Author's Notes:

'Satyr Play 2' is a continuation of my surprisingly well-received first attempt to dabble in the realm of magic. Obviously, I learned nothing from the first as, in this story, I continue to ride roughshod over preconceived notions and the 'established guidelines' of the genre. Mea Culpa.

Minimal effort is made in this tale to explain the backstory, so it is highly recommended you read the stories in the following order:

• Satyr Play
• A Dark Heart (Short Story -- for context)
• Satyr Play 2, Part 1
• Song for a Still River (Short Story -- for insight into the upcoming Satyr Play 3)
• Satyr Play 2, Part 2

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older. Most aren't even human... or real. Or are they? Dun dun DAH!

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Satyr Play 2, Part 2

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Chapter 27

Henry looked down at sleeping beauty in his living room, the early morning rays of sunlight shining through her hair. She was breathtakingly lovely, and he felt his heart jump a little in his chest. But that was just a natural reaction to a Succubus, even disguised behind a glamor as she was, so he let it pass.

He'd taken off his party clothes and slipped on his white T-shirt and jeans glamor leaving his feet bare. This was a skill he knew he'd have to keep practicing.

He went to the kitchen and began the process of cooking breakfast. He was getting better at it. As it was the weekend, he'd make a hearty meal. Bacon, eggs, toast, jam, and orange juice.

He was feeling surprisingly good after the rough night before. His face did have some tender spots. Someone punched him? Some moments from last night were still blurry.

He puttered in the kitchen, being as quiet as he could, but eventually, he heard stirring in the living room.

"Hey. When did you get up?" Marisa sleepily said as she approached.

"About fifteen minutes ago." He watched her yawning and frowned. "If you're still tired go lie down on my bed for a while." She shuffled up to kiss him on the cheek, stole a piece of bacon from his plate, then shuffled off to the bedroom and closed the door.

He smiled and finished making his breakfast.

With his laptop open on the breakfast bar, he started it up and brought his food over. He opened a browser and pointed it to one of the news aggregator websites. The top story was the quarantined town in Kansas again.

This time there was amateur video of terrible events happening at a high school on the edge of town. The videographer managed to set himself up in a blind at the edge of a cornfield with a huge telephoto lens and caught it all.

The story reported that the army had trapped something in the school gymnasium, but it broke free and went on a killing rampage. While faces in the video weren't sharp due to the heat ripple over the long distance, the actions were clear enough. The creature looked like a long, wide ribbon of black which rippled and undulated to propel itself through the air. Lining its long lean body, sharp black spikes projected outwards. That's all the detail he could make out.

It looked like it was having some trouble getting airborne as it bounced along the ground in front of the open gym door, thrashing this way and that, impaling the startled soldiers on its spikes. Someone who looked important with lots of colorful service ribbons on his chest faced down the creature and managed to get some shots off before losing his head to a snap of a toothy maw which suddenly appeared at one end.

The beast tried flying away after the slaughter, but one of the surviving soldiers opened up with a 50mm before it got out of range and brought it down. One of the rounds hit something volatile inside as it exploded with a thump, splashing the field with its guts. The army went on full alert and swarmed over the area. That's where the vid ended.

Henry's fork remained forgotten, halfway to his mouth which hung open. He was reliving his dream from the night before. About a nightmare creature that came from the other side and hid in a darkened gymnasium.

It wasn't a dream. It was real!

Shit! He'd let that monster in from the other world. He let that sink in for a moment, feeling a chill work its way down his spine. The death of those soldiers was on him. That wasn't a good feeling. Not at all.

He gave himself a little shake as that wasn't the only thing that happened in his 'dream'. If he'd let the monster in, then he'd also rescued all those glass people from starving to death in the dark gym. They'd been put there by the soldiers. Left to die there but he'd freed them. Something good came of his actions. There was a balance of bad and good. He allowed himself to take responsibility for both. This didn't eliminate the pain he felt for the soldier's death, but saving so many glass people eased it considerably. He put those feelings aside to consider the real problem, what upset him the most.

He was messing with magic. That was something he'd vowed not to do. He had no interest in magic and desperately wanted to avoid it. But no matter how badly he wanted to live a normal, magic-free life, it kept creeping in, twisting and tangling his plans, and poisoning his actions. He looked at the black ring on his finger, and a terrible rage swept through him. He wanted it gone so badly he contemplated cutting his finger off. When his temper cooled, he found himself holding his knife poised above his knuckle.

A knock on his front door startled him, and he dropped the knife.

He stood, picked up the dropped cutlery, placed it on the counter, and took a deep breath to settle his nerves before walking to the door.

He opened it and Yuko was standing there. He blinked in surprise at her determined expression. He glanced to the face of the smaller woman standing next to her. He recognized her but couldn't place where he'd seen her. Dark skin, long black hair, large pretty and dark eyes, ring in her nose with a chain leading down into her t-shirt- oh! He pulled his eyes back up to her face which now had a knowing smile on her pretty lips. The Thai restaurant. He looked back to Yuko.

"I must speak with you. May we come in?" she asked.

Still unsettled, he stepped back, and the two women entered.

They slipped off their shoes and walked into the living room as Henry followed.

Yuko looked to the closed bedroom door. "You have company?"

He nodded.

"The blond from downstairs?" she asked bluntly.

He shook his head and struggled to get control of the situation. "Who I have in my bedroom is none of your concern."

"I'm asking if it's safe to talk," Yuko explained, holding his eyes so he would understand her meaning. He glanced at the smaller woman who just nodded to him.

"Oh! Yes." They took seats on the couch.

"You are Stanley," Yuko blurted, her voice demanding but shaky too.

He looked at her closely and saw she was trembling slightly. He began to get nervous. "I'm Henry... now."

A shudder went through her body, and she closed her eyes. "But you were Stanley, once."

Not sure where she was going with this, he nodded cautiously. "Yes."

A smile bloomed on her face, and she relaxed. "Why do you look so different?"

"It's a glamor... from the Fae." He glanced to the other woman whose eyes hadn't left his face. "I'm sorry. I didn't get your name."

"I am Kali Chandra. Mahati's sister."

Henry's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Is it true you defeated her magic?" she gushed with excitement, her body practically vibrating with it.

He nodded as it suddenly felt unsafe to say more.

He looked to Yuko whose expression was showing doubt again as she ran her eyes over his body.

"What's wrong?"

"I can see through Fae glamors, but I cannot see through yours. When you were Stanley, it was comforting that you were as you appeared." Yuko said.

Henry wasn't about to tell them about being linked to an alternate realm of magic, but he was no good at lying, so he just shrugged. Her presence here and now was making him nervous. "Is that what you wanted to speak to me about?" That came out a little sharper than he intended.

Yuko's eyes flashed to his, and he saw hurt and doubt in them. "What have I done to earn such anger?" she snapped.

He rocked back. "Why do you continue to refuse to take responsibility for your actions!?!" Henry barked.

The bedroom door opened and Marisa stepped out with a concerned look. "Henry?"

"Marisa, this is my new neighbor Yuko. You remember her, don't you? She's the one who tried to use her tears to make me fall in love with her, then told her father we were engaged and, oh yeah, forced me to go to Japan to humiliate myself in front of the entire Japanese government!" Henry finished with a yell.

He caught motion in the corner of his eye and leapt on Yuko, pinning her to the couch while grabbing her hands. The beginnings of her spell snapped and collapsed in his hands, and the wave of force blew outwards, tossing pillows and Kali from the couch to land on the floor several feet away with a thump.

Henry glared down into tear-filled eyes, but he could see she wasn't so much sad as frustrated. She was glaring back at him but squirming under his body. He'd had enough. "Is attacking me your only response to having your mistakes pointed out-mmmph!"

Yuko kissed him fiercely and desperately as he jolted with surprise. He released her hands in an attempt to push himself off, but her arms went around his torso to cling to him. He couldn't prevent his body from responding, but his mind wanted nothing to do with this. She moaned in frustration when he finally managed to pull free.

She looked into his confused eyes, pushed clear of him to leap to her feet and ran from his condo, grabbing her shoes on the way. The room fell silent.

"It's true!" Kali gasped as she climbed back to her feet. "You can block magic!" Her eyes glowed with her excitement. "It was very nice meeting you again. I hope to see much more of you in the future!" With that she turned and rushed from his condo, taking her sandals with her.

Marisa moved to the door and locked it before quickly returning to Henry's side. "Are you ok?" she asked.

"I have no idea," he mumbled as he rubbed his tingling hands. He looked into her concerned eyes and shook his head. "I can't figure Yuko out at all. First, she wants to kill me; then she's kissing me?!? Which is it? Kiss or Kill?"

Marisa smiled. "Why can't it be both?"

Henry's eyebrows rose.

Her grin widened. "She's a woman! We are wondrous creatures of inscrutable intentions."

"I'm doomed," Henry moaned in despair.

"I'm more concerned with the second woman. Who was she?" Marisa asked.

Henry nodded. "Kali Chandra. The younger sister of Mahati, VRL's external counsel."

It was Marisa's turn to look surprised. "She said, she's met you before?"

He nodded. "A little while ago I went to a local Thai restaurant for dinner with Sandy, Dayshia, and Tish. She was at the next table with some of Yuko's friends. I had no idea who she was at the time. I didn't know her name until today. She told Mahati about me though. That was before Mahati met me and tried to kill me." He sighed. "Too many people trying to kill me."

She kissed him on the cheek again. "Any bacon left?"

He let out a long sigh. "I never finished my breakfast. Barely started actually," he said looking over at the breakfast bar where he'd almost cut his finger off. He frowned.

Marisa popped up to her feet and walked over to the bar to sit in his chair. She began eating his breakfast. As he approached, she shot him a cheeky smile. He snorted and began to prepare another meal.

"Shocking stuff happening in Kansas! I'm amazed the Council hasn't found a way to suppress this." Marisa said as she looked at the website Henry had pulled up. She played the video and gasped in shock.

Henry didn't say a word. He just kept preparing his breakfast. When it was ready, he sat next to her and ate quietly, never looking at the stories she was reading. She was mumbling to herself as she was shocked by what she learned.

"The Colonel running the operation was one of the victims of the creature." She read silently for a bit. "From what it says, he is- was a controversial, hard liner in Washington. Mostly due to his interrogation techniques on prisoners in the last war. He still had his job so he must have had friends in high places."

Henry wasn't listening as he was lost in his memories of the night before. If he relaxed and let them bubble up on their own, they filled in the blanks from the time he'd been out of his body. Now, the ones surfacing were drawn there by Marisa's comments regarding the Colonel. He now knew these memories were artifacts of his mind to mind conversation with the Glass People. That name resonated with him. He could see... images, memories... he knew they weren't his. Thankfully, they didn't feel like his so he could distinguish them as separate.

Finally, he felt her attention turn back to him.

"Henry? What's wrong? You're so quiet."

"He was starving them," he said quietly.

"Who was?"

"The Colonel. He ordered the soldiers to jail the Glass People in the gym. Blocked off all the light. That's how they fed."

She was looking at him nervously. "Henry, how do you know this?" she asked softly.

He squirmed. "I thought it was just a surreal dream. I've had them for a while. But after seeing that story online... I now know it was real. I visited them last night. The Glass People. They were calling out to me... through the... energy in me. They were starving, some close to death, desperate. I... opened a way for them to the other side, helped them escape but that black thing came back through before I closed the rift and fled."

"Other side?" she squeaked.

He frowned. "The source of the energy or magic within me. The Glass People like it there."

"Have you been there?" Marisa asked, and he looked into her troubled eyes. He shrugged. "I... I think so? It seemed familiar? What I thought were just dreams are memories, and they're becoming sharper. Red grassy hillside, yellow sky, and a big red-orange sun throwing off the most amazing light. Sorry, I think that last impression was from them."

Marisa was staring at Henry. His out of body experience included interacting with the physical realm and telepathy of some kind. That was significant power! But he showed no other signs of wielding capabilities! "So, you went to Kansas?"

"And China."

"WHAT?!?" she exclaimed.

"There was one more of the Glass People there. He was so lonely. He'd been talking with the others and wanted to go with them, so I went there and helped him escape the soldiers."

"HENRY! I've heard of powerful wielders being able to cast their minds into the surrounding neighborhood or maybe a nearby city but never traveling around the globe! You could have lost your connection to your body! You could have died! Promise me you'll never do that again!" She took his hands in hers but forced her seer sight way down as there were substantial fluctuations in Henry's aura. She was too frightened to see the images.

He shrugged as he couldn't promise something he seemed to have little control over. He looked at Marisa's hands holding his and took comfort from her touch. "I remember feeling so tired. I had nothing left after the last one escaped. No strength to get back, so I just let the Fae healing spell take me up into the sky, and I drifted." He paused as he recalled. "Then I heard Meixiu. I don't know why her voice comes through so clear, but it guided me back." His eyes widened as another memory solidified. "Oh! She pulled me back when I flew with the fighter pilot into the other side! I did go there!"

Marisa pulled him to his feet and held him tight against her. He could feel her trembling, so he rubbed her back until she calmed.

"I never wanted any of this. If I could, I'd go back to just being little, insignificant Stanley Garin on his first day at his first job, working for VRL with you. Honestly, that was the best day of my life," he said longingly.

Marisa's heart was breaking. She pulled back from the hug and kissed Henry deeply, and he returned it with an almost desperate need to connect. Maintaining the kiss, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to his room and eased her down on his bed. He finally pulled back as Marisa released her glamor, so he did as well. She lifted her arms to him, so he leaned down and kissed her deeply once more as her arms wrapped around him. He felt safe in her embrace. Her touch calmed him more than anyone else's. She'd been there when he was a small man, stuttering in the presence of beauty and her touch had untied his treacherous tongue.

He gently lowered his larger body over hers, and she sighed as they met. They rocked together, stroking against each other, increasing their need. Her body was receptive to his, and they fit together so well. His kiss became demanding, and she pulled him tighter as he finally slipped inside.

Marisa broke from the kiss to gasp as he was so large in his natural state. Hot and thick, she felt him sinking deeper and deeper into her body. Marisa craved this! She needed more and wrapped her legs around his powerful thighs to pull him deeper.

Henry gasped and trembled as this was intensely intimate. He looked into her eyes, and she looked back and smiled at him. God, she was so incredibly beautiful, and she wanted him! That fact centered Henry's world and gave his life a foundation. He was so grateful for her presence in his life. He knew Succubi were wired differently than humans when it came to relationships, but he could feel Marisa's genuine emotional connection to him, and that gave him strength.

He drew himself out and thrust forward. Marisa's eyes flew wide, and her mouth dropped open in a gasp as she clung to him tightly. His desire surged, and he sped his movements until he was driving her against the mattress harder and harder. She was crying out in bliss, and her voice had risen above the register for hearing. He felt her begin to lose coordination as her release tipped over the edge and crashed through her senses. He was right behind her, and thick ropes of cum surged into her depths.

"HENRY! OH! Ffffffffffuuuuuuuccccckkkkk!!!!! Sssssoooooo gooooooood!" she sighed in ecstasy as the Wild Magic flooded through her cells once more.

They clung to each other for long minutes as they enjoyed the ebb of their pleasure. Henry tenderly kissed Marisa's forehead and cheeks until she giggled and gently pushed him back. She smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling and noted his aura was calm once again. Still shot through with dark streaks which she refused to examine closer, but the bright zones gleamed with promise. She avoided looking too closely at those as well.

Eventually, they had to separate though they moaned to each other which ended in giggles. Once apart they went to the shower and cleaned up, human disguises back in place.

They got dressed in their glamors once more and moved back to the bar to clean up their dishes.

"Oh, before I forget again, Sandy, Tish, and Dayshia said they wanted to visit you this afternoon. They were truly upset when you were grabbed at the club last night."

Henry recalled the event and winced. "My drink was spiked by Roger."

Marisa smiled. "Yes, he's going to get a beating from those ladies for that."

Another fact burbled up from the depths of Henry's brain. "Ikehorn, Mab's... man? He brought me home."

Marisa nodded with a little frown. "I don't trust him, and I certainly question his motives. It worked out this time but staying away from the Fae is always a safe route."
"Agreed," Henry said with an emphatic nod. He began taking ingredients out of the fridge and cabinets.

Marisa looked at him curiously. "What are you up to?"

"I'm going to bake some cookies."

Marisa grinned and clapped her hands in delight. She sat at the counter and watched Henry puttering around, making precise measurements of the ingredients, following the recipe to the letter. Once the trays went into the oven and he set the timer, Henry cleaned the mess he'd made.

"Is there a way to do this that avoids this?" he asked with a frown gesturing to the untidy counters.

Marisa grinned at him. "Practice."

He smiled and nodded as he washed and dried the bowls.

Once the kitchen was tidy once more, they moved to the living room and sat together on the couch. Henry's cell rang, and he saw it was Sandy.

"Hi, Sandy!"

"Oh good! You're awake! How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I feel good!" he said, smiling at Marisa.

"Are you up for a visit? Tish and Dayshia will be here a little after noon, and they're bringing an assortment of wraps and salads for lunch."

"That sounds lovely!" he said and looked to Marisa. "Marisa is here too. Will there be enough food?"

"Of course!" Sandy gushed, thrilled to hear the blonde was still there.

Henry grinned hearing Sandy's excitement and nodded to Marisa. "So, we'll see you then?"

"Yes! See you then!" Sandy said happily and hung up.

Henry smiled at Marisa. "We have lunch plans."

Chapter 28

Ikehorn dozed lightly in the anteroom of the Queen's chambers. When he'd arrived the night before, eager to make his report, he'd waited as the Queen was indisposed.

He was aware that the final preparations of her most powerful and secretive spell to date was taking a severe toll on the monarch. While she hid it well, Ikehorn had served her for centuries and knew her tells.

Plus she was burning through her personal staff like tissues. Mistakes earned harsh punishments, though none of the women had been killed... yet.

He heard a soft clearing of a throat and opened his eyes. It was a young female Fae with pale white skin, raven hair, and a slim, petite body. She was a true beauty, but she stood in profile with eyes downcast.

"The Queen will see you now," she said quietly.

Ikehorn heard the edge of pain in her voice and noticed she was keeping the left side of her face turned from him. He stood and approached her. She froze, and a lovely blue eye darted to him nervously.

"Look at me," he said firmly.

Trembling, she turned her face slowly towards him, and he saw the damage. Three deep and raw scratches crossed her cheek, from her ear to just above her red lips. The wounds already showed signs of decay which hinted at the curse Mab had embedded in her flesh. The scarring would be permanent and would undoubtedly spread. It pained him to see how it already horribly marred the symmetry of her beautiful features.

Impulsively, he reached a hand to hover over her injury. The girl sucked in a frightened gasp as she thought he might punish her too. The Queen's man wasn't known for his patience and sympathy. She swayed slightly, dizzy from the pain, and touched his hand to her cheek.

The green flash surprised them both, and the girl swooned. He caught her before her legs gave out and gently sat her on a nearby couch. His eyes locked onto her face and she saw his shocked expression. Frightened, she lifted a hand to touch the ripped flesh only to encounter smooth skin. Fingertips shook as she traced the path where seconds before had only been ruin. She couldn't take her eyes from the man who'd healed her and saw a dawning awareness appearing in his eyes.

Ikehorn seized the girl's shoulders in a painfully tight grip as his eyes held hers. "You will speak to no one about what just happened. You will leave now. You will return to Ireland and go to my estate. Is this understood?"

"But the Queen-"

"I will explain your absence. Go now!" he growled and released her.

She caught his hand and held it against her healed cheek as her grateful eyes looked up at him.

His heart moved in his chest in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable way as he gently tugged his hand free and stood back. "Quickly now," he mumbled, looking away.

He heard her stand and rush to the door. He couldn't stop himself from glancing in her direction and caught her looking back at him from the doorway with the slightest of smiles on her perfect lips and a gleam in her eyes. Then she was gone.

Ikehorn scowled as he struggled to get his treacherous thoughts under control. He took slow, deep breaths and straightened his jacket.

So the Satyr had left him with another gift. His aptitude with magic had been rudimentary compared to the others, and he'd never had enough skill to heal with it. Closing his eyes, he looked deeply into his core but couldn't detect the source of his link to the healing magic. He felt no different, aside from his renewed vigor and youth of course, and the complete absence of the disease. He still hated the Satyr for his refusal to serve their rightful Queen, but his ire was becoming strained by these alterations.

Giving himself a shake, he stepped into the main room and saw Mab sitting by the window gazing out over the city.

The building they were in was unique in that it was two separate buildings in one. The initial twenty stories was a classic iron-framed structure found throughout New York City. The five-story structure built atop that contained no cold iron in its construction. The elevator that serviced the top five stories skipped the floors of the mundane building entirely, jumping from the extra basement level to the first story of the crowning building.

A misdirection spell drew attention away from Mab's home away from home, and only an array of sixty-foot rooftop antennae appeared in photos. The roof of the twenty story tower was lush with greenery surrounding the small castle sitting atop it. The landscaping, too, was only visible when standing on the roof's surface.

Mab's chambers were on the top floor with a stunning view. A view she was currently appreciating.

She turned her head slightly at his approach. "Ah, Ikehorn. I understand you've brought me news?" She looked beyond him, and her expression darkened. "Where is that foolish girl Lilliette?"

Ikehorn gave her a crisp bow he knew the Queen preferred. "My Queen, I've sent her away."

"What?!?" Enraged eyes locked on him and a tremor ran down his spine. Her control was not as strong as it once was.

He bowed again. "Apologies, but I could see the girl was becoming a distraction from your work. We all serve you, but only the best must surround you now, to ensure your focus is not- burdened by these trivialities."

He held still and prepared himself for death. When it didn't come, he allowed himself a slow exhale as the Queen slowly nodded.

"Yes, of course. You are quite correct. I should have a wiser and more skilled maid. Your house manager, Bronagh, is most precise and correct in her duties and would be perfect for this role."

Ikehorn froze as the woman in question was the most senior and trusted member of his staff. The strict old woman practically raised him. She had value in his life. He might be condemning her to death, but he could not refuse his Queen.

He wasn't blind to the fact that this was also a lesson for him about overstepping his bounds. His moment of sentiment had a terrible cost.

"Of course, my Queen. I will call for her immediately. She will feel most honored for this opportunity to serve you directly."

Mab nodded, pleased once more. "Speak to me of what led you to my chamber so early in the morning?"

So the Queen had been aware of his waiting. Fine. "As you directed, I followed the Satyr who went out for an evening of entertainment with his Human companions, the same ones who have been under observation for their behavior patterns. What I witnessed confirms your suspicions. He is deeply and emotionally attached to the creatures."

Mab smiled, but it brought her face no warmth. "Tell me of them."

Ikehorn nodded. "There are three females. All young, though perhaps a little older than the Satyr. There's a fair skinned blond female who lives in the building. Her name is Sandy." He thought there might be something off about this one, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"The second, an ebony-skinned female named Dayshia who has a more generous figure. Perhaps almost exaggeratedly so." He glanced at the Queen in embarrassment.

"The third one is fair skinned, tall and slim with long ebony hair. Tiss? Tess? I couldn't quite make out her name. During their dining period, I witnessed the Satyr's... I'd almost want to call it love, if that term wasn't offensive when linked to Humans."

He caught Mab smiling at him and looked at her curiously. "What? Did I miss something?"

"You've never had a pet, have you," Mab remarked, watching his face.

He shifted uncomfortably. "I had a spider once."

She tilted her head in interest. "Really? How did you feel about your spider?"

He blinked at the question. "I- didn't feel anything about it. It was a spider."

"Then your choice of pet gave you no perspective for understanding Henry's affection for his companions." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter though, as you've brought me the most excellent news. It concerned me that we might have to use one of his friends from his work. That would have greatly reduced Henry's desperation for our assistance as they have solutions available for them. Now, these pets of Henry's will be our avenue to getting his willful participation in the spell."

She paused to take a few shallow breaths as pain shot through her body. Ikehorn caught the slight tightening of her skin at the corner of her eyes. She turned them to him again.

"It must be this week. Select one of these companions and bring upon them an unfortunate accident or circumstance. It must fall short of death but cause a significant and potentially life-threatening injury that will require Fae assistance to heal. Be precise."

Ikehorn looked to Mab in confusion. "Human flesh is largely unaffected by Fae healing magic," he said.

"There are ancient words of power that surpass the resistance of even the most mundane flesh. If Henry doesn't seek us out for the medical intervention, we will have to offer it. We must be prepared to be in the neighborhood. Then we can enter into the negotiation for the fee and complete the spell."

Ikehorn nodded. He understood this part of the plan at least. He knew a couple of discreet and highly skilled wet-work operatives he could call upon to assist. He didn't personally take on this kind of work.

"I will arrange for it to happen as soon as possible."

"Do not fail me!" she insisted.

Ikehorn bowed deeply, and he felt the Queen's pleasure radiating from her. Another sign of her diminishing control.

He left quickly and headed to his room one floor down. He penned a note for Bronagh to immediately come to the assistance of the Queen, transferring her to the monarch's staff. He included a few lines about how grand an honor it was and how sorry he was to see her leave his service but he knew this was a demotion in position at least, with an uncertain future. He felt the slightest twinge of guilt about that. On the other hand, based on the brutal lessons Bronagh tested him with as a child, he was doing what he needed to do. He sealed the letter with a little spell to ensure only Bronaghg could open it. He summoned a courier, and the message was off. Bronagh would be at the Queen's beck and call within hours.

Now to arrange another painful misfortune.

Chapter 29

Henry knocked on Sandy's door a little before the time Sandy was due to head upstairs.

He smiled at Marisa and Michelle who was a last minute inclusion to their party.

Thirty minutes earlier there'd been a knock on his door, and he'd answered it to see Johann Bruger standing there.

"My apologies but you will need to leave your unit for roughly three hours. We need to fumigate the floor as the clean-up crew works on Unit 909," the short man said with a smile. "You may return... no later than 4 PM."

"Do I need to do anything with my unit?" Henry asked.

Johann shook his head. "No. Just ensure all persons and animals are removed from your unit when you leave and do not come back before 4 PM. You don't have any pets, do you?"

Henry smiled and shook his head. "Are the other floors going to be affected?"

"No, just this one."

"Ok, thanks!" he said, and the man walked back to the elevators.

Before he closed the door, he watched some workers enter unit 909. They were kitted out in full hazmat suits, so he wondered what had gone on in that unit. Henry spotted Michelle stepping out of her condo. She wobbled a little, looking a little dazed. Then he realized she worked nights so she'd usually be sleeping now. "Michelle, are you ok?"

She turned to look at him, and he could tell she was still in the state of semi-consciousness. She nodded.

"Do you have somewhere to go until 4 PM?" he asked.

She blinked at him and shook her head.

"We're going to have lunch with some friends on the fourth floor. You're welcome to join us," he suggested.

She shook her head nervously and bit her lip.

"Oh, well, if you change your mind. We'll be at unit 404," Henry said.

With a nod, he ducked back into his condo to let Marisa know they had a change of venue. He called Sandy to let her know they needed to do this at her place and she welcomed them to come down.

When Henry opened his door once again, Michelle was standing outside his door with a lost look on her face. She also still looked very sleepy.

"Changed your mind?" he asked.

She looked at him timidly. "I'm not good around strangers."

"Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet," Henry said with a smile.

"Henry! That was so corny. Even for you," Marisa moaned with a smirk as she stood just behind him. Michelle smiled at them.

He just shrugged with a smile and looked to Michelle who finally nodded.

So, here they were standing before Sandy's door. When it opened, the petite blonde's happy face smiled up at him and Marisa, then looked curiously at Michelle who seemed to be hiding behind Henry.

"I hope you don't mind, but I brought along my neighbor Michelle. She works nights, so the order to leave our floor was a bit of a rude awakening.

"Oh my! If you'd like I can change the sheets, and you can sleep in my bed until you can go back to your condo," Sandy offered.

"I don't want to put you to any trouble," Michelle said quietly in surprise.

Sandy gave her a bright smile. "It's no trouble at all. Please come in. Just give me a second to set it up for you. Have a seat in the living room. Henry, I'll leave you to make the introductions."

They made their way into the main room and Tish, and Dayshia stood to meet them.

"Michelle, these are my good friends Dayshia and Tish. This is my neighbor Michelle." They shook hands. "She works nights, so Sandy has graciously offered her a place to sleep until it's clear to go back to our floor. You've met Marisa."

"This is the Marisa?" Tish asked with a wide grin.

The woman in question raised an eyebrow at Henry, and he blinked in surprise. "Uh, sorry, I thought you'd met Tish."

"I've met Dayshia before but not Tish," Marisa said and shook the woman's hand. "Yes, I'm the Marisa." Tish's eyes were showing her mischievous glee.

Marisa and Michelle took seats on the couch on either side of Henry and Dayshia, and Tish took the loveseat. Michelle shyly smiled as she leaned a little against Henry's side. He could tell she was still hovering on the edge of sleep.

"How were you feeling this morning, Henry?" Tish asked, drawing his attention from Michelle.

"Good! I mean, I was sick last night, but I felt better by the morning," he clarified.

"I'm so sorry Roger spiked your drink last night," Dayshia said. Tish nodded as Dayshia looked closer at Henry's face. "You still have some bruising on your cheekbone where I saw you take a punch."

"Who pulled you from the fight and brought you home?" Tish asked.

"Hey! No asking the interesting questions until I'm present," Sandy said as she walked out of the bedroom. "Sorry it took longer than expec- ted," she paused as she saw Michelle was asleep, resting her head against Henry's shoulder. He smiled back at her in embarrassment. Sandy just shook her head with a grin.

Marisa stood, and Henry carefully moved to scoop Michelle up in his arms. She was surprisingly heavy, but he guessed her true shape would likely mean additional mass? His mind shied away from the physics or magic involved.

He managed to lift her, and she settled her head against his chest with a smile on her red lips. He smiled at the others who were looking back at him with odd smiles of their own.

Sandy guided Henry back to the bedroom where she pulled back the sheets for him. He gently eased the woman down on the bed, and she sighed in her sleep. Tucking the covers over her, he stepped back and followed Sandy out. She closed the door and grinned up at him. "Play your cards right, and one day you may get to carry me in your arms to bed," she whispered cheekily.

Henry was caught by surprise by her confession, so he nodded with a slight blush. They joined the others.

"I was just telling them how you bumped into a security consultant from VRL at the club last night and how he recognized you and got you home," Marisa offered when they got back, and Henry nodded to her gratefully. What she'd come up with was a much better story than anything he'd fabricate.

He looked to Sandy. "Where is Roger?"

She scowled. "He's in our bad books right now. What he did to you last night was so far beyond ok, he's got to start acknowledging how out of control he's becoming. We'll have an intervention with him at work on Monday, and if he doesn't agree to reign in his chaotic behavior and seek help for whatever is causing it, we're going to have to limit our interaction with him. He's putting us all at risk, and that's not ok."

Henry couldn't argue with them about that. While he liked Roger, getting him drunk wasn't cool. Shit happened last night because of it. A Colonel and some soldiers would be alive today if Henry had been sober. On the flip side of that, the Glass People would likely be dead. He was feeling off about the entire ordeal.

Seeing his frown Tish moved to the couch next to him and took his hand. "I'm so sorry we didn't keep a closer eye on him."

Her hand felt so good in his. Their fingers were the same length, so it was a full-contact kind of hold. He looked up and gave her a shy nod.

"Anyone else hungry?" Tish said holding his eye, and he caught the double entendre. He nodded as Dayshia rolled her eyes and stood to help Sandy bring over the trays of wraps and individual sized salad bowls.

Henry looked to Marisa in disappointment. "I forgot to bring the cookies!" She returned his sad look.

"You baked cookies?" Dayshia asked in surprise.

He nodded with a crooked smile. "Yeah, I'm working on my kitchen skills. Learning to be independent." He put food on his plate and sat back to begin eating.

As Henry enjoyed a BLT wrap, Sandy caught his attention. "I was getting my mail in the lobby when I saw Yuko heading out this morning with a friend. She looked very sad. I think she might have been crying."

Henry frowned and forced down his last bite. "Really," was all he managed to choke out of his tight throat.

"Sorry," Sandy said, noticing his discomfort.

He shrugged it off with a weak smile. "It's cool. I guess I'm just holding what Yuko did... to Stanley, against her."

"She seems a little unstable," Dayshia observed. "I mean, who carries a stun grenade in her purse?"
Henry couldn't argue with that. He knew her over-indulgent father spoiled her, but he couldn't share that bit of insider knowledge.

"I hope what happened at the dance club hasn't turned you against the idea of going out dancing with us!" Tish said with a hopeful expression.

"No, I'd like to try it again, just without the booze." He sighed. "I still have to get over my awkwardness with dancing. I have two left feet!"

Tish's face lit up with a broad smile. "We can help you with that! You just need to learn a few steps and become comfortable with them. When you get out on the floor with the music playing, you follow the steps you've learned with the beat. Soon it'll become second nature, and you can relax!"

He realized that was a great idea! He nodded, and she clapped quietly with a grin.

They finished up their lunch and moved the coffee table to have room to move. Sandy put on some music at a low volume as all they only needed was a beat to follow and Tish started Henry off with some simple forward and back steps. Henry watched Tish's feet, and once he had her pattern, Tish reached over and lifted his chin so he couldn't see his feet. He bobbled a little but she kept him moving, and he settled into the pattern.

The afternoon was spent learning moves, none too complicated for the noob dancer. Each of the ladies managed to work in a slow dance with Henry. Closer to dinner time, Michelle made an appearance and had a turn as well. As that happened, Sandy enjoyed a slow number with Marisa though she blushed and grinned happily through the song. Marisa had to tone down her naturally sensuous moves but still got an appreciative nod and grin from Tish and a slightly envious look from Dayshia.

They munched on the leftover sandwiches and salads for supper then Marisa said that she had to head home. She shook hands and hugged Sandy then Henry walked her to the door and got a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He closed the door and walked back to the living room. Glancing at Michelle, Henry saw she was ready to leave too. He turned to his host.

"Thank you so much Sandy, Dayshia, and Tish for the delightful hospitality, delicious food, and the dancing lessons. I'm feeling ready for our next night out at a club. Without the drinking!"

He got smiles and chuckles for that.

"It was very nice meeting you all, and it was extremely generous of you to let me sleep in your bed," Michelle said to Sandy who smiled and gestured dismissively.

They walked to the door.

"Henry? Aren't you forgetting something?" Dayshia said with a slight smile on her lips.

He looked back curiously. "What?"

"Our goodbye kisses."

Dayshia's lips were on his, and he squeaked slightly in surprise. Then he was kissing her in return as she pressed her soft body against his hard muscles. Finally, she pushed back gently, and his lips followed until they parted. His eyes opened just in time to see Tish slip in against his body as Michelle watched in wide-eyed surprise.

Tish was an excellent kisser, and Henry was swept away by her passion. He was reaching for her ponytail when she suddenly pushed back from the kiss with a gasp. He was dazed and focusing on her mouth as his neck began to tingle. Tish took another step back, and Henry looked down into Sandy's hungry gaze.

The blond tilted her face up to him, and his mouth came down to meet her soft lips. Her hair swept forward to caress his face and he gently pushed it back by running his fingers through it. Sandy's kiss was sweet, slow and tender and the tingle eased.

Michelle cleared her throat timidly which broke the moment, and Sandy pulled back with a happy smile.

"Have a good night Henry!" she said.

He nodded, still dazed from the kiss and stepped out into the hall. Michelle followed him out and took his elbow to guide him to the elevators. They heard a burst of excited giggles as Sandy's door closed.

When they were alone in the elevator, moving up to their floor, she glanced at him. "Does that always happen?"

He glanced at her in embarrassment and thought about it. "I- yes, I believe so, though not usually so aggressively. They truly are lovely people," he said with a wobbling smile. She smiled and looked away shyly.

They exited the elevator and read the sign Johann posted on the opposite wall that said the floor was clear for habitation again. They walked towards their units.

When Michelle reached her door, she turned to Henry, and he looked to her with a smile. "Thank you for introducing me to your friends. They are, as you say, lovely people." He nodded to her and waited as she seemed to have something else to say.

"Could we- I mean, would you- can I- never mind," she finished in a huff as her face got redder and redder.

She'd been watching his mouth the entire time so he guessed that she might be asking if they could kiss as she'd just witnessed. While he knew in reality Michelle was an Arachnid with the body of an enormous spider, her shy and gentle nature muted his instinctive fears. He reached out to touch her hand as she turned away. He stepped closer as she faced him and he could see she was trembling. "I would like to kiss you if it would be-"

Henry found himself pressed against the opposite wall with Michelle's mouth pressing firmly against his. He moved his lips to kiss her, and she gasped quietly as her mouth tried to follow his lead. It was becoming awkward. He pulled back slightly. Resting his fingers ever so lightly on her jaw, he leaned forward and gently stroked her lips with his. She sighed and trembled under his fingers. He pressed a little firmer and dipped the tip of his tongue between her lips. She made a cute little mew of need and slipped her tongue out to caress his. He sucked on her tongue, and she squealed, pulling back from him to take a few steps back, staring at him.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked cautiously.

She shook her head vigorously, making her lovely ebony hair swing back and forth. "I must go. Thank you. Good night!" With that, she slipped into her unit to close and lock the door.

He paused a moment, unsure what just happened. Michelle's assurance that he hadn't done anything wrong seemed to be refuted by her actions. Looking at her door, he sighed and moved on to his. He stepped inside and locked up. He smelled nothing to indicate his unit had been affected by the fumigation.

He sat on the couch and wondered where his relationship with the three ladies at Sandy's place was going. He valued their friendship, but they weren't shy in letting him know in no uncertain terms that they were interested in something a little more intimate.

Having learned his lesson from Sandy's hair, if they wanted a physical relationship with him he was going to have to insist on condoms and be extra diligent in preventing a reoccurrence of what Mary Carsten had done.

He had to protect them. From himself.

Chapter 30

The chairs around the VRL Executive boardroom table were full except Henry's. He was late for the meeting. Camila frowned at Sigrid who shrugged.

The door at the end of the room opened, and Henry rushed inside carrying his laptop. He stopped next to Camila and began to gush. "I'm so sorry I'm late! The N- uh, agency is back to poking at our firewall again but not so vigorously-"

"Henry, sit down so we can start the meeting," she said.

He nodded, and his eyes flickered over to the stern expression on Mahati's face.

He rushed to his seat and plugged his laptop into the table's built-in base station to re-establish his network connection. He quietly apologized to his neighbors Rosalind and Frank who both shrugged it off with smiles. He sent a nod to Sigrid and caught Roy's concerned look. He was likely still thinking about what Henry had begun to say about the NSA.

Camila called the meeting to order, and the executives reviewed the minutes of the previous meeting then went on to speak of new items. Henry's attention kept slipping back to his laptop's screen which showed another NSA tech poking about his firewall unsuccessfully. Then they were gone. He checked the date stamp of the last attempt and calculated they'd been at it for thirty-six straight hours almost to the second. This hacker followed the rules and ran checks for all the known exploits but lacked the creativity of Kent. It was like they were only going through the motions.

