.”

She hands me the blade, and a wicked gleam enters her eyes. “Don’t fall too far behind, puny man, or that sword will fade away. Whoever scares the most, wins. If I win, I get to fuck you like this. You win, and maybe I’ll tell you what Marchosias and I talked about while you were playing with your fairy girlfriend.” The way she adds that last part, lets me know that she’s forgiven me for helping Areth.

She doesn’t even wait for me to respond—of course I wasn’t going to take that bet, not against a seven-foot tall Amazon—before charging out of the forest, screaming and waving her bladed staff around.

“Sonnuva,” I curse as the sword begins to fade already. Apparently I have to stay close to her to keep it solid. I chase after her, sword in hand and grin when it solidifies as I catch up to the succubus. Screaming and waving the blade over my head as if I actually know what to do with it, I have to work hard to keep my feet under me in the wet sand and pouring rain.

The Grindylows turn to see what the ruckus is, and sees two people, obviously not afraid, charging directly for them. Despite their superior numbers, they scatter, diving back into the lapping water of the sea.

Lisa is the first to speak as we get into the dry car, and she regards us warily. “Where’d you get the shirt?” She asks me, suspicion thick in her voice.

“I gave it to him,” Angela replies, and the blond woman looks to the taller one. The succubus has to hunch uncomfortably to fit into my car.

“And who are you?” the martial artist shoots back.

Oops. “Lisa, It’s Angela. She’s a succubus, and can change forms,” I try to explain.

“Yes, I can become anyone’s fantasy, and Lyden was kind enough to fantasize about me like this.” Did she have to act so smug?

Lisa glares from Angela, to me, and back again.

“We’re going to have a
very
long talk when we get back, Lyden,” she says firmly. “Did you at least get what you went for?”

I curse myself for a fool as I reach into my pocket to retrieve the two blue vials. I’d completely forgotten about them when I’d stopped to face the Cyclopes. If they’d eaten me, no one would have been able to try and save Brooke. I had been flirting with her death as well as my own.

“Yeah, these will help you breathe underwater,” I say, pulling out the two vials.

“We should get this over with, before anything else happens,” AnnaBelle finally speaks up, reaching for one of the vials. I draw them back, though, shaking my head.

“We’ll have to do it tomorrow,” I tell them, not really liking what I have to say. “It’s already been a long day, and these come with a warning.” AnnaBelle yanks her hand back, looking at the vials warily. “The potion stays active as long as you stay conscious. Sleep and it wears off. There’s no telling how long this will take, and we should be as rested as possible before going to rescue Brooke.”

“The Lord speaks wisdom through you,” AnnaBelle states, and I have to clamp my mouth shut on a quick retort.

Let her have her beliefs, I tell myself. It doesn’t hurt anyone. I can’t help but wonder how she can hold to her faith so strongly, in the face of everything she’s seen already.

“So . . . we’re just going to sleep here in your car?” Lisa asks. “How much longer ‘til night?”

“It’ll be best to set a watch, while the others sleep,” Angela says. “I don’t need sleep, so you three get some rest. As far as night, I’m not sure. It’s hard to tell with the thick cloud cover. I don’t think this area has a night.”

Silence descends in the car as the seven-foot tall Amazon gets out of the Orange Bubble.

Closing my eyes, I rest my head back, and prepare to attempt sleep in my small car, despite how wet I still am from the rain. A steady staccato beats against the Orange Bubble, lulling my senses to sleep.

“Lyden?” Lisa’s voice breaks my reverie. “Can I talk to you?”

“I could use some fresh air,” AnnaBelle says, and gets out into the rain to join Angela. Part of me wishes she would have remained. I really don’t feel up to having an argument right now.

I’m not sure which topic she’s going to broach first, but I brace myself for an uncomfortable conversation.

“What are we to you?” Her words don’t make sense. I’d expected her to berate me for lying to her, or demand answers about what’s going on, but this question seems a lot more personal.

“You’re my girlfriend,” I say, knowing that doesn’t quite answer her question, but not sure what she’s driving after.

“No, I mean,” she takes a deep breath as if gathering her thoughts, “you’re not even human. That’s obvious now. You’re something else. What are we, compared to you?”

I think I understand her question. “You’re my girlfriend,” I tell her again, and then continue before she can interrupt. “I grew up thinking I was a normal human. I didn’t have a clue I was any different until about a month and a half ago. Despite everything, I still consider myself to be human.”

She clambers into the passenger seat and shakes her head at me. “But you’re
not
human, Lyden. You’re something else. How can Becky or I even compare to someone like Angela that can change her shape, or your friend that we’re going to rescue? We’re not even in your league.”

I can tell that this is really bothering her, and while I know how I feel, I don’t know how to answer her question. Then something occurs to me.

“Let’s go for a walk,” I say, reaching out and placing my hand on her shoulder. “I want to show you something.”

She glances at the pouring rain, sheeting off the car’s windows, and shrugs. “Might as well, I’m the only one of us still dry.”

Angela nods to us as we step out, but doesn’t say anything. From the look she gives Lisa, I have a feeling she may know what the martial artist is going through. I wonder if that’s a trick of the succubus, or some connection women just seem to have.

“Don’t forget,” the succubus calls out to us after AnnaBelle gets back in the car, “I won the bet.”

“It was a tie,” I call back, but take Lisa’s hand and walk a bit down the beach. I make sure we are in site of the Orange Bubble when I stop us. No sense in trying to put is in further danger.

Letting go of her hand, I take a couple steps away, then turn and face her. Her dirty blonde hair is plastered to her face as the rain continues its torrent around us. Giving her a bow like she’d taught me at her dojo, I get into the proper position to face off against her.

“What are you doing, Lyden? I’m not going to fight you out here.” I stay silent, holding my pose, waiting for her to bow back. “This is crazy. I’m not mad at you. Why are you doing this?” Still I refuse to talk, and finally she heaves a sigh, and gives me the proper bow.

I barely wait for her eyes to lock on mine, before I spring my attack. Almost all of my extra energy was burned up in escaping the Cyclopes, and then scaring off the Grindylows after that. I use what little energy is left, however, to speed up my punch, but my half-open fist hits nothing but air as she dodges. Her hand grips my arms, and the next thing I know, I’m lying face first in the sand.

I waste no time in getting back to my feet, and see determination in her eyes, and her body relaxed yet ready to move. This time, when I attack, my motion is calculated, and I’m just able to avoid her counter throw. Over the next few minutes, I try to land blows, and try to avoid attacks from her. Despite my superior speed and strength, I still wind up in the sand more often than not, without laying a finger on her.

“Enough!” She shouts as she places my arm in a lock and keeps me in the sand. “What does this prove?”

Despite the pain in my shoulder, I start laughing. She releases her grip, and I use the falling water to wash off the sand as I get back to my feet. I give her another bow, and it actually takes her a moment to return it.

Applause greets us, and I realize that we have an audience. Both Angela and AnnaBelle are standing side-by-side, smiling and clapping under a tree. To my surprise, there are even a couple Grindylows, and a few other creatures watching us from a little further away.

“Despite my speed and strength,” I tell my sparring partner, “I couldn’t land a single blow on you. You want to talk about being in the same league? No, we’re not in the same league, but that doesn’t mean a thing. So I have abilities you don’t. You have skills I don’t.”