He paused. A distraction? He ran a script to look for any out of the ordinary patterns in the reports he was pulling from the server room equipment. Then he scanned the support hardware like the power backup and the Cooling system and spotted the anomaly. The chiller was working harder than usual as the web servers were consuming almost twice as much power as they typically did. It was a like a custom denial of service attack. He checked the web servers and saw some unexpected calls. Examining the records closer, he saw the exploit they were using and groaned quietly. He adjusted the firewall rules to filter all queries to the webservers against the previous cache entries to detect duplicate calls. Subsequent identical calls would now be identified as such and ignored. Once he posted the rule fix, he watched the traffic on the web servers, and they showed an immediate decrease in spurious transactions. He kept his eye on the flagged reports and soon he saw the affected servers cooling as the redundant calls were skipped and the load decreased. He smiled. Clever hacker. If the server room's cooling stack hadn't been able to easily compensate for the additional heat of the overworked CPU's, they might have faced a meltdown.

"HENRY!"

He jumped and looked at Camila guiltily.

"What has your attention so focused that you missed me calling to you for the last minute?" Camila growled.

"Sorry, the hacker just tried to overload the web servers to cause them to overheat. The server room's AC was running harder than it normally does due to the temperature increase. I blocked the redundant calls on the website, and the CPU temps are returning to their normal levels. That kind of attack won't be a threat anymore. What- what were you going to ask me?"

Camila snorted. "I was trying to determine if you had any ideas why we're receiving reports that our website is slow."

"Oh, well... that would be it. It should be back to normal shortly," he remarked.

His eyes went to Roy who had that grim look again.

"Maybe we could add that to our marketing message. Servers so secure they keep their cool even under attack." Rosalind suggested cheekily, and Roy made an involuntary moan. Chuckles erupted around the table.

"Very funny but we need to deal with this persistent attacker," Roy grumbled.

Camila nodded. "And we will. I have a meeting at 5 PM today with two representatives of the agency we believe is responsible. Henry, please make yourself available for this meeting which we'll take in my office. Try not to be late for that one."

He gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

They moved on and, crisis averted, Henry paid attention.

-=-

When they concluded the regular meeting, Mahati once more asked for Camila, Roy, and Sigrid to remain behind for another matter.

Once the others had all filed out and the room was private, the lawyer looked down at the table and cleared her throat.

She looked at Camila and began. "I addressed the points raised at our last meeting with my mother. I asked how I could truly represent VRL when the Council was my client. She wasn't pleased that I was questioning her decision. I won't go into the details of our discussion, but I can sum it up by saying I'm no longer associated with my mother's law firm but have begun the process of establishing a headquarters for my firm."

There was shocked silence from the others.

"I'll understand if you wish to look for alternate external counsel but I can assure you I have a tremendous breadth of knowledge and I'm highly skilled."

"Are you interviewing for the job?" Camila asked in surprise.

Mahati looked at her questioningly then nodded slightly.

"You've never had to interview before, have you?" Sigrid asked curiously.

Mahati turned her eyes to Sigrid and shook her head cautiously.

"For an internal counsel job, you'd usually bring a resume which indicates your training, skills, and work experience. For external counsel we'd ask for references from your client base, interview some of them, and review your case history," Sigrid said with a kind smile.

"I have worked in my mother's law firm my entire life. Since I've been able to read. I've read all of the legal texts and case history in the firm. I have an eidetic memory so mother had me working in research. As I insisted, I was allowed to take the bar exam which I passed easily. I've received training as a trial attorney, but while my mother paid for the training, she never allowed me to leave the family property unsupervised. Being assigned the VRL case was my first experience in the outside world. She did not want to do it, but I forced her hand when I volunteered in the presence of the Council members."

Sigrid rocked back in surprise. "Wait- what? You volunteered? Why did you give us such a hard time in our first meeting?"

Mahati looked distinctly uncomfortable. "It was my first time working outside the firm, and I tried to emulate how I thought my mother would act. I'm sorry for how I behaved that day." She looked down at her hands on the table. "Now that I have chosen to set my destiny, I find myself unable to return to the family estate. I stayed in a hotel last night. I didn't like it. I need to find a permanent dwelling of my own."

"You're looking for a place in the city?" Roy asked, and she nodded. "How are you fixed for funds?"

"I have personal investments and accounts. Separate from my mother's accounts and completely under my control. I have... sufficient funds," Mahati said acknowledging Roy's question. She looked at Sigrid who was looking at her with a strange smile on her face. "What?"

"Are you aware of Angelus Vindictae Ultrices?" Sigrid asked her and Camila turned her head to look to her HR Chief in surprise.

Mahati searched her memory and found an obscure reference from an ancient Hidden Races law book she'd read as a child. "Yes, it covers the transference of property rights of the demonically possessed to an avenging angel." She paused as she looked for an occurrence of its use. "That law hasn't been enacted in a long time. Not for... three decades. The last case was in Italy. A small village-"

"I've heard enough. She has my vote," Sigrid said with a smile. Camila and Roy looked at her in surprise. "That last case was my mother. She dispatched a demon who'd taken the place of the village's magistrate. She still lives in the villa on that mountain."

"Thank you for the trip down memory lane Sigrid, but I think I'll need to think on this. Often lawsuits can be avoided just because the name of the law firm strikes fear into the opponent. That's one of the goals of having outside counsel."

Sigrid shrugged with her enigmatic smile. "That wasn't my only reason for mentioning it. I'm now in possession of a very nice two bedroom condo in Henry's building. To be precise, the unit next to his."

Camila gawked at her. "A demon was living next to Henry?"

The tall blond nodded. "The original occupant was a bridge troll. Festil Vlodsky. No family which simplifies the Human law side of things. Not sure when the Demon moved in and replaced him." She looked to Mahati. "The point is, if you're interested I'll sell you this condo for market value with no markup."

Mahati blinked at Sigrid in surprise. "Is it in Manhattan?"

Sigrid snorted in amusement. "No, if you want a condo in Manhattan you're on your own. There, the availability is minimal, and the cost is maximum. For Stanley, we found a great building in Jersey City with a lovely view of Manhattan. If you want, you can join me at the unit tonight to take a look. I'll be doing my own cleansing of the condo to ensure no remnants of the demon remain. The clean-up crew is exceptionally thorough, but this demon was particularly sneaky and foul! I want to ensure the next tenant receives a purified home."

"Why aren't you keeping the condo for yourself?" Mahati asked.

"I own a brownstone in Manhattan. It's all I need," Sigrid said with a smile.

Mahati nodded to Sigrid and received a smile from the blond. She then turned to Camila. "I will leave you to contemplate the option of hiring my firm's services. I can assure you, what I lack in established reputation, I exceed in professional expertise."

"What's your firm called?" Roy asked.

"M. Chandra, LLP."

Roy smiled at Camila. "Is that intimidating enough for you? Her mum's firm is Chandra, LLP."

"How did you get away with that?" Camila asked.

Mahati raised a perfect brow. "It's my name. Besides I registered it years ago before I knew my mother had no intention of allowing me to leave the research department of her firm."

Comprehension dawn on Roy's face. "You're her archive! Like the backup technology, Henry set up for us! Mahati's mum had her! You remember everything with absolute recall?" The lawyer nodded. Roy looked to Camila. "She has my vote too."

Camila looked a little worried. "As you are so valuable to your mother, are you confident she won't try to interfere with your new found independence to draw you back to her employ?"

"Oh, I'm certain she will attempt it, but slavery was abolished quite some time ago, and now that I've come to my senses, I will not return to a life of false promises and servitude."

Camila watched her for a moment. "I'm leaning towards accepting your offer, but I'm going to have to go through the contract again. It wasn't written for signing on a new legal entity. That introduces some risk to VRL. I need to refactor the contract to address this. And before this, I still want to get Marisa's impression of you."

"I'm ready to do that now if you can guarantee she won't divulge anything she sees to anyone, including myself," the lawyer said firmly.

Camila nodded and called Marisa to join them in the boardroom.

Mahati tried to keep a calm expression on her face as she addressed Camila. "How many times have you called upon your daughter to do this?"

Camila shook her head. "This is actually the first time."

There was a knock then Marisa entered and walked over to the table. "Yes?"

"I'm considering taking on Ms. Chandra as VRL's external counsel. Before I do, I would like you to read her potentials- just to get an impression from her. Nothing more!" She hurried to complete her request as Marisa's eyes flared with anger. "Should I or shouldn't I, based on the overall weight of the impressions you receive. The company is potentially placing itself at risk with an unproven law firm. The final decision is mine."

Marisa was struggling to control her breathing as this was precisely what she'd wanted to avoid. Camila saw her unease. "I'm sorry to ask this of you. If it wasn't so important, I wouldn't have asked."

"Are you unwilling to do this?" Mahati asked curiously and with a little relief.

Marisa closed her eyes, took a deep, slow breath and opened them to look into Mahati's nervous eyes. "No, it's fine. I have no desire to become the company Oracle as my abilities are untrained. I can see potentials very strongly, but I cannot interpret them. Assigning a value to them is something I'm not entirely comfortable with," she said stiffly.

"Oh! I don't want to know what you see," Mahati blurted.

Marisa nodded, understanding. "Then I suggest you keep your eyes closed as I can't promise what I see won't show in my expression."

The lawyer froze then nodded. "What do I need to do?" She stood to face Marisa.

"Nothing. Just hold out your hands and close your eyes," Marisa said. She saw Mahati was prepared, so she gave her mother one more annoyed look, took Mahati's hands in hers, then released her control on her sight. The room exploded with the potentials of the people around the table. Mahati's were clearer due to their physical contact, but the noise was difficult to filter out.
She closed her eyes, released the hands, and pushed her talent back into a parked state. "Please move a little distance from the table so I can put my back to it," she instructed, and Mahati opened her eyes and stepped away from the table. The lawyer immediately closed them again. Marisa faced away from the others and took Mahati's hands as she opened her sight once more.

Now the potentials bursting forth were only those of the woman before her. As usual, the images made no sense to her as they overlapped so densely. But she was able to feel the power radiating from them. As this was her first time reading a wielder, there was spice, texture, and weight to the reading she'd never experienced before.

She opened her mind to the flow of images and let them flash by. She was relieved there were no dark streaks like she saw in Henry's aura. Mahati's was an explosion of brilliant colors! The only darkness was a grey haze surrounding the impression of a stern, dark-skinned older woman who resembled Mahati. Then images of the VRL execs flashed by with a prismatic burst, and Henry flared within this.

Suddenly, a wave of intense emotions hit Marisa. She sucked in a deep breath. They swept through her, and she gasped softly as a bubble of profound longing gripped her, then vanished. Layers of different emotions surfaced and burst, most were deliciously positive, and all tried to pull her inside. Marisa struggled to remain separate from the torrent of Mahati's emotions as the intimacy was too intense.

Another burst of images of Henry flashed in her mind, painted with the emotions. She gasped again as the intensity took her breath away and she found herself frantically sifting through the layers to see where the feelings were anchored, to know what they meant. They rang crisp and sweet in her mind, but she couldn't hold onto them. The effort drained her, her muscles protested, and she lost her grip on Mahati's hands as her legs gave out.

Camila caught her before she fell but had to ease her down as her legs continued to shake.

Marisa felt genuine respect and affection for Mahati, but her intellect rejected that as- it couldn't be real. She hadn't spent any time with her to honestly know the woman. The one-sided intimacy left her confused and dazed. She finally opened her eyes as she heard her mother whispering questions of concern in her ear. She nodded and lifted her eyes to the woman she'd just read.

Mahati looked stricken as she watched Marisa's reaction.

Marisa caught the expression and shook her head gently with a weary smile. Conflicted by her emotional state, she realized she'd have to let that go. It had no meaning in this circumstance.

"Don't worry. I was just caught off guard by the strength of the reading, not by what I saw. It was my first time reading a wielder," she said breathily.

"Oh! Oh, is that good?" the lawyer asked with a trembling voice.

Ignoring the lawyer's question, Marisa looked into her mother's eyes.

"You should."

Camila's eyes widened in surprise at the strength of conviction she saw in Marisa's eyes. She gave her a little nod. "Thank you."

She helped her up, and Marisa nodded to the group and left, walking a little stiffly.

When she saw the door close behind her daughter, Camila turned to the group. "I believe I'm ready to proceed now."

Mahati smiled a little shakily and nodded. "I'll wait for the revised draft. In the interim, I ask that you do not sign any documentation from my mother's firm. She is not above strong-arm tactics to get what she wants."

Camila nodded. "We're used to dealing with characters like that, aren't we Roy."

Roy just gave the CEO a sour look. He'd be happier with fewer dealings with them.

Chapter 31

Dayshia was going to be late for work, and it was all Henry's fault!

She'd had the strangest dreams all night and she'd woken in an... excited state. In them, she was running from a ram-horned Satyr. The one they'd seen in the shared vision at Sandy's place. While she still wasn't comfortable with what happened that night, she'd stopped denying it happened.

While she was dreaming, she hadn't been afraid so much as nervously excited about what it would do to her when it caught her. It was more sexy than dangerous.

When it finally did, it swept her up in its powerful arms and kissed her until she was left panting. She pulled back from the kiss and Henry was smiling down at her with a hungry look in his eye.

Of course, the image of being carried in powerful arms came from when Henry took his neighbor Michelle into the bedroom the day before. That had been so hot! The kiss in her dream had almost been as intense as the one she'd shared with Henry as he left.

Her toes wanted to curl even now as she thought about it. Damn! He was a good kisser, and the feel of his hard body against her softer one was so delicious, including the massive bulge she'd rubbed against... SHIT! She was distracting herself again!

She hurried forward to rush down the stairs into the subway. She paid her fare and made it down to the platform where she heard her train approaching in the tunnel.

Shit! Her phone!

Dayshia opened her cavernous purse and began digging furiously.

She couldn't go to work without her cell!

-=-

A short distance from the dark-skinned beauty, a skater punk leaned up against the wall, his backpack with a skateboard on his back, and watched her from under the brim of his hat.

Rohann was wearing the youthful glamor over his far more austere features. As a Fae assassin, he had numerous disposable glamors available to switch to in an instant to prevent observation and capture.

Ikehorn had given explicit instructions that the female was not to be killed but must suffer a severe injury that would require Fae intervention to survive. Killing her would have been simpler, but he was a consummate professional. He rarely turned down a task and couldn't turn down one from the Queen's man. His spotter, Dalewin, was on the opposite platform in the glamor of a pregnant Asian woman. He was watching the target and indicated to his partner by splaying his fingers on his domed tummy that the female was prime for taking. Even from behind Rohann could tell she was distracted.

He eased himself forward casually, listening to the sound of the approaching train, timing his approach so he would be in the perfect position to engage the target. She was going to strike the side of the train after it entered the station but while it still had sufficient forward momentum to cause the head trauma they needed. Observing her size and estimating her mass he gauged the amount of force he would need to apply to her shoulder blades in a shove to get her to launch forward head first into the train. He was ready. Glancing at his spotter, he saw the ok sign, a circular stroke across the tummy.

The platform was crowded but not so packed that he'd have difficulty escaping.

The train rushed into the platform and Rohann counted while the woman continued to hunt through her purse. He couldn't have planned this better. Casually bringing his hands forward to the straps of his pack, his countdown was rapidly ending in three... two... one.

With a frustrated grunt, the woman spun in place.

Rohann's perfectly timed and weighted thrust earned him two large handfuls of soft tit. He couldn't prevent the automatic squeeze reflex. He looked up into shocked and outraged eyes as his jaw dropped in surprise.

The heavy purse struck him on the left temple, and he went down hard, bouncing the right side of his face against the cement platform. Stars exploded then his mind slid into darkness.

-=-

The police officer took Dayshia's statement as his partner cuffed the groggy perp.

"I was hunting in my purse for my phone. When I couldn't find it, I turned around, and this little creep grabbed my chest! He grabbed and squeezed! Hard! It was almost painful!"

The officer was struggling to keep from staring at her generous bosom and the thought of grabbing her himself was almost irresistible. He kept his eyes on his notes as he scribbled them down.

"Listen I have to go home to get my cell, and I'm late for work-"

A muted ringing came from within the large bag. Frowning, she looked inside again and opened an inner zipper to discover her ringing phone. She saw it was her boss calling. She nodded to the officer and answered it.

"Hi, Margaret."

"Dayshia? Is everything ok?" her voice said cautiously.

"Yes, I'm sorry for being late. I was assaulted on the train platform. I'm giving the police my statement, then I'll be right in," Dayshia explained.

"Assaulted! Are you hurt?" her boss gasped in shock.

"No. A creep just grabbed my chest!" Dayshia said in outrage.

"Oh! Well, I told you they would get you in trouble one day!" Margaret said cheekily.

"Very funny. I'll be in soon. Again, sorry for being late."

"Not your fault... this time," Margaret said with a smile in her voice.

Dayshia hung up and looked to the officer who was staring at her cleavage. She bounced her tits once, and his eyes shot back to hers to see her frowning at him. "Are we finished?"

"Yes, we have your information so we'll be in contact," the man said, unable to keep his eyes from dipping once more as he spoke.

Dayshia snorted and moved to enter the train that just arrived. Men were such slaves to their dicks.

Her mind went back to a particular shape she'd felt pressing against her last night, and she grinned to herself wickedly.

As the train pulled out of the station, she missed seeing the police running for the stairs to catch the fleeing skater punk who'd somehow got free of his cuffs. He bumped a pregnant Asian woman who almost fell on the stairs and blocked the police from continuing the chase.

-=-

Henry was mentally absorbed by a code trace when he heard someone calling his name. He looked towards the closed door and heard it again with a knock this time. He got up and opened the door to see Marisa giving him an exasperated glare.

"You called?" he asked hesitantly.

She pushed past him and marched over to his desk to look at his phone. With a frustrated snort, she poked a button to disable it.

"Don't press this button! It prevents me from reaching you on the intercom!" she growled softly.

He moved closer to see which button she was pointing at. "I thought that was the Forward to Voicemail button."

"No, that's the next one down. This one is the Do Not Disturb button! How can someone so brilliant with computers get so confused with the phone system?" she insisted.

He couldn't help but stare in awe as her beauty shone through her ire.

Seeing the adoration on his face, she sighed and shook her finger at him. "Push that button again without telling me first, and I'll have it disabled!"

"Yes, Marisa," he said meekly but with a little smile on his lips.

"You have a visitor. I'm sending him in."

"Oh!" Henry looked at the clock. The day was getting away from him again.

A moment later Henry was looking at a vaguely familiar face which was smiling cautiously at him. The man walked in and closed the door behind himself.

"Oh! It's you!" Henry gasped.

"Nate Walker. Henry Gable, yes?" Nate said holding his hand out to shake.

Henry shook it then gestured for him to sit. He took his chair and paused for a second. "Hang on." He pressed the intercom button. "Marisa?"

"Yes?"

"How am I going to have a private conversation with Nate?" he asked, holding the eyes of the other man who looked back curiously at him.

Henry heard a click, then his door opened. Marisa looked him in the eye then touched his door jamb then tapped it. Then she closed the door once more. His phone beeped, and he activated the speaker. "Yes."

"Privacy has been activated. Until the door opens again," Marisa said.

"Ah! Thank you!"

After the click, Henry looked across at a man who'd shared the most profound, life-altering experience with him.

"How did those condoms work out for you?" Nate asked with a grin.

Stanley snorted in surprise at the question and smiled back at him. "Not the first thing I expected you to ask."

"Yeah, well... not sure where to begin." He gestured over his shoulder at the door. "Isn't closing the door enough to have a private conversation?"

Henry sighed. "My office... ensures I don't say anything about the..." He lifted his eyes to the ceiling speaker. "...Hidden Races." When the speaker remained quiet, he relaxed. At Nate's confused look, he explained as he pointed to the ceiling. "The speaker emits a sharp tone any time I say something I shouldn't. It's a training aid since I grew up oblivious to the existence of the Hidden Races and the reality of magic."

"Yeah, it's so hard not to say the wrong thing!" Nate gushed.

"The trick is to ignore it. I never wanted anything to do with any of this. Still don't, to be honest. It's easier to keep being human," Henry sighed.

"But... you're not," Nate clarified.

"Right, but it's ok to act as if you were because that's what protects everyone," Henry said.

Nate nodded. "You were at the marina. Part of the team who rescued me. I was on the ship with Sigrid, and we saw someone big crash through the gatehouse and charge down the pier right at Oletha. Sigrid said it was you. You looked totally badass!"

Henry squirmed. "I have no memory of that. I can't remember anything from a few minutes before that happened to when I woke up in Sigrid's guest room."

"The lights went out, so I don't know how you got past Oletha. When I got down to the dock the big redhead dude, uh... Roy, he was fishing you out of the water with Siobhan's help." Nate said with a grin.

Henry shrugged and changed the subject. "I was told that you're from the past as well. Did you grow up with human parents?"

"Yeah, they're amazing! They told me I was adopted, but I had no real interest in finding my birth parents. I call them every once in a while, but I haven't visited my folks in months. Guess I'm a bad son," he said with a guilty smile. "How about you?"

"I grew up with Baba Yaga."

Nate's eyebrows rose. "Isn't she supposed to be some kind of Uber Witch or something?"

"To me, she was just my baba... grandmother. I only found out a short time ago that she'd collected me from my parents... an extremely long time ago. I grew up here, in the present. She's since... disconnected herself from my life now, too."

Nate saw the sadness in Henry's eyes and realized he'd definitely gotten the better deal, parent-wise at least. He wasn't sure what to say about that. He looked around the office. "I hear you're good with computers."

Henry gave him a small smile and shrugged. "I'm a tech nerd. Except for office telephones apparently. I completely lucked out to get a job with Camila's company. Landing the CIO role right out of college was a fantasy come true!"

"Speaking of fantasies, how did you end up with Marisa as your assistant?" Nate asked with a broad smile.

Henry nodded. "Luck beyond anything I have ever experienced before. She was the executive assistant to the previous CIO, and she's as brilliant as she is lovely. She gets tech. After we replaced all the servers and workstations, I asked her why she didn't take the job for herself, but she said that while she understands much of it, she doesn't have the desire to create and manage a network. She is a savant at organizing, so she helped me bring VRL from severe technical debt to cutting edge in a very brief period of time." He realized he'd been gushing and Nate was grinning at him.

"Me thinks you like your executive assistant!" Nate chuckled.

Henry squirmed some more. "Of course, I do! What's not to like!"

Nate leaned back in this chair and locked eyes with Henry who watched him cautiously.

"What do you like to do for fun, Henry? Dance clubs? Base jumping? Running naked through Central Park at night?"

Henry laughed as he recalled Queen Mab's insistence that he refrain from doing dangerous things. "I'm just learning to dance. I've been to a dance club once. Someone spiked my drink and the evening went downhill from that point. Mostly, I'm pretty sedentary. Most of my hobbies revolve around computers."

"You're a gamer?" Nate asked with raised brows."

"No, I'm more into researching the latest trends and coding."

Nate grinned. "A serious young man! But you like dancing?"

"Learning to," Henry nodded.

Nate smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Would you be resistant to the idea of enjoying another night out at a dance club?"

"No, I intend to give it another try. Did you and your friends end up going out that night we met in the drug store?" Henry asked curiously.

Nate barked a laugh. "You mean the night you had two tigresses fighting each other for the chance to party with you?"

Henry blushed and nodded.

"Naw, once the police got the ladies sorted out and took our statements none of us felt like hitting the club," Nate said with a shrug.

"Sorry," Henry said, knowing he'd been the cause for the ladies losing their cool.

"It's fine. Not your fault! Anyway, it worked out for the best as we decided to go to more upscale clubs. That's where I met Marisa and Siobhan. My life is looking better already! I had a job interview, and next week I start my new job. This is thanks to a reference Sigrid gave me. Everyone at VRL has been so amazing!"

Henry fondly smiled as he thought of his new family. "Yes, they are the best! It's great to have such good friends!" Henry thought he should ask Nate a question, so he fumbled through one of his own. "What, ah, how do you relax and recharge?"

Nate smiled. "I visit art galleries and just soak in the talent."

Henry's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Museums too?"

"Yeah, originally I went to them to meet women and learn how to talk about art intelligently as the ladies like that. I frequently went until one day I discovered I truly enjoyed appreciating art! I fell in love with the work of the masters, and I became a bit of an expert on them if I do say so myself." He gave Henry a grin which faded as he continued. "Unfortunately, I can't visit them anymore." At Henry's curious look he explained. "I dated some of the ladies who work at the larger museums and... it didn't end well. Now, they can be a little... resentful when I show up."

Nate didn't want to talk about that, so he thought of his friends instead and recalled the conversation he'd had with Camila about them. "You've met my crew, well... some of them. They're lots of fun. I think you'd have a great time with them too. You should join us when we hit the clubs." Henry smiled and nodded, so he continued his thought. "Do you hang out with anyone?"

Henry's smile widened. "Yes! I met a neighbor in the building I live in, and she invited me to hang out with her friends. They all work together in a hospital."

"Maybe we could all go to a club and get to know each other?" Nate suggested.

Henry nodded. "I'll see if they're up for that."

"Great! Just to let you know, all my old friends are human," he said.

"My friends are human too," Henry stated.

Nate nodded. "So... Camila dropped a bomb on me recently. She told me my lifespan as an Incubus could run into multiple centuries. All of my friends are going to grow old and die while it will seem like I don't age at all. She told me that before the age disparity becomes evident to them, I'll have to move on."

Henry's smile slipped away. "Did she say how long Satyr's live?"

Nate shook his head. "She didn't know. I guess it's going to be a wait and see thing. If you age at the same rate as them or close to it, then you get to keep your friends for that lifespan." Now it was Nate's turn to look a little sad.

"Shit," Henry sighed. "It's cool to think about getting to see the future but without my friends?"
"I know. Not every discovery I've made about my new state of being has been welcome news," Nate sighed.

"The same for me. Almost none of it was welcome," Henry said. They were both quiet for a bit.

Nate suddenly grinned. "Listen to us pathetic losers! Boohoo! We're magic-infused miracles, surrounded by sexy, beautiful ladies who seem to be earnest in their desire for us to be happy!" Henry snorted in surprise and couldn't stop the smile from slipping onto his lips. Nate nodded to him. "That's better! Take it as it comes and make the best of every situation, I've always said!" he finished with a bark of laughter.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Henry said, quoting his favorite movie but imitating Bogart poorly.

Nate gave a pained groan as he grimaced playfully. "Buddy, you've got to work on your impressions."

Henry shrugged with a grin. He liked being a buddy.

"Give me your cell number, and I'll give you mine. When you've spoken with your friends about it we can make arrangements to meet at a club," Nate suggested pulling his new cell phone out.

Henry saw it was the same model as his. "Hey, good choice," he said gesturing with his phone.

Nate nodded, and they swapped numbers. "Hey, listen, I know you're an important CIO and all, so I'll get out of your hair for now but give me a call if you want to hang out or just want to talk, ok?"

"Will do! Thanks!" Henry said. He stood and shook Nate's hand.

Nate moved to the door and opened it. He looked back at Henry with a mischievous grin. "Succubus," he said quietly, and the ceiling speaker squealed. He winced and laughed at Henry's flinch.

Shaking his head, Henry sat back down at his desk once Nate was gone. He tried to get his head back into the code spelunking, but he kept grinning as his thoughts returned to how much fun it would to have Nate as a friend.

That made him think of his human friends and his smile slowly faded. He pressed the intercom.

"Yes, Mr. Gable?"

"Could you come in here please?" he asked. When Marisa appeared in the doorway, he pointed to the door jamb questioningly, and she understood. She activated the privacy rune, stepped inside, and closed the door.

"Nate told me that he's going to live a long time. He said that I might too," he began, holding her eyes with his.

"It's a possibility. We don't know the lifespan of a Satyr," she said gently.

"What about Sandy? Could I have altered her lifespan with the Wild Magic?" he asked nervously.

Marisa shook her head. "I seriously doubt it. She doesn't have a powerful magic scent which would indicate a strong feed linkage. I'm surprised that her hair hasn't gone back to normal already. This proves she's connected but just enough to maintain the minimal level of animation for her hair." She gave him a serious look. "You must prevent further exposure to additional Wild Magic."

Henry nodded vigorously. Having seen what happened with just a small drop, the thought of what would happen to Sandy with a larger sample terrified him.

"How are you feeling?" Marisa asked.

He saw she was giving him a concerned look. "I'm feeling fine. Back to normal. Well, as normal as I get," he said with a smile. He was glad to see her smile return.

"Are you and Nate going to hang out together?" she asked.

He nodded. "I think so. He has a large group of friends, and they go dancing a lot. I'm going to ask Sandy and her group to come along. Maybe you and Siobhan could join us?"

"I'd love to go dancing with you!" Marisa said. "Let me know when you plan to go."

Henry's PC pinged at him with an instant message from Eve Summerly from Accounting. He was working on the automation of some reports for her and he needed to get back to it. He gave Marisa an apologetic smile, and she nodded and stood.

"I'll let you get back to it," she said with a smile.

"Thanks, Marisa!" he replied, returning her smile.

He sighed and read the message from Eve. The smile remained on his lips. He really did love his job.

He just hoped the craziness in his life that distracted him from this stuff would finally settle down or better yet, leave him alone.

Chapter 32

Before she headed home, Marisa reminded him of his 5 PM meeting. He thanked her and made a quick note in the code... and a tweak here... before putting a bookmark in the file he was reviewing. He'd pick up from there in the morning.

He locked up and walked down the hall into Camila's waiting room. Henry found it odd that Felix wasn't at his desk. He was always in before Camila and left only after she did. Still, Henry had a 5 PM meeting which he was not going to be... he glanced at his phone. SHIT! He was a minute late!

He knocked quickly then pushed inside. "Sorry I'm late-"

The first thing that hit him was a wave of pheromones. He was almost instantly hard and stumbled a step or two into the room. What he saw shocked him completely!

Camila was pushed over the front of her desk, her dress in tatters, as a dark-haired naked man fucked her from behind. He was pulling at her hair violently and slapping her reddened ass. A second naked person, a red-haired woman, was doing her best to swallow the man's tongue as she frantically ground herself against the man's hip. She was also slapping Camila's other ass cheek cruelly.

Henry didn't hear the usual moans and groans from Camila. She was screaming and crying, but the couple paid her no heed. She bent her head around to look at him, and he saw tears running down her face.

"HENRY! GET HELP!" she cried as she slapped something on her desk. His ears popped with a sudden change in air pressure.

He staggered back as the two rapists turned to look at him with crazed looks in their eyes. Bouncing off the door jamb, Henry spun and raced down the hall. He heard the soft thump of feet hitting the carpet behind him.

"HELP!" he yelled and almost instantly the two security staff from the elevator lobby were racing towards him.

"Drop!" one yelled, and he instantly threw himself down to sprawl out on the floor as the two leapt over him. He heard a gun go off and a deep growl then the sound of impacts. Silence followed. Henry turned and saw the guards zip tying the unconscious naked couple. He tried to stand to run back to Camila, but a hand caught his shoulder. He looked up into Roy's concerned face.

"Camila-" Henry began, but Roy stopped him.

"Lad, I need you to go downstairs and wait for me in the lobby."

"But-"

"She called me upstairs. I'll deal with this. Please, Henry. Wait for me downstairs. Don't say anything to anyone. I'll take your statement of what you saw shortly."

He looked at the big redhead and nodded slowly. "Sure, ok. I'll be there." Roy helped him to his feet, and he walked to the elevator and rode it down to the lobby. He wobbled over to the guest chairs and dropped into one. His mind was spinning. Camila? Raped?!? It made no sense! She was a Succubus! He closed his eyes and tried to settle his thoughts.

He didn't see the woman who entered the building and headed straight for him.

-=-

Roy watched Henry leave and sighed. He didn't like doing it, but it was best for the lad not to know, yet.

He nodded to his men and noted one was sporting a bullet wound on his arm. It looked like a through and through. "Get some pictures of that and find the slug." He walked past and found Camila sitting on her couch with a blanket wrapped around her. Conscious of the camera recording his words and movements he knelt at her feet. "We've caught the two rapists. How are you?"

"I was RAPED! How do you think I feel!" she screamed, as she held his eyes. She nodded almost imperceptibly.

"I'm going to call the police-"

"Wait! Wait... just wait." Camila gasped.

Roy picked up the lingering scent of her pheromones. The vents were going full speed now, but she must have pushed hard to create enough to saturate the large room with enough to break past the agent's natural inhibitions to get them to a state of raw impulse. She must be exhausted.

Camila sighed. "They were NSA. We need to call the Director. He needs to deal with this. I don't want this all over the news, and I don't need my reputation sullied either."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"YES!" she snapped.

Roy stood and frowned. He looked towards her desk. "I'm taking the meeting recording for your protection."

She nodded, and he walked to the desk and entered a code on the keyboard to stop the cameras. He confirmed it had saved and saw the recording was complete. "Ok, we're clear."

She finally relaxed. "Good! How's Henry?" She wasn't faking the bruises, scratches, and exhaustion but the victim attitude had been an act.

"Really shaken. I've asked Henry to wait for me down in the lobby," Roy said.

Camila looked at him in surprise. "The lobby? Why not in your office?"

"The lad's too bright, and there are too many screens linked to cameras in there. We need to explain this to him carefully, not have him stumble upon it and get the wrong idea. By the way, one of mine was shot through the arm."

"Did you get pictures before he healed himself?" Roy nodded. "I'm going to make the call," Camila said moving to her desk. Roy remained in the office but stayed quiet as she navigated her way through the gauntlet of assistants until she was speaking to Director Yosman directly.

"Ms. Villamor, this had better be damn important as I was about to speak with the President," the man barked.

"Your agents, Kaiba and Sparling came to visit me this afternoon. They made some bold accusations about my company, myself, one of my employees, and then they began with threats. They became physically abusive and finally raped me."

"That's preposterous! There is no way in hell these agents would have done such a thing! I don't know what game you're playing."

"GAME! This isn't a game! What they did to me WASN'T A GAME!" Camila roared then took some deep breaths. "The meeting was recorded. Video. Audio." She cued up the recording to the spot where she'd pushed the agents beyond their ability to resist their impulses.

"So, it's to be blackmail from some fabricated evidence."

Camila pressed play. "You fucking whore! Yosman wants the software, and you're going to give us what we want! Come here. I said FUCKING COME HERE!" There was a sound of a hand striking skin and Camila's cry of pain. She stopped the playback and looked to Roy who nodded appreciatively at her acting.

They heard a choking sound of the director trying to contain his reaction. "What do you want?" the man said quietly, surprised and shaken by his recognition of Kaiba's voice.

"I want you to deal with them! I don't want this video to go public. I don't want to go to the police. I don't need my reputation marred by this! I want you to come here to take your people away. I want assurances from you that they'll receive punishment for their actions! I want an apology from you for what they did to me." Her voice broke a little on the last demand.

There was silence on the other end for a moment. "Where are my agents?"

"Our in-house security managed to catch them and secured them. One of my people was shot in the arm by your agent in the process. When can you be here?"

More silence then quiet cursing. "I'll be there in ninety minutes."

"Thank you," Camila said and hung up. She looked to Roy. "Henry-"

Roy's cell vibrated, and he lifted it to his ear. "Roy." His expression went dark. "Shit! Tell everyone to back off! Nobody touches her!" He hung up and looked to Camila. "The one who helped me in the alley behind Sigrid's is in the lobby. She grabbed Henry, and now she's tossing my people around." He ran for the elevator.

He hoped she was still there when he arrived.

-=-

Mary walked in the front door of VRL and stood for a moment watching the workers on their way home. It was the end of the day after all. Mostly, they seemed happy. Could mean it was a nice place to work or that they were relieved to leave.

She spotted Henry on one of the guest chairs, resting his eyes. He didn't look happy. Maybe he'd learned one of VRL's dark secrets that drove a New York Detective to an early grave. She marched over to stand next to his chair and glared down at him. He still hadn't noticed her, but her frustration was bubbling to the surface. Finally, she kicked his chair, and he yelled out in fright, wide eyes looked up at her in fear. His overreaction triggered a release of her nervous energy. She reached down, grabbed the front of his shirt and hauled him to his feet. She pulled him in close to snarl in his face.

"What did you do to me?!?"

He looked around the lobby at the people stopping to gape at them. He looked back to her and shook his head. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. She gave him a shake. "What happened to me?"

Henry tried to lean closer to whisper to her, but she just shook him again. "Speak up!"

He was beginning to look a little panicked when she heard a voice behind her. "Step away from Mr. Gable." She glanced over her shoulder to see a couple of large men in dark suits. They had the bruiser aura about them of security goons.

"Piss off, I'm talking to him," she snapped.

"Last warning," the other security agent growled quietly. Additional agents were entering the lobby to shepherd the bystanders out the front door and to direct those exiting the elevators to leave by the rear entrance. Soon they had the space to themselves.

"I said piss off!" She shoved Henry, and he dropped into the chair once more.

That was all the guards were waiting for. They jumped on her and quickly learned she wasn't going to be a simple takedown. She was surprisingly strong!

Mary spent the afternoon at a boxing gym sparring with anyone willing to get into the ring with her. She threw very few punches but took them hour after hour until no one wanted to try to take her on. She'd worn out every opponent and left the gym feeling like she might ignite with the energy she contained. When she'd walked behind enemy lines, she felt like she was armed with atomic bombs.

She slammed the two men together then shoved them to send them tumbling. Another guard leapt forward and landed a brutal right to her chin, but she just grinned and stepped inside his reach to hit him with a rapid series of rabbit punches to his ribs. He collapsed as one broke. Mary was caught in a flying tackle and crashed into the hard, polished stone floor. She drove her knee up into the man's crotch and hit him in the kidneys making him cry out. She shoved him aside, rolling to her knees and was preparing to leap back to her feet when Henry dropped to his knees before her and wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug.

"Please! I can tell you everything you need to know, but it has to be in private!" he pleaded quickly into her ear.

With an explosive snort, she pushed him away, her anger and frustration not ready to be swayed by sweet words. He tumbled into the chairs to clock his head against a sharp metal corner, gashing the back of his scalp. He winced and touched the area and saw blood on his hand.

She got to her feet and gestured for the next opponent to give her a try, but they all just stood back.

"Fucking cowards!" she raged.

"No, just well disciplined," the large redhead she'd met before said as he strode through their midst to reach Henry. He pressed a handkerchief to Henry's wound and moved Henry's hand to hold it in place. Then he stood to face the woman who bested his crew.

"Did you come here to beat people up or is there something I can help you with?" he asked.

She glared at him as frustration surged within her. "Detective Harmon is dead. Something terrified him so much he couldn't live with it. Something involving VRL. Now he's dead." She was surprised to see the sadness appear in the big man's eyes. He was genuinely sorry to hear about Harmon.

"It wasn't VRL. We can talk but not here. I don't even know your name. I'm Roy. Roy Duncan."

Mary was still jittery from the energy she'd absorbed. She was going to have to watch her intake from now on. She suddenly wanted to be... elsewhere.

She looked to Henry who was giving her a sad look of his own. Enough. "You want answers? Ask him. He seems to know everything." She turned and walked away.

The guards between her and the front door stiffened and looked past her, presumably to their leader. Then they parted, and she pushed through the door and walked into the crisp night air.

She'd find Henry at a quieter location and get her answers from him then.

-=-

Roy looked at Henry and caught a few of his crew eyeing the bloody handkerchief. So, the story had gotten out. He sighed. "Come on Henry, let's get that taken care of." He wiped the drops up on the corner of the chair.

They left the lobby to walk into the security office and the small infirmary. Roy closed the door and locked it as Henry watched nervously.

"We need to seal the cut. Head wounds bleed too much. I'm going to do the honors which means I have to change," Roy explained.

Henry nodded and relaxed again.

"I... evolved with the last time I did this so please remain calm." Henry nodded again, though his eyes did widen.

Roy replaced Henry's hand with his own on the cloth. "Ready?"

"Yes."

Roy dropped his glamor, and the room became so much smaller. Before Henry could react, he yanked the handkerchief away roughly which, of course, broke the scab and blood surged up once more. Roy's tongue pressed against the wound and he licked Henry's head and hair clean of the blood. Two more licks and the wound closed.

He popped the bloody fabric into his maw of sharp teeth and quickly chewed while rolling and squeezing it with his long tongue. Soon the entire cloth was light pink from the blood and Roy was swallowing. He spat the shredded remains into the trash then grabbed the countertop as the energy rushed through his cells. He managed to remain conscious but just barely. Once he was stable again, he swapped back to his Human disguise.

Tingling madly, Roy looked to Henry and struggled to contain his snort. The young man's hair was wet from wolf spit and was sticking up all over the place.

Henry moved to the small sink and wet his hair, running his fingers through it.

"How is Camila? I don't understand how that happened to her," he said in anguish.

Roy looked at the innocent confusion and despair on Henry's face and sighed. "Let's go talk in my office."

Once they were behind Roy's door, he began. "You know the two Camila was meeting with were NSA agents?" Henry nodded. "Camila discussed potential outcomes of the meeting with me in advance. What you saw upstairs, what you played your part in, was staged for a camera in Camila's office. The recording will be used to prevent the NSA from acting against VRS, Camila, and you."

Henry was watching Roy in shock. Staging a rape? True, it made more sense than a Succubus falling victim to it but still, it stretched his credulity to its limits. "How?"

"When the questions and demands began to get aggressive Camila saw how to use the agent's personalities against them. She released pheromones to amplify their natural inclinations," Roy explained.

Henry rocked back in his chair. He recalled the overwhelming power of her pheromones when he first entered. How excited he became and how quickly.

"I watched from here to keep an eye on her, ready to send the two guards from upstairs into the room if Camila lost control."

"SHE WAS CONTROLLING THEM?" Henry exclaimed.

Roy winced. "Control is too strong a word. It was more like she was stoking their fires and there was a chance that fire could have taken over and they'd slip into madness."

Henry remembered the crazed look in their eyes when they turned to look at him. "I think they did, in the end," he said quietly
"Yeah, they're a mess right now. Emotions completely out of control," Roy conceded.

"Why did she do this?" Henry asked.

"The agents were threatening to shut VRL down, to arrest Camila and you on bogus charges just because they had the means to do it. Complete abuse of power. They wanted your firewall, the secret of how it works. They didn't like not being able to poke around in our private files. Camila defused their threat by making the agents a liability to the NSA, by recording the ordeal, and by acting as she did, to make it credible evidence. We're sorry to put you through that, but it was necessary to make it look credible. She and I worked out the scenarios and this way was our best chance at success. She was never in any real danger, being far stronger than both of the agents. Camila would never have gone through it if she hadn't thought it was essential for the safety of VRL and its people."

Henry sat back and thought about that. He finally looked up at Roy. "Is she ok?"

Roy smiled at Henry's genuine concern. "Aye, but she's sore and exhausted. The effort to express that much pheromones alone would have drained her."

Henry thought about that. "Does- will she need a feeding?"

Roy grinned. "I think she would very much appreciate that... after speaking with the Director of the NSA. He's set to arrive shortly, and she needs to appear as she currently does. I'll meet with Camila and him. You need to be close by in case he wants to speak to you. You can tell him exactly what you saw, no embellishing. Also, we're telling him that your brother created the firewall and you only maintain it. Let's stick with that, all right?"

"Yes sir," Henry mumbled.

"Thanks, and again, our apologies for the ordeal you went through," Roy said.

"What happens to the agents?" Henry blurted.

Roy watched Henry's expression and saw his worry. "Understand, Camila didn't make them do anything they didn't want to do. She just lowered their natural and societal inhibitions, and their impulses took over. I'm not saying they deserved it, but if you'd heard how they treated her from the start in the meeting, you'd quickly get the idea that these weren't nice people. So, what goes around, comes around," he finished firmly, and Henry nodded his acknowledgment.

"Now, about the lady who can toss my crew around like puppets."

"Mary Carsten. Police officer. She was the one who picked me up from the subway-"

"AH! The one whose husband- oh, sorry." Roy stopped when he saw Henry flinch.

"Yes, that one. Mary was affected by the gas, and we had sex. I insisted on wearing a condom, but she still managed to... ingest a large quantity. I don't know what she's become, but she's no longer human."

"What? She was Human?!?" Roy exclaimed.

"Yes. Before her exposure to the magic," Henry nodded as he watched Roy's face.

Roy scowled as he struggled to understand. "They don't change. Humans are immune to magic!" he insisted.

"Not Wild Magic. It changes them, but the outcomes are random. For the Hidden Races, it seems to boost their existing abilities, but for humans, I think there's an element of chaos at work. You never know what will happen," Henry sighed.

"Wait, wait, wait! Hold on, how do you know all this? Has it happened before?"

Henry looked at Roy in surprise. "Didn't Camila tell you about my neighbor Sandy?"

"NO! GEEZUS! You changed her too!?!" Roy barked.

Henry held up his hands. "Not directly-" He closed his eyes and shook his head as there was no way he was going into the details with Roy on what happened. He looked to the man again. "...never mind, yes, but her exposure was limited, so she hasn't noticed. A minimal change, not a complete transformation. I didn't have sex with her, but she still came into contact with... some." He felt awkward talking about sex with Roy. Like talking to his Dad or something. His embarrassment must have shown on his face as Roy suddenly caught on and became flustered himself.

"Ok, ok. You, uh, you need to avoid sex with Humans," the man mumbled his advice.

Henry gave him an exasperated look. "I try but... I'm a Satyr. It seems like it's something we do. It just happens!"

"Sex doesn't just happen!"

"Can- can we not have this conversation now?" Henry pleaded.

Roy threw his hands up. "Fine! Be more careful!"

Henry nodded as his cheeks burned.

"This Mary Carsten. Where does she live? I need to speak with her."

"I didn't get her address. I took the bus the morning after, but I was shaken up, so I wasn't paying attention. Her ex... he pointed his gun at her back. She was on top of me, and he shot her twice before turning the gun on himself." Henry forced out.

Roy blinked at him. "She's bulletproof?"

Henry nodded, thinking of the fight in the stationhouse and how energized she seemed in the jail cell afterward. "I think she gets energy from the impacts. The more she's hit, the stronger she gets," Henry guessed.

"Yeah, I picked that up when she saved my ass in the alley behind Sigrid's house. Of course, her interference caused me to need her intervention," he grumbled.

Roy's phone buzzed. "Hold on," he said to Henry as he picked up and listened. "We'll be right up."

He hung up and looked at Henry. "The Director of the NSA will be here shortly to collect his people. We'll go up, and you wait in your office for us to call for you, ok?"

With a nod, Henry stood, and they went to the elevators. As they reached his office, he went inside with a glance at Roy who nodded to him. He sat at his desk and poked around the firewall logs to see if there had been any further attempts but nothing outside of the usual amateurs.

Thinking of what he might face, he made some preparations. He tinkered and fidgeted and kept glancing at his phone. He wondered what happened to Kent. These were the guys who unleashed him on VRL.

Henry jumped when his phone beeped. "Yes!" he squeaked.

"Join us in Camila's office please," Roy said tersely.

Henry was going to answer, but the line was dead. He locked up on the way out of his office, and as he entered Camila's waiting room, he saw two of Roy's men standing across from two strangers in dark suits. He raised his eyebrows at the security team, but they just smiled at him, so he walked past to the door. He knocked then entered.

His eyes went immediately to Camila, and his heart leapt in his chest at her bruises and apparent exhaustion. He felt a definite pull and need to comfort her. Her eyes lifted to his and she caught the compassion. She got a little teary-eyed and looked away. He wasn't sure if that was genuine or part of the act for the Director. That thought made him distinctly uncomfortable.

Henry saw the grim expression on Roy who gestured to the chair between him and an older man in a beautifully tailored suit. That man's expression showed his seriously conflicted emotions. Embarrassment warred with resentment, frustration, and outright rage. He nodded to the man and sat.

"Henry, I was telling Director Yosman here that the firewall was a custom creation of your brother, Stanley, and you manage it for us," Camila said quietly.

Henry nodded and looked to the Director who glared at him.

"I'll be blunt as that seems to be the theme for the night. The NSA wants the firewall technology VRL is using. I understand you are the only one who currently understands how it works," Yosman said to Henry who nodded slightly wondering where he was going with this.

"I'd like you to come work for us-"

"No, thank you," Henry immediately said.

"You haven't heard my offer," the Director said.

"I don't need to. I'm happy here."

"You'd be protecting your country!" Yosman insisted.

Henry stared at him. "My country would be safer if it didn't have to deal with some of the people who work for you."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"The first time someone from the NSA tried to hack us, when he discovered he couldn't, he attempted to hire the most notorious dark web hackers to do it for him. It seems they figured out who he was before they fell for it. These were the same people who, I understand, hacked into the NSA servers-"

"That's classified!"

"It's publicly available. The information is freely available on the dark web. It's all you see on the message boards. How a not-so-white white hat hacker from the NSA tried to trick them and lost everything while handing over the keys to the kingdom. His personal history is there for everyone to see! He had a disgusting sideline business!"

"Fine! He was a disgusting little troll, but you can't judge us by him!" the man snapped.

"I'm sure that's true, but just this morning another hacker from the NSA attempted to overheat our web servers to cause them damage. They used a website exploit I've since plugged. How ethical is that? Is that the kind of behavior I'd be expected to adopt if I worked for you? No, thank you."

"What proof do you have that this hacker was from the NSA?" Yosman growled.

Henry blinked at him. "You aren't aware of the bell?"

"What bell?" the man growled.

"The dark web hackers tagged all of your IP's. When someone from the inside tries to hack someone on the web, the connection leaves an NSA calling card and plays a ringing bell sound.

The Director stared at Henry to see if he was joking but realized he wasn't. "My people would have noticed this!"

"Not if they're watching from inside. The hack probably hides itself to keep you in the dark. You're going to need all new connections." Henry sighed. "Listen, you have smart people. You need to raise the bar on the ethical behavior-"

"Our enemies aren't concerned with ethics!"

"Then how do we differentiate between them and you? There's protecting yourself, and there's being a dick. The first is defensive. The second, offensive."

"That's enough Henry," Roy finally said to intervene as he saw Henry's agitation growing.

Henry looked to him and took some deep breaths to calm himself.

"For National Security, I can have the asset seized."

"I'll save you the trouble," Henry jumped in again and handed the man a USB memory stick. "There it is."

Roy made a noise of protest while Camila's eyes flashed to Henry's.

Director Yosman looked at him in surprise then his look turned suspicious. "You're giving me the software? What's the catch?"

Henry nodded. "The catch is the fact that without the encryption key you can't decrypt the application source code to customize the included configuration files for any other networks. No configuration, no firewall. The catch is that the encryption key exists nowhere except in the mind of its creator, Stanley Garin."

The Director's eyebrows rose as he looked to Camila. "The one who died recently in Ireland."

She nodded. "I'm sorry, we can't help you with your request for the firewall. It's running on the network Stanley installed it on, and that's all we can ask of it," she said smoothly.

"We could have people review the code on your servers!" the man exclaimed.

"It's a black box, encrypted application. There are only a few controls available and no way to adjust the local configuration file without the encryption key." Henry explained.

"Wait! It was running in Japan on a server at a school there," Yosman challenged.

"It was only running a remote version of the New York instance, used the New York configuration, and only for a limited time. Again, Stanley did it," Henry explained. "You'll find the remote copy has deleted itself."

Looking at the memory stick in his hand, the man deflated a little. His expression became stubborn once more. "I'm going to have my R&D people review this. Maybe they can reverse engineer the encryption."

Camila looked to Henry who was nodding to the man.

"Let me know if you have any success with that," Henry said and got an annoyed look in response.

The Director stood, and Henry and Roy rose as well. Camila remained seated.

"Once more I extend my sincerest apologies to you Ms. Villamor for what transpired here today. I'm completely shocked they could have done such a thing, but the evidence is damning." He touched his pocket where another memory stick containing the evidence rested. "They will be punished for their actions. Thank you for letting us deal with this privately."

Camila nodded stiffly. Roy led the Director to the door and opened it for him. He stepped out, and Roy nodded to his two men who would escort the visitors out.

With the door closed once more, Camila activated the privacy ward, and Roy rushed back to glare at Henry. "Tell me you didn't give him the software! After everything Camila went through!"

Henry turned a pained expression to the woman who was carefully watching him. "I'm horrified you went through that! I wish you'd thought to ask me what we could do about their wanting the software. I figured they weren't going to accept no for an answer, so the obvious answer was to give it to them, without the encryption key."

He looked to Roy. "Yes, that memory stick has the firewall application on it in an encrypted state. It doesn't matter. It will take a few millennia to crack the key, even with their beefiest hardware. If they ever come back to ask us what the application password is, we'll know they decrypted it, but I think we'll be long dead by that time." Henry frowned. "Or not, if what I've learned about my potential longevity is true."

Camila watched him to see how he felt about that. "I'm sorry I didn't speak to you earlier about it. The Hidden Races typically have longer lifespans to compensate for not being prolific breeders."

"That's my cue to leave," Roy said with a final frustrated glance at Henry, and they watched him step out of the office and close the door behind him.

"He gets squeamish being in parental discussions," Camila said to Henry who just nodded recalling his earlier birds and the bees conversation with the man. She stiffly climbed to her feet and walked over to the couch, holding her hand out to him. He helped her down and sat next to her, holding her hand.

"I understand why you didn't tell me your plan for today, but if you had, we might have been able to avoid this," he said softly. The CEO nodded wearily. "I'm sorry for involving you in the little act we had to put on for those creeps. Your honest reactions were integral. I want you to know I never want to be anything less than completely honest with you. It's crucial you know that," Camila said, looking into his eyes.

He nodded and lifted her hand to his lips. "Thank you. Now, we should get you home and in bed to recover."

He caught the look of hope in her eye and smiled. "And fed." Her smile held sweet relief.

Camila arranged for a driver to drive Henry and her home in her car while they cuddled in the back seat. They parked in her spot, and the driver left them at the lobby to head back to the office. They rode up to Camila's floor, and Henry could tell the ordeal had taken more out of her than she wanted to admit. He scooped her up in his arms as they exited the elevator and he carried her down the hall to her unit.

"Mmmm, I could get used to this!" she purred. Her door unlocked as they stood close to the handle, so he carried her inside. She locked the door again, and he kicked off his shoes before making his way to the master bedroom to lay her gently on the bed. He heard her sigh in relief.

"Don't get me wrong but I don't think you're up for a feeding. Maybe you should rest first," Henry said in concern.

A cute little pout appeared then smoothed away as a sultry smile replaced it. "Oh, there are many ways we can do this that won't strain... me."

He couldn't stop the smile from slipping onto his lips. Camila patted the bed, and he took a step back which made her look at him in surprise. When he began to unbutton his shirt slowly, her satisfied smile returned, and she eased back against the pillows to watch him undress for her.

Henry wasn't very skilled in the arts of seduction, but Camila loved the innocence of his attempt. He pushed the shirt off his shoulders while he ran his fingers down his hard stomach muscles. The shirt dropped to the floor. He tugged the belt loose then the pants slid down as he turned his butt to her. She purred her approval at his silk boxers, and her purring got louder as he slid them down slowly. He bent down to pick up his clothes and tossed them onto a chair as he looked over his shoulder. "They're real, so I don't want them wrinkling," he said with a slight grin. Off went his socks and he turned around. Her eyes went to his cock which was at half-mast and climbing. She licked her lips in anticipation which made his cock jump.

"Do you want me to switch to my true form?" he asked.

Her eyes were devouring him as she shook her head. "No, this will do just fine! Climb up on the bed and rest back against the pillows." She slid over to give him room then she dropped her glamor.

It was Henry's turn to pause in appreciation of her breathtaking allure. Her skin was a mix of deep ruby red and black which looked like wet latex. He knew how incredibly soft it was. Her mane of thick black hair almost obscured the thin and short black horns rising from her temples to point back. Her dark gold eyes happily twinkled as she saw the awe on his face.

Once he was in place, she swung her leg over him and brought her lips to his. He gasped at the feeling of her full tits pressing against his chest, and her tongue slipped between his lips to stroke across his. He moaned and reached for her, but she pulled back from the kiss.

"No, you lie back and let me touch you. I'm still a little sore, so this works for me. Ok?"

He nodded, speechless as he gazed into her eyes. She smiled and leaned in to kiss him again, deeper this time. He could feel himself throbbing at maximum rigidity, waiting for her promised touch.

She pulled back and kissed her way down his body, teasing his nipples until he was writhing under her.

Camila gave him a sultry smile, and she kissed his trembling stomach muscles.

Finally, she reached his cock, but she didn't immediately give it any attention. Instead, she gently lifted his heavy balls in her fingers and purred.

"Oh, they're heavy with cum for me!" She pressed her lips against each of them, and Henry gasped at the feel of her soft kiss. Her tongue slipped out and stroked his balls until she had to hold him down.

"FFFFFUUUCCCKKK!!! Camila! You're driving me insane!"

She chuckled and sucked one of his balls into her hot mouth as her fingers finally wrapped around the tight skin of his cock.

"YYYEEESSSS! Fuck! Yes!" he sighed as her fingers slowly stroked up and down his shaft as her tongue caressed the weight in her mouth.

Camila released his testicle with a pop, and he sighed in relief but grunted as she moved to take the other one into her mouth.

She moaned, and he sucked in a sharp breath as the vibration did delightful but intense things to his sensitive dangly bits. Her fingers began to speed up their stroking, and his hips started to lift off the mattress.

She released his other testicle with a pop, and he sagged to gasp for breath. "That's... almost... too much!"

"I've only begun!" she purred.

Camila moved her fingers down to ring the base of his cock and held it pointing straight up in a firm grip. She extended her long tongue and stroked him from base to head in long slow licks, each ending with a flick at the head which sent spikes of pleasure through his entire body.

"Fuck!" he grunted out between his clenched teeth.

When she wrapped her tongue around his cock twice like a wet fist and pumped it slowly up and down while gently fondling his balls, it was too much.

"FUCK! Camila! Shit! I'm close! I- I'm gonna-"

Camila suddenly lifted her head over his cock and took him all the way to the base while gently scratching the underside of his balls.
"FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!!!" Henry exclaimed as he felt her throat sucking the ropes of cum from his throbbing cock. The pulses of ecstasy went on and on as his body shook and jolted through each surge. It was one of the longest releases he'd ever had. He slowly came back to his senses and realized Camila was still sucking and swallowing. He got worried about how much she was taking so he tried to lift her head.

She growled and clung to his thighs tightly. She was so freaking strong! It felt like he had a tiger clinging to him. She swallowed again.

Seriously worried now, he dropped his glamor to get access to his Satyr strength. His change also meant Camila suddenly found a much thicker and longer cock jammed deep in her throat. She instantly choked and pushed at his legs to clear her abused airway. Then she lost muscle tone and went limp. The Wild Magic in her large meal had begun to surge through her body, replenishing her exhausted and drained cells.

Henry lifted her head clear of his cock and heard her body suck in a deep breath. He fixed a stern eye on her sleeping face. He saw her cheeks were wet from her watering eyes and her lips were swollen from the suction she'd applied.

That's when he noticed her glamor hadn't automatically snapped into place. He was sure it was a safety feature. Now his worry flared into full-blown panic. Had he ruined her glamor as he'd done to Paloma's? Was Camila going to need a new glamor and take on a new persona too? Shit!

He gently lifted her body in his arms, cradling her against his chest. Then he knee walked to the edge and stepped from the bed. He pushed the quilt and sheets down and gently laid her on the mattress with her head on a pillow. Finally, he pulled the sheets up.

He watched the unearthly beauty sleep for a moment then moved his lips to her ear to whisper to her.

"Camila, you're home, safe, and in your bed. Activate your glamor please."

He'd done this with her once before, and it'd worked then. He prayed for it to work now.

She sighed in her sleep, and suddenly she no longer appeared as a Succubus. Her beautiful ebony hair, spread out across her pillow, was now streaked with a deep red that gleamed slightly. That was new! Thankfully, it could be explained away as a cosmetic change. The good thing was, she looked human and like her original self! Henry sighed in relief. He carried his clothes out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He freshened up in the guest bathroom and pulled his clothes on once more.

Looking at his cell, he realized it wasn't very late. Time to head home. He went to the kitchen and scribbled down a quick note for Camila, telling her he'd see her at work in the morning. Then he let himself out of the condo, hearing the door lock behind him.

Henry left the building and headed for the subway. He picked up a slice of pizza on the way and scarfed that down in no time. He hadn't realized how hungry he was so Henry grabbed another slice at a second shop just before he got to the subway. That was gone before he reached the platform.

Having eaten, he yawned as he waited for the train. It had been a full day, and all he could think of was snuggling under the sheets of his bed.

The ride downtown was uneventful, but when he transferred over to the Path, he stumbled into a large group of young people dressed in their party outfits; lots of skin showing and lots of flirty behavior. Henry smiled at their excitement. He wondered where they were going.

Looking around, he noticed several couples holding hands and some were kissing aggressively. He suddenly started to panic that he was once more the source but he wasn't feeling the heat coursing through him. To confirm, he reached for it and something popped in his chest. Heat exploded outwards through his body from his core. Just as quickly, Henry clamped down on it as he had with Ikehorn after he left the dance club.

Only this time, it didn't want to go back into the bottle. It wanted out. Two nearby couples began to kiss passionately.

Trying to hide his desperation, he looked at the crowd surrounding him and realized if his pheromones released here, it would be like tossing a lit match into a gunpowder vault. He closed his eyes and squeezed the heat tighter and tighter to lock it down. The effort was intense! He placed his hand over his heart and pressed in a futile attempt to help, as only willpower worked for this.

"Are you ok, sir?"

Henry jolted and almost lost his grip as a rookie Police Officer moved to stand before him. He was probably close to Henry's age. Nervous eyes looked back at him. He smiled at the man.

"Yes, just a little indigestion. Pizza." He made one last push and felt the flash of heat sink deep inside once more. "It's going away."

Relief blossomed across the man's face. "Ah, the greasy stuff will do that to ya."

Henry smiled in relief as well. "I don't know why I always go for the bad food late at night."

That brought a grin to the officer's face. "You take care now." He moved off to break up the overly amorous couples. Henry wondered if the police presence on the train was to watch for recurrences of the previous gas attack.

When he wasn't the target of anyone's attention, he very carefully felt for the heat and found it poised for release, with a bloody hair trigger at that, as he was still overly aware of the loving couples around him! He wondered how this... ability? Bodily function? How could this thing be useful? How did Satyr's end up with this... power to create orgies? More of a party trick than an essential skill. And why was it so potent with humans? Damn inconvenient!

He was grateful to get off the train, but as he walked home along the walkway next to the Hudson River, he worried about the ticking time bomb he had inside him. Ikehorn's advice had turned out to be the worst thing to do! Suppressing it didn't make it go away, it just delayed the release. He'd barely been able to contain it in the subway this time. He wasn't sure he'd be able to block it the next time it wanted to come out to play.

He thought back to the first time it happened. The heat had stopped once he'd had sex with Mary. Suppressing it just seemed to make it stronger.

When he reached the empty lot next to his building, he had a strange thought. Maybe he could release the pheromones here in the lot where it wouldn't affect anyone. He still had the issue of how he would stop it once unleashed. He didn't want to play with himself in public. Getting caught like that would be disastrous! But the heat getting loose in a crowd might be worse. Fretting over it, he found his feet had walked him into the dark lot. He looked around and saw he was alone.

Before he could chicken out, he reached inside and found it had faded into the background. The trigger had gone dormant. There was no imminent release. He tried to force it, but it ignored his efforts. "Fuck!" he blurted in anger then looked around in embarrassment.

Frustrated, he turned and walked back to the entrance of his building.

As he reached the front door, he met a group walking in from the street. He recognized them as friends of Yuko, including pink hair, Kali, the other two from the restaurant, and two new ladies he hadn't seen before. He instantly went on guard, surrounded by the pretty women.

"Hey! It's Stanley's brother!" the young pink haired woman exclaimed.

"Henry Gable," Kali corrected quietly.

The other's looked to her in surprise, and she returned the look. "He's going to be my new neighbor, the least I could do is learn his name."

"You bitch! You've been holding out on us!" pink hair growled.

Holding up her cell, Kali explained. "I just heard from my sister. She's buying the condo next to his, and I get to move in with her." She had a very pleased look on her face.

Henry gave Kali a surprised look. Mahati was going to be his neighbor?

Kali turned her lovely dark eyes to his. "We'll be seeing more of each other, soon," she purred.

He caught the double entendre as did her friends and they burst into excited giggles.

"You better not let Yuko hear you talking like that!" pink hair chided Kali with a sly grin.

Henry opened the front door and held it for them. The ladies all found a way to touch him as they passed. Almost without warning, the heat strained to get free once more.

He had a sudden epiphany. It was groups! It didn't trigger when he was alone. It didn't trigger when he was one on one with a partner. But exposed to a group of attractive people, that's when the pheromone surge did its work. Knowing it was prepared to escape, Henry managed to block it once more, but he was starting to worry seriously. He needed to talk with Sigrid and ask her what to do.

"Want to ride with us?" pink hair cheekily asked as she gestured to the elevator. Her friends giggled.

He smiled at her. "You go on ahead. I have to check my mail."

A few made cute sounds of disappointment, but they walked off to take the elevator to Yuko's place.

The moment he was alone he closed his eyes and pushed at the heat. It was easier to force down, and he wondered if that was because he was alone. The first time he'd only been with Ikehorn, and it compressed easily. Doing it in the subway had been near impossible, but he'd been within a large group. He was getting a better picture of how this was working. He just had to avoid crowds.

In New York City.

Henry dumped the flyers he found in his mailbox into the trash then made his way up to his unit.

Once inside he pulled out his cell and dialed Sigrid. It went to voicemail immediately, so he hung up. He'd talk about it with her in the morning.

Tomorrow he'd splurge and take a taxi to the office.

He wasn't going to let his hormones be the boss of him.

Chapter 33

Sandy was feeling particularly upbeat this morning. While not a gloomy person by anyone's standard, today she felt almost giggly.

The previous day had been so much fun at work as Dayshia told and retold her boob grabber story to the rest of the staff they worked with, each time her satisfaction at putting the creep down for the count made her eyes glow. While many in her audience were more mesmerized by her cleavage than the story, her bestie had enjoyed being in the spotlight and left everyone with a warning to watch out for weirdos in the subway.

Last night, all night, Sandy had many beautiful dreams about Henry and woke with such a case of the tingles she had to deal with it in the shower. No doubt this was a significant component in why she was feeling so good.

On top of that, this morning her hair was feeling unusually silky soft and shone with health. She had to make a concentrated effort to keep her hands out of it.

As she'd promised Dayshia, she kept her eyes open for weirdos, but she only saw the usual crush of commuters. She smiled at a young black NYPD officer she'd become casual friends with as he visited their hospital frequently and rode the same train as her. Every day, he got off at the stop before hers.

"Good morning, Officer Baker! Don't you look smart in that uniform!" she said with a broad smile.

"Good morning, Ms. Marlow. You are looking exceptionally vibrant this morning!"

She laughed as they played the little game they enjoyed. Today was going to be a perfect day.

-=-

Dalewin and Rohann were ready to make their second attempt. This time Dalewin would take the point, and Rohann would be the spotter.

Their glamors displayed them as a couple of skinheads with ugly racist tattoos. Their disguises made the other passengers uncomfortable around them and less likely to make eye contact. As they were behaving themselves on the early morning platform no one wanted to start something. The cop was keeping an eye on them, but even he left them alone. According to Ikehorn's surveillance report, he exited the train before the target so that's when they'd strike. The platform was busy, but they needed to enter different doors to give them space around the mark.

As the train entered the station, Rohann moved further up the platform while Dalewin moved closer to the target. That earned him another look from the cop, but he just let the glance slide off as if he hadn't noticed. The doors opened, and they pushed their way onto the crowded train.

Dalewin almost had an opportunity to hit the target as he followed her in but they were too far from the hospital. The plan had him stabbing the female in the back to knick the heart. It required an exact aim and significant strength. The wound would bleed, and she'd need immediate surgery. The injury would leave a permanent weakness... unless the Fae intervened. Plan B was to stab her in the kidneys.

He was an expert with knives, far better than Rohann, so it was natural that he take the point.

As he was standing so close, he had to listen to the cop and the target inanely babbling to each other. He traded a glance with Rohann up by the next door to check in. His partner rubbed his nose. That was the back off signal as Rohann thought he was too close to the target. He glanced over his shoulder, and there was no room to move behind him. So be it. He felt eyes staring at him and glanced down to see a young black man looking at him with hate in his eyes. Those eyes flicked to the cop then back to his. Hmmm... he didn't calculate for another distraction. No matter. If he needed to take out the young man too, so be it. He wouldn't have to hold back as he would with the target.

The train rode on stop after stop. Few left so less were able to board. Dalewin noted the angry young man had his head down as if dozing.

The next stop was the cop's.

Then he would strike. He would succeed where Rohann failed. He allowed himself a little smirk. Rohann was such a perfectionist and had a long list of successful kills. Almost twice as many as Dalewin. It felt good to see him miss once in a while and to step in to finish the job for him.

Glancing across the train, he caught his partner's disapproving scowl. He schooled his expression. How did Rohann always know what he was thinking?

-=-

Baker chuckled. "Tell Dayshia the next time I'm in I'm going to ask her to describe her assault in explicit detail."

Sandy giggled at the thought. She knew Dayshia liked Mr. Baker even though she'd vowed she'd never date a police officer. "I'll let her know. Oh! Here's your stop. Be careful out there! Watch out for weirdos."

The officer grinned at her and tipped his hat which earned him another brilliant smile. He moved to the door and kept his eye on the skinhead standing next to it. The doors opened, and he walked by the man, but it seemed like he didn't even register on the punk's radar; speaking of weird.

The doors closed and with a slight feeling of unease, he glanced in the window to see Sandy's lovely smiling face one last time.

-=-

As the train began moving again, Dalewin palmed his dagger. It had a long slim blade as it was designed to slip between the ribs and penetrate deep into the victim's torso. He began his countdown.

The target remained oblivious to her imminent danger and was relatively still. Dalewin was confident he could hit the target at precisely the correct spot with sufficient energy.

They passed the halfway point to the next stop, so it was time. The assassin eased his body closer, just so-

The fist that caught him on the ear was small, and the punch was poorly executed so, while it hurt, it caused no real damage. He spun and expertly jabbed the blade into the young man's chest, collapsing his lung. As he turned back to hit the target, a roar of rage erupted from the seat next to his stabbing victim. A huge black man surged to his feet, shoving people to the side, knocking the target away from Dalewin.

As he turned to dispatch this second distraction, a huge paw gripped his face and drove his skull back against a handrail. Blood splashed the passengers seated there.

That's when the screaming began.

-=-

Sandy felt a sharp bump forward and managed to turn to see a tattooed man having his head cracked against a handrail. She stepped back, away from the violence. Suddenly, Sandy gasped as someone behind her tugged on her hair. She cried out as the tugging became painful. A sharp, loud crack rang out followed by a high pitched scream of agony.

The train jolted to a stop in the station, and the skinhead behind her pushed outside through the opening door, cradling a visibly broken wrist.

Something fell to the floor behind her with a clatter, and she turned to see it was a knife. That bastard cut her hair?!? Oh my god! Who does that?!? She pulled it over her shoulder, but she found no gaps. It looked intact if not as bouncy and shiny as it was earlier.

She turned back and saw a young man sitting on a seat with blood on his shirt and lips. Her training kicked in as people screamed and fled the train.

"I'm a nurse, someone call 911," she called out, and the brute who'd crushed the skinhead's skull looked at her hopefully. Now that his rage was gone, she saw the simple innocence and desperation in his eyes. She turned her attention back to the young man he was fretting over.

She'd do what she could.

-=-

Ikehorn was in a rage. This team of elite assassins was proving to be completely incompetent! Sent against mere Humans on two separate occasions, they not only failed to take out their targets, this time one of them was taken out by a bystander! And the excuse his partner was claiming?

"What the hell do you mean her hair broke your wrist?" Ikehorn exclaimed.

"I had a perfect opportunity to strike, and her hair seized my hand and bent it back until my wrist broke." Rohann asserted.

Ikehorn stared into the frustrated eyes of the assassin. "She's Human!"

"Is she?" Rohann growled.

Ikehorn leaned over the map of Central Park he had resting on the table before him and glared into the eyes of the assassin. "I ran the surveillance team for this group personally, and they are all Human. What happened to your wrist must have another explanation." The assassin opened his mouth to argue.

"ENOUGH! We only have one more chance at this. We will target the tall, dark haired female. Her surveillance report shows she exercises by running through Central Park early in the morning. She has a few favorite routes, all which pass through this secluded, treed intersection. We set up an ambush here. A simple armed mugger scenario. Shoot her-"

"Have you not seen my wrist? I shoot with my right. You need a precise aim for the type of gunshot wound you're asking for." He stared down at where Ikehorn was pointing. "An old Dryad is living in a tree at that junction. She's ancient and slightly mad. It wouldn't take much to tip her into attacking. We disguise ourselves as police to ensure she doesn't kill the target and call in the ambulance at the appropriate time."

Ikehorn huffed with frustration. He didn't like Rohann's plan. There was too much that might go wrong. "Let me see your wrist."

Frowning, the man lifted his arm. Surrounding the wrist was a faint green glow from the spell a healer bound to the damaged limb. It would protect the injury like a shield as well as aid the healing process. While it would take Humans six weeks of convalescence, the Fae only needed two to heal fully with their magic.

Ikehorn didn't have two weeks! He needed Rohann better now! Concentrating his will, he passed his hand over the wrist before the man could pull away. The lightest touch...

The green flash obliterated the spellbound to the man's wrist, and Rohann leapt back in shock.

"WHAT THE HELL are... you... What did you do?" Rohann started yelling but finished quietly as he carefully flexed his healed wrist. The terrible bruising was gone. It moved freely, but it was still a little weak. His hand still had a slight tremor in it when he used the muscles. Time would heal that.
"The Queen needs this task completed successfully. We have no more time for delays... or mistakes." Ikehorn growled. "Can you shoot now?"

"Yes, but still not with the accuracy required. I don't know how you healed the bones so quickly, but I wouldn't put faith in my marksmanship with this tremble in the muscles. My plan still makes more sense!" he insisted.

Ikehorn growled in frustration. He hadn't wanted to expose his new abilities to anyone else, but Rohann forced his hand. For nothing, it seemed. Dammit!

"Fine! But we will both need to be as careful as possible to ensure nothing gets beyond our control." Ikehorn asserted. He received a silent nod from Rohann.

Ikehorn pointed to a junction on the map. "Meet me there tomorrow at 5:30 AM." The man memorized the location and nodded. "And speak to no one about what I did for your wrist. Queen's orders."

He didn't often invoke the Queen's authority. As her man, he had the right to, but he was all too aware of the responsibilities that came with it. He would have to kill the person he issued it to, should they fail to comply.

Rohann was aware of this as well and glanced at Ikehorn uneasily. He nodded then left.

Now all Ikehorn had to do was survive explaining to Mab how the second attempt failed.

Chapter 34

Tish smiled as the early morning rays of sun touched her face when she climbed the stairs to street level from the subway. She loved the city in the early morning hours. It was her favorite time of day. While New York never slept there were times like this when the hectic pace eased, and a person could take a few deep calming breaths.

She crossed the street, making her way into the grounds of Central Park and found a spot to do her stretches. As usual, she saw she wasn't the only one who used these early hours to get a little run in before the busy day.

Due to a mixup on the subway, she'd managed to get to the park a little early, so she was gifting herself with an extra eight minutes of running this morning.

Smiling to herself, she wondered if Henry would be interested in joining her one morning. She'd love to run with the man. Hell, she'd love to do many things with the man!

She snorted and got a careful look from another woman doing her stretches.

Muscles sufficiently warm, she began with a light jog. Music playing softly in her earbuds, she set her course and let her muscles carry her away.

-=-

Rohann arrived early and cased the wooded intersection where the trap was to be sprung. He noted the Dryad was sleeping fitfully at the base of her tree. Appropriately, she wore the disguise of an old female Human wearing dirty, tattered and torn clothes, one of the city's numerous homeless. He knew she would make the perfect weapon.

What Rohann had withheld from Ikehorn was how he intended to push the ancient being into homicidal madness. Screwing the silencer onto the barrel of his gun, he moved to the shelter of bushes next to the running path. The three bullets he'd fire into the tree contained a fast-acting poison that would kill the giant oak. It would take mere seconds for the specialized shells to leak their poison into the tree. Once that happened, the Dryad would feel the tree's impending death, and she would associate the attack with the Humans using the path.

He prepared his next glamor. He currently appeared as a Human jogger himself. When the chaos erupted, he would switch to the disguise of an NYPD officer. Naturally, he'd have to kill the Dryad.

He checked the time. Ikehorn would be arriving at their rendezvous any moment, but that was just around the corner. Looking down the path, he saw a man running along the trail- He spotted the tall female a short distance behind the first runner. SHIT! The target was early!

Raising his weapon, he put the three poisoned slugs into the trunk of the tree at six-foot intervals.

The Dryad immediately jolted awake and turned to the tree, gripping its rough bark in her bony hands.

She began to wail.

Loudly!

The male runner rounded the corner and slowed slightly to look cautiously in the direction of the old woman. Her head whipped around and Rohann could see the rage in them. Good but not enough. He fired another bullet into the tree from his cover in the bushes behind the runner.

The Dryad's rage exploded into a murderous frenzy. She picked up a thick branch from the ground like it was a twig and charged at the runner.

The man stumbled back, tripping on a root and fell on his ass. He only had time to raise an arm before the heavy club caved in his skull.

Blood sprayed across the bush Rohann hid behind as he heard the approach of the target. He glanced in her direction and saw she was becoming aware of something wrong as she rounded the corner. She was too close to avoid it now.

Rohann turned his head to look back to the Dryad just in time to see the bloody end of the branch drive into his skull.

Then nothing.

-=-

Ikehorn, disguised as one of New York's finest, scowled when Rohann missed the rendezvous but immediately began running when he heard the wailing from the wooded intersection. The wail became a snarl as he raced into the secluded area to see the Dryad drive a huge branch into the face of a jogger hiding behind a bush.

A gun fell from lifeless fingers, and Ikehorn knew it was Rohann.

Just then, their target entered the intersection and tried to sprint past the old woman. The Dryad spun inhumanly fast to club the woman's lower back.

Ikehorn heard the sharp crack of breaking bones as the target flew forward to collapse on the dusty surface of the trail. She screamed and tried to crawl away, but her legs weren't responding. She looked back over her shoulder in terror as the crazed woman stepped closer and lifted the branch for the killing blow.

Ikehorn emptied his clip into the Dryad, a cluster where her heart should be and the rest into her head. She was dead before she hit the ground.

A silence settled momentarily then came the sound of hooves as two mounted police rushed into the scene.

"Call for an ambulance!" Ikehorn yelled as he made his way to the dead jogger then circled the bush to look down at Rohann's disguised body. His face was caved in gruesomely. Ikehorn knelt and palmed the gun to slip it into his pocket.

Glancing around himself, he saw he was hidden from view. He switched to a glamor of a jogger and rushed around the other side of the bushes. He waved his hands to the mounted police as if he'd just arrived to make a grisly discovery. "Officers! There's a dead man in the bushes- OH!" He feigned shock at seeing the other body.

"Sir! Please stand back! This is a crime scene!" the officer kneeling next to the injured woman barked.

"I'm a doctor," Ikehorn blurted with a practiced nervous wobble in his voice.

With a frustrated scowl, the officer gestured for him to approach.

Ikehorn rushed forward and knelt next to the tall brunette. He reached for her and felt an intense tug of his body preparing to heal her. Ikehorn threw himself back to land on his back a few feet away. The two cops investigating the other bodies looked back at him suspiciously. He gave them an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, muscle cramps from stopping too quickly." With a grunt, they went back to ignoring him.

He eased himself closer to the crying woman. He knew now he couldn't risk touching her. He needed her injured for the Queen's plan. Still, he needed to confirm she wasn't going to die.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked her.

"My back," she managed to force out between sobs. "I can't- can't feel my legs!" Her voice was becoming shrill with her panic.

He could see the skin on her lower back was severely cut and bruised from the clubbing. Beneath the torn and bloody skin, he could see the distinct impression of her crushed vertebrae. Several severe misalignments were visible. The bones were destroyed as if hit by a truck. Certainly exceeding the damage, an old woman should have been able to do with a branch. Too late to do anything about that. He leaned away from her slightly as he'd been getting too close.

Ikehorn was feeling ill from denying the compulsion to heal her. That disturbed him deeply as she was only a Human. He wasn't even sure if it was possible considering the extent of the damage.

Glancing at the officers, he saw he had only a moment, so he had to trigger the second half of his plan. He held her eyes and whispered the ancient words of power Mab taught him. Instantly she stopped crying, and he had her full attention. She was highly receptive in this state. Time to plant the suggestion.

"Henry Gable. You need Henry Gable. He can help you. He is the only one who can. You need him. He will make everything better. Let no one else try to help you. When you get to the hospital, call for him. Sleep until then."

The woman slumped, and one of the officers rushed back to check on her. "What did you do?" he barked.

Ikehorn put a panicked look on his face. "I didn't touch her!"

The other cop stepped from behind the bush. "Where's the officer who went to look at the victim back here?"

The two looked to Ikehorn who stared back at them in puzzlement.

"I didn't see anyone, but I did hear someone rushing away through the brush."

"SHIT!" the cop by the bush cursed. "Fucking coward left us with his mess!"

His partner nodded then looked to Ikehorn like he was a liability. "We can take it from here," he growled as an ambulance crunched to a halt on the gravel path a short distance away.

Ikehorn nodded to the man and climbed to his feet. With a glance back at his target he walked towards the ambulance and met the paramedics. As they looked to him, he spoke the ancient words again and gave them instructions to take her to her hospital. Her friend's anguish would pressure the Satyr to get healing for her. He released them then walked away. He needed to disappear as he'd spent too much time at the scene and people with cameras were beginning to gather. He left the park and found a spot to switch back to his default glamor. Moving back out to the street, he stepped down the stairs to the subway to join his victim at the hospital.

He had to present an offer to a Satyr.

Chapter 35

Henry visited Sigrid in her office first thing when he arrived at work, and she greeted him with a happy smile. That smile slipped as she saw the tension in his eyes.

"What's wrong? What happened?" she asked.

Henry snorted with a mix of amusement and frustration. "That's becoming our thing. Always another problem," he sighed, and she gave him a sympathetic smile which made him think of what Nate said about the beautiful women supporting their happiness. He couldn't keep a chagrined smile of his own from spreading across his face.

Sigrid watched his expression change. "What's the smile for?" she asked curiously.

He shook his head gently. "Nothing. Just something Nate said to bring things into perspective."

Her smile widened. "I like this man even more if he can put a smile on your face like that."

Henry could only nod as he agreed. Then his expression turned serious. "Did you hear what Camila did last night with the NSA agents?"

"No, what happened."

He filled her in on the details and how he'd resolved the issue with the Director with his solution.

"They should have spoken to you first!" Sigrid said with a frown. Henry picked up from her body language that she was pissed at her friend.

"I said as much last night. Regardless, with what happened I think they're going to leave us alone. That doesn't mean I won't be watching. Eternal vigilance is the price we pay." Henry sighed then smiled at Sigrid.

The intercom buzzed. "Yes?" she asked.

"Ms. Villamor is here to see you."

"Please send her in," Sigrid said.

The door burst open as Camila surged through the door and closed it behind her. She spun to see Sigrid and Henry watching her in surprise.

"Good, you're both here!" Camila gasped.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Sigrid asked, and Henry snorted involuntarily then murmured an apology.

Camila yanked off the big Hollywood sunglasses and stared at them intently.

Henry shared a look with Sigrid then turned back to Camila. "What-"

"My eyes!!!" Camila exclaimed.

"Are you having trouble seeing?" Henry asked in concern.

"No! That's not it!"

"Maybe if you joined us over here we could see what you want us to notice about them?" Sigrid suggested gently.

Camila quickly moved up next to them, and they both immediately caught the difference.

"Oh! They're lovely!" Henry gasped. Her dark brown eyes once had small flecks of gold in them, giving them the impression of being a dark gold. Now those flecks were more substantial, and her eyes had a subtle but perceptible gold glow to them.

She smiled nervously at him then turned to Sigrid.

Sigrid wasn't smiling. "Tell me how you came to have these alterations to your glamor, Camila."

The woman in question was no longer smiling either. "Don't preach to me-"

"How did it happen?" Sigrid asked with a calm voice.

Camila huffed and crossed her arms across her chest under her heavy tits in a very defensive posture. She caught Henry trying not to ogle her pushed up breasts and some of her anger dissipated. "I- I seriously depleted my energy levels with pushing two NSA agents beyond their ability to restrain their impulses. I was in a desperate state. Henry offered to feed me. I needed the energy." Her expression turned a little dreamy. "It was very... potent last night and... I may have become a little aggressive."

Sigrid looked to Henry whose face looked like it might ignite. "How aggressive?"

He glanced between the two of them then looked down at Sigrid's desk. "She growled at me and gripped my legs to keep me from pulling free."

"And you stopped her, how?"

He looked away then back to her. "I dropped my glamor and choked her with it."

"PFFFFFFHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Sigrid burst into loud laughter as Camila pouted and looked everywhere but at them.

Henry stood and moved to stand before the gorgeous brunette, taking her hands in his. "I think you look incredibly beautiful! You're eyes still look human, just with an exotic touch. I think they're stunning!" He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

Her eyes were looking into his, and he swore he could almost see the gold sparkling happily.

"Thank you, Henry," she purred.

He glanced at Sigrid and saw she was getting control of her amusement. He still wanted to talk to her about his issues with controlling his heat, but Camila looked like she needed Sigrid more. "I'll talk with you two later, ok? I should get started on my day."

She nodded with a smile, and he let himself out.

Sigrid sighed and shook her head. "Henry's right, they are gorgeous! May I assume your actual eye color changed as well?"

"Yes! They're now brilliantly gold, but I'm not sure how to explain these," Camila stated, gesturing to her eyes.

Sigrid tilted her head as she examined her friend's eyes. "Tell people your ophthalmologist prescribed corrective contacts which have a side effect of emphasizing the natural gold in your eyes. I also like the highlights in your hair."

"Thank you," Camila said with a smile as she touched her hair fondly. Then she caught the look in Sigrid's eye and her smile slipped again. She sighed and nodded. "OK, I admit it. I lost control last night. I pushed myself too hard with those agents and left myself in too desperate a state to be able to control my appetite."

Sigrid nodded in satisfaction, glad her friend could see the mistake she made. Then she grinned. "So he choked you with it?"

Camila's eyes flared with the memory, and a tingle ran down her spine as she bit her lower lip. "It was so thick; it filled my throat!"

Sigrid threw her hands up in surrender. "Sorry! Don't need to know the details!" The image of it was flashing in her mind giving her tingles too.

Camila snorted and put her shades back on with a satisfied smile of her own as she knew what Sigrid was thinking. "I leave you with that... delicious thought. Have a lovely day!" she said as she let herself out.

-=-

"Good morning, Mr. Gable!" Marisa said with a brilliant smile. "You're a little late this morning."

Henry returned his assistant's smile. "I stopped to talk to Sigrid... and Camila."

"Oh! I didn't see you pass by," she said.

"No, I was with Sigrid when she dropped by," he explained a little awkwardly. Her brows rose.

"What's wrong? What happened?" she asked in concern.

He gave her an exasperated look. "Were those questions asked as frequently before I started working here?"

She gave him a smirk.

"Ask your... aunt. All I can say is she got a small taste of what Paloma faced the first night... Stanley and... her... never mind." As he struggled to keep the names straight, he stumbled to a stop as his words just felt weirder and weirder.

Just then Camila rushed by and waved, her shades in place hiding her eyes once more, the red highlights in her hair catching the light beautifully.

With a final surprised look at Henry, Marisa rushed out to chase after Camila.

Henry let himself into his office and settled in behind his desk with a sigh. He needed to put this stuff, this non-human stuff, in the background. He started up his laptop, and his calendar app popped up a reminder for a trade show he was supposed to attend today. It was going to have a lot of network security vendors in attendance as well as lots and lots of tech. He tingled in anticipation!

He opened a desk drawer and smiled down at the box of business cards Marisa had printed for him. It would be the first time he'd be presenting himself in public to his 'peers' with his title. He admired the embossed piece of cardboard.

VRL Investments

Henry Gable, CIO

He giggled then caught himself and glanced to the door. If he wanted anyone to take him seriously, he'd have to kill the impulse to laugh like a little girl.

He pocketed a bunch of cards and glanced at his calendar once more. Marisa had cleared his day for him. He smiled at her incredible efficiency. Henry shut down his laptop and decided against bringing it. Cell in his pocket, he exited his office and bumped into Marisa as he stepped into the hall.

"Oh! Sorry!"

She flashed him a grin. "Off to the trade show?"

He smiled in return. "Yes!"

"Look, but don't buy anything! Eve tells me we have no budget for the next two years," she admonished him gently.

He snorted and nodded. "Understood. Not to worry, I'm just shopping for ideas primarily."

"Fill your cart then!"

He laughed and headed off to the elevators with a wave.

Getting to the Javits Center took a little time and registering took a little more, so it was almost noon when he finally got to walk the floors of the convention center. It was only when he was in the center of the building that he recalled his intention to avoid being in crowds. He looked around and saw most of the attendees were male. He spotted women in the gathering, but the majority were men. He relaxed somewhat as he realized how absorbed everyone was with the tech. Just like him. He grinned and got to it.

As a throwback to the old days, some vendors hired booth babes, models dressed suggestively to draw customers to the display. These ladies were more of a distraction as they seemed so out of place now.

He saw a few booths which were making claims of military-level encryption with no lag, so he made his way over to review what they had to say. The salesmen were eager to speak to him and gladly took his card, but he could see their disbelief when they read the CIO title. He actually saw one toss his card into the trash as he left the booth. That pissed him off, but he wasn't going to try to change the fool's narrow little mind.
It was late afternoon when Henry's cell vibrated, indicating a text. He'd been unable to get a cell signal all day due to the oversaturation of the local cell towers. The crowds were beginning to thin and access was only now starting to become available once more. He'd paused by a small alcove with food and drink and was finishing off when he felt it.

Plucking the phone from his pocket, he saw it was from Sandy. 'Call me' was all it said. The timestamp was a few minutes ago indicating that's when he finally got a connection. He didn't know when she actually sent it. As he had no signal now, he made his way towards the back of the building to try his luck there. He shared a smile with another man who was holding up his cell trying to get a signal as well.

Henry felt his phone vibrate as another text came in. It was Dayshia also asking him to call. He frowned. The phrase 'What's wrong? What happened?' passed uneasily through his mind.

"Trissa! It's Mr. Plantain!"

Henry looked over his shoulder hearing the delighted voice. The two ladies he'd met in the drug store, Luna and her beaded-braids friend Trissa were standing behind him with hungry grins on their faces.

"Oh! Hello!" he muttered, wondering how he was going to cut this short. Then he noticed both were wearing the clingy gowns he'd seen earlier at a booth which hired such eye candy.

The Hispanic woman still had big hair hanging down to her ass, huge gold hoop earrings, and her big round breasts were barely contained by her dress. She visibly wasn't wearing anything under the gown as her pierced nipples were pressing against the fabric. Her gold 'Luna' necklace rested just above her deep cleavage.

Trissa licked her lips then grinned at her friend. Her tight dress also struggled to contain her large breasts and ass. No undergarments were worn by this woman either. The other ladies in the booth weren't quite so... outrageously developed. Henry guessed these two were the 'big guns' brought in when the day began to wind down, for pulling in the stragglers.

"You know, we never did get to see this plantain!" Trissa complained.

"Cierto, mi amigo," Luna said.

Henry stared at them in surprise. "This isn't really-"

"Now now. It was because of you; the cops dumped us in lockup for the night! I think that means you owe us a little peek. If you're lucky, a little touch too!" Trissa insisted boldly.

He gaped at the suggestion, and Luna swept in to press her big tits against his chest. That felt very good! She ground her body against his, and he felt himself respond.

"¡Su cuerpo es tan jodidamente duro!" Luna purred as she rubbed herself against his muscles.

"What?" he muttered as he looked into her eyes.

"Mmmm, I was just telling Trissa how hard you were," Luna sighed.

"Getting there," he sighed making her giggle excitedly. Then he gave himself a mental shake. "I- I have to call-"

Trissa moved up to take Henry's phone from his hand and tucked it into his pocket. "Uh uh! We're going to take a little break someplace private where we can enjoy ourselves."

He looked at her with a frown. "It's a convention center! Where-"

He suddenly found himself squeezed between the two soft bodies and practically dragged to the back wall, through a door there, down a short corridor, and through another door.

His eyes went wide as he saw a row of makeup tables and a few ladies in various states of undress.

Some squeaked at his intrusion.

Trissa scowled. "Shut your mouths! He's just here for Luna and me to have a little fun with!" she barked at the surprised women.

Behind racks of women's dresses and costumes was a sizeable modular sofa positioned against the far wall. The couch was half regular depth and half double depth lounge, which was almost a bed.

Henry tried to resist, but the duo were surprisingly strong and insistent. The back of his legs hit the lounge and down he went. Before he could push himself back up Luna was stretched out over his body, and her mouth was on his. Her lips were so soft, and her tongue was in his mouth as her tits pressed him down.

He tried to push her off but grabbed handfuls of tit instead which made Luna writhe and moan. She was almost sucking his tongue from his mouth. She shifted her lower body to the side to give Trissa access to his pants.

He felt someone tug his shoes and socks off then hands were on his pants. Seconds and some aggressive tugging later he was naked from the waist down.

"YES! That's a nice one! Maybe a little white for my tastes but nice an' fat!" Trissa said with satisfaction.

Luna pulled back from Henry's mouth to look back and admire Henry's erection. "Bitch, your pussy won't give a shit what color the cock is!"

"Condom! In my jacket pocket!" Henry exclaimed in a gasp.

While Luna hunted for the condom, beads tickled Henry's legs then he felt the warmth and wetness of a mouth trying to take him all the way down unsuccessfully. Trissa choked and pulled free.

"Fuck! He's too fat to fit in my throat!"

"One extra-large condom, coming up," Luna said with a grin.

Henry heard the foil rip then felt the tight latex rolling over his cock. Luna pressed a fat tit against his face, and he got to work on the nipple.

"AAAYYYEEE so fookin gooood!" she hissed.

"Shit! He does have a nice cock!"

That voice came from the gap between the clothing racks. Henry craned his head and saw two of the women who'd made noises of protest over his being in the room now watching the activities with interest.

"Ignore the putas and suck my pretty pussy!" Luna said swinging a leg over Henry's head to sink over his face. He had no other alternative, so he ran his tongue over her tender flesh and sucked her clit into his mouth.

"¡Mierda! Me chupe tan bien!" she gasped then moaned as she threw her head back.

Trissa wasted no time in throwing her leg over Henry's hips and forced his cock into her wet opening.

"Fuck! I want to ride that too!" one of the observers moaned.

The combination proved to be too much for Henry. The trapped heat rushed out from his core to flush his skin. Intense tingling rushed down his neck and sides. Trissa and Luna inhaled deeply and threw their heads back as their bodies caught the blast wave of his pheromones.

Beads loudly clicked as Trissa began slamming herself down on his cock faster and faster. He reached up to grab Luna's nipples as he thrashed her clit with his tongue. She squealed and shook as she crested hard. She threw herself sideways onto the sofa as she gasped for breath. Before Henry could move, one of the watchers, a redhead, took Luna's position and settled her shaved pussy over his mouth eagerly. He thrust his tongue deep into her, and she grabbed his hair to pin his face between her legs.

"Fuck! I- I'm there! FUUUUCK! SO BIGNNNNNNGGGGHHH!" Trissa's pussy was clamping down on Henry's cock as her muscles spasmed. The pressure pushed him back from his release then she was suddenly pulled clear and dumped on the floor by the woman who'd earlier said she wanted a ride.

Luna launched herself at the woman who hurt her friend with a roar of rage. They went down with a crash, and they rolled around on the floor screaming and clawing each other.

"FUH-FUH-FFFFFFUUUUUUUUCCKKKK!" the redhead squealed as Henry squeezed her tight ass cheeks and sucked her through a release. When she sagged to the couch to gasp for breath, Henry got a chance to take some deep breaths of his own. He finally had time for a clear thought and realized he had to get away before something terrible happened. He saw everyone was distracted, so he sat up and pulled his pants up. He could still feel his body pumping out the pheromones, and there was no way to suppress it in the presence of these ladies. He grabbed his socks and shoes and quickly walked out between the racks of clothes, snagging a black shawl to hide his face.

He ducked out into the hall, and instead of heading back to the main floor with all the attendees, he rushed down the corridor in the opposite direction towards the back of the building. On the way, he spotted a washroom, so he ducked inside. He quickly washed his face, rinse his mouth, and removed the condom. He stared at his throbbing erection and tried to will it away, but the waves of heat continued to rush through him. Even with him being alone, it refused to settle down. Instead, he just pulled up his pants and tidied his clothes, getting his socks and shoes on finally. He peeked out the door in time to see Luna and the two other ladies running for the main hall, all in various states of undress. Trissa followed behind at a slower pace. Once they'd all pushed through the door into the main convention hall, he ran for the back door.

Henry hit the push bar on the security door hard, causing its shrill alarm to begin wailing as he stumbled outside. He held the black cloth over his head like a shawl to block the view of any nearby cameras and walked quickly along the street beside the building to the corner. He had the light, so he walked across like he hadn't a care in the world. Then he kept walking until he found an empty side street leading away from the river. He stopped midway up the block to catch his breath. His body still felt like it was pouring heat from his core. He had to do something about that before he walked up the street and joined the crowds of people up there.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on his solitude on the side street. No crowd. No need for the heat. When he felt the pressure of his need lessen, then lessen more, he pulled the heat inwards again. It was easier now, but it still took so much effort to contain it. He wished he'd been able to have a release of his own as it would be over. Instead, he moaned with the effort to contain it one more time. He was shaking with exhaustion when he felt it sink deep inside once more. The shawl blew away, down the street and he didn't have the energy to chase it. Instead, he pulled out his cell and saw his messages had finally arrived. As he read the texts, his expression swung from shock to fear and he pushed himself to run up to the main street. There were no available taxis, so he crossed the road and ran a few more blocks to get beyond the crowds around the convention center. Only then was he able to finally flag down an approaching taxi. He sagged into the back seat and gave the name of the hospital and asked him to hurry.

"Are you sick?" the driver asked nervously.

"What? No, no. I'm just exhausted from walking around the trade show. A friend of mine is in the hospital. She's- hurt," Henry said. That seemed to calm the driver as they pulled away from the curb and set off quickly.

Feeling like no time at all had passed, Henry jerked awake as the driver called out to him.

"Thanks," Henry mumbled and paid the fare.

He climbed out of the taxi and rushed into the hospital. He looked at the directory and was immediately lost. He pulled out his cell and banged off a quick text to Sandy telling her where he was and asking how to get to her. Seconds later a reply came back saying she would be right there.

He fretted as he waited as he went over the messages he'd received. They didn't say more than Tish had been attacked and was hurt. He heard a noise and turned. Sandy wrapped her arms around him and burst into tears. He held her tight as his heart froze in his chest. He caught himself about to ask those same damn questions, so he reined in that noise. "Tish?" His throat was tight.

She pulled back to look at him as she realized he didn't know. "She's upstairs. She's hurt bad, but she keeps asking for you! She refused surgery! She refused all medical treatment! We're terrified she has a brain injury as well! Where were you? Why didn't you answer the texts or pick up the messages? Didn't you hear from Marisa? Did you see her? She said she'd go find you!"

"I- I was at a trade show at the Javits Center. The cell towers were overloaded, so your text messages only came through when I was leaving, a short time ago. I came straight here when I saw the messages! I never saw Marisa!"

Sandy leaned against him as she trembled. "I'm sorry. It's been such an awful week! Dayshia was molested on the subway platform two days ago. Someone attacked me with a knife on the subway yesterday and now Tish!" He squeezed her in a hug as his mind reeled at her news. Then she pulled him down the hall to the elevators.

While they took one up, Henry thought about the odds of three of his friends being targeted for attacks three days in a row and was immediately suspicious. Then he noticed Sandy's hair wasn't reaching for him. Looking closer, it seemed dull and flat. He put his fingers in it, and it moved but with minimal energy. He knew he should be relieved the magic was finally fading but instead it made him sad for her sweet hair. Now he worried about that too.

They stepped from the elevator and rushed down the corridor past the nurse's station where he saw a lot of glum faces and some tears. He was beginning to panic.

Sandy pushed through the door, and Dayshia looked over at them hopefully. Her face lit up with a relieved smile, and she ran around the bed to pull Henry into a tight hug. That felt incredible, but Henry was looking at Tish in the bed. "What happened to her?"

"We tried getting you-" Dayshia began.

"He was at the Javits. No reception," Sandy interrupted her to explain. Dayshia was shaking, and Henry held her tighter.

"She's been asking for you all day!"

"I'm so sorry! I came the moment I got the messages saying where you were," Henry explained.

He released Dayshia and moved to the bed where Tish's torso was strapped to the bed leaving her arms free. She turned her head slowly then began to cry with relief.

"Henry... oh thank god... you came! You're the one... only one... you can fix me... make me all better."

Henry glanced desperately at Dayshia then Sandy. "Fix her?" he asked quietly.

"She's been saying that since she came in. She won't let the doctors operate on her. Drove the doctor nuts," Dayshia replied.

"She's on powerful painkillers now, but even before she had them, she was claiming you were the only one who could heal her."

"Henry... please... I can't feel my legs," Tish said and cried softly.

Henry's face fell as he stared at her in shock. He looked at her legs then looked to Sandy and Dayshia. They were both in tears as they nodded.

He dipped down to kiss Tish's forehead, but she caught his face between her hands and guided his lips to hers. The kiss was desperate, but it deepened until she was moaning into the kiss as her tongue chased his in his mouth. He was caught off guard by her sudden need.

Sandy and Dayshia reached over to gently lift Tish's arms from Henry's back to let him up.

The moment he felt the other two women touch him the heat exploded from captivity and surged through his body once more. He tried to cry out in dismay, to tell them to run, to make himself run... but he had nothing left. He was barely able to stand as the pulsing resumed unchecked.

Everyone sucked in a sharp breath then Dayshia pulled Henry's face to hers and kissed him fiercely. He lost himself to the heat coursing through him and the sensual feel of Dayshia's lips.

He gasped when a hand slipped inside the zipper of his pants to take hold of his cock and squeeze. He heard Tish sigh and knew it was her. With her other hand, she pulled the sheet over her down and placed his right-hand flat against her stomach. He felt her hard muscles trembling under his fingers, and his heart yearned for her to be healthy.

Sandy knelt and undid Henry's pants and tugged them down. She saw Tish's hand stroking and squeezing the thick cock, and she knew she had to have it in her mouth. She pushed her head into the small gap between Dayshia and Henry to slide the thick head between her lips. She wanted more. Her head was swimming with her need for him!

Dayshia's whole body was on fire just from Henry's kiss! She needed more! She felt Sandy squeeze between them and begin to bob her head up and down over his cock. She snorted as she knew there was no way small little Sandy would be able to get his anaconda into her mouth. Dayshia needed to try!

Tish's mind was swimming with the fog of the drugs, the dull pain in her back, and the roaring of her need for Henry. Her left hand fondled his heavy balls as she watched Sandy enjoying his cock. She needed him too!

Henry must have still been on edge from his little play at the Javits Center as his orgasm was right there and Sandy's mouth was in a very dangerous place. "Sandy! Stop! I'm gonna cum!" he gasped. His right hand was still pressed tight to Tish's stomach as she clung to it. He tried to grab Sandy's head with his left, but Dayshia gave him a sexy grin and caught the hand as she began to move down to join her friend.

Sandy was in heaven as what she was doing was so sexy! She felt his cock swelling in her mouth! She'd never done this before, but it seemed she was doing something right as Henry was about to cum. She wasn't sure where it was coming from, but she felt a faint echo in her mind, an intense desperation for her to continue.

"Oh! Oh damn! Fuu-" Henry gasped then it was too late. Thick ropes of cum sprayed into Sandy's mouth, and she swallowed as quickly as she could.

She suddenly pulled back, catching another splash across her forehead down to her chin. She managed two more steps back before her legs folded under her as she crumpled to the floor.

Dayshia missed this as she swooped down over his cock and took it all the way down to the base. "FUCK! OH! DAYSHIA!" he cried out as his orgasm continued in surges. He had to close his eyes with the intensity.

The dark-skinned beauty sexily moaned as she swallowed quickly. She pumped Henry's cock a few times, then the room suddenly flared with colors she couldn't identify. She, too, stepped back as her muscles went loose, slowly taking her down to the floor next to Sandy.

Tish's left hand immediately grabbed Henry's cock and slid up to the thick head. She squeezed it in her fist with gentle pulses.

"Fuck! Oh, fuck! FuckFuckFuck!" he shuddered as she milked the last blasts of cum from him. When he sagged back, she lifted her hand to her face and opened her fist. She stared in surprise at how much of the thick white substance she'd caught. She saw Henry slowly turning his eyes to her, so she held them as she pressed her palm to her mouth. She sucked up all the sticky stuff, slid it across her tongue then swallowed it. She caught his look of shock before her eyes rolled up.

Henry's body went through two more tremors then the heat finally dissipated. His mind began to clear... except for his exhaustion. He looked down and watched Sandy's hair growing and glowing with new vitality. It was now well beyond anything that could be mistaken for 'static cling' or 'flyaway' human hair. Humans didn't have this much hair! He couldn't get a handle on how long it was as it seemed to stretch and contract as it began to flow slowly.

Its ability to move on its own, independent of the sleeping woman's will, marked it as something alien. It rose from the floor and reached out to him, so he lifted his left hand to let the hair gently coil around his fingers. He jolted and gasped as another large strand wrapped around his shrinking cock to stroke and squeeze it from the base to the head, milking the last drops of cum. When it released him, he didn't see where it took its prize. He watched it wipe Sandy's face clean as well. What was it doing with the cum? Exhaustion pushed the question from his mind.

The sentient hair pulled his underwear and pants up and worked the zipper and button. He snorted gently, impressed by how talented her hair had become then he felt an odd snap under his right hand and turned his eyes back to Tish. He almost jumped away as the sheet over her lower half was lifting oddly. She was paralyzed, so what was that?!?
As his right hand was still held down against Tish and his left was being held by Sandy's hair, a coil of her hair moved to pull the sheet down for him. Henry cried out in shock. Her legs! Dark black fur was growing over them as her knee and ankle joints... relocated, causing the sheets to lift. For a brief moment, he thought she might be moving them on her own, but their lack of tone once transformed dispelled that illusion.

Her feet were shrinking into cloven hooves, much like his though smaller. He quickly glanced up to her face and saw small bone white horns slowly growing out through her ebony hair. Her eyes widened slightly, and her lashes grew and thickened. Her ears became pointed, grew fur with feathered tufts at the tips, and pointed up. Her eyebrows thickened into fur with cute little curls forming on them. All the fine hairs were disappearing on her upper torso and arms, leaving smooth skin with a slight smattering of light freckles.

She- she was becoming a Satyr right before his eyes!

But her limp legs still didn't move. Transformed but not healed. A cruel irony.

Chapter 36

Ikehorn was frustrated beyond measure. He'd waited in the hospital all day to speak to the Satyr, to present the Queen's offer to heal his... pet.

But the Satyr didn't show.

All bloody day, Ikehorn waited until the Satyr finally showed up, stinking slightly of pheromones. Fucking around while his friends needed him. That was a mark against him in Ikehorn's book.

He'd waited further still, allowing the Satyr time to fully realize the dire nature of her injuries and become desperate for their help. Finally, he walked down the corridor with his look-away glamor active to pass by the nurse's station unchallenged. Stopping outside the door, he prepared himself and readied his speech. He was going to present the Satyr with an offer to heal the female. He only hoped the Queen's physicians would be able to repair such extensive damage.

He still itched to do it himself, and he savagely forced that down.

It was time. Ikehorn applied an avoidance spell on the door to keep unwanted visitors away while he was there then pushed through the door.

The power of the pheromones in the small space was still potent, and Ikehorn staggered slightly. He managed four steps into the room when his feet slowed to a stop. The scene before him defied explanation.

Two prone bodies, the ebony-skinned woman and the... blond were lying on the floor next to the bed. The blonde's hair was now much, much longer! It gleamed and moved on its own!

The Satyr, still in disguise, stood beside the bed, braced against it in exhaustion. His left hand was gently holding the blonde's hair, and his other was touching a female Satyr on the mattress.

What?!? NO, it was the one they'd crippled! The tall, dark-haired woman was now a female version of Gable! He did this?!?

The eyes of the Satyr had widened with panic when he first entered, but calmed when he saw who'd joined him in the room. That calm turned into confusion then suspicion. Ikehorn had no time to delay. The scene threw him, but he needed to salvage the Queen's plan. Time to launch into his story.

"I was informed of the... injuries your friend experienced today. I've come here to offer you the Queen's assistance in healing her." His eyes strayed back to the female Satyr. Her legs still appeared to be limp and unmoving. Good.

Henry scowled, and suddenly Ikehorn found himself suspended above the floor. The hair had a grip on his wrists and ankles and carried him effortlessly to face Henry.

"Put me down, this instant!" Ikehorn snapped. He was surprised at the strength in the hair. It felt more like braided steel cable.

"My friends have been telling me again and again, never trust the Fae, especially one offering a deal. I'm slow at getting the nuances of this new reality I'm now living in, but that fact is sinking in. In the past three days, three of my friends were attacked? Dayshia and Sandy are ok but something truly horrifying happened to Tish, and suddenly you show up to offer to heal her?" He shook his head as he struggled with what his mind was screaming at him. "I've been told, nothing is free from the Fae. There is always a price." He went quiet again as he turned his eyes to Tish, still sleeping peacefully. Still crippled. It couldn't be. It was barbaric! He turned horrified and incredulous eyes back to Ikehorn.

The facts clicked into place in his mind. "Queen Mab wants something from me. Something big. She needed leverage-"

"What are you talking about?" Ikehorn asked angrily, but the hair shook him. That rattled his cool.

"You're lying! Sandy's... hair can tell! So help me if you don't start telling me the truth I will instruct the hair to start pulling.

Ikehorn heard the truth in his words and desperately tried to find a way to save this situation. "I can't tell you what she hasn't shared with me!"

"You did this to Tish!" Gable growled, and Ikehorn felt his shoulder pop out of joint as the hair pulled a little too much. He automatically healed himself with a green flash on his shoulder. The pain though, that remained.

He noticed the Satyr had gone silent and looked at him.

"That green light! You can heal! You can heal Tish!" he exclaimed to Ikehorn.

The Queen's plan would be ruined! He had to stop this! "I'm not a healer! I don't know how it works! And I've never repaired anything this... severe. I doubt I'd have the strength or skill! I'd do more harm than good!"

Henry scowled at him again. "It's not skill; it's will. I may not be a wielder, but I've picked up that much. You need strength?" Gable dropped his glamour, tearing and ripping through his clothes. "FUCK!" He looked at his clothes in dismay. "Well... shit. Never mind!" The large Satyr held his eyes. I've got plenty of strength to spare, and I'll lend you my will and desire. Let's do this!"

Ikehorn was becoming genuinely desperate. "Wait! You said it yourself, the Fae do nothing for free! There must be compensation for doing this!" he groaned as the hair stressed his joints once more.

Henry's eyes bore into Ikehorn's. "The compensation is your continued survival. You... engineered the situation which caused the damage you are now going to repair. You owe Tish a debt. Now you pay it back. Besides, I can feel your need to heal her."

Ikehorn's face burned with directionless rage. He'd failed the Queen. Then the Satyr's words sank in. "Wait, what do you mean you can feel it?" he asked in dawning horror.

The Satyr lifted his left hand which was still coiled with the hair. "We're connected. The hair is feeding what it feels from you to me. I can roughly feel your need to heal her. That sentiment is the only thing keeping you from being torn limb from limb. Enough talk, time to heal." He looked down at the unconscious female. "I'm not a wielder, but I'm starting to feel my connection to the global healing spell. I- recall the sensation of pulling it to me. I'm going to try to do it now. You do the rest. Is that understood?" Henry looked fiercely into his eyes, and Ikehorn nodded, fascinated in spite of himself.

Closing his eyes in preparation, the Satyr calmed and moments later the room began to glow with the green light of the global healing spell, becoming brighter and brighter as he drew it to himself.

The hair moved Ikehorn closer to Tish's body and positioned his hand next to the Satyr's much larger one. He suddenly felt the enormous accumulation of the healing power at his disposal. He also felt the incredible strength of the Satyr's will, his desire to bring Tish's body back to a state of perfect health once more. With a final gasp, Ikehorn gave in to his need to heal the woman and prepared the image in his mind. Perfectly aligned vertebrae and an unbroken spinal column. He felt the weight of the task settling over him and almost lost faith until the Satyr's mind slid in next to him and presented him with the power to achieve... anything.

The room's door burst open, and Ikehorn looked back over his shoulder as he dangled over the bed. A tall, dark-haired man was standing in the doorway slack-jawed in shock. He suddenly surged into the room as a coil of the blonde hair yanked him in by his belt buckle. He opened his mouth to yell, and another strand slipped something between his lips. The man grabbed the hair and began to choke. Then his muscles went limp as he collapsed to the floor next to the others.

Ikehorn glanced over to the Satyr who'd missed this entire exchange as he still had his eyes closed. He turned his attention back to the female Satyr and calmed his mind, allowing the offered energy to fill his being. When it felt like he might become incandescent, he directed it down through his hand touching her as he held the image in his mind.

Heal.

The room exploded with green light like a flash bomb, stunning everyone including the blonde's hair. The windows blew out and loose, small objects flew about the room as if a mighty wind circled the chamber. The Satyr released his grip on the hair and slumped next to the bed as Ikehorn dropped to the floor.

As the channel and focus point of all that energy, Ikehorn discovered he'd been least affected and recovered before his captors. Looking at the altered humans, Ikehorn's quick mind leapt to an alternate plan. He leaned closer to the dazed Satyr. "How will you protect your friends now in their changed state? How will you disguise them?" He caught motion in the corner of his eye and leapt backward over the stirring hair, turned and ran from the room. He paused to reinforce the avoidance spell on the door as he wondered how the tall man had gotten past his original one. Then he rushed into the stairwell to run down the stairs to the ground floor. He calmly left the hospital and found a place to keep an eye on it. He pulled out his cell and contacted his team to bring the surveillance van.

As he settled in to watch for the Satyr's next move, he hoped the seed he planted in his mind took hold. He was still outraged that he'd been used to thwart the Queen's plan.

He had to ensure he salvaged it. His very life depended on it.

Ikehorn felt a dawning realization that he very much wished to live. He wanted... to go home.

Someone was waiting there for his return. His heart jumped in his chest.

Unsettled by these unfamiliar feelings, he tried to get his mind back on matters of import. Like serving his Queen.

Lovely blue eyes remained in the back of his mind as he watched the hospital.

Chapter 37

Marisa walked across the lobby to the admitting desk and smiled at the man sitting on the other side of the window. Meixiu was walking beside her, and she saw the man's eyes were jumping back and forth between them. She allowed herself a sly smile.

"We're here to see Patricia Evans."

"Uh, visiting hours are over."

Meixiu leaned forward and locked eyes with the man. His mouth slowly dropped open and the entrance door buzzed as he unlocked it. Sigrid had been waiting next to the door, so she opened it. Marisa and Meixiu joined her, and they stepped inside.

The Valkyrie lean closer to the Vampire. "Meixiu, we need the camera's shut down and all recordings of the past day deleted. Can you find the security office and get them to do that?" The woman nodded. "Come up to the room when you're done as we'll need help getting them out." With another nod, she rushed away.

Sigrid and Marisa continued to the elevators. "So how did Henry sound when he called?" the tall blond asked in worry.

"Exhausted. Frightened. Desperate."

"You went looking for him at the Javits Center?" Sigrid asked.

"I got as far as the door. The crowd was too large, and I drew too much attention. I tried calling Henry but getting a connection was impossible. So I went back to the office to wait. That's where I got Henry's call. He said he was here at the hospital, something had happened to all of his friends, and he needed to get them out of the hospital unobserved. There is some kind of repelling spell on the door so they should have privacy until we get them out," Marisa explained.

"Who put a spell on the door?" Sigrid asked suspiciously.

"He didn't say, but I can guess," Marisa muttered.

They stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hall. Two nurses were sitting at the nurse's station, a veteran and a newbie by the look of them. Both looked up as they heard the approaching footsteps. "May I help you?" the older one asked.

"We're here to see Patricia Evans," Marisa said sweetly.

"Visiting hours are over. They should have told you that downstairs," the woman replied with a frown.

"He said we could go right up as we're close friends," Marisa said.

The veteran nurse looked over at the trainee. "Roland is such a sucker for a pretty face," she snorted then turned back to send them on their way. She jumped a little as a lovely third woman had suddenly appeared. A beautiful Asian girl.

"We are special friends," Meixiu said looking deeply into the eyes of the older nurse whose expression went slack.

"Of course." The veteran gestured for them to proceed down the hall. The younger nurse made a sound of protest then was caught by Meixiu's gaze. She slumped in her chair, and Meixiu wobbled on her feet.

Sigrid caught her elbow. "Are you ok?"

"I haven't had to compel so many people before. These are good people, so I haven't fed from any of them. I'm so hungry!" Meixiu moaned.

"Let's go see Henry. Maybe you can feed on him," Sigrid suggested as they walked down the hall and Meixiu's face brightened up.

"Are all of the cameras disabled?" Marisa asked.

"Yes, and the recordings for the past week have been erased. The security team will not remember anything that happened tonight." Meixiu said wearily.

"You have been pushing yourself tonight!" Sigrid said in concern.

They suddenly wanted to turn around and move away, so they knew they'd reached the right door. Sigrid pushed through the spell and touched the door, breaking the binding in the magic, allowing it to dissipate. She knocked gently on the door. "Henry? It's Sigrid, Marisa, and Meixiu."

There was silence, so she tried the door, and it only moved in a short distance before it stopped.

"Henry?" Marisa called out.

The door suddenly pulled open and blond hair swooped around the edge to wrap around Marisa's body and carry her into the room.

Marisa's eyes were wide with surprise as she felt the full body hug as she was enveloped by glowing blonde hair. Her feet weren't touching the ground, and she could feel the strength in the strands, but she also sensed affection in the grip. A burst of relieved and giddy giggles escaped from her. "Sandy?"

"She's still unconscious."

Marisa looked to the bed and saw Henry slumped against it in a white t-shirt and jeans. What drew her attention next was the creature in the bed. It was clearly Tish but... it wasn't. "What?" she gasped quietly. Then she noted Sandy, Dayshia, and a tall, dark-haired man all unconscious on the floor. "What?!?"

Sigrid and Meixiu moved into the room to gaze at the sleeping Humans in surprise.

"I'll answer all your questions later. For now, we need to get them all out of the hospital before they wake up or someone comes to investigate."

"I thought- Tish was badly injured, wasn't she?" Marisa asked in shock. "It's not safe to move her... is it?"

Henry's expression was troubled and flipped between doubt and wonder. "I think we healed her. Either way, we can't leave her here, like this!" He shook his head as he rubbed his face.

Sigrid nodded. "Marisa and I will get some gurneys. Meixiu needs to feed if you can manage it. She used too much energy clearing the way for us to get in and out unseen."

Henry nodded, and Meixiu smiled at him gratefully. He switched his glamor to drop his clothes and Meixiu burst into giggles.

"No, I just need a little blood," she said as she admired the view of his naked body.

"Oh! Sorry!" he said with a deep blush. The white t-shirt and jeans flashed back onto his body.

"Uh, how do I get out of this embrace?" Marisa asked.

Henry reached a hand towards the hair and immediately strands wrapped around his fingers. He smiled with a chuckle. "She's delighted to see you!" he said, gazing fondly at the blonde locks. Marisa was gently lowered to her feet and released from the grip. The hair floated before her like a glowing cloud.

"She?" Marisa asked.

"Later," Sigrid said and tugged Marisa's hand to follow her out.

Meixiu moved closer to Henry, but he raised his free hand.

"Let me explain what's going to happen, or you may find yourself in an angry tangle," he said.

The hair moved closer then he nodded to Meixiu. She looked nervously at the hovering gold locks but slipped in against Henry's chest and hugged him. He smiled, and she kissed him sweetly. When she pulled back, he tilted his head, and her lips went to his throat. She bit gently and quickly drank as she felt tendrils of hair wrap around her arms. She licked to seal the small wound then pulled back as the energy swept through her, recharging her spent cells.

When she opened her eyes, she noticed she was bound tight. "Henry?"

He opened his eyes blearily and saw her situation. "Sorry." He frowned and the hair released her.

"I... will get a gurney too," Meixiu said, watching the hovering wall of hair nervously as she backed away.

As she rushed from the room, Henry tugged the hair closer. "Friend," he gently admonished. It touched where Meixiu fed, so he pressed the locks to his lips. Sandy sighed in her sleep.

Sigrid wheeled a cart in and looked at him curiously. "There are only three gurneys available on this floor. You have four people to extract."

Henry looked at the group nervously. "I can carry Roger."

She scowled at him, seeing his exhaustion. "No, that will draw too much attention. I'll come back for him."

Henry didn't feel it was safe to separate them, but he just nodded as he didn't have the will to argue. He helped gently load Dayshia on the gurney. Henry and Sigrid shared a look as Dayshia's eyes were larger than before. Her lashes were longer and thicker as well.

"I'll take her down to the car. Send Marisa down with Sandy next... if you can get her hair to behave. Then come down with Meixiu and Tish. I'll come back up to get Roger."

Henry nodded, and Sigrid wheeled Dayshia out.

Marisa pushed an empty gurney into the room and looked to him. Henry explained to Sandy's hair what they needed to do with Sandy. He needed a name for the hair as she was an independent entity but he'd wait for Sandy to tell him.

When Marisa pulled the top sheet off, the blonde hair lifted Sandy onto the gurney and pulled the sheet over her. Marisa smiled at Henry and pushed the rolling bed out. He saw a tendril of hair wrapped around Marisa's wrist as they stepped out the door.

He went to the bed and carefully slipped his hand under Tish's back and slowly slid his fingers down while touching the line of her spine. He was sweating bullets, but he found no misalignments. He lifted her in his arms and laid her out on the gurney Meixiu wheeled in. She covered their patient with a blanket and were ready to go.

With a final worried look at Roger, he gathered his torn, real clothes and followed Meixiu out. At least Roger appeared Human in case anyone came to check on the room.

As they made their way through the hall, he noticed the hospital was so quiet. Too quiet. "Where is everyone?" he asked.

Meixiu gave him a slight smile. "There wasn't many here, but those that are will rest until we leave."

He didn't want to know what she meant by that, so he let it go.

They made it to the side entrance where Sigrid gave them a relieved look. "I'll take Meixiu back up with me. You get Tish into the truck."
Henry lifted Tish and gently placed her on the middle bucket seat. He tilted it back slightly, belted her in, then noticed Dayshia and Sandy were on the back bench seat with Marisa between them. The mane of blonde hair was stretched out across all three like a blanket. He grinned at Marisa.

"Shut up," Marisa said and snuggled in between the two ladies.

Suddenly Sigrid and Meixiu rushed out of the hospital and jumped into the front seats.

"Sit down and buckle in, Henry!" Sigrid called back tersely as she started the truck.

"Where's Roger-"

"Now!"

Henry shut up and fastened his seatbelt as the truck pulled away from the building. They joined traffic on the main roads and headed for the expressway. "What happened to Roger?"

"He wasn't there when we returned to the room," Meixiu said.

Henry sat back and fretted about that. What did the man see? What happened to him? He recalled opening his eyes to see Roger included in the group of unconscious friends.

He was also an anarchist who believed the society needed a good kick in the ass. Now, he was out there with potentially some kind of physiological change, who knows what kind of abilities, and a head full of unexplainable images. Dammit! The situation was going from bad to worse.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

Sigrid glanced in the mirror. "Walter Zhao's house."

"What? Why there? He'll have left wards on the place! Powerful ones!" Marisa argued.

"It's secluded, and Meixiu lived in the house when Walter created the wards, so she's excluded from their effect. She believes she knows how Walter disabled them. She'll go in and shut them down. She's very brave!" Sigrid said with a proud smile for her housemate and received a grateful smile in return.

They drove on for a while then Sigrid could wait no longer. "Henry, what happened?"

He sighed. He had some explaining to do, and they had a little time.

A strand of hair stroked his cheek affectionately. He reached up to take it between his fingers and kissed it. "Did you know Sandy's hair almost died? I mean, before, it was only partially energized but it was alive then. Sandy told me she was attacked in the subway yesterday and in the attack, her hair became dull and lifeless. Dayshia was also attacked the day before that, but she wasn't injured. Today it was Tish's turn only this time they were successful."

"Who's they?" Sigrid asked though she had an idea.

"The Fae. Queen Mab wants something from me. She needed leverage, so she went after my friends," he said as he ground his teeth in frustrated rage.

"How did they change?" Marisa asked.

Henry looked at Marisa. "The usual way."

Marisa frowned. "But Tish was hurt, crippled I thought."

He looked away with a bleak expression on his face. "I know. Not a circumstance where sex should have been on anyone's mind. Tish was desperate from her injuries, and her behavior was anything but normal. She refused care and said I was the only one who could help. Her emotions were going off the rails when she saw me. She kissed me. When Dayshia and Sandy leaned against me to stop Tish, my pheromones exploded out." He shuddered with self-loathing. "I'd suppressed it for too long and when the three women triggered it, I... I couldn't stop it."

"How long have you been suppressing it?" Sigrid asked.

Henry thought about that. "Four or five days. Since the nightclub."

"Why didn't you release it earlier?" Marisa asked.

Henry shook his head sadly. "I didn't know how. I tried when it was safe to do as no one was around but it wouldn't... come out to play." He took a deep breath to calm himself. "This is all new to me but I've learned suppressing it is not the route to go."

Henry ached for sleep, so he leaned his temple against the window, and soon the motion rocked him to oblivion.

-=-

Keeping an eye on the blonde locks, Meixiu reached back to shake Henry's shoulder. He jolted awake.

"What?!?" he blurted.

"We're here," she said.

She addressed the group. "You should all stay in the truck until I ensure the house can be safely opened. I don't know what defenses Walter added to the wards. If he did change them after I escaped you could be caught in the blast."

"I'm going with you!" Sigrid insisted.

Meixiu smiled at her gratefully.

The two ladies stepped out and walked up to the large front door.

"I can feel the ward. There's a pressure. An impulse to leave. Unpleasant," Sigrid said quietly.

"Walter didn't like visitors. Especially when he wasn't home," Meixiu replied. She was feeling better with Sigrid's presence and being able to 'defang the dragon' by using her captor's first name. She'd always called him Master or Mr. Zhao. Sigrid taught her she no longer had to treat him with respect he didn't deserve. Doing this made her feel much better.

While she was terrified to step back inside this home, she knew it would help her break free from his control if she did it by her own free will. Anything she could do that he would not have approved of felt like a victory.

They stood before the door and from Sigrid's expression she could tell the ward was working full force. She marveled at her friend's strength of will. Another reason to feel confident. Also, she felt none of the effects so this meant Walter hadn't alter the wards.

"No change," she sighed, and Sigrid gave her a cautious smile.

"The lock is keyed to my grip," she said and reached for the handle.

"Wait-" Sigrid warned but too late.

Electricity shot through Meixiu's body as the trap sprung. She could feel Walter's malignant intent permeating the spell he'd added to trap his errant slave should she return. It wasn't meant to kill, or she'd already be dead. She saw Sigrid reaching for her.

"No!" she spat through her clenched teeth, and Sigrid leaned back from the rage in her voice.

Meixiu noticed the trap spell was struggling to put her down on her knees and realized Walter's magic wasn't stronger than the Wild Magic coursing through her. She grit her teeth and pushed back, hard.

The trap spell was the first to fall with a loud snap. She kept up the pressure and let her senses spread out over the home. She attacked any magic that reacted aggressively to her presence and one by one they failed and burned out. The home's passive protections were still active, but they were no threat, so she left them alone.

When she was done, she sagged and released the doorknob. Sigrid caught her in her arms.

"Are you ok?" the Valkyrie gasped.

"Yes. It's safe now. The wards are gone. I've destroyed all of Walter's offensive magical protection on the building."

Sigrid looked at her in shock. "How?"

Meixiu gave her a tired but satisfied smile. "My magic is stronger than his!"

Sigrid grinned at her and pulled her into a quick hug.

When Sigrid released her, Meixiu reached out and opened the door with a push.

"Walter didn't lock the door with a key?" Sigrid asked.

"He didn't like to carry them, and he didn't need to," she said with a weary sigh.

"Are you going to be ok?" she asked.

"I will be fine." She turned to face the door. She stepped inside the threshold. "I will turn on the lights and get fresh sheets on the beds upstairs." She smiled back at Sigrid, feeling very pleased with herself that she'd defeated Walter's magic. She couldn't begin to say how grateful she was for Henry's gift of the Wild Magic! It gave her confidence and a new peace of mind. There was nothing left in this house for her to fear.

With a proud nod and smile, Sigrid went back to the truck and moved it right up next to the front door. The unloading process went smoothly with Henry cradling Tish in his arms, Sigrid doing the same for Dayshia, and Marisa guiding Sandy's hair as it carried Sandy. Meixiu had found the light switches, so the house was well lit as they made their way inside. They climbed the stairs to the second floor to find Meixiu had removed the dusty comforters. The sheets beneath were clean at least.

"I will find fresher blankets to place over the top sheet," she said before slipping away with the comforters.

Sigrid laid Dayshia down on the bed in the first room, pulled the sheet over her, then struggled with the window to get it open. She finally managed it and joined Marisa in the second room. "I'll get the windows open in their rooms. The air is stale in this house."

Marisa nodded. "Tomorrow we'll throw open all of the windows." She pulled the sheet up over Sandy and accepted a touch on her lips by a tendril of hair. She smiled and followed Sigrid to the third bedroom where Henry stood staring down at Tish. They saw his hands were shaking and they shared a troubled look. Sigrid moved to open the window then they gently guided Henry out and back down to the main floor. They went into a sitting room just to the left of the front door. Meixiu joined them there.

"Are you ok, Henry?" Sigrid asked.

He lifted his eyes from the floor to her and shook his head. He had a stricken expression. "No. No, I'm not. I've just ruined their lives! They would have been better off if they'd never met me."

"Henry! Don't say that!" Marisa exclaimed.

"It's true! Look what I did! They're no longer human! I did that! Me and this damn magic inside me! And what fucking good is having the ability to cause spontaneous orgies?!? Maybe it's a damn good thing the humans killed off the Satyr population if all we can do is make people fuck!" His breathing was coming in gulps. "Wild Magic is just a curse on top! Twisting and warping people into random shapes!" A sob tore through him. "You know, I was so caught up in my troubles that I didn't even realize how much of a monster I've become until I stopped to watch Tish sleeping. I turned her into a Satyr! I was admiring how lovely she looked, and that's when it sank in! I only saw what I wanted! Why the hell couldn't I see that?!?"

Sigrid grabbed his shoulders to look him right in the eye, and he flinched at the compassion he saw there. "Because you're not a monster, Henry. None of what's happened is your fault-"

He pulled away. "No, I can't blame anyone but myself. I knew I wasn't human and I knew my life was complicated and had dangers they'd never comprehend. I was warned that I shouldn't make friends with humans, but I ignored all of that because I wanted them. My selfishness led to this."

"Henry, it's not wrong to want to have friends! You just weren't prepared to be what you are! That's Baba Yaga's fault! You're not a monster! You're a good man caught in a bad situation. You're still learning about what it means to be a Satyr!" Marisa insisted.

Henry slumped back against the cushions. "It doesn't matter... they'll never forgive me, and I don't blame them. They shouldn't forgive me. I've ruined everything."

Marisa knelt before him and placed her hands on his knees as she looked up into his eyes. "You haven't ruined anything. You've changed them. As you were changed, when you discovered you were a Satyr. Do you remember how lost you were; how reluctant you were to accept the change? But you had us to guide you. We bless the day you came into our lives! You've enriched them. You've changed us too. Will you run away from the responsibility of helping your friends through this transition? Or will you be there for them as we were for you?" She could see he was struggling with his self-loathing. "We know you're a good person. We know you'll help them any way you can. It's your nature to be kind, loving and supportive. It's who you are."

He looked down at his hands in his lap, and a tremor went through him.

Sigrid stood behind Marisa. "We should all try to get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."

Henry lifted his eyes to look at them. "You go on up. I'm going to stay down here a while," he said quietly.

"You should come upstairs with us-" Marisa began.

"No, please. I just- I just need to be alone for a bit. I'll be fine." He gave them a weak smile, but no one believed it.

Short of carrying him upstairs they couldn't force him, so the three women nodded and left the room, looking back at him sadly.

He sat alone on the couch and listened to them climb the stairs. He let his exhausted mind go back to a point in the evening when he was lying on the floor, dazed after healing Tish. Ikehorn's words came back to haunt him.

"How will you protect your friends now in their changed state? How will you disguise them?"

Henry wasn't stupid. He knew what Ikehorn was after and he desperately wished he had an alternative. He could think of none. He had to right the wrong he'd done to his friends. He couldn't change them back, but he could get them glamors to disguise their new states. Which meant making a deal with the devil herself. The very monster who'd plotted to harm his friends. The injustice of turning to Mab for a solution burned within him. But his shame at what he'd done was stronger so he had no choice.

He sat quietly for a while just looking out the window into the darkness beyond. When he felt he'd waited long enough, he stood and walked to the door. He opened it and saw Ikehorn standing on the gravel drive a short distance from the door, as Henry suspected he would be. The Fae looked at Henry cautiously.

Henry gestured for him to enter then walked back to the sitting room and took a seat. Moments later Ikehorn appeared in the doorway and glanced nervously towards the stairs, but they were alone.

Gesturing to the chair before him, Henry fixed his eyes on the Fae. "I hate what you did. I hate what Mab ordered you to do. I hate what I'm now forced to do." Ikehorn now looked worried, and Henry stared at him. "What?"

"Queen Mab indicated to me that it was important that you repay the debt willingly," he said quietly, glancing to the doorway.

Henry stared at the Fae with a scowl.

"Is your friend healed?" Ikehorn asked suddenly, and Henry heard genuine concern in his voice. That threw him a little.

"Yes, her legs aren't limp anymore. I can feel their tone is back. She hasn't woken yet, so I don't know if her recovery is complete. There is also the matter that I turned her into A FUCKING SATYR!" Henry spat. Ikehorn watched him.

"How?"

Henry looked at him. He saw only honest curiosity and concern. A great weariness swept through him. "I don't know. Something to do with the Wild Magic I'm linked to. It's powerful, and humans can be affected by it. Randomly. I don't know why Sandy got sentient hair or why Dayshia's eyes changed or why Tish became like me-"

"I saw your hand on her stomach. Were you touching her throughout her change? Perhaps it used you as a template," Ikehorn suggested.

Henry blinked in surprise at him as he hadn't considered that. Suddenly the stupid idea of bringing back the Satyr race popped into his head. He closed his eyes tight and violently shook his head to rid himself of the ludicrous concept. Hadn't he just claimed how it was a good idea they were killed off? "Whatever. That's how it happens."

"So you are a wielder. You will the Wild Magic into their bodies," Ikehorn pushed.

Henry scowled at the man. "No! I don't control it! They have to ingest... something from me," he finished with burning cheeks. He looked away in embarrassment.

Ikehorn leaned back in surprise. "Oh? OH!"

"What does Mab want?" Henry said to change the subject.

Ikehorn shook his head. "You will need to ask her. She just wanted you to ask for something only we can supply. Healing or glamors for your friends, both are significant requests which will require equally significant compensation."

"Your inability to appreciate the value of doing a good deed for its own sake is what diminishes your race in the eyes of others."

Ikehorn leaned back stiffly. "We are not unique in our insistence on fair balance-"

"No... don't speak to me about fairness. You have no concept," he snarled then sucked in a few deep breaths as he settled his mind. "Tell Mab I'll be coming to see her to ask a favor."

The Fae relaxed for the first time all day and actually smiled gratefully. He stood and handed Henry a card. "This has my number and the address of the building where the Queen is staying. It will also get you into the underground parking lot's lowest level where you'll find the roof service elevator. I'll let her know you're coming. Please, make it soon." He paused as a conflicted look of discomfort crossed his face. "I'm terribly sorry your friend was hurt, and for the role I played in that. I- I serve the Queen," he finished awkwardly.

Henry waved his hand to gesture for the Fae to leave and dropped his head into his other hand.

Completely unsettled by his need to apologize and the discomfort he felt at the Satyr's distress, Ikehorn walked to the doorway where he came face to face with the Asian girl. He nodded to her then left the house.

Meixiu locked the door behind him and looked in on Henry. He was curled up on the couch, and she thought she heard him crying softly. Not knowing what to do she backed away and slipped upstairs to her room.

She'd speak to Sigrid about this in the morning.

Chapter 38

Sandy woke feeling better than she'd ever felt in her entire life. Her body was tingling with energy. She stretched and felt the blankets pulled down, so she opened her eyes to see who the impertinent culprit was. Maybe she wasn't finished sleeping! Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw her hair pulling the blankets back over her. She quickly reached up and slid her fingers into her hair. Tingles rippled down through her body from her scalp, and she cooed involuntarily. Eyes snapping open again, she sat up suddenly and reached out to gather her hair back from the blankets. It came willingly to pool in her lap. That's when she noticed its length and the strength she felt in it. This was far more hair than she'd had... last night? Her time sense failed her.

She looked around and didn't recognize anything. The bedroom was filled with beautiful antiques. The window was open, and fresh air swept into the room. There was an open door to the left, and she could see a hallway. A faint mustiness lingered in the air like she was in an old, rarely visited museum. She began to worry but calmed when her hair rose up to stroke her cheek. She felt its affection, and she couldn't feel any fear for this strange new phenomenon as her hair's intent came through their link clearly. Sandy knew her hair was a 'she' but she had no idea how it came to be. An image of a horned Satyr flashed in her mind, and Sandy squeaked in surprise.

Movement in the doorway caught her attention, and she looked to see Marisa smiling in at her.

"Marisa! Thank god! Someone familiar! I woke up, and everything is different!" Sandy gasped.

Marisa's smile wobbled a little as she approached the bed. "May I sit?"

Sandy's hair straightened out the sheets on the edge of the bed as they both watched.

Sandy's eyes went to Marisa and saw she wasn't shocked or frightened or displaying any sign that she found this the least bit odd. "You know what's happened to my hair," she said quietly.

Marisa nodded. "The world's a lot more complicated and wonderful than you previously knew. There's an entire underlayer that was hidden from you and for a very good reason. I'll get to that reason shortly. Stanley called it energy and, it is that, but we call it magic."

"Magic's real?!?" Sandy gasped excitedly.

Marisa held up her hands for calm. "As I said, some complications and dangers must be understood. Everything you know about magic probably came from the fiction you've read or watched on TV. Most of that is wrong. You're going to have to learn about it from scratch." Sandy nodded eagerly.

"Some people are linked to this magic, and it affects them in different ways. People who can tap into the magic and bend it to their will, to affect the world around them are called wielders. People who have the magic in them and are changed in strange and wonderful ways, sometimes gaining new abilities, are conduits. The people who are immune to the magic are Humans. They may not be immune to what wielders do, or to the abilities of conduits but the magic itself passes through them unfelt." She looked to Sandy and saw she was following her so far. Marisa took a deep breath as the next part could get tricky. She picked up the scent of the Wild Magic saturating Sandy. Much, much stronger now. "You were Human. Now, you're a conduit."
"I'm... not human? How?"

"Initially your exposure to the magic was due to an accident. Do you recall the night we were intimate?"

Sandy blushed and nodded.

"The next morning you woke and your hair was shiny and full, and you felt so good about it you decided not to get it cut."

Sandy's eyes widened. "But it wasn't like this!" she exclaimed.

"No, you'd only been exposed to a small sampling of the magic-infused essence." She watched Sandy's eyes. "Last night you received a much larger sample, and it linked you permanently to a realm of Wild Magic. Your hair is now fully alive."

Sandy realized she'd been stroking her hair on her lap. It was wrapped around her body hugging her as she was trembling.

"Sample... I don't understand."

Marisa smiled as she tried to explain. "You ingested something at the hospital last night? From Henry?"

Blue eyes widened. "OH! You mean Henry..."

"Yes, he's a conduit too. He's bound to a new realm of powerful Wild Magic. It saturates his body and consuming his essence transferred that magic to you. It's chaotic energy so how it affects Humans is random. You received this wonderful hair. I understand it's a she. Does she have a name?"

Sandy ran her fingers through it as she thought about that. She didn't feel it offer anything, just a sense of... anticipation. "I don't think she has one. She's so beautiful, I'd like to give her a name that says that."

Marisa smiled. "She's beautiful and strong! She lifted me right off my feet when we met in the hospital." Marisa stroked the gleaming hair. "How about Kesini? It means one with beautiful hair."

Sandy grinned happily, clapping her hands, and her hair swept up to wrap around Marisa in a hug. "I take it that's acceptable!" the Succubus said with a smile.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful... being!" Sandy said happily.

"Kesini, welcome!" Marisa said, and kissed the hair she gathered in her hand.

"Ooo!" Sandy sighed as she felt the kiss as well.

Marisa gave her a wicked smile. "This opens all kinds of... possibilities."

"What are you?"

Sandy and Marisa turned to face the door. Dayshia was standing there looking at them with a shocked expression. Her new larger eyes were glowing in subtle shades of blue, gold, and green.

"Dayshia! Your eyes are gorgeous!!!" Sandy gasped.

"And your hair is alive!?! But who or what is that sitting next to you?" Dayshia gasped.

"What are you talking about? You know Marisa!" Sandy scolded.

Marisa held up a hand to stop Sandy. "What do you see when you look at me, Dayshia?" she asked.

The dark-skinned beauty blinked her long feathery lashes at Marisa twice before answering. "You have pearly white skin, white hair, pointy ears, and horns!"

"What?" Sandy gasped in outrage.

Marisa grinned. "It's ok. Her new eyes are seeing through my glamor. I'm wearing a spell to disguise me as Human, so I can live and work amongst them."

"Amongst us, you mean," Dayshia corrected.

"We're not human anymore," Sandy said to her bestie.

"What are you talking about?" Dayshia snapped with a frown. She entered the room to look in the mirror above the bureau. "Oh my god! What's happened to my eyes?"

"They're lovely!" Sandy said.

"They are... but I can't go out in public looking like this!" Looking back at Sandy's outrageously long mobile hair she shook her head. "We won't pass for human," Dayshia fretted.

"You're right; you won't."

Dayshia looked to the doorway and shrieked.

Sandy looked to her friend in surprise as she saw Henry standing there. She blushed as she remembered what she did the night before and what she'd swallowed.

Dayshia rushed over to Sandy and pointed excitedly back at Henry. "It's him!" At Sandy's amused look Dayshia's annoyed scowl came back. "No! The Satyr! Henry's the Satyr!" Dayshia froze as she looked more closely at Henry, taking in the large ram horns, the downwards pointed furry ears, the broad hairless chest, his powerful arms and his furred goat's legs complete with cloven hooves. What she saw hanging between those legs took her breath for a moment. There was no question in her mind. This was the same Satyr she'd seen in Sandy's mind and had been dreaming about ever since. But that made no sense. "How could you be the Satyr when we didn't meet you until after Stanley's death?"

"What are you talking about?" Sandy asked as her face began to show her concern for her friend.

Marisa saw this and took Sandy's hands in hers. Kesini wrapped a tendril around their hands.

"Henry's wearing a glamor to look Human as well." She looked at him. "Show Sandy your true self."

"I forgot to wear my kilt. I'm naked underneath," he mumbled.

"Yes, you most certainly are!" Dayshia exclaimed.

Henry looked to Dayshia's beautiful eyes then to Marisa in question.

"She sees through glamors," Marisa explained.

"Oh!" Henry said. With a weary sigh, he dropped his glamor but moved his hands to hide his privates.

"Oh my god!" Sandy cried as a shock of familiarity shot through her. The image she'd been obsessing over for so long! She scrambled to get out of bed and rushed over to him, Dayshia right behind her.

Sandy tentatively touched his chest while Dayshia cautiously squeezed his thick bicep while her eyes locked onto his horns.

"Oh! Are we squeezing Henry this morning?" Sigrid said with a grin as she arrived at the doorway.

Dayshia looked cautiously at her and Meixiu who was standing behind the tall blonde but relaxed when neither showed any sign of being more than they appeared.

"Your eyes are so lovely!" Meixiu remarked to Dayshia with a wide smile.

"Thank you," she replied. "I still don't know how it happened-"

Sandy interrupted as what Dayshia had said earlier about the Satyr appearing before Stanley died was ringing like an alarm in her head. "Henry, how could I have a memory of you like this when we didn't meet until after Stanley died?" she asked with a trembling voice.

She saw guilt and remorse in his eyes as he held hers with his.

"I'm Stanley."

Sandy sucked in a painful breath then slapped his face. The room went quiet, and the big man just hung his head in shame.

"Why? Why did you tell me you died?!? I was devastated!" Sandy cried.

Sigrid and Marisa began to explain but Henry held up his hand, and they stopped. "She deserves to hear it from me." He looked into Sandy's eyes once more and swallowed to clear his tight throat. "Just before I went to Ireland my... disguise, the magic which made me look like the man you knew as Stanley, became... unusable. It was no longer safe to use it. I went to Ireland to get a new glamor, but when I got it, I discovered it looked nothing like Stanley. I couldn't return and claim to be the same person. No one would have accepted it. So Stanley had to die. I hated that and all the lies that went with it, but I had to go along with it to be safe and to protect Marisa, Sigrid and all of the others. And you."

"Others?" Dayshia asked.

"The Hidden Races," Henry said. "I grew up thinking I was human. My Baba- my adoptive grandmother raised me as a human and kept me in the dark about my true nature. Until the night my glamor failed, and I was suddenly... this. I knew nothing about the Hidden Races, and I'm still learning." He looked to Marisa. She dropped her glamor, and Sandy squeaked.

"I'm a Succubus. Sigrid is a Valkyrie and Meixiu is a Vampire. Before you jump to any conclusions, please know that everything you've read and seen in the media about races like ours is largely false and meant to mislead, disprove, and hide the fact of our existence. Humans have a proven tendency to kill what they don't understand. We are far fewer in number than Humans so we must remain hidden. We'd be hunted down and killed otherwise, as they did to Henry's people millennia ago. Henry is unique. The only Satyr-"

"Until last night," Henry muttered, the shame returning to his face.

Sigrid picked up the story. "Now that you're no longer Human, you're in the same situation as us. You'll need to keep your new nature a secret, to protect you and us. We're going to try to help you with that-"

"It's already been arranged. Queen Mab will give them glamors," Henry said with finality.

"Queen Mab?" Dayshia asked.

"Henry- what have you done?" Sigrid asked him with a stricken expression.

"Only what needed to be done. To repay the debt I owe," he said.

"You owe this Queen money?" Dayshia asked.

Henry looked to her. "No, my debt is to you and Sandy... and Tish."

"TISH! I forgot about her! Is she still at the hospital?" Sandy gasped.

Henry shook his head. "She's in the next room."

Dayshia grabbed his arm and spun him to face her. "YOU MOVED HER?!? She has a broken spine!"

"Had... a broken spine."

Dayshia's mouth opened and closed as she stared into his eyes. Finally, she found her voice. "Had?" she gasped quietly.

"A Fae named Ikehorn and I... we healed her. But she's still asleep, so I don't know if she has all of her sensations back," he explained quietly. When they tried to go around him, he held out his arms. "There's something else you should know. She changed too. The Wild Magic changed her... more dramatically than you two."

Kesini gently moved Henry aside to allow Sandy to enter the hall. Sigrid stood back as Meixiu gestured to the next bedroom. Dayshia followed her bestie.

When they stopped next to the bed, they stared at their friend in shock.

"Horns!" Dayshia exclaimed quietly.

"Her ears look like Henry's only her fur is black like her hair..." She shared a look with Dayshia. Kesini reached out and pulled the sheet down to expose Tish's body. She was still wearing the hospital gown.

The first thing they noticed was her arms. The muscles were larger and more defined. Tish had been an avid gym rat and kept fit, but this was... almost Henry's level of fitness.

They both squeaked with surprise when the dropping blankets exposed her black furred lower half.

"She's a Satyr?!?" Sandy exclaimed.

Tish stirred and stretched. A full body stretch, including her legs, right down to her... hooves.

"Hey," Tish said with a little smile on her lips as she looked up at her two friends. "Wow, the drugs they gave me are doing weird things to my head. You guys look funny," she said weakly.

"How... how are you feeling?" Sandy asked.

"So goooood!" she said, smiling broadly. She ran her fingers down her hard stomach muscles and, with a little frown, over her thighs. She squeezed and poked the muscles in her legs as her eyes widened.

"Uh, I can feel that. Guys! I can feel my legs! I CAN FEEL MY LEGS!" she cried out excitedly and sat up, sharply. She stared down at her furred legs ending in cloven hooves, and her eyes rolled back as she slumped back to the bed. Kesini caught her on the way down and eased her back against the pillows.

Henry entered the room and saw the shaken expressions on Sandy's and Dayshia's faces. Sandy turned to look at him.

"Why is she a Satyr?" she asked cautiously.

He frowned with a conflicted expression. "I don't know. The magic typically decides. Ikehorn suggested it was because I was in contact with her during her transformation. Tish held my hand pressed against her stomach the entire time she changed."

"Who's Ikehorn again? A doctor?" Dayshia asked.

Henry shook his head. "He's Queen Mab's man. Her enforcer." His expression turned dark. "He's the one responsible for the attacks on you, Sandy and Tish."

"WHAT?" Dayshia gasped. The others crowded into the room to hear this.

"Queen Mab wants something from me. She needed leverage, so she told her man to set up an accident for one of you. They knew I was aware of the Fae healers and Ikehorn would offer their services to heal the one he'd arranged to have injured.

"How do you know he didn't do it himself?" Sigrid barked.

Henry looked into her eyes and slowly shook his head. "He didn't. When he healed Tish, we were momentarily connected. I shared my strength and will as well as the power from the global healing spell. I... I felt his relief at being able to heal her. He'd been there. He was responsible for engineering the circumstance under his Queen's orders, but he didn't personally injure Tish."

"He's still guilty," Sigrid insisted.

"Yes, and he's aware of the fact. He apologized last night. By healing Tish, he eliminated the reason I would have for calling upon Mab for healing my friend. Except, now that I've ruined their chance to lead normal human lives, pulling them into the crazy magic shit we have to deal with, the only way I can make amends is to get them glamors of their own. The only ones with the skills to do that are the Fae. This means I have to make a deal with Mab."

"We could go to the Hidden Races Council with their case and..." Sigrid began but gave up on the point as there was nothing they could do to compel Queen Mab to do the right thing. "Shit. What does she want?"

Henry shivered as he relived the moment in the washroom of his room in Mab's Irish castle. "She wants me."

"No! She can't have you!" Marisa exclaimed.

Sandy looked worried after seeing Marisa's fear. "What do you mean she wants you?"

Henry gave Sandy a grim smile. "Mab is ancient... immortal, I think. She's an incredibly powerful witch. She's also quite mad and can be terrifying. She told me... Satyrs were the only creatures... able to satisfy her."

"She'd cripple one of us just to have sex with you?" Dayshia scoffed. "Are you sure that's not your ego talking?"

Henry gawked at her and burst into laughter. When he got control back, he smiled at her. "I wish it was that simple."

"She can't have sex with you! She's a wielder! She's linked to the old realm of magic. Your Wild Magic is toxic to her!" Marisa insisted.

Henry shrugged. "If it isn't sex, do you think she's going to ask me to rebuild her office network servers? I'm out of answers here. This is Queen Mab. Probably the second most powerful witch in existence. She can likely magic up a foolproof condom."

"Who's more powerful?" Dayshia asked.

"Baba Yaga," Sigrid and Marisa said in unison.

Sandy's eyebrows went up. "Baba? Henry's Baba?"

He nodded. "She raised me from a baby but hid all references to magic the entire time."

"Also a terrifyingly powerful being," Sigrid muttered.

"Not to me," Henry frowned sadly.

"So you just have to have sex with this Queen, and she'll give us disguises?" Dayshia asked.

Henry, Sigrid, Marisa, and Meixiu gave her looks which clearly expressed what they thought of her oversimplification.

"What? Is she hideous?" Dayshia asked defensively.

He shook his head. "No. She's as intensely beautiful as she is dangerously insane. Understand, if she is looking for sex it won't be for a quickie. She'll have something more long-term in mind." He looked away, and a violent shudder went through his body. He rolled his neck to ease the tension out of it and his shoulders. "Getting a glamor is no picnic either-"

"Henry!" Marisa barked, scowling at Henry for scaring the ladies.

"Sorry, but they deserve to know."

"Not helpful right now," Marisa asserted. She looked to the nervous women. "It's ok. I'll help ease you through it. I had to have my glamor replaced after my first night with Stanley. I overdosed on his magic. It's not compatible with the old realm's magic, so it burned out my original glamor."

"How do you overdose on magic?" Sandy asked, but Tish began making noises like she was coming around again.

Henry switched back to his human glamor. Sandy pulled him forward so Tish would see him first.

Long lashes fluttered as her eyes slowly opened.

"Henry?" she said whisper quiet.

"Yes. I'm here."

"I'm having bad hallucinations. I think the drugs are too strong. Call the nurse," Tish asked.

"You're no longer in the hospital. The drugs would have worn off last night. We had to take you out last night after we healed your back," he explained gently.

Her eyes locked on his and began to tear up. "I knew... I knew you were the only one-"

Henry winced. "Yeah. You might want to hold onto that gratitude. It was my fault you were injured-"

"Henry! You didn't force them to attack your friends!" Sigrid insisted.

"They targeted my friends because they wanted something from me," he growled over his shoulder. "Sandy, Dayshia, and Tish would have been better off if they'd never met me!"

Sandy made a sound of protest. Dayshia just gave him an evaluating look. Tish was confused.

"The fastest way to explain what happened to you is to show you. First off, magic is a real thing. Accepting that as fact will help you accept the next things you are about to see. I'm wearing a disguise made of magic. I don't know how it works, but I can turn it on and off. I'm going to turn it off so you can see the real me. Ok?" he said gently. Tish nodded nervously.

Henry moved closer to the bed so his naked state would be hidden by the mattress when he switched. He dropped his glamor, and her eyes went very wide. "Oh! It's you! We saw you! It was..." Her brows went down as the how if it slipped into her mind.

He nodded. "Yes, I'm the Satyr you saw in Sandy's mind when we were all linked. I was Stanley then."

"WHAT?!?"

"The magic that disguised me to look like Stanley... became unusable. I had to get a new disguise. When I did, it looked nothing like Stanley so I couldn't keep being him. I had to become Henry."

"Why did you tell us you died?" Tish asked quietly.

"To protect myself, and to protect people like me. People like you are now. Humans can never know about us, and you're no longer human." His eyes dropped in shame. "That's my fault too. I was exhausted and lost control last night. We had unprotected sex. The magic in me affected you three."

"Unprotected sex? I was in a bed with a broken back! How did we have sex?" Tish exclaimed.

Henry looked away as his face heated up. "You uh, you used your hand. You caught a significant amount of my... stuff. It's saturated with the Wild Magic. You... swallowed it. Sandy and Dayshia did as well, before you, just... more directly." Sandy's cheeks warmed up as her eyes twinkled with a secret thrill.

Tish nodded as she could picture that. She locked eyes with him. "You made me a Satyr?"

"Not intentionally. The magic seems to be random in picking how it will affect humans, but you were holding my hand against your stomach. Maybe that guided the transformation process? I have no idea. Magic isn't my forte," Henry said.

He switched back to his human disguise. "I'm going to arrange for you three to get glamors of your own. This way you can go back to your lives. You can never show your true selves to a human. There are a number of rules actually."

Tish nodded as she looked down at her body with troubled eyes. "So I have a new body?"

He shook his head. "It's the same one, just transformed by magic."

She slowly nodded as she thought about that. "This transformed body should feel weird and unnatural... but it doesn't. I'd- I'd like to stand up now," Tish said.

They moved back, and she sat up and slid her legs over the edge of the bed.

"I- I don't have... normal feet! How do I stand?" she asked timidly.

Henry smiled. "My first time was a little scary too, but hooves are amazingly stable."

Tish put hers on the floor and pushed herself off the bed. She wobbled just a little then settled into it.

"How do you feel?" Sandy asked.

Tish smiled a little tremulously. "Good... I feel... amazing! Strong!"

Henry glanced at Sigrid with a small smile then gave Tish and encouraging smile. "Satyr's are strong."

She frowned. "You healed my back with magic?" Henry nodded. "Yesterday, Doctor Sumeer examined me. He told me I'd never walk again. If I get this disguise that lets me look human again, how do I explain this?" She gestured at her being able to stand.
"Does he have proof? X-rays?" Sigrid asked.

Sandy and Dayshia both shook their heads. "Tish wasn't allowing them to do anything until Henry arrived. Being vocal about it too," Sandy asserted.

Henry looked back to Sigrid whose expression showed her doubt. "At a minimum, you'll have to avoid this doctor. That probably means you shouldn't return to work at that hospital. I'm sorry," she suggested.

Tish seemed to be thinking about that. Then she looked up into Henry's eyes. "If you can heal me then you can heal others!" she exclaimed.

He shook his head. "No. If we expose the fact that magic is real, then all of the Hidden Races are at risk. They'd be hunted down and killed or end up in a lab, dissected to find out how it works. A horrifying end." He sighed. "We can live normal-ish lives, hiding in plain sight in our disguises but we can never, ever let any humans know we exist. That includes family. They can't know!" He glanced at Sigrid, and she nodded to pick up the explanation.

"There's a Hidden Races authority which enforces this secrecy. They are... brutally effective in ensuring the fact of our existence stays a secret. I don't know the numbers, but apparently, we are few while the human population counts in the billions. We don't have a census. It would be too disheartening to know just how outnumbered we are," she said. "To start, why don't we go downstairs and have some breakfast. Marisa and I went out to pick up some basics first thing this morning."

Henry stepped closer to Tish. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. All of it and to all of you!" he said including Sandy and Dayshia in his apology. "I'll make it up to you in any way I can."

"We'll discuss it later," Dayshia tersely said as she moved to follow Sigrid downstairs.

The others followed, but Tish held back and touched Henry's chest to stop him as well. He looked at her curiously.

"Drop the disguise."

He looked at her in surprise, realizing she'd be able to see... everything. She raised an eyebrow at him, so he did as he was told.

She looked down and smiled. "Hoo. That's what I remember. Dayshia's right. We'll discuss how you can make it up to us later."

With a sexy smile, she turned and followed the others downstairs.

Henry activated his glamor once more and paused when he felt a pinch. He took a moment to adjust for the sudden tightness of his pants. He didn't know why his glamor didn't compensate for that.

-=-

Ikehorn stumbled into the bedchamber the Queen assigned to him in the New York castle. He leaned back against the closed door and sucked in a painful breath as his broken ribs grated together. Blood flecked his lips as his lung was punctured as well.

He locked the door and stepped away from it. He managed two steps then stopped. A tremble went through his body as he recalled the beating he'd just received. He faced the door and muttered a few words of power.

If Mab's trained ogres tried to enter now, they'd be liquified most painfully. He knew the Queen would kill him for that, but he was never letting them touch him again.

He painfully made his way to the bed, desperate to rest on its surface. The willpower needed to suppress his healing was reaching its limit. He needed to heal himself soon, but the Queen forbade him to use his new abilities until he reached his bed, under his power.

She... hadn't been pleased with his report that he'd been forced to heal the third human pet of the Satyr. Disclosing the truth about his new ability had been a calculated risk. He'd seen his death in her eyes at that moment. Her control was eroding badly as her new master spell drained so much energy from her. Before she struck him down, he presented the alternate trap he'd used to catch the Satyr. He explained how much more compelling it was as all three of the female pets were affected plus one male. The favor the Satyr would have to ask for left him at the mercy of the Queen.

There'd been tense moments while Ikehorn watched Mab swing between her impulse to kill him and her pleasure at now having an excellent bargaining position.

"Ikehorn, you continue to surprise me. I am very pleased with this new solution. I will summon the mages once more. This will be a new challenge for them, yes?" The Queen smiled at him, and he finally allowed himself to breathe. He bowed deeply and reverently.

"There is still the matter of your failure to fulfill my original plan because, how did you put it? Ah yes, you were forced to heal the female. It seems like you've forgotten how to prioritize your Queen's needs over your own. I can help you with that," she sweetly said as she made a gesture.

Ikehorn's arms were suddenly caught in the tight grip of one of Mab's pet Ogres. Large, barely sentient savages, they were loyal servants and brutal enforcers. The fact that Queen Mab now had them around her in the castle was yet another sign of her diminished capacity. Resorting to the violent thugs meant her subtlety was leaving her.

"Ikehorn, listen carefully. You are not to use your healing abilities until you reach your bed. Heal yourself before that, and it will be the last healing you do. Is this understood?"

A cold sweat flushed across his body as the Ogres smiled at the Queen.

"Don't kill or cripple him. Aside from that, you have three minutes to show my dear Ikehorn how much damage you can do short of those two conditions.

A second Ogre grinned and made a big fist.

Ikehorn lost track of how many times the brute hit him. All of his concentration was reserved for holding back the healing impulse.

When it was over the Ogre holding his arms released his grip and Ikehorn fell to the floor.

"You may go now. Remember, not until you reach your bed," Mab said sweetly.

His left arm was broken from the overly enthusiastic grip of his captor. He had broken ribs, a punctured lung, some missing teeth, a crushed nose, and more cuts and bruises than he could count. He pushed himself to his feet and shuffled off with as much dignity as his body allowed.

As he reached the door, he heard her snapping at the Ogres. "Clean up that blood! Not with your tongues! Revolting morons! Finish licking then mop the floor!"

Now Ikehorn's bed was before him, but he stopped himself and slowly made his way into the washroom. He dropped his glamor to stand naked before the sink. He gently cleaned himself so he wouldn't get the sheets dirty.

Finally, he walked back to the bed and faced it. "Thank you, Queen Mab, for the valuable lesson," he said aloud. He picked up the sensation of her satisfaction. So... she'd been watching.

He pulled the sheets down and eased himself between them. As he fully relaxed on the mattress, he finally reached for the healing, and a massive flash of green light lit up the room.

He lay there panting from the effort and the memory of the pain. That would linger for some time.

"Ikehorn?" Mab called out.

Her voice seemed to be coming from the ceiling. "Yes, my Queen."

"You will arrange for Henry to be here on Friday. They should arrive at 10 PM. The mages were summoned for Henry's pet Humans. There will be a party that night with the main event at midnight. This is the optimal time for the spell. Do not fail me again."

"Yes, my Queen."

As his exhaustion pulled him into oblivion, he made a mental note to contact the Satyr the moment he awoke.

He wouldn't survive another lesson from Mab.

-=-

After breakfast, Sigrid and Meixiu left to pick up groceries, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and some changes of clothes for the ladies while Marisa told them she'd sit down with the ladies and Henry to bring them up to speed on their new reality and for a question and answer period.

Dayshia spoke first. "I need to contact our boss, Margaret, and let her know we won't be in... for a while. What do I tell her?"

Marisa nodded. "Tell them you took Tish to see a specialist and you may need up to a week," she said with a shrug.

Dayshia nodded then dialed and got through to her boss. From the look on Dayshia's face after she gave the excuse, her boss wasn't happy. "It's for Tish," she finally said glancing guiltily at her friend who just nodded.

"Listen, has Roger contacted you?" Dayshia asked then her expression became worried. "Ok, I'll keep in touch. Thanks, Margaret." She hung up then looked at the expectant faces.

"Roger's in the wind. He didn't answer his cell when they called him; we probably have messages on ours too. There's been no word of him at the hospital which is in complete chaos since our departure. Hospital administration is on everyone's ass for the weird shit that happened last night. It seems everyone fell asleep and the techs in the security room somehow deleted a week's worth of recordings up to last night, so they have no visuals of what happened. They're blaming it on a gas leak."

Marisa nodded. "Good."

Dayshia turned her attention back to Henry. "How soon can we get these disguises?" she asked bluntly. Then she frowned. "Will this... glamor let me see you in your disguise again? It's hard to not stare at your..." Her eyes rose from his groin to his head. "...horns. Especially with that faint pulsing glow."

Henry stared at her. "Pulsing glow?" She nodded as she looked to them again. He shook his head as he didn't want to know. "Glamor spells powered by the Wild Magic do strange things to the laws of physics as I've discovered. But you're new eyes still see right through it, so I have no idea." He sighed. "I'll contact Ikehorn this afternoon to set it up."

They walked through the house towards the sitting room and admired the art hanging on the walls. Tish stopped dead before one of them. "I'm no art expert but... is this a Renoir?"

Marisa looked to the painting of the lovely young woman brushing her hair. "I doubt Walter hung up anything but originals. I understand he wasn't the sort to tolerate forgeries in his collection." The others looked around at the sculptures and paintings with a new appreciation.

"That would make this art worth a fortune! Where is the owner of this house?" Dayshia asked.

"He died a couple of months ago. He was a dragon. Apparently, they really do hoard treasure," Henry said.

Dayshia stopped to look at him in disbelief. "Really. A dragon. Firebreathing and all?"

Henry just nodded. "He was... not a nice person. He held Meixiu captive in this house for more than a century. He blinded her with magic. He... he did something bad to me as well. He's the reason I can no longer use the glamor of Stanley." At Marisa's look, he stopped.

"What was that?" Dayshia said suspiciously.

"What was what?" Marisa asked.

"You just sent Henry a warning glance to shut him up," Dayshia insisted.

Marisa sighed. "Your new eyes are very perceptive. Henry was talking about something the Hidden Races Council has forbidden us to speak of."

"Excuse me? These people can make it illegal to talk about stuff?" Sandy asked incredulously.

"Let's have a seat in the lounge, and I'll give you a rundown on the key players and the rules we live by."

They moved into the sitting room, but Tish stopped in the doorway. "The windows aren't covered. What if someone sees in?"

Henry glanced at the large windows and could see the driveway outside. "Marisa, stand in front of the window there. I'm going to go outside to see what I can see." She moved to stand where he directed as he walked outside. From the driveway directly before the sitting room windows, he couldn't see Marisa. He saw an empty room instead. He realized Walter must have added some kind of spell, enchantment, or whatever wielders called their magic, to the windows to hide the people inside. He went back inside to join the others, gently easing Tish into the room.

"The windows show the room, but no one inside is visible. Must be another spell," he explained with a frown.

He took a seat on a couch and Tish moved to sit down next to him with a coy smile. She was watching Dayshia who was sitting on the chair across from them.

The ebony beauty frowned at Tish. She tossed a pillow to Henry. "At least cover that thing up."

Tish pouted mischievously. "No fair you get x-ray vision too!"

Dayshia gave her an incredulous stare. "I don't understand how you can be so calm about what happened to you! He made you into a Satyr! Then there are those people... what did you call them?" she asked looking at Henry.

"The Fae."

"The Fae broke your back because they wanted something from Henry. He's right! He dragged us into this crazy world of magic and monsters!"

Sandy bristled. "Dayshia! Don't you dare blame Henry for the actions of those people! If they were civilized beings, they wouldn't have resorted to such terrible acts! Henry is a good person! He doesn't think like these Fae! He could never have known they were going to hurt us!" she growled.

Tish took up the argument. "I don't blame Henry for my injuries. I agree with Sandy. He couldn't have known. What matters to me is what he did after he found out! He healed my broken back! That's impossible by everything I know about these kinds of injuries. The damage was too severe. As I laid in that hospital bed all day, the best outcome I could see in my future was a life being confined to a wheelchair. I'm a runner! That wasn't the life I wanted, but it was the life forced upon me. I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for being rescued from that!"

Dayshia held up her hands. "I accept that his ability to heal you was... above and beyond. But couldn't he have left you- left all of us, as human?"

Henry's shame deepened as he accepted her blame. He knew, in his heart, he deserved it. Suddenly Sandy's hair reached across the room to wrap its silky locks around him in a hug. He picked up a distinct feeling of gratitude for bringing her to life. He felt Sandy's joy as well. He lifted his eyes to look over at her.

"Kesini and I thank you for giving her life! I'm delighted to have my new friend!" Sandy exclaimed. She looked at Dayshia and Tish and grinned at them. "Kesini means one with beautiful hair."

Tish held out a hand and a tendril of the blond hair wrapped around it. She smiled as she felt its affection. "Amazing!" she sighed. She caught Dayshia's uneasy glance and gave her a gentle smile.

Dayshia huffed. "Aren't you the least bit upset about how much you've been changed?" she insisted looking at her friends. Sandy just smiled and shook her head. She gently tugged on Kasini, and she released Henry to coil up on Sandy's lap.

"Being a Satyr isn't something I imagined for myself," Tish snorted in amusement. "How could I have imagined this?" She shook her head in disbelief with eyes filled with wonder. "Magic is real! I've become a creature of magic! How fucking cool is that?!? And I feel incredible! Truthfully, how do you feel?"

Dayshia looked between her two friends with a conflicted expression. Finally, she sighed. "Ok, I feel good. My back doesn't hurt from carrying these," she gestured to her large breasts. "My feet don't hurt either from carrying the rest. But I don't look human! I'm not human! What about my plan to meet a nice young man and get married and have kids!"

Tish barked a laugh. "Since when did you have that plan?"

Dayshia gave her a haughty look. "I don't tell you everything."

Marisa smiled. "Let me take you through a few of the new rules you'll need to be aware of." She had their attention, so she began.

Henry sat back and watched his friends coming to grips with their new lives, and he had to admit they were taking it far better than he had. He was ready to accept their hatred of him for what he did but, aside from Dayshia, they were expressing no such negative emotions. Especially Tish. But then, she liked the idea of magic while he'd wanted to deny its existence. Still did, if he was honest with himself.

The conversation went on as the ladies asked questions and he learned a few things as well.

He started to worry about getting them glamors and introducing them to the Queen of the Fae- he froze, and Marisa caught his look.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Uh, we need to do something about their legal standing amongst the Hidden Races; the treaties between the Fae and them. I mean, I'm pretty sure Tish is going to be covered by mine but where do Sandy and Dayshia fit into the treaties? Which Hidden Race do they belong to?" he asked.

Marisa looked at the two women. "Good question. We need to bring in legal counsel. I'm going to call my mother to arrange for Mahati to come to speak to us," she said as she popped to her feet to make the call in the next room.

"Who's Mahati?" Dayshia asked.

"She's VRL's external lawyer," Henry explained. "I understand she's moving into the condo next to mine with her sister." He saw their interested looks. "There's something I should mention about the building. People from the Hidden Races inhabit all the odd-numbered floors. Only humans are allowed to own the units on the even numbered floors."

"Are they going to demand I move out?" Sandy gasped.

Henry frowned. "I don't know. I hope not. We can ask Mahati. I doubt this has ever happened before."

Tish patted his leg to get his attention, and he was very conscious of her hand on his thigh.

"When do I get to meet the other Satyrs?" she asked.

Henry opened his mouth then closed it to take a swallow. "There aren't any. Until last night, I was the only one. My... people were wiped out by angry mobs of humans millennia ago. My adoptive grandmother is a powerful witch. She somehow pulled me from the past the night my parents were murdered. She raised me in the present."

"Why would she do that?" Dayshia asked.

Marisa shook her head as she walked back into the room. "That's a question you never ask Baba Yaga. She had plans for Henry. She may still. It's generally a good policy to avoid her at all costs." She looked at Henry's frown. "Sorry, but it's true. She has agendas no one can fathom and powers no one can match."

Henry hung his head and nodded. He knew it was true, but he couldn't shake the bond he felt for the old woman.

Marisa gave him a sympathetic smile then looked to the others. "Let me just clarify something I was speaking of earlier before Tish woke. When I first met Stanley, I went by the name Paloma, and my glamor looked much different than it does now. I was a little shorter, raven-haired, and not quite as busty." She grinned at Henry, and he blushed. She looked back at the attentive gaze of Henry's friends.

"When I discovered he was a Satyr I- well, as a Succubus, I was intensely drawn to him, and we had unprotected sex, twice. I had no idea of his link to a new realm of Wild Magic nor was I expecting to be affected by it. As it was my first exposure to his Wild Magic and I received so much, it burned out my old glamor which was powered by the old realm of magic. It also changed me physically. For conduits, first exposure to Wild Magic seems to enhance our existing states. Because my physical changes were so dramatic, when I received my new glamor it incorporated those changes, and I looked nothing like my old self. Like Henry, I had to take on a new identity. I became Marisa, cousin of Paloma. I now have to call my mother Aunt in public. You can see how complicated it gets to maintain the secret." The ladies nodded thoughtfully.

"That said, I just spoke with my mother. She's going to meet us here tonight with Mahati and Roy, our head of Security. She's going to ask Mahati to speak to Michelle Beaumont to get a copy of Henry's Treaty. As Henry mentioned, it should cover Tish, but we will see what we can do for Sandy and Dayshia."

He looked to Marisa. "Is Michelle going to join us here too?"

The lovely blonde blinked at him. "I don't think so but she might."
Henry turned to Dayshia. "How do you feel about spiders?"

Tish chuckled seeing Sandy's immediate squeamish reaction.

Dayshia saw it and smiled as well. "I'm fine; I love them! Sandy's the one frightened by bugs."

He looked to Sandy. "Is it a phobia?" he asked seriously.

Sandy looked embarrassed. "No! It's just a little aversion. Why?"

"The Hidden Ones are made up of all kinds of people. They come in different shapes and sizes, but all are disguised by glamor spells to appear human. Walter Zhao was an enormous dragon who looked like a dried up old Chinese man when he disguised himself. You need to practice not reacting to the strange beings you're going to see out there. Remember, as far as anyone needs to know, we're all just human. That's how we all survive. Like me, you have the advantage of having grown up as a human, so you know how to behave. You already fit in."

The three ladies nodded at this and seemed to be comforted by the thought then Dayshia's expression soured.

"Fit in except for how we look," she insisted.

Tish rolled her eyes. "Henry said he's going to get us magic disguises of our own. So you can look human too."

"He just has to have sex with a scary, insane Fae Queen first," Dayshia grumbled.

Henry shook his head firmly. "No. She's going to have to do the disguises first."

Tish was looking at him in surprise. "It's true? You'll have to have sex with this Queen?"

Henry shrugged. "I don't truly know what she wants. She'd strongly hinted that she wants sex with a Satyr, but she's linked to an old realm of magic that isn't compatible so it'd be hazardous for her. That doesn't mean she hasn't figured out a way to do it."

"Henry thinks she'll want to keep him," Sandy asserted, and Kesini moved restlessly in her agitation.

"No! She can't have you!" Tish gasped as she clung to his arm.

"It's all guesswork at this point. There's no sense in getting worked up-oomp!"

Tish's mouth was on Henry's, and then her tongue was wrestling his as she clung to his body. She was much stronger! The energy flowing between them was escalating quickly.

"TISH!" Dayshia gasped in annoyance.

The voice jarred Henry from the kiss, and he gently pulled back from the soft lips as his head spun. His heart was pounding, and he could hear his blood rushing to parts of his body he knew he shouldn't be thinking with at the moment. Tish's lovely face captured his attention completely. Her eyes were closed, and she was trembling in his arms. He saw her gently bite her lower lip as she opened her amazing soft brown eyes. His mind flew back to their kiss in the back seat of a cab, and he wanted her so badly- WHOA! Henry released Tish and stood up quickly, the pillow on his lap tumbling to the floor.

"DAMN!" Dayshia gasped as she gawked at his suddenly exposed awakening member.

He turned his eyes towards her and realized what she was seeing. He stumbled out of the room as quick as his legs could carry him. Aiming himself towards the back of the house, he exited the back door to wander out into the large, private yard. He took deep gulps of air to calm himself, and that seemed to be working. He climbed up the three steps on the gazebo in the backyard and sat in one of the chairs.

He closed his eyes and listened to the wind rustling through the leaves in the surrounding forest. He... he needed advice, but he couldn't trust his body... or himself, around these women. He needed male advice.

Henry pulled his cell from his pocket and called his only male friend. After three rings he heard the connection made.

"Hey, buddy! What's up?" Nate said with a friendly tone.

He immediately began to feel better, and that surprised a snort from him. He rushed forward in embarrassment. "Hi, uh, I was wondering if you were free tonight?" he said with a tight throat.

"Yeah... I've got something happening around the dinner hour, but I could get together with you after dinner? Hey, is everything ok?" Nate asked in concern.

Henry shook his head then realized Nate couldn't see the gesture. "No, not really. I've really fucked up, and I could use a little advice."

"My advice is free and worth every penny," Nate said with a smile in his voice. "Where do you want to meet?"

Henry looked around. He couldn't leave. Maybe Nate would come to him? "If I gave you an address and paid for the fare, could you meet me at a mansion we're staying in for a few days north of the city? I can get you a lift back to the city tonight, or you could pack a bag and hang out with us for a few days until we return. There are plenty of rooms." Something popped in his mind. "Oh! If you come up, I'd like you to tell me if the art hanging on the walls is from these masters you mentioned. I've been told one is a Renoir, but I wouldn't know a Renoir from a kid's paint by numbers."

"You had me at hanging out in a mansion upstate. Telling me about the art is just making me salivate. Sure, I could use a little getaway!" Nate sighed. "Text me the details."

Henry smiled in relief. "Will do. Text me when you get here, and I'll come out and pay the driver."

"See you tonight!" Nate said and hung up.

Henry immediately sent the text then put his phone away. He sat back and looked at the trees at the edge of the property line. It was soothing to listen to the wind, so that's what he was going to do. He knew he had to call Ikehorn, but that could wait.

He needed just a little time to breathe.

-=-

Sigrid and Meixiu stepped in the front door with their arms full of shopping bags. These were plunked on the floor just inside the door as they watched Marisa walking back from the kitchen with a sad expression on her face. They followed her into the sitting room.

She addressed the group. "Henry's just getting some air in the backyard. We'll leave him be until he comes back in on his own." She held the eyes of the three ladies until she was sure they got the message. Sigrid and Meixiu looked at Marisa in concern, but she shook her head.

Sigrid frowned. She needed to know. "What happened?"

"We were talking about what Queen Mab wanted from him and... I kissed Henry. Desperately. Passionately. Sorry, I'm not sure what came over me," Tish lamented.

"Lust!" Dayshia exclaimed.

Tish raised an eyebrow at her friend. "Says the woman getting the free peep show and being all noisy about it!"

Dayshia huffed in annoyance and looked at Tish with a frown. In light of what they'd just felt and seen, they couldn't maintain their annoyance with each other, and both burst into giggles.

Then Dayshia suddenly frowned.

"No! I don't want to deny how upset I am that my life's been turned upside down! I never asked for this! I don't want it!" she growled.

Sigrid sighed. "Stanley felt the same way initially. He grew up completely unaware of his true nature and was content to believe magic was foolish nonsense. He had his computers, science, laws, and rules." She shook her head. "When he discovered he was a creature out of myths and legends he had a tough time accepting it. It's only been recently, as Henry, that he's begun to use terms like 'us' and 'we' when he speaks of the Hidden Races. He would never have wished these changes on any of you. If he hadn't been exhausted and under the influence of his pheromones he might have been able to stop you last night."

"Stop us?!?" Dayshia gasped.

Sigrid nodded. "Henry didn't know what it meant to be a Satyr. His Baba only taught him how to be Human. She blocked his development as a Satyr both mentally and physically. Now that he's permanently in Satyr form, hidden by his glamor, we believe his development is catching up. Think of it as late puberty. One of the fun things he discovered is that his body, under certain circumstances, releases clouds of pheromones which drop inhibitions and supercharge the sex drive for nearby Humans and himself. He's working on being able to control this, but it's early days."

"The subway gas attack and the dance club!" Sandy gasped. Sigrid nodded.

Dayshia was looking at her in shock. "Do you mean to tell me he made us have sex with him?!?" she raged.

Sigrid scowled. "No! Of course not! His pheromones don't control your will! They drop inhibitions. They allow you to follow your desires without hesitation. Be honest; you wanted Henry as much as he wanted you!"

Dayshia pouted, but she couldn't deny that truth. She finally nodded. "But... did he know having sex with us would change us?" she asked.

Marisa picked up the conversation from there. "Yes, and he's devastated that he was unable to stop, but he was exhausted and had been suppressing his... heat past the point where it would be denied. It overpowered him.

"Henry goes into heat? What is he, a cat?" Dayshia snapped.

"Dayshia!" Sandy barked back.

The dark beauty put her hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry! I know, that was uncalled for. I'm just... really upset."

Sandy stood and crossed to her friend. She held open her arms. Dayshia looked up into Sandy's loving eyes then stood to accept the hug. Kesini wrapped herself around both of them. Dayshia's eyebrows rose as she felt the affection emanating from the new being.

Tish pranced over to wrap her strong arms around them all.

"Okay, okay, enough with the warm fuzzies," Dayshia complained half-heartedly. She admitted to herself that she did feel better. Tish, Sandy, and Kesini released her, and they smiled at the watching ladies.

"We have new clothes and toiletries if you'd like to freshen up," Sigrid suggested.

Dayshia smiled in relief. "Yes please."

They went through the purchases and divided out the items.

As Meixiu guided the three ladies upstairs to get them towels, Sigrid joined Marisa in the kitchen at the back of the house. They could see the gazebo from there and Henry, sitting in it looking off into the woods.

"Maybe we should go see if he's ok or needs anything?" Marisa asked.

Sigrid shook her head. "No, I think he needs a little space for the moment."

"What are we going to do about Queen Mab?" Marisa asked in a worried tone.

Sigrid gave her a smirk. "What are we going to do? What makes you think we can do anything?"

Marisa's face fell.

"It's Henry's bargain to make. We'll offer him advice beforehand, but you know the Fae are holding all the cards."

"Mother's not going to accept that you know."

Sigrid nodded with a smile. "And I'll ask her the same question. What makes her think she can do anything?"

They both sighed and watched Henry peacefully communing with nature; allowing him this breathing space.

Chapter 39

Nate sent a text to his buddy Joey and let him know he'd see him this afternoon to drop off his luggage. He was going to do something for Jo he should have done a long time ago. Had he known.

Taking one last look around the apartment, he saw no evidence of his having lived there. He'd jammed his stuff into two old army duffle bags.

He let himself out of the apartment, locking it behind himself and pitched the keys through the old mail slot so she'd see them on the living room floor and know it was permanent.

He took a taxi to Joey's place and dropped the bags off in the small second bedroom Joey used as a gym. His buddy was letting him crash there until Nate got himself a new apartment of his own.

He packed his toiletries and a few changes of clothes in his backpack for a visit with Henry. Next, he sent a text to Jo to ensure she was still on for meeting him at their favorite intimate restaurant. He'd called the owner to reserve the booth in the back corner as it had the most privacy. Jo replied she was still up for it and would be there.

The next part was the trickiest step in his plan. He was going to call upon a talent he'd spoken with Camila about but hadn't yet attempted.

He let Joey know he'd be out of town for a few days and took a taxi to a florist shop in Jo's old neighborhood. He walked in and looked around nervously. He was in uncharted territory, and he prayed he wouldn't make matters worse with what he was about to attempt.

A woman approached him with a professional but toothy smile. She was maybe in her late fifties, petite in stature but curvy with extra padding in her boobs, tummy, and ass. She wore her long blonde hair pinned up, but it wasn't a flattering look.

"You look like you might need some help," she chirped with a light British accent.

He smiled at her and saw her posture improve just a little and her already wide smile widen just a little more. "Yes, I'm hoping I might speak with Bev Livingston." His eyes dropped to her name tag and saw her title said store manager. She caught the direction of his eyes, and she lifted her heavy breasts a little higher.

"Oh! Are you a friend of hers?" the woman asked curiously, beginning to preen.

He nodded and turned on the charm. "My name's Nathan. Bev dated my roommate." Here was where he needed to stretch his wings so to speak. He leaned in a little closer to the woman and locked eyes with her. He smiled and felt her attention lock into him. "I need to speak with her, privately." As instructed, he gently pushed the woman mentally with his will and saw her sway slightly as her eyelashes flutter. Too much. He eased off.

"Oh, I think I can arrange something for you," she said quietly and grinned at him with a twinkle in her eye. He nodded gratefully, and she headed into the back room. A moment later, she poked her head back out the door and gestured for him to follow. He did and spotted Bev standing with her back to them. The older woman tilted her head towards the younger woman to indicate he should proceed as she stepped back out into the store, checking out his ass in the process.

"Hello, Bev."

The woman in question squeaked and spun to face him. Tall and slim, auburn hair tied up in a long ponytail, she still had the pretty, girl-next-door wholesomeness he recalled when she was with Jo.

"Nathan! What are you doing back here? It's staff only," she said glancing to the door. Still a stickler for the rules he observed with a small smile.

"Your manager said I could be here."

Bev frowned slightly. She knew he'd charmed his way in and disapproved. She wasn't impressed, but he didn't hold that against her.

"I want to apologize. For my part in... what went wrong."

Her chin came up, and she crossed her arms. Defensive. Not a good sign. Change in tactics. More honesty.

"Truthfully, I want to apologize for being the leading cause," he said sincerely. Bev's frown deepened, but her arms relaxed a little.

"I wouldn't say you were-" she began.

"If you speak to any of the women I dated more than once you'll see how my involvement in their lives has affected them. These used to be sweet, kind, and generous women and now they've become bitter, manipulative, and generally unhappy people. Speak to their friends or former friends. They'll tell you. I did that. The only consistent variable in the equation is me. I'm poison in a relationship."

Now she was shaking her head in denial with her frown still in place. She might have partially believed him, but she denied it even to herself.

"Jo was spared most of that because... we're only friends. But I did have an impact. I paraded an endless stream of women past her, and this poisoned her as well."

"Jo got what she wanted-"

"No. No, she didn't. She's not happy. Not like she was when she was with you. She rarely smiles. Her humor is becoming darker. She's losing hope."

Bev sucked in a breath as, for her, this was a significant loss.

"I've poisoned her mind, but it isn't too late. I've been so selfish for so long. I wanted her friendship no matter the cost to her. But I've seen what that's doing to her and... I love her too much to continue."

Bev's eyes were wide with worry.

"I've moved out of her apartment, and I'm leaving her life. She needs to heal. For her, it's still possible."

Bev gasped. "She's going to be so hurt!"

Nate knew Bev had depths to her he'd never witnessed, but her empathy for her ex took his breath away.

"You can't honestly believe you're responsible for changing those women!" she said.

"I do, but my belief isn't as important as the facts. I spoke to their friends. The ones who would speak to me. The story was the same in every instance. They went from sweet innocence to...." Nate's expression froze as he looked into Bev's gentle eyes, now filled with puzzled concern. "You! Oh my god, I never realized."

"What?"

"I was looking for you!" He caught the stiffening of her posture. "No, not you specifically. What you and Jo had. That's what I've been searching for. I was subconsciously choosing women like you so I could be as happy as Jo was! As happy as my parents are. Something I'll never have."

Bev stepped closer and reached out to touch his arm. "You can't give up!"

Nate's heart felt lighter as he saw the strength of her compassion. He needed to push forward. This visit wasn't for him.

"I'm not important here and now. Is it too late for Jo? Have you moved on?"

Bev's eyes locked on his and he saw the pain there. She shook her head slightly.

"Jo never stopped loving you. I led her from her truth because I wanted her for myself and I wasn't the friend I should have been. Please don't give up on her!"

Bev had tears in her eyes now. "She hurt me!"

"She never would have if it hadn't been for me! I know she regrets that every day! I have to save her from my influence, so I'm leaving. I have to be the friend I should have been before."

"You can't leave her-"

Bev's compassion was swinging his way, and he couldn't have that. He pulled his arm from her gentle grip and gave her a small smile. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'm missing the important bits that you and Jo have which make long-term relationships last. Jo needs you more than me. She always has. I finally understand that."

Bev pulled him into a fierce hug, and he allowed himself a moment to enjoy the pure emotion. Then he gently pushed her back. He looked into her eyes.

"She's going to be waiting for me at Christov's at 6 pm, in the booth in the back corner. I gave the manager a letter to give to her at 6:30 pm or earlier if she tries to leave. It may seem manipulative for me to say this but she's going to need you more today than she ever has."

"A letter?!? You should tell her in person!" Bev gasped in shocked outrage.

Nate shook his head sadly. "I'm not as strong as you. I'd cave if I had to deal with her tears and she needs this. I love her too much to stay."

"You know you sound crazy when you say that," Bev said with a worried expression.

"She's on a downward spiral. This mercy is going to feel like abandonment. Will you save her?" Nate asked earnestly.

Bev looked into his eyes, seeing his concern. She nodded shakily then looked to the clock on the wall then the door to the shop anxiously.

"I don't get to leave for another hour!" she exclaimed.

Nate felt the weight of the world sliding from his shoulders. "Give me a moment," Nate said and walked back out to the front. The manager immediately approached him with an eager smile once more. Maybe he pushed her a little hard earlier. He looked to her name tag again. Meredith. Right. He could do this.

"Are you finished with Bev?" the woman asked with what she probably thought was a sultry smile.

He glanced out the front windows as if he was looking for someone watching the shop. The manager followed his eyes nervously and squeaked when she looked back to see he was much closer to her.

He dropped his voice to a deep rumble and looked deeply into her eyes. "Yes, Bev will keep an eye on someone important. I have to leave the city, tonight." Meredith watched him with wide eyes. "Before I leave," He moved closer still, brought his lips to her ear, and flexed his will once more to make her accept the words he was about to say. "I have to make love to you, or I'll regret the missed opportunity for the rest of my life!"
"Ohhhhh!" she tittered then froze as she saw the burning desire in his eyes. "Now? Here?!?"

He nodded. "Send Bev home for the night and put the closed sign in the window. I saw a couch in the back room." He suddenly grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest. "Can't you feel my heart racing?" He pulled the hand slowly down his chest, over the hard muscles of his stomach and stopped over his growing erection. It was a useful skill to be able to will that into being. "Can't you feel what you're doing to me?" She was gasping and trembling as her fingers squeezed. "I need to be with you! Please!"

It was his begging that tipped the balance. The manager marched to the door of the back room and pushed it open. "Bev, I'm closing up early tonight so you can go home now. Quickly, dear."

Moments later Bev hustled out of the back room with her purse and jacket, a surprised expression on her face. She glanced over to Nate then rushed out the door.

Meredith locked up behind her and flipped the open sign on the door to closed.

Nate walked backward towards the back room slowly unbuttoning his shirt, exposing the muscles of his chest. Meredith stalked after him with a wicked smile on her face. Once they reached the sofa, she pounced like a tiger and carried him down to the cushions.

It was his turn to squeak in surprise.

A little over an hour later, he gave Meredith a final kiss at the door of the shop. He admired her beautiful blonde hair spilling over her shoulders then tore himself away, missing her pleased smile. He marched away with purpose in his step. Once he was out of sight of the store, he allowed himself to sag as he began to look for a cab. He was exhausted! Meredith was insatiable! He allowed himself a smile. She was also pretty damn skilled at sex! Bedding older woman was new to him, aside from Camila of course, but she was a Succubus, so she didn't count.

He'd done his best to not feed on her as he didn't want to ruin Bev's work situation.

He finally managed to get a taxi, and once he'd convinced the fellow to take him to the address, Henry gave him he settled back to rest. He checked his pocket and realized he only had three condoms left. He'd had six earlier in the day.

Thinking ahead, he wondered who was staying with Henry in this mansion? Would Marisa be there?

With that thought in his mind, he let himself nod off.

Chapter 40

Henry felt his cell buzz and glanced at the screen. It was Nate, texting from the driveway. He left the sitting room, went to the front door and stepped outside. He saw the man smile from the back seat of the cab. The front passenger side window went down, and Henry passed the driver his credit card as Nate climbed out of the taxi. Giving the driver a good tip, Henry completed the payment and the driver headed back to the city.

Nate stood next to him gawking at the size of the building. He looked at Henry with a grin. "Who owns this?

Henry smiled at the man's easygoing nature. "It used to belong to a lawyer... who was a dragon and did some very bad things. Then, he died. Now... I think it belongs to a friend of mine. Come on inside."

They moved through the front door, and Nate's eyes widened when he spotted the art on the walls. "Oh my... you weren't kidding about the art," he said reverently.

Henry watched his expression with interest. Clearly, the man recognized some of these paintings.

There was another knock on the front door, and Henry answered it as Sigrid and Marisa joined them in the front hall.

"Oh! Hello Nate! I wasn't expecting to see you!" Sigrid said in surprise as she glanced to Henry.

"Uh, sorry. I invited him," Henry said quietly.

"It's fine Henry." She could tell he needed his new friend to be here. Nate was smiling at Marisa, oblivious to anyone else in the room.

With a relieved smile, Henry opened the door, and Camila was suddenly in his arms. He blinked in surprise as he looked into Roy's concerned eyes.

"Are you ok?" the big redhead asked.

"Yes, thanks," Henry replied quietly.

Camila pulled back to look deeply into his eyes. She opened her mouth but stopped as they heard the deep rumble of a motorcycle rolling up the driveway. It stopped before the house, and the rider pulled off her helmet. Mary glared at them but locked her eyes on Henry.

"I knew if I followed him I'd find you!" she said to Henry while pointing at Roy.

Henry stepped around Camila and Roy to walk to Mary who'd parked her bike.

"Mary, I'm so glad you're here. We can finally talk, and I can answer all of your questions. I'm so sorry I couldn't explain earlier, but you'll understand why soon."

She held herself stiffly. "I heard through a contact at the station. There was another occurrence of that gas attack. This one was at the Javits Center. Affected a smaller group of women this time. That was you, wasn't it." It wasn't a question. He nodded. "And was it you at the hospital where everyone fell asleep, and security wiped the footage?"

"I was there, but I didn't do any of that." He sighed. "There are reasons for those... actions at the hospital. To protect people. A lot of people. Can we go inside so we can explain it all?"

She still seemed hesitant, but he just waited as there was nothing he could say to make her accept his word.

Finally, she nodded, and they went inside. Nate rushed excitedly back to the front hall with an enormous grin on his handsome face. "This place is amazing!!! It's like a museum! I recognize the style on a lot of the paintings and sculptures! Definitely some from the masters, pieces I've never seen before! OH! You have to see this painting in the study! It's a scenic of a river, and I'd swear the water's moving! It's mesmerizing!!!" He paused in his gushing as he noticed a new face. "Oh! Hello!" he said with a nod to Mary. "Are you one of us too?"

"Nathan!" Camila and Sigrid sighed.

"Oh! So sorry! Just a little over excited about the art!" he said then looked to Mary with a chagrined smile. "Don't mind me."

She looked at Henry with a raised eyebrow.

"All part of the explanation," he said.

"We brought dinner for everyone," Roy said pointing back to the truck.

"What did you bring?" Sigrid asked.

"A little of everything. I need help carrying it in," Roy replied.

Sigrid, Henry, and Nate followed him out and carried the bags back to the house. The scents made Henry's stomach rumble with hunger. When he was inside, he saw Mary staring at Sandy, Dayshia, but especially Tish as they descended the stairs from their rooms on the second floor. They were wearing some simple dresses and tights purchased for them, and Tish had opted to skip the tights for her furry legs. Mary's head whipped back to give Henry a shocked look.

He gave her a guilty nod. "They changed like you did, but in different ways. Please let me introduce Sandy Marlow, Dayshia Morrison, and Tish Evans. This is Mary Carsten."

"She was changed too?" Dayshia asked, tearing her eyes away from Nate to look closer at Mary. "She looks human to me."

Mary was awestruck by the beauty of Dayshia's eyes. "Human?" she mumbled.

Henry moved past Mary but stopped next to the three ladies. "Mary's change won't require a disguise, but she was significantly changed." He looked to Nate who was watching the ladies but trying not to be obvious about it.

"Dining room is down here!" Roy's voice called out to get them moving, and Henry continued with Nate right behind him.

His friend moved close. "Is that the situation you were talking to me about earlier?"

Henry looked him in the eye and nodded grimly.

"Wow. All four?" Nate's eyebrows rose.

"Mary was the first. A little while ago. In total there are five. There was another person in the hospital room last night. Roger Jensen. He disappeared before we could bring him back to the house," Henry said quietly.

The dining room had one of those classic long tables that would comfortably seat twenty. He wondered if Walter had ever hosted that many people. Sigrid was setting the food out at one end. They put the bags on the table, and Sigrid and Roy began unpacking them.

"A man too? Not that I'm judging!" Nate said with a grin, and Henry snorted. He was grateful Nate was here.

"No, I have no idea how Roger received the... stuff but if I had to bet I'd say Kesini stuck some in his mouth. I saw her... collecting some after we'd... finished." Henry replied awkwardly.

"Sorry, which one is Kesini?" Nate asked as blond hair stroked the back of his hand. He looked to the petite woman with an enormous amount of hair. Some of which was floating before him.

Henry pointed to the hair. "She is Kesini. And she is Sandy. She's a good friend and a neighbor in my building. This is Nathan Walker, a friend I recently made."

Sandy was smiling brightly at Nate as he shook her hand. "It's lovely to meet you and Kesini!" he said charmingly.

"Thank you!" Sandy responded gleefully.

Seeing Dayshia approaching and how she was watching Nate with a shocked expression, he remembered she saw through glamors. It was too late to warn him. He had no idea what Nate's natural state looked like, but it was completely drawing her attention.

"This is Dayshia, very good friend of Sandy and her co-worker as well," Henry said. "Nathan Walker. My new friend."

"Enchanté," Nate said with a cheeky smile as he raised her hand to his lips. Dayshia squeaked a little.

Henry leaned in closer to Nate's ear. "Dayshia's eyes see through glamors."

"OH!" Nate exclaimed in surprise. He wasn't sure how to behave, and his flustered expression seemed to set Dayshia's mind at ease. She smiled timidly at him. Kesini took Dayshia's hand and gently guided her by Nate.

Tish was next, and Nate's face opened up in a smile. "I've seen classic paintings of Fauns, but I never thought I would meet one in real life," he said in delight.

Tish smiled at him and glanced to Henry. "I think I like the name Faun better than Satyr. It's softer and feels feminine."

"It suits you," Henry said with a nod then realized that sounded a little flirty. Her smile and the twinkle in her eyes told him she thought so too. She ran her fingertips across his chest as she walked by.

Mary was last. "This is Mary Carsten. Mary, this is Nathan Walker." They shook hands and said their hellos. Henry saw the food was ready and people were taking seats, so he gestured for them to sit at the enormous table.

Camila, Marisa, and Meixiu joined them, and he saw Nate perk up when Marisa sat across from him.

Henry looked down the table and smiled to himself. His friends. He knew he owed them so much and he was going to make things right for them. Tonight, he was going to try to put that out of his mind and just enjoy-

His cell began to ring, so he pulled it from his pocket to frown at it. He moved to the next room to answer. "Yes?"

"Mr. Gable. This is Ikehorn."

Henry's frown deepened. "Yes?"

"Queen Mab has indicated you should arrive no later than 10 PM on Friday evening. The mages will be prepared for your friends at that time."

Henry felt a little relief, but his dread picked up. "What- what does she want in return?"

There was a moment of hesitation then Ikehorn responded. "I don't know. That, you will need to negotiate with Queen Mab."

"Right."

"Expect a late evening as there will be a party following the mage's work which will conclude sometime after midnight," Ikehorn explained.

"I doubt anyone is going to feel like partying."

"That... is non-negotiable," Ikehorn said reluctantly.

"Oh... fine. See you then." Henry hung up. Shit. He took some deep breaths to calm his nerves.

"Is everything ok, Henry?"

He looked to see Camila in the doorway, a look of concern in her eyes.

He put a brave smile on for her. "Sure. I was just making arrangements for the glamors. Apparently, there's a party afterward."

Camila's expression didn't lighten. If anything, she seemed more unsettled. "The Queen is throwing a party?"

He nodded as his smile slipped away.

She moved forward and it was her turn to show a brave face. She gathered him into her arms and hugged him. "We'll all be there for you."

He sighed in relief. "Thanks, Camila."

They walked back to the dining room and took seats. The choices were Thai, Chinese, Burgers, Pizza, and salads. He grabbed a couple of slices of pizza and settled back. Everyone but Mary chose something to eat and began. Mary stuck to bottled water.

As they ate, Sigrid began a process to bring the group together. She started by introducing herself and gave a little blurb about what she did. Camila spoke next, and the pattern was set. Once it went around the table, Sigrid began talking about what it meant to be one of the Hidden Races. What new and unique responsibilities the 'newbies' would now be facing.

Camila picked up the conversation to give them an overview of some of the different races they may meet but stressed that, except to Dayshia's eyes, they would appear as humans as they wore glamors, magic disguises the Fae produced for the Hidden Races that cannot provide their own.

"I still don't exactly understand what a glamor is," Mary stated.

Sigrid nodded. "Sandy, Dayshia, and Tish were changed and require spells to make them appear Human so they can live amongst the Human population. Your change didn't alter your appearance, so you don't need one. Races like Satyrs or Fauns, Succubi, Incubi, Lycanthrope, Fae, Arachnids, and others, all need to put on a Human disguise. It's a magic spell, a construct made of magic energy itself, which is bound to you and alters your appearance, so people and cameras see the disguise and not the real you. It can be turned on and off.

Mary looked to Roy. "That night in the alley. The large wolf monster. That was you?"

He nodded. "But we're not monsters. That's a term left to those with malicious intent and evil tendencies."

Mary thought about that and nodded to herself. Then she looked to Henry. "You're wearing a glamor?"

He nodded.

"What are you?"

He glanced at Roy then back to Mary. "One of the first things I learned when I discovered I wasn't human was, you don't ask questions like that. Assume everyone is human and behave like they, and you, are human. This protects everyone but especially yourself." Seeing Mary's frown, he went on. "Now, we're in a controlled environment, so it's safe to drop my glamor here.

He pushed back from the table and brought his napkin with him. He unfolded the cloth and held it before his groin. He gave the table an embarrassed smile. "I forgot to wear my kilt under my glamor." He turned his eyes to Mary and dropped the disguise.

She lurched to her feet in surprise. "You're a- you're a..." she gasped as she stared at him wide-eyed.

"A Satyr. Only one of my kind until last night when Tish became... a Faun," he explained. Mary moved up to stand before him.

"You changed her as you changed me? How?" she asked.

"When I was very young, I was linked to a different realm of magic than the rest of the Hidden Races. Their magic has no effect on humans, but the new magic is powerful, chaotic, and does affect humans. My body is saturated with it. My... semen is charged with it as is my blood. If ingested, it can cause dramatic and random changes in humans. With sufficient quantity, it links the person to the same realm of magic as me, so their abilities become powered by the stronger magic.

"You knew this when we had sex?!?" Mary barked.

"That's why I insisted on the condom!" he returned.

She blinked at him as her recollection wasn't entirely sharp for that night. "If you had a condom on then how?

"You removed it for me. There was a lot still on me so..." he leaned in to whisper. "...you used your mouth to clean me off."

She glared at him. "And you didn't stop me?"

He blinked in surprise. "You caught me by surprise, so I didn't have time to stop you. You had my wrists cuffed behind my back, under me!" he argued.

Nate snorted, and Sandy couldn't stop her blurt of surprised giggles. Tish had a big grin on her face as well.

Henry's face was burning as he looked back at the table to see the smiles there. He looked back to Mary who was struggling to deal with her mixed up emotions. His heart hurt to see that. "I'm sorry. I tried to prevent it but I failed, and that's on me. I will do whatever I can to make it up to you. You won't need a glamor- uh..." he had a sudden thought, so he turned to face Marisa. "Is Mary linked to the new realm? Is her change complete?"

Marisa stood and walked around the table as Mary watched her nervously. "It's ok, I just need to take your scent," Marisa said to ease the woman's concerns. She leaned in to put her face next to Mary's and inhaled deeply.

"I take it you're not human either," Mary said quietly.

Marisa leaned back and smiled. "No, I'm a Succubus." She dropped her glamor. Mary gasped at the intense beauty of the alien looking woman standing next to her. "Mary's definitely linked to the new realm. The link is strong so her change should be complete," Marisa said confidently.

Nate, sitting next to Mary, gasped as well and stood to drop his glamor as he stepped closer to face Marisa. The pearly white of her skin sharply contrasted with the darkest black of his. He reached out to take her hand.

Marisa's sight flared again as she felt an undeniable pull towards the handsome Incubus. Images flashed through her mind, layers upon layers of intensely personal possibilities... the potentials were overwhelming. She closed her eyes and pushed with all her might to stop the onslaught and gradually her mind calmed as her ability slipped into its paused state once more.

Strong arms were around her, and that felt warm and safe and natural. Her eyes opened, and she saw Henry watching her from a few steps away. She couldn't read his expression as it seemed to be rapidly changing. He threw his glamor on as he looked away and excused himself, walking from the room. She heard the back door open and close.

She gently pushed back from Nate, and he looked at her in concern.

"Are you ok? You were trembling, and you began to collapse," he asked quietly.

"Yes, I'm better. Thank you." She glanced into his eyes and felt that tugging again, so she quickly glanced away. Her eyes landed on her mother's all too knowing gaze.

Sigrid was getting to her feet to go after Henry, but Camila reached out to catch her hand. "Please. Let me." She stood and left the room. She'd wanted to speak to him since she arrived. It was about time she did.

-=-

Mary looked at Roy who was finishing up his dinner and gestured for him to join her. He wiped his mouth and stood to follow her to the side of the dining room.

She looked up at him. "I need to know. How was VRL involved in what happened to Detective Harmon?" she asked quietly.

Roy nodded and sighed. "Not all Human minds cope with the sights you've seen tonight. Good on you for dealing with the changes so well." When she just held his gaze with an expectant expression, Roy continued.

"Some months back Henry was kidnapped by some Fae. The kidnapping was caught on amateur video, and it went viral. Detective Harmon and Detective Morris investigated. Henry managed to get free, but when they met him at his condo, he couldn't tell them the truth, of course. He's terrible at lying, but the case reached a dead end as the loose ends had been tidied up by the Fae. Detective Harmon continued to investigate though Morris wanted nothing to do with it. Harmon followed Henry and got tangled in the middle of a power struggle between two powerful witches, both of whom were using Henry for their selfish purposes. Harmon arrived with the stronger of the two witches, and he must have seen her do something truly terrifying as he was almost catatonic with fear. Truthfully, she scares the piss out of me just to be in the same room with her, so I suppose Harmon didn't stand a chance. Camila can heal minds if the trauma doesn't go too deep. She tried to help Harmon and went on some dates with him afterward, trying to fix the damage, but she could tell he was slipping away. He finally didn't show for a date, and that was that."
"What happened to Morris?" Mary asked.

"Crushed under a falling dragon," Roy answered.

Mary blinked at him. "Crushed by a dragon?"

He nodded. "The previous owner of this mansion. There are large caverns under the house where Walter Zhao could drop his glamor and stretch out his wings. He couldn't fly down there, but he could be what he was." At Mary's incredulous stare, he continued. "There aren't a lot of dragons left."

"What... what happened to this one?"

Roy scowled. "Walter was a slippery one. He tried to do something I'm not at liberty to talk about, under a Hidden Races Council edict. Trust me when I say it was evil on a level that makes Hitler look like a schoolyard bully. Caught us all off guard... except for the witch-"

"Ok, who is this witch you keep talking about?" Mary said in frustration.

"I'll not speak her name as that might draw her attention," Roy snapped.

Mary gave Roy an evaluating look. "Superstitious?

"Cautious," he grumbled. "Listen, if you want more information about the witch, speak with Henry. She raised him from a baby after all."

Mary's eyebrows went up in surprise.

"He's the only one with any affection for her. Anyway, she knew he was up to this big evil, or rather she caught him in the act of it and prevented him from completing it. The dragon responded by trying to kill her."

"So... she killed him instead."

"No, Sigrid chased him into the sky, outflew him, outfoxed him, and knocked him out of the sky. He landed on the Detective who was about to start shooting. Then Sigrid drove her spear through Walter's brain for what he'd done to Meixiu."

Mary was shaking her head. "Wait, wait. Sigrid chased him into the sky?"

Roy looked back at her. "Yes, she's a Valkyrie. She has the loveliest wings!" He sighed as he saw Mary's confusion. "Listen, I'm sorry to dump all these new concepts on you all at once, but I want to be completely honest with you, so you know that we're the good guys, or at least we try to be. I was hoping to sit down to talk to you about something else."

She considered the man before her. As fantastic as it sounded, she believed his story about Harmon and Morrison. With the beings, she was meeting tonight and her experience with Roy in that alley, her gut was telling her she could trust him. "Now's a good time for me," she said.

"Good! Ok, well, it's like this. How set are you on being a police officer?" he asked.

Her brows came down in a frown. "Why are you asking?" she asked, her tone automatically defensive.

"I was hoping you might consider coming to work at VRL. If you can control your temper that is." He had a little smile on his face when he said it, so she wouldn't be offended.

"I had reason to be angry, at the time," she growled.

"No, you thought you had a reason, but you weren't ready to listen. I'm glad we had the chance to talk tonight," Roy suggested.

She held his eye, but he just waited, and she finally nodded. Then her look turned cautious once more. "What would I be doing?"

"We'll see what your skills make you suited for, but I think you'll find working for VRL to be far more rewarding than the NYPD. We're security for an investment house and for the most part that's a pretty cushy job. But I run my pack as a commando team. We protect the employees of VRL, and sometimes we're called upon to defend the company from external threats of a non-Human nature. This may entail protection details or even black ops missions if the threat proves to be dangerously hostile and requires intervention. I think you could be a definite asset to the team."

"How do you get away with running black ops missions in New York City?" she asked, curious.

"We train hard, and they're all seasoned professionals. It's not just a lot of machismo bullshit. It's about teamwork and intelligence gathering. Henry has been a positive influence for that last part."

Mary looked at Roy's earnest expression and thought about her recent issues with the NYPD. She frowned. "I still have to deal with the hearing. I'm not sure if they intend to press charges against me."

"Join VRL, and you'll have Mahati's law firm support you through any legal difficulties you have with the police, at no cost to you," Roy suggested.

Mary smiled at Roy. "Are you sure you're not in sales?"

He just chuckled at that. He watched the woman consider her options, but he was pretty sure she was in. His pack was down one member with the loss of Billy, but Mary would be a definite improvement. Just to hedge his bets he gave her one of his most charming smiles.

Her amused snort wasn't the expected reaction, but it didn't look like he'd harmed his sales pitch.

-=-

Camila followed Henry out the back door and saw he was sitting in the gazebo. She walked to it, climbed the stairs and Henry turned his head to look at her. She saw shame on his face.

"Henry? What's wrong?" She pulled up an ottoman and sat close to him.

He sighed. "I- I was so fucking jealous just then, and that made me feel colossally stupid. I'm a fucking Satyr. I stick my dick anywhere its welcome, and when it's not, I flush the area with pheromones to make it welcome. I'm attracted to so many women, that's not something anyone can build a solid relationship on. Besides, Marisa is a Succubus, and my new friend Nate is an Incubus. Of course, they're meant to be together!"

"Firstly, let me address the race card you just threw down. Ulysses was an Incubus, and I'm a Succubus, but our relationship didn't work. Being complimentary races doesn't have anything to do with making it work. There's a much more complex level of chemistry involved. The key ingredient in any successful relationship is empathy. A willingness to put yourself in someone else's position to understand how they may feel. Ulysses failed miserably at that and instead tried to compete with me." She saw Henry understood, so she moved on.

"As for your being a Satyr, that doesn't make you less attractive as a mate! And I'm not saying that as a Succubus but as someone not locked into Human preconceptions of relationships. Your adopted parent did an amazing job of raising you as a Human, but she did you such a disservice by teaching you their biases too. You are not Human. As long as it doesn't jeopardize the security of the Hidden Races, you don't have to follow Human social norms when it conflicts with your true nature. You can have multiple concurrent relationships if the other parties accept that from the start. Succubi are emotionally wired for this as well."

Camila gave Henry a sad smile. "You need to let go of those incompatible life concepts. They're just going to make you miserable. Jealousy is a stupid emotion. It only hurts you and the ones you care for."

Henry nodded to Camila. "Is this the tough love speech?"

She smiled in return. "Exactly that." She stood and reached down a hand. "Come on; we need to finish indoctrinating your friends into this brave new world of magic."

He groaned but accepted her hand to stand next to her. They walked back to the back door, and as it opened, they heard a scream. Henry rushed forward and saw Mahati standing in the doorway to the dining room with Michelle at her back. Both were looking into the room with shocked and worried expressions. Henry eased past to see Dayshia gasping for breath next to the table; her chair knocked over.

"I thought you said you were ok with spiders," he asked gently to the frightened woman.

"I said I love spiders, but you said nothing about snake people!" Dayshia snapped.

"She can see me?!?" Mahati exclaimed, her surprise emphasizing her accent. Michelle was wearing a surprised but oddly pleased smile on her face.

Sandy and Tish stared at the petite beauty in the doorway with new appreciation.

"Dayshia's eyes are extraordinary! They can see through glamors to the truth below," Henry said.

Mahati stormed into the room to confront Henry. "That's all well and good, but she needs to be able to see glamors! The Hidden Races Security Division won't take lightly to someone who reacts like that!"

Henry looked to Dayshia who was struggling to cope with the fact that a tall snake person was standing so close. He sighed and considered his new friend. It was time to think way outside the box. This was chaos magic, after all.

He turned to take her hands in his. "You know what I looked like before you changed. I'd like you to try to see me like that now."

She blinked at him. "What? What are you talking about?" she muttered.

He gave her a small grin. "Your eye's abilities are controlled by magic. Chaotic magic at that. How it changes people and what abilities it gives them is unknowable until you experiment. If you can see through the magic that even fools technology, maybe your eyes can see in different ways. Like maybe you can see into the different spectrums such as infrared? Maybe, if you tried, you could see glamors too. Give it a try. From the few experiences I've had with magic, the trick seems to be asserting your will with a firmly defined intent. In your mind, tell your eyes you want to see me as you remember seeing me. Push with your will."

Dayshia still looked unconvinced, but she closed her eyes and concentrated. When she opened them again, her mouth dropped open in surprise and she jolted back.

"What's wrong?" Henry asked.

"You're glowing red and smoke is coming from your mouth!" she gasped then turned her eyes to the lawyer. "You're not glowing at all. I mean, not from your snake parts." A shiver ran down her spine.

Henry relaxed and smiled. "That confirms your ability to see in other ranges. You're seeing infrared."

Dayshia blinked her lovely eyes at him. "What- what do I do?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"You were likely thinking about what I just said about seeing in infrared. You need to see me as Henry when you met in Sandy's condo. You have to hold the image in your mind. Try again. Use your will. See what you want to see," he coached her gently.

She nodded and closed her eyes again. Frowning, she recalled the meeting and her mind jumped to kissing him in the entranceway to Sandy's condo. Her frown slipped into a smile. She opened her eyes and there was Henry smiling at her.

"Oh! You're you!" she squealed excitedly. She looked to the doorway. "Michelle!" The woman beamed a smile at her. Dayshia looked to the two who had been Succubus and Incubus moments before. "Marisa! Oh, hello! You are tall, dark and dreamy! Enchanté indeed!" she purred as she looked at Nate. He grinned back at her.

Finally, she let herself look to Mahati and sighed. "You don't look like a snake lady anymore."

"What am I wearing?" Mahati insisted for proof.

"Dark blue suit jacket over a crisp white blouse and matching blue skirt. Black, tall boots," Dayshia said in relief. Henry was smiling at her with a thoughtful look, and she caught it. "What?"

"It makes me wonder what else you can do with your eyes?" he said.

"Right now I'm just happy to see what I'm supposed to see. Having options is for another day," Dayshia returned. She rushed over to hug Sandy and Tish.

Mahati gave Henry a worried frown.

He shrugged. "Isn't that what you needed? I hope so because it's all I've got."

She sighed then addressed the group. "I need to speak to the new applicants for Hidden Race status."

Mary looked at Henry questioningly.

"Yes, this applies to you as well. You may look human, but you have beyond-human abilities. You need protection," he explained. He gave Mahati a worried look. "Tish would obviously be covered by my Satyr Treaty, but what about the others."

Mahati's frown finally eased. "Everyone, please take a seat." They found their seats around the dining room table once more and made space for the newcomers. Mahati addressed the group. "Thanks to Michelle," she gestured, and the woman nodded. "...your treaty covers them as well." She looked to Michelle to take over, but she just shook her head shyly, so the lawyer continued. "The contract was created from an ancient template, and the Hidden Races Council indicated it should be edited to eliminate any sections that wouldn't apply to Stanley at the time." She looked around and saw she had everyone's attention now.

"Who's Stanley?" Mary asked.

"I'm Stanley or was before I had to change my glamor. I had to take on a new identity as my new glamor didn't let me look like Stanley anymore," Henry explained.

Mahati nodded and continued when she saw Mary's slight nod. "He was one of a kind, so the section on offspring was flagged for removal. Michelle thought that was unfair as, in her words, life finds a way. She not only left the section in but kept all of the redundant and generic verbiage describing the various processes for offspring generation. There is plenty of latitude to cover the creation of a new species of post-Humans. That's especially true since Henry was involved in the creation of each of them. Queen Mab signed the document, and a sufficient number of senior Council officials did as well, so it's binding." She looked to Henry. "It is my understanding you will be going to see Queen Mab to obtain glamors. Is everyone receiving one present?"

Henry shook his head. "There was one more. Roger Jensen. He disappeared the same night he was exposed to the magic. There's been no sign of him since."

"Knowing Roger, he's trying to find some way to undermine society with his new powers," Tish grumbled.

"Is he?" Mahati asked in concern.

Tish jolted as she hadn't realized she'd spoken aloud. She had a guilty look on her face as she glanced at Dayshia and Sandy, but all three nodded reluctantly.

"I'm going to have to report that to the Security Council. There's too much at risk," the lawyer stated.

"Roger isn't going to be easy to find. He's a huge conspiracy nut, and now that he has proof, he's going to run with it. When he's not with us, he hangs out with other conspiracy nuts. I don't know how they think, so I have no idea where they'd be," Tish explained.

"Do you have a recent picture of him?" Mahati asked.

Sandy nodded. "I do. On my phone upstairs."

At Mahati's look, Sandy rushed off to get her phone.

"What's going to happen to Roger when they find him?" Mary asked.

"It depends on how serious he is about exposing the truth," Roy said grimly. "With the very survival of the Hidden Races at stake, the Council will take extreme measures to ensure secrecy is maintained. Our personal survival depends on that as well. Did Roger ever tell you how you would survive if he managed to destabilize society and bring it all crashing down?"

Dayshia and Tish shook their heads sadly.

"That's because his mission to end it was more important to him than you were. Sorry to be blunt but that's how he thinks," Roy explained.

Sandy returned and shared the image with Mahati. She also gave her his address.

"Thank you," the lawyer said as she quickly wrote a message to the Council's Security Division, attached the image and sent it off.

"Am I going to have to move out of my condo?" Sandy blurted to the lawyer.

Mahati blinked at her. "Where do you live?"

"I'm in unit 401 of the building Henry lives in," she replied.

"Oh, yes. I'm sorry. That building is one of a group in the five boroughs which has iron-clad rules, backed by the Hidden Races Security Division. Only Humans are allowed on even numbered floors. Due to your special circumstances, I'm sure we can get your name to the top of the waiting list for another unit on an odd numbered floor. No guarantees on how soon it would be though."

"But I inherited the condo from my grandmother!"

"Who was Human, as you were when you inherited it. You are not Human now. We cannot break this rule. I'm sorry." Mahati insisted.

Sandy looked sad, and Henry's heart hurt once more for what he'd done to her. "I'm so sorry."

She looked at him then walked over and hugged him. Kesini wrapped herself around both of them, and they shared a smile as her affection was clearly felt by both.

"You can stay with me until an apartment becomes available," Henry offered, and Sandy's eyes widened in surprise.

"Do our apartment buildings have the same rule?" Tish asked.

Mahati looked to her. "There aren't many in the city that feature this segregation. Most choose to live amongst Humans in non-segregated buildings. I understand VRL's decision to arrange for Henry to move into the apartment he did as his circumstances and theirs made this the best option. Give me the addresses of your buildings, and I'll check to see if they have segregation. Odds are, they don't. In that case, I'll arrange to have your apartment's registered and prepared before you return to them. A team from the Hidden Races Security Division will visit to ensure your windows are treated to hide your true selves from the outside world as well as confirm there are no hidden surveillance devices inside the unit. Any doors from the outside will be adjusted to display an indicator that someone has entered your unit such as building maintenance and inspection. When you see this indicator, you must immediately contact the team to do another sweep. It's a minor inconvenience, costs nothing to you personally, and is mandatory. Failure to do this puts us all at risk and will be treated as a threat to us all. You don't want that." Seeing their nervousness, she glanced to Sigrid who took over.

"It seems a little daunting but understand one thing; it's for your protection as well. Anyone putting you at risk is going to be dealt with to ensure your safety."

"Like Roger," Dayshia said softly.

Sandy perked up nervously. "What do you mean by dealt with?"

Sigrid turned to look at her. "If Roger is insistent on exposing the fact of our existence as part of his anarchist agenda, then equally extreme measures will likely be taken to ensure that doesn't happen. I'm sorry, but it's that critical."

The room went quiet as people thought about that.

Nate was aware that the mood in the room was becoming gloomy, so he tried to redirect it. "I just moved out of my friend Jo's place, and I'm crashing in my buddy Joey's workout room until I can find a new place to live. Any suggestions?" He bounced his eyebrows with a grin and got a few chuckles.

"Finding an affordable place in New York is a battle in itself. Good luck with your hunt!" Sigrid said with a smile.

Mary caught Mahati's attention. "I own my own small one bedroom home. Am I going to need to do all that magic shit to my home too?" Roy snorted in amusement at her tone and got a smile from her.

The lawyer gave Mary a careful look. "You have no visual manifestation of your non-Human nature?"

Mary looked to Henry who shook his head. "No, I guess I don't."

"Then no. However, if you entertain other Hidden Races in your home, you'd need to inform them that your home has no protection. It is wiser to have the windows treated and the address registered. Again, it costs nothing and protects us all," Mahati said with a raised eyebrow.

Henry saw Mary was satisfied with that answer and was appearing much more comfortable with the group. He watched Roy move closer to speak with her as Nate moved to talk to Marisa. He sat back and watched Sandy, Tish, and Dayshia talking with Mahati, Meixiu, and Michelle, who was actually joining in on the conversation.

Recalling his earlier conversation with Camila, he glanced a Marisa and saw she was smiling happily at Nate and laughing at his jokes. That man was clearly smitten, and Henry allowed himself a moment to let that sink in. He couldn't hold it against Nate for being attracted to Marisa, especially when the feeling seemed to be mutual. He was going to step back and let that develop into whatever it might become. He owed Marisa that much at least.
He got up and made his way to the doorway, but passing by Camila, she caught his hand.

"Is everything all right?" she asked.

He smiled down at her and Sigrid who were seated next to each other at the dining table. "Yes, I'm ok. I'm just feeling a little tired, so I thought I'd get a little more fresh air before I went to bed." He kissed Camila's hand then lifted Sigrid's to kiss hers as well. Their eyes happily twinkled as he turned to head towards the back of the house.

When he opened the back door, he noticed the air temp had dropped, so he pulled a hooded cloak from a nearby closet. While he didn't feel the cold, he knew he had to keep up appearances. Not that there was any expectation of being seen in the private backyard. Still, a good habit to build. He pulled it on but wore it open as he walked outside and followed the path once more to the gazebo. It was quickly becoming his favorite place on the property.

He sat next to the railing this time so he could look up at the stars. There were so many!

After a short time, he heard the door open and close and footsteps approaching the gazebo. He sighed as, this time, he didn't need someone to cheer him up.

He glanced to the gazebo steps and saw another hooded figure climbing up to join him. He paused as he couldn't tell who it was and it was very dark. When the figure stood before him, a little light from the house shone into the hood's opening, and Henry finally saw it was Tish.

"They informed me I shouldn't go outside without a disguise in place, but here, I could get away with a cloak," she said quietly.

Once more the guilt settled on Henry's shoulders. "I'm so sorry-" he began. Soft fingers touched his lips to stop his words. She sat down on the cushioned bench next to him and pulled her fingers away to look into his eyes.

"Henry, you don't have to apologize for this. I'm ok with it, I truly am!" she said earnestly. "As gifts go, it was completely unexpected, absolutely astonishing, and intensely exciting. It's also so much better than the alternative I was facing. I don't hold you responsible for what the Fae did to me either, so park that guilt someplace else as well," she finished with a grin.

"The words that come to my mind are complicated, unwelcome, and dangerous. From the time I first discovered magic is real and how tightly it's integrated into my life, I've been struggling to avoid its interference."

Tish grinned at him. "How's that been working out for you?"

He snorted in surprise and shared a smile with her. "Obviously, not as well as I'd intended. I've been told that my link to the magic is much stronger than it should be. I don't know what Baba intended. I'm not a wielder, so I can't use the magic to make it do things. So... why is my link so strong?"

"Did you ever ask her?" Tish asked.

Henry gave Tish a wry grin. "Yeah, she's not big on the question why. She refuses to answer any question beginning with that word."

"Then maybe you could phrase your question another way, like, for what purpose was I given this strong magic link?" Tish offered with a cheeky smile.

He snorted quietly in amusement. "The next time I see her, if I ever do, I'll give that a try."

Tish played with the edge of his cloak as she let her eyes roam over his chest. "Have you... ever seen this other world?" she asked quietly as her eyes came up to look into his.

Henry could see she was almost trembling with excitement. When he nodded, she squeaked a little then looked embarrassed by it, but her enthusiasm won out.

"How? When? What's it like?" she gushed with wide eyes and a bright smile as she clung to his cloak.

He chuckled and tilted his head towards her. "That's the thing. I can't explain the how of it without breaking the oath I made to the Hidden Races council to keep certain information secret-"

At her sudden pout he rushed to continue. "I can tell you about the other world."

She eyed him then nodded. "Could... could you tell me about it as your... real self."

He paused to look at her in surprise then nodded slowly. He glanced around then pulled the hood up to cover his head. Then he dropped his glamor. The cloak immediately filled with his larger muscles and the hood popped backward to land on his back. He scrambled to tug it back over his horns as he glanced around but they were alone. He also closed it over his lap. He turned his eyes to the delighted expression on Tish's face and sighed.

"First off, I should tell you what I was told about the realms of magic. They exist in the same space as our world but are offset slightly, like... different frequencies on the radio dial. With a radio you can adjust the tuning to listen to different stations but," He gestured to the air around them. "They're all already here in the same space. In this case, each layer, or realm, vibrates at a different frequency allowing it to occupy the same space and not be seen or felt. Most are completely separate from each other and don't interact in any way. There was one that bled its energy through to our... layer and this energy affected the creatures living here. Some can use the energy to do things, wielders. Some are changed by the energy, conduits, like us. The rest aren't affected at all, humans." He saw she was following so he continued.

"Baba somehow discovered a new realm which began to bleed its energy through to our layer. She bound me to it, and Nate I guess. The energy is stronger than the original realm, but its frequency is not compatible with the old realm. For wielders, it's toxic."

"If these layers are here but invisible, how did you see it?" Tish asked breathlessly.

"Through a breach. A tear between the layers. It looks like crooked, jagged rainbows and they move oddly. Things can pass through from one layer to the next. Things like... fighter jets."

"OH MY GOD! I saw that on the news! That's what happened?" Tish gushed.

Henry nodded.

"So, the pilot's ranting about seeing another world is the truth?" she asked.

"Yes, it's quite spectacular too. Huge red sun, red-tinted plant life, and volcanic activity all under a yellow sky. Weird but beautiful in a raw way. Strange creatures live there, but from that, far up in the sky, we didn't see any signs of what we'd call civilization," Henry agreed. Then he noticed Tish was staring at him with wide eyes. "What?"

"From that far up in the sky? Henry, what does that mean?" she asked quietly.

His smile dropped, and he fidgeted next to her as her grip tightened on his arm. "I was having an out of body experience at the time. I kind of... hitched a ride with the pilot."

"Henry! You were the guardian angel the pilot was talking about?!?"

"I never watched the news stories on him, so I don't know what he said. He was about to be blown out of the sky so I... helped him through to the other side then we found a way to get back just before he ran out of fuel. I returned to my body, and he landed... somewhere in Canada," he explained.

Her mouth was open, but she wasn't saying anything. "You... that's..."

"Completely top secret! You can't talk about that to anyone. Well, no one outside of our immediate group and they'll need to be warned not to tell anyone. We can't even tell the Hidden Races Council, and definitely no human can know," he insisted.

"The pilot is being treated like a mental case. He's going to be out of a job, and he'll never fly again!" Tish exclaimed.

Henry gave Tish a sad look. "I know. It's so unfair. But if I hadn't intervened, he'd just be dead. Being considered a nut means he won't be silenced. I'm not kidding when I say secrecy is critical. The Hidden Races Security Division doesn't mess around. They don't need any more excuses to target me. They already want me... contained. That wouldn't be good for me."

"These people sound frightening!" she said quietly.

Henry took her hands. "I'm sorry if I'm painting a grim picture. Day to day, life really won't be any different than it was before. Behave like a human, and we know how to do that, and everything is the same. They leave us alone unless we become a threat to the secret. It's one of the best-kept secrets, ever. Of course, the threat of genocide by fearful humans makes it easier to keep."

Tish thought about that then pulled her hands free to reach up to run her fingers over his horns. "When do we get to be who we truly are?"

He held her eyes with his. "In the privacy of our homes. We can't go out in public without our glamors engaged. There won't be any prancing through Central Park as Satyr and Faun."

She grinned as her mind took her back to the previous morning when she was thinking of asking Henry to go running with her. Now the idea of running with him in their new states sent a thrill through her. "Is there nowhere in the world we could go running freely in our natural states?"

He shook his head. "I think humans are pretty much everywhere these days and those places where they're not; their satellite-based cameras are watching. From what I understand it's getting more and more difficult to hide from human intrusion. Maybe one day the secret will get out. It just can't be because of something one of us does."

"What about the world of Wild Magic? Can we go there?" she asked.

"There are some really dangerous creatures living there. One of them got through a breach and killed some army people before they managed to take it down. It's a completely unknown world. I don't think it would be safe to pop over to visit and go for a run. Sorry." He gave her an apologetic smile, and she nodded her acceptance.

"It was just a silly idea." She took his hand in hers once more and felt a little thrill to feel how well their fingers fit together even in this new larger size. Henry's big hands felt... powerful. That sent a different kind of tingle through her. "Maybe once I get my glamor you could come running with me one morning?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure, but I've never gone running before. I'll try not to slow you down."

She smiled impishly. "We should work on your endurance," she said as she flipped the sides of his cloak open to expose his nakedness and swung a leg over his to sit on his lap. Before he could do more than blink in surprise, she was kissing him, and his need for her surged. His hands automatically went to her ass, and he pulled her tighter against himself.

Tish purred happily at the feel of his firm grip and rolled her hips to grind against his hardening shaft.

Henry's rising cock was trapped under Tish pressing against her firm ass cheeks. When he pulled the hem of her dress up, he quickly discovered she wasn't wearing panties.

Tish pulled back from the kiss and raised herself to let his cock slap against his stomach. Now she began rubbing herself along its length, and her eyes widened nervously. "Shit! You are big!" She recalled Dayshia's comments about anacondas, but her perception had never indicated this. "How did you hide this?" she gasped quietly.

Henry's body was trembling with need as Tish continued to rub her wetness up and down the underside of his cock. "Camila said... my glamor... it adjusts based on the needs of the observer." He squeezed her ass tighter as he stroked her against his cock faster.

"Oh fuck, Henry! That feels so good, but I need you inside me! If it fits," she finished with a tremble in her voice.

"We're Satyrs, or Fauns if you prefer. We were built for this," he growled with need. He lifted her effortlessly as she reached down to point his cock up to meet her descending pussy. When the heat of its head pressed against her soft, wet lips, she threw her head back in ecstasy.

"Oh! Oh my, Henry! Yes!" Tish gushed as this felt better than her fantasies over the past weeks ever did.

Henry eased her down over his cock in small increments, allowing her time to adjust and to keep his brains from leaking out his ears. This felt too good. Her insides matched the contours of his flesh perfectly. All the strange ridges and soft spikes on his Satyr cock met their natural partner, and that was stimulating him to a rapid release. He struggled to keep it at bay for as long as he could.

"Shit! Oh shit! Too good! Henry! Oh, fuck!" Tish gasped as her body shook with her desire. She tried to make Henry speed up but his strength would not be denied, and he was setting the pace. She leaned forward and kissed him deeply causing him to lose focus for a moment. That was all she needed to push herself down to take the rest of his cock inside. The intensity of her feeling of fullness made her moan and hold very still. She heard Henry's answering sigh. She was thrilled that he was feeling as good as she was!

He caressed her lips with his once they'd caught their breath. The intimacy was intense, and she quietly purred as she chased his tongue with hers.

When Henry lifted her to the tip of his cock and dropped her down to fill her once more, she broke the kiss to moan. It was too much!

He did it again and again, faster each time, and she struggled to contain her voice. She wanted to shout out her joy at the bliss of their connection. His strong hands on her ass, his heat deep inside her, his powerful shoulders under her hands and his densely muscled thighs under her legs as they met again and again. It was all too much, and she felt herself tripping over her orgasm.

"I'm cumming! Henry! I'm there!" she cried. Her hips began an erratic rolling as he pinned her down against his body, forcing himself deeper than before.

Henry was desperately relieved as he'd been barely managing to hold back his release. Now he let go and surge after surge of cum jetted into her depths. "Fuck! Oh, Tish! So good!"

She clung to him as she felt his heat filling her. What she wasn't expecting was the boost of energy she suddenly felt rushing through her body. As quickly as that spread out to her extremities, a sensation of sated lethargy began to spread through her. She leaned forward to rest her cheek on his shoulder and felt/heard their horns click against each other as she did. She smiled at the strange experience.

"That was... indescribably perfect" she finally managed to pant as Henry rubbed his fingers up and down her back under her dress.

He chuckled, and that made her gasp as the gentle bouncing sent tingles through her sensitive bits. Henry was shrinking down below so he lifted her clear with a mutual gasp.

"We're going to do that again... and again," she purred.

"Yes, please!" he agreed, and she gave him a sweet kiss.

When the kiss ended, she pulled back and yawned. That caused her to giggle. "I'm sorry! I'm just so tired all of a sudden. I think I'd better call it a day and head off to bed. You're welcome to join me but no more playtime tonight."

He gave her another quick kiss. "If you don't mind, I'll take a rain check on that tonight."

She nodded with a sweet smile then carefully got to her hooves with Henry's assistance. Before she turned away, she gave him a bright smile. "Thank you for healing my back and for giving me this amazing new life."

He was surprised by the strength of her sincerity and his throat closed with emotion. He nodded to her, not trusting himself to speak.

She gingerly made her way down the steps of the gazebo and with a final happy smile back at him she walked back to the house.

Henry remained outside for a time, just admiring the stars and trying to prepare his mind for the upcoming event with Mab. She wanted something... big. His mind went around and around but he couldn't come up with what it might be. Sex just didn't seem like the answer.

Finally, he gave up and walked back into the house. Sigrid and Meixiu were sitting in the kitchen drinking tea.

"Feeling better?" Sigrid asked him.

His eyes went to her to see if she might be referring to his spending time with Tish, but her look seemed innocent. He realized he was feeling a little more relaxed having taken the time to catch his breath. He wasn't any closer to an answer, but he wasn't as nervous. He gave her a nod and smiled at Meixiu as well. Then he noticed how quiet the house was. His question must have been written on his face as Sigrid answered without him asking.

"They went home. Camila and Roy left first closely followed by our new friend Mary. Roy told me she's going to quit the police force and come work for VRL." At Henry's raised eyebrows she grinned. "Roy feels she would be an asset to his team and Camila agreed. We have better wages and pension plan as well."

"Your neighbor Michelle hung out with Sandy and Dayshia while Mahati completed the paperwork with Meixiu for the transfer of ownership of Walter's assets to her, including his rather sizable list of bank accounts and investments. Meixiu is the sole inheritor of the entire estate. Mahati and Michelle left shortly after that. Your friend Nate was very vocal about how much the art might be worth, but we'll need to follow steps to remain anonymous when selling it. The Hidden Races Council has a means for doing this."

"He also dragged us into the study to see a painting he found there. It's like nothing I've seen. I'd swear it's been imbued with magic. I picked up emotions from it. We all felt the same thing. If the Security Council gets wind of this artist, I think she's going to face some- difficulty."

Henry frowned then he thought of his art fanatic friend. "Where is Nate?"

Sigrid's eyes watched him carefully as she answered. "He took a room upstairs on the third floor and went to bed." She paused ever so slightly before continuing. "Marisa joined him."

A shock went through his body, but he forced it back. Wasn't he outside just minutes ago, having sex with Tish? He had to let that jealousy go. He wasn't going to let go of his feelings for Marisa, but he had to accept she might have similar feelings for others. He knew Marisa was attracted to Nate and his new friend was attracted to her in return. He had to listen to Camila's words of tough love. That brought a hint of a smile to his lips. He nodded to Sigrid, and she relaxed a little with a small smile of her own.

He looked to Meixiu and smiled at her. "So, now that you're a wealthy woman of leisure, what are you going to do? Travel the world? Buy a small island? Party on a yacht in Monaco with the rich and famous?"

She giggled and shook her head. "None of those things sound appealing to me. I have discussed this with Sigrid as I've been truly happy for the first time in my life living with her. As long as I'm welcome in her home, I will remain."

He nodded appreciatively. "What about the mansion?"

"Once I've sold off the assets, I will offer it to the Hidden Races Council for a good price. Nathan said he would help me identify which art pieces are most likely to be truly valuable. The river painting, I will keep. It's so peaceful," she purred happily.

Henry nodded then stretched his tired limbs as a yawn leaked out.

"It's been a long day. We should all get some rest," Sigrid suggested. "I understand you slept in the sitting room last night. There are beds available. Where will you sleep tonight?"

Henry looked into her eyes and saw she was inviting him to share her bed. To sleep. No expectations. He smiled and nodded to her, and she returned his smile.

Meixiu stood with a sweet little secret smile of her own and moved to tidy up. Sigrid stopped her to give her a quick hug and kiss on the top of her head. Then she led Henry upstairs to a lovely room on the top floor facing the backyard. He walked to the window and looked down at the gazebo. He honestly found that to be a peaceful spot. He turned and dropped his glamor as he made his way to the bed. He thought the mattress was oddly high and he had to climb up onto its plush surface. He tucked himself under the sheets and glanced over the edge nervously.
"What's wrong?" Sigrid asked as she settled in on the other side.

"I've gotten used to having my mattress on the floor. Regular beds feel too high now but this one..."

She snorted softly and cuddled in against his side. He glanced down at her head on his chest and settled back and the pillow. This was definitely more comfortable than the couch downstairs, but his mind wasn't ready to settle down yet.

He was going to find out tomorrow what the Queen wanted in return for the glamors, and he knew, whatever it was, he'd pay it for the sake of his friends.

He owed them that much.

Chapter 41

It took two large SUV's to carry all of the people accompanying Henry to the Queen's Manhattan residence. They pulled into the underground parking and took the ramps to the lowest public level where a gate blocked the next ramp. A surly looking goon stood guard. Roy showed the card Henry handed to him and gestured to the truck following them. The guard returned the card with a nod and raised the gate for them to continue down. When they reached the lowest level, they found parking spots close to the elevator.

They got out and gathered in front of the trucks as they looked around. There were only a few other vehicles. Sandy, Tish, and Dayshia were wearing the hooded cloaks Meixiu gave them before they left the mansion for the ride here. Kesini kept slipping tendrils out of the hood only for Sandy to push them back in.

Mary had chosen to remain in her black jeans, a grey t-shirt, and black leather jacket. Meixiu was wearing a white silk dress that flowed as she moved. She looked especially luminescent next to Mary.

"Are there no other guests attending this party?" Camila asked.

Sigrid shrugged then moved to stand before the three ladies who'd be getting glamors, but she focused on Dayshia. "Are you seeing glamors?" Dayshia nodded. "Good. You want to stay that way until we leave. Do your best to maintain a poker face. The Fae wear glamors of great beauty, but often this hides less appealing features. The Queen especially. She's ancient and exceptionally powerful." She looked to the other two. "It's best not to look too long or too closely at her if you can help it, regardless of being able to see through her glamor. The beauty of her glamor can be a little unsettling too. Demure glances are perfectly fine and expected."

"Are we in any danger?" Dayshia asked.

Sigrid shook her head. "No. No more than if you were visiting the Queen of Denmark or England. Just show Queen Mab the same level of respect you would show them."

"What about this Hidden Race Council? Are we in danger from them?" Mary asked. Nate nodded with a worried expression.

"No, leave them to me," Mahati said confidently.

The group walked over to the elevator bank, and Roy pressed the button. Moments later the wide doors opened on one of the most luxurious elevators Henry had ever seen. Sandy gave him an exaggeratedly impressed look, drawing a smile from him. He nodded to her as the group boarded. The light on the button for level one pulsed, so they just settled in for the ride.

Dayshia sat on the plush bench with a regal air, and Tish snorted. Sandy giggled, but Henry could tell it was nerves. Far quicker than they expected, the elevator binged, and the doors opened. In the hallway, they faced four huge, fierce and rough looking men.

Roy stepped out first and let the first of the security men frisk him for weapons.

Sigrid stepped forward, and the big goon leered as he rubbed his hands together, stepping closer. Sigrid's gaze promised death, and his leer dropped away quickly. He grunted in annoyance and pulled free a short club hanging on his hip.

He suddenly folded back in two, squealing in pain.

"That's no way to greet our visitors."

Queen Mab's voice was pure honey and sex and drew every eye. The remaining security men carried their injured member away quickly.

"Henry! Welcome to my little home away from home!" Mab sighed as she came forward to lift her hand for Henry's kiss. She only had eyes for him. He took her hand in his and pressed it to his lips, earning him a satisfied smile.

Finally, she looked to the others. "You've brought along your little friends. You have quite the posse now. Isn't that the term in use at the moment? Posse?" She smiled at her cleverness. She looked to the three women in cloaks. "You may place those robes on the hooks." She gestured towards the side of the corridor. "You can be assured of privacy and discretion within my castle."

Dayshia, Sandy, and Tish took off the heavy cloaks, showing they were dressed uniformly in black silk dress shirts and black yoga pants, with black sandals for Dayshia and Sandy and black hooves for Tish. No longer hidden by the voluminous robes, Mab's eyes widened in delight as she saw their distinct states. "What have you done?" she said with a smile, glancing at Henry.

He cleared his tight throat. "Queen Mab, may I introduce Sandy Marlow, Dayshia Morrison, and Patricia Evans." He glanced at Mary. "And Mary Carsten."

Mab gave Mary the briefest nod, but the other women received a thorough eyeballing until each felt a little uneasy. She was particularly taken with Tish. "Another Satyr! How remarkable! Planning on bringing your people back?" the Queen asked Henry with a coy smile. She missed the twinge of pain that flashed across Tish's face, but Henry didn't. He shook his head as he ground his teeth at her unknowing cruelty.

Mab shrugged and returned her attention to Mary.

Henry didn't wait for Mab's question. "Mary's change doesn't require a glamor, but she's here to meet the Council members as well."

Mab's lips did a little downturn at the mention of her other guests. "Oh yes, they're here too."

"My friends from work, Camila Villamor, Marisa Villamor, Sigrid Gunderan, and Roy Duncan." The Queen nodded regally to them.

"Meixiu, who was a slave of Walter Zhao but escaped to become our good friend and master of Zhao's estate," Henry said with a smile for the sweet woman who smiled in surprise at his words. Meixiu bowed deeply to the Queen who nodded to the Vampire with a slight smile on her lips. She also seemed to enjoy the karma at play there.

"This is my new friend Nathan Walker." Nate was openly dazzled by the Queen, and she enjoyed that very much. She lifted her hand, and he moved forward to kiss it as Henry had. The Queen's smile showed she appreciated this as well.

"Finally, may I introduce Mahati Chandra, my legal counsel," he said as she bowed to the Queen.

"You brought a lawyer to the party?" The Queen's eyes showed her displeasure.

"Again, to meet with you and the Council members. Business before pleasure?"

Mab's eyes glowed slightly at the reminder of the evening's main event. She was impatient but knew she couldn't rush the spell's timing. "Indeed. Come, the mages are ready for your friends."

She led them down a hallway paneled with lovingly hand buffed exotic woods. She reached double doors guarded by two of the goons they'd met earlier. They opened the doors before Mab reached them, so she walked through without pause.

Henry tried to take it in stride that a room inside a house would have the sky as a ceiling and soft grass as a carpet. There was no sign of the outer walls as the illusion showed a distant horizon with a hint of mountains. The air was fresh, and smelled faintly of wildflowers. Another Fae illusion but master level. He remembered the room under Rockefeller Center where his life took such a dramatic change... at the hands of Queen Mab and Walter Zhao. He glanced back to his friends, and they were all stunned. He saw Mab's amusement over their shock and awe. While that irritated him, calling her out on it wasn't a smart move.

Ahead, he spotted the familiar faces of some Senior Council members who seemed to be waiting for them; Lise-Anne Hoek, Minister of Security, Clive Darrowess, Racial Affairs Minister, and Rand von Deussel, Council Investigator in charge of the Eastern United States.

He also spotted the Minister who looked like a hunky male version of Sigrid. Henry recalled this glamor hid a being with the head of a fish on a skinny scaled body. Isaac Nils, the Minister of Diplomatic Affairs.

None of the Council members looked pleased to be here. They were openly staring at the three ladies in confusion.

The only member of their group not frowning was Michelle Beaumont. She smiled at Henry.

Beyond the council members, standing in the lush glade next to an arrangement of chairs and cushioned benches, were the Fae mages. There had to be at least twenty-five of them. Most but not all of them were the same ones who'd given Henry his glamor. They watched him warily as they recalled the ordeal. Henry stumbled slightly as his memories of the night flashed through his mind. Mab was instantly at his elbow and guided him to the side where a small table and chairs under an umbrella had been set up. Mab took a chair and offered the second to him. She glanced up to see Mahati standing behind Henry at his shoulder.

"Henry and I have a matter to discuss... in private," Mab stated firmly.

"A contract negotiation? As his lawyer, I would be negligent if I didn't attend to look out for his interests," Mahati said calmly.

The Queen's eyes flared with anger.

"It's my first negotiation. I would be grateful for being allowed Mahati's counsel," Henry blurted to forestall Mab's backlash. Her eyes immediately went to his, and he saw he'd said something she liked as hers held only satisfaction now. Her emotional flip-flopping was making him feel very uneasy. She usually showed far more restraint than this. He wondered what it meant.

"Remember that gratitude," she purred. Her eyes moved over to the three ladies. "I see we have three new glamors we need to link to... what, Humans?"

"Post-Humans I think is a more accurate term. Human Plus? Regardless, they aren't strictly human anymore," Henry explained.

"And how did this miraculous transformation occur?" Mab asked.

Henry glanced at Mahati who just nodded. He looked back at the Queen. "You're aware my... essence is saturated with Wild Magic. They were exposed to sufficient amounts, and it changed them permanently and significantly."

"Wild Magic changes Humans? Fascinating! Such variety too! How does that happen?" Mab leaned forward in interest and exposed a delightful amount of cleavage in the process.

Henry tugged his eyes away and caught her smile. "It's chaotic and random."

Mab's eyebrows went up. "Random chance resulted in a Satyr?" she said, giving him a doubtful look.

Henry shifted uncomfortably. "Her transformation may have happened that way because I was in contact with her during her entire change." At her raised eyebrow, he sighed in exasperation. "I'm not a wielder! I don't understand how magic works! I don't even want to know how it works. I'm happy to leave it to you!"

She nodded as she agreed magic was for wielders to control.

"You've brought me three... individuals who need glamors. If I do this for you, I expect three favors in return."

Henry felt Mahati's hand rest lightly on his shoulder, and he closed his mouth as he'd been about to agree.

"These favors must be defined in scope if not in substance," the lawyer said in her calm, professional manner.

"Scope?" Mab said, her eyes locked on Mahati's. Henry felt a pressure building between the two women. Wills were clashing.

"Yes. The favors cannot, in any way, impinge upon Henry's physical or mental freedom. They must not, in any way, endanger him physically or mentally. And those two conditions also apply to those Henry considers important to him."

Mab went still as she reviewed the points in her mind. Suddenly, she smiled. "I can agree to that! Harming Henry, or his friends is the furthest thing from my mind."

Henry made an involuntary choking sound as his mind took him to the night he found Tish horrifically crippled from an attack Mab, herself, ordered. He wanted to jump up and scream BULLSHIT directly in her face, but he knew he couldn't. His friends depended on him to give them a chance at getting their lives back. He fought back the bile that threatened to climb up his throat then lifted his eyes to look into Mab's. Her expression was open and curious. She knew he knew and she was waiting to see what he would do. She was also quite aware his hands were tied.

"Past is past," he ground out, and her smile widened slightly.

"But never forgotten."

Mab froze as she looked into his eyes and he held her gaze. He wasn't going to be the first to look away this time. Realization of this began to appear in Mab's eyes.

"So we have a deal," Mahati blurted and drew their attention. They nodded and shook on it.

Giving Henry a final glance, Mab stood and walked back to the others with Henry and Mahati following.

Lise-Anne immediately stepped forward to address the monarch. "Good evening, Queen Mab. Thank you for the invitation but... what are we doing here and who are these people? Aside from the new Satyr, whose existence is a shock, I don't recognize the Races these two are from," she said pointing to Dayshia and Sandy. Kesini rose up and fanned out in annoyance over her condescending tone. "Are they your creations?"

Queen Mab aimed her shark's grin at the councilwoman. "Not mine. Henry's. He's altered his Human friends... accidentally?" she asked Henry with a coy smile.

He frowned. "Yes, accidentally. Wild Magic has the power to alter humans." Henry looked to Mahati who stepped forward and gestured for the four former human females to join her.

"These four women were once Human. Now, they are more," she said.

Clive pointed to Mary. "Is she wearing a glamor?"

Mary shook her head. "I don't need one."

Lise-Anne looked upset. "We have a problem. There is no contingency for Human's being altered by magic because... it doesn't happen. They belong to no treaty-" Queen Mab's eye lit up, and she moved to speak.

"They're mine."

Everyone looked at Henry. "My treaty covers their creation as offspring. My treaty protects them."

"There's no offspring section in your treaty. You're one of a kind." Lise-Anne glanced at Tish. "Or were when it was created. There was no need for the offspring section."

"Yet it's there, and you all signed it. So it's binding," Henry replied firmly. The Council members looked to the historian.

"There was limited time, and the request to remove the sections was missed," Michelle said quietly.

"You don't miss things!" Rand growled.

Michelle drew herself up to full height and stared down her nose at the much shorter man. "When I'm given sufficient time to prepare the required documents properly, you can be assured of one hundred percent accuracy. I was not, so you received less. As you noted, there was one Satyr. The inclusion of the unedited section was too insignificant to reconvene all parties to sign a new revision." She handed Lise-Anne the treaty. The Security Minister skipped to the Offspring section and quickly reviewed the text. Her expression just soured as she read. Finally, she handed it back to Michelle to look to the others.

"The treaty is binding. Post-Humans are protected by it," Lise-Anne confirmed, glancing at each of the other Council members and Queen Mab. "What about this missing male, Roger... Jensen," she grumbled, looking at his details from the message on her cell.

"We've been unable to contact him. He's an anarchist, impulsive, and highly motivated by conspiracy theories. Finding him quickly is imperative. While we don't agree with the more... extreme measures the Security Division may choose to deal with him... we understand the danger he represents," Henry acknowledged with a sad frown.

While the Council members were not happy with the inclusion of the post-Humans, they saw no benefit in challenging the validity of Henry's claim, for the moment.

Lise-Anne was particularly uneasy about the slippage this seemed to be imposing on their security. With firmly drawn lines between the Hidden Races and the Humans, it was easier to define Us and Them. Now the Satyr was bringing Humans into Us. The lines were blurring and she couldn't, wouldn't accept that. She glanced at Rand, and she saw his agreement. Their decision to launch their contingency plan now felt utterly justified.

Rand glanced down at a vibration in his pocket. He pulled his cell out and ignored the frown from Mab. He read the text, and his face paled. He looked to Lise-Anne, and she knew something was very wrong. Rand struggled to get control then looked to the Queen.

"Thank you for the gracious invitation but... I've just received news of a death in the family. I'm afraid I must leave. I must return to Germany, to collect his body."

"A parent?" Queen Mab asked curiously.

He shook his head with a troubled frown. "Cousin. Thane del Neev." The Queen nodded, granting him leave and he gave her a deeper bow than he usually would. He turned to go, and Lise-Anne walked a few steps away with him. She whispered something to him, and Rand shook his head fiercely. Those watching this heard him growl murder before he stormed off. Lise-Anne walked back to the group with a worried expression.

The Queen had an interested twinkle in her eye then gestured for Henry's group to proceed. Marisa and Henry led their friends forward to meet the mages. Mahati stayed behind to bring the others up to speed on the contract he'd made with the Queen.

"Is this going to hurt?" Sandy asked nervously.

"Not for long. The Fae know how to bind glamors to people linked to the Wild Magic. They won't linger. Their old realm magic won't let them," he said gently.

Seeing the ladies unease, Marisa picked up the conversation from this point. "The link between you and the mages is very intimate, and they are as open to you as you are to them. Normally bindings like these are done to infants whose unformed minds don't look back. The mages don't like it so they will complete the binding and leave as quickly as they can. You mustn't resist them as they are delivering something you want. Your job is to concentrate on the photo you brought, locking that image of you in your mind so you can impress it upon the blank glamor they will bind to your core. They will tell you when it's time to do that."

"That doesn't sound too hard," Tish responded and received a nod from Marisa.

Dayshia took a deep breath and stepped forward to stand next to the first bench. An older Fae approached with six others behind him. "My name is Joren. We will begin with a shallow insertion to determine the strength of the foreign magic. The Satyr's link was so strong we lost one of our own to it. We've learned how to perform the binding, but we need to know how much of this magic we will be working within. Please recline and clear your mind. Allow us access and remain calm. There will be no binding in this first stage."

Dayshia glanced at Marisa then stretched out on the bench on her back.

Marisa addressed the Fae mage. "The Wild Magic within them isn't as strong as Henry's. While linked to the new realm, the flow doesn't feel like a raging river as it does with him." The older mage gave her an evaluating look then tilted his head to her in acceptance and thanks for her assessment. Relief was visible in his expression as well. He gestured for some of the others to hold back. It initially looked like he intended to have the entire group participate in the exploratory dip into Dayshia's mind.

Only four mages took up positions around the bench and closed their eyes. Marisa saw them taking deep, slow breaths which quickly became synchronized as they linked minds and prepared for the effort.

"Oh!" Dayshia chirped as she suddenly felt the presence of otherness in her mind. She instinctively pushed it out.
The four Fae wobbled and opened their eyes to glare at the woman on the bench.

"What happened?" Marisa asked as Queen Mab watched with interest.

Joren spoke for them. "You were correct regarding the level of magic for this one. It will only take three mages to protect a fourth who does the work of implanting and binding the glamor. However, her will is abnormally strong. She must allow us in to complete this work!"

Tish snorted. "Dayshia? Strong-willed?"

The woman in question fixed an eye on her friend. "Hush you! They just caught me off-guard. Now that I know what to expect I should be ok."

Joren traded a look with the Queen but received no sympathy from her. He nodded and gestured to the three others who would be his protection. He fixed a stern eye on his patient. "You must work with us, not against us."

Marisa leaned over her slightly with a gentle smile. "Remember they are giving you what you want and need. Concentrate on the photo and soak in all of the details," she coached. Dayshia nodded shakily then lifted the snapshot Sandy had taken of their group at their previous year's office Christmas party. They all looked incredibly happy in the photo! She smiled and nodded to Joren having fixed in her mind how she looked in the picture. The Fae nodded stiffly, and the group prepared themselves once more.

Dayshia was surprised again by the sudden impression of otherness inside, but this time she forced herself to let it happen. This became harder and harder to do as that otherness slipped deeper into her mind. Their presence was adding a grating vibration, discordant and unsettling, like nails on a chalkboard, squealing door hinges and cold fingers down the spine combined. The deeper they went, the harder it became to endure. She was about to scream when she felt a calming presence next to her. Marisa?!? An image flashed through her mind of the gorgeous blonde between Sandy's/her legs, and she felt Marisa's surprise and amusement. That made her feel better. Marisa's calm was an oasis.

They followed the mage's minds deep into her core, and while it didn't get easier, Marisa's presence made it bearable. They reached the bottom, and Joren's voice sounded like it came from all around. "I begin. Prepare to imprint the image."

A shudder ran through her body but Marisa held her in a warm hug, and she relaxed a little.

The actual binding was a pain almost beyond her ability to endure. Dayshia screamed in her mind, her throat paralyzed at the moment, and clung to Marisa who whispered soothing sounds to her, protecting her from slipping into madness.

"Now," Joren said, pain evident in his tone as well.

Dayshia thrust the image of her joy filled face and happy dance at the blank outline the Fae prepared for her and felt it sink into place.

"This is your activation trigger," the Fae indicated and once he was assured Dayshia had it memorized he and the others fled from Dayshia's mind. The vacuum they left with their abrupt departure left Dayshia dazed. After a moment, she probed the trigger and was surprised to see a second one. She felt a gentle pressure from Marisa to avoid that one. Then the woman slipped away as well.

Dayshia opened her eyes and saw the pretty blonde smiling down at her. She raised an eyebrow at the woman for the secret they shared, but Marisa just shook her head minimally.

"Thank you for the assist," Joren said to Marisa. "Are you up to helping with the others?"

The Succubus nodded with a smile. "Then I'm going to need a few hours of sleep."

Dayshia discovered she was exhausted and didn't have the energy to stand. She was barely able to keep her eyes open.

"I know, it takes a lot out of you. It's ok. You can take a little nap to recuperate," Marisa told her. Echoes of the pain rolled through her muscles.

"Please activate the glamor," Joren instructed. "You have to activate and deactivate it manually while conscious. If you suddenly become unconscious or expire it will activate automatically," he explained.

"Expire!?! The glamor activates if I die?" Dayshia gasped.

Joren looked at her in surprise. "Of course!"

Dayshia still looked a little disturbed, but she reached for and touched the trigger.

The change was instantaneous. Resting back on the bench was an entirely human appearing Dayshia.

Sandy and Tish squealed with excitement as Joren handed Marisa a large mirror for Dayshia to see her new glamor. Marisa held it above her so she could see the change. Stunned, she placed her hands on her cheeks and stared at her reflection in delight.

"It's me! I'm back!" she gushed in relief.

The Fae mage frowned. "It's only an overlay. Your true self is beneath the surface of this illusion."

"If her glamor's nature follows mine, it might have a more physical presence than a normal Fae glamor," Henry suggested.

Dayshia gave Henry a confused look when she tore her eyes away from the mirror.

"A Fae glamor would only hide your now larger eyes under the image of human-sized eyes. Touch your eyelid, and you'd be poking yourself in the eye. Tell me what you feel if you touch your eyelid now," he explained.

Dayshia cautiously raised a fingertip to touch the delicate skin of her lid. She relaxed with a smile as she felt only skin. No discomfort from a poke in the eye.

Henry returned Dashia's smile and looked to Joren. "It's an augmented glamor. Don't ask me how it works. It messes with the laws of physics."

"Henry, that's science! This is magic! You just have to believe!" Tish giggled in delight.

Her smile was infectious, and he found himself sharing her joy. Then he noted Queen Mab was watching him closely with an enigmatic smile on her lips. He looked away quickly.

"Dayshia, close your eyes and get some rest. We'll keep watch over you," Marisa said gently, and the woman gratefully smiled as she let her exhaustion take her.

"Who's next?" Joren asked.

Sandy stepped forward and glanced nervously at Dayshia who was snoring softly. She plucked the photo from the bench as it was her memory aid as well. The petite blonde moved to the second bench and rested back on it. Kesini wrapped herself around Sandy in a hug.

A fresh group of four mages took their positions. The lead mage in the group presented himself to Marisa.

"I am Russvenn. I will bind the glamor. You will keep the subject calm and receptive."

Marisa blinked at the Fae's emotionless, almost mechanical delivery.

"Isn't he the life of the party," Sandy snorted, and Marisa began to giggle.

Sandy smiled and took her hand. "Does it hurt?" she asked in a little girl voice, and Marisa saw how frightened she was.

"I'll be with you and so will Kesini. Speaking of which," She took hold of a strand of blond locks. "You mustn't hurt any of these Fae as they help give Sandy her glamor. Take your lead from me. Comfort Sandy. Is that understood?"

Marisa felt reluctance but Sandy's support came through their connection with Kesini, and they sensed the hair agree begrudgingly.

"We will do the initial test insertion," Russvenn indicated and nodded to the others.

Sandy closed her eyes and squeezed Marisa's hand.

Alien minds dipped into hers starting a loud scraping buzz. They immediately fled.

Marisa watched the unsettled expressions on the Mage's faces. "We need additional reinforcements. The Wild Magic is too strong," Russvenn complained. He looked to the waiting mages and gestured for an additional six to join them.

To distract herself, Sandy looked at the photo and smiled as she was laughing merrily at the photographer. She couldn't recall who took it, but it had been a fun party. She examined the details of how she looked and nodded. Once more ready, the Fae wasted no further time but plunged into Sandy's mind. She gasped and pinched her eyes tightly closed in pain. Kesini began to rise to strike back, but Marisa's sudden presence swept in and gathered the two in a tight hug. Kesini settled down and turned her focus on Sandy who clung to her and Marisa, whimpering slightly inside.

She cried out when the Fae stopped at her core. Marisa thought maybe ten Fae was more than what was required, but she focused on soothing the frightened blonde. The rough vibration was intense, and Marisa could feel the Fae's desperation to leave.

"Prepare the image," Russvenn's voice snapped.

Seconds later the searing pain of the binding swept through Sandy's mind, and she screamed internally, her body frozen as Dayshia's had been. Marisa whispered to her, and she felt Kesini straining to attack the Fae, but Sandy was holding her too tightly.

"Now!" Russvenn's voice rasped.

Sandy slammed the image of her laughing at the party into the blank, and there was a loud groan from the Fae who buckled under the force. Sandy pulled back and the image bonded to the blank.

"Trigger here." Russvenn blurted then the Fae were gone.

Sandy gasped once more, but this time it was in relief. She sluggishly examined the trigger and saw the second one. Marisa's exhausted mind pushed her away from that one then slipped away.

When Sandy opened her eyes, she saw Henry, in Satyr form now and wearing only a kilt, carrying Marisa away in his arms.

"What?" she mumbled.

Camila moved to her side and accepted the mirror from Joren.

"It's ok. Marisa just needs to rest. She told me last night that she was going to do this, but I wasn't sure she'd be able to. Succubi only skim the mind's surface with the shallowest dives. Her talent allows her to go deeper, but it seems to take a great deal of energy." She saw Sandy's eyes were struggling to stay open. "Before you sleep, trigger your glamor to test it."

Sandy touched the trigger in her mind, and Kesini vanished to be replaced by normal blonde hair to mid-back. Most startling was its lack of animation. It was just hair.

Sandy's eyes went wide. "Kesini!" she squeaked and sat up. She felt her presence in her mind and her warm hug around her body, but she couldn't see the glowing blonde locks at all. "Oh! You're invisible!"

Camila nodded. "That makes sense. The only difference for you is your lovely new hair. OH!" Camila's eyes flew wide as something squeezed and lifted her tits.

"KESINI!" Sandy gasped, her face glowing with embarrassment. The hair released the tits making them bounce in Camila's dress. "I'm so sorry!" Sandy moaned pitifully.

Camila shook her head with a small smile. "You'll want to teach Kesini to keep to herself when you're in disguise to not give away her presence. She has to assist the disguise."

"Yes! I mean, I will!" Sandy blurted. She sank to the surface of the bench as the little burst of adrenaline ran out and her strength with it. "I just need..." Her eyelids drooped, and she was out.

Kesini lifted her gently and centered her on the bench. For anyone watching, it looked like Sandy was levitating. Camila made a mental note to speak to Sandy about how Kesini should behave.

"Shall we proceed with the final glamor binding?" Mab asked.

"We need a brief respite to recharge, my Queen," Joren replied wearily.

She pouted but saw there was nothing for it. "Brief?"

"Certainly no more than thirty minutes."

"You have twenty," she said with finality. She wanted her third favor sewn up, and there was a party to host. Her other guests would begin to grow restless.

"Yes, my Queen," he said and backed away with a bow. She returned to her chair under the umbrella beside the little table, and Joren returned to the mages. As a group, they dropped to the grass to meditate or sleep. The ones who had yet to participate looked at their colleagues with worried expressions. They kept glancing over at Tish then over to Henry who was back by the entrance of the room by a bench where Marisa was resting.

-=-

Henry knelt next to the beauty, holding her hand.

"I'm just tired. I'm not hurt," Marisa said to him with a smile. She saw Nate's concerned expression. "There's no need for this much worry!" she insisted.

"You collapsed after you helped Sandy!" Henry said firmly.

"You're exhausted!" Nate argued.

"Can't Camila assist with Tish?" Henry asked.

Marisa shook her head. "My talent allows me deeper access. Just not so frequently without exhausting myself. I need to rest."

"Do you need to feed?" Henry asked quietly.

She smiled at him. "Not here."

He nodded, and she closed her eyes. He and Nate moved a short distance away to stand guard and let her rest.

"So... she can feed on you too?" Nate asked.

Henry glanced at Nate and noted his attempt to appear merely curious. Beneath that, Henry saw a little jealousy. Nate was more than a little taken with Marisa. Henry was determined to be an adult about this, so he just nodded. Nate sighed.

Mary came over. "This is the weirdest party I've ever attended," she grumbled quietly.

Henry snorted as Nate chuckled and they shared smiles with her. Nate nodded emphatically. "I second that and I've been to some lame college parties."

"Oh, it gets weirder," Henry hinted. "Did you... feed?" he asked quietly. Mary raised an eyebrow at him and nodded. She tipped her head in the direction of Roy, though she finally snorted a little herself. "The big guy felt a little weird about doing it, but he fed me quite well."

Nate was looking at her with evident curiosity. "Ok, you two, enough with the secrets. Fill me in!"

"Only if you tell me yours," Mary replied with a look of challenge in her eye. Nate just grinned and nodded.

Mary leaned in, and Nate began to whisper in her ear, so Henry left them with Marisa to speak with Sigrid, Camila, Meixiu, and Roy. Mahati was chatting with the Council members.

Sigrid took his hand. Henry could see the worry on her face as well as Roy's.

"Three favors?" she asked quietly.

"For three glamors," Henry said with a nod and a smile that fooled no one.

"Any hints on what these favors will be?" Camila asked.

Henry just shook his head.

Everyone took seats and tried to relax. They enjoyed the fresh air and gentle breeze in the grand illusion the Queen had prepared for them. Servants brought them drinks of purest spring water delicately infused with the subtle flavor of mountain flowers.

Not Henry's favorite but it wet his dry mouth. He knew it was just nerves, but that knowledge gave him no comfort.

-=-

Lise-Anne was fuming. The council's summoning to this event by Mab was insulting enough but to be tricked into acknowledging these... new additions, the post-Humans, as a protected adjunct to the Satyr's treaty was making her skin crawl. She wished Rand was here as his support helped keep her anger in check.

She was also worried about his state of mind. Someone had murdered his cousin in Germany. Considering how tough the Dwarf race was, whoever bested Thane del Neev was a significant threat. She would ensure Rand had the council's full support in locating and hunting down this killer.

Isaac Nils approached her with a professional smile on his face. As a trained diplomat, he was quite good at disguising his unease.

"Minister," he began with a friendly nod, but his use of her title told Lise-Anne this wasn't going to be small talk. She responded with the title for him as well.

"I suppose being on hand for the introduction of a new race falls under the duties I'm expected to do, but does it feel odd to you that the council has been asked to attend the party? Unless we are greeting additional representatives, I'm out of my element," he asked quietly, his smile fixed in place.

Lise-Anne nodded slightly and shrugged. "It isn't typical, but she is the Fae Queen and refusing her invitation would have had... consequences."

Isaac nodded. "Do you think we're looking at the only attendees for the party in this room?"

Lise-Anne frowned as she casually glanced around the chamber. It did seem odd for there to be so few people attending one of the Queen's parties. They were usually extravagant affairs with a hundred or more guests. "Maybe the other guests are already here, in another room?"

Isaac nodded thoughtfully, but even the trained diplomat's unease was beginning to show.

The Minister of Security glanced over towards the Queen and saw her watching them. She nodded to Mab with a smile but felt a chill run down her spine at the almost predatory smile she received in return. The Queen was planning something.

She wished Rand was here.

-=-

A short time later, Tish stood beside Marisa and looked at her sleeping friends with trepidation. "How... difficult is this?"

Marisa was pretty exhausted herself, her twenty-five-minute nap barely scratched the surface of her need, but she smiled at the tall brunette. "It's different for everyone, but it is draining."

Tish nodded then made herself comfortable on the bench. Her hooves extended past the end as she was much taller than the Fae who the furniture was designed for.

Joren and Russvenn were conferring with a third mage, giving him an update on what they'd found. Finally, this one walked over to speak to Marisa and Tish.

"I'm Kallish. We understand that the Satyr-"

"Henry," Tish corrected.

The Fae paused to look at her and nodded. "Yes, Henry. He was... involved in the process of transforming you. There is some concern that the level of Wild Magic in you is elevated to dangerous levels. We'd prefer to do the initial insertion with the entire team. This may cause some additional discomfort due to the discordant frequencies of our magics." He looked to Marisa. "It might not be safe for you to participate this time."

Marisa stared him down. "She needs me. I'll be there."

Tish looked to Marisa with grateful tears in her eyes. They held hands as the Fae took their positions.

"The entire team?" Mab curiously asked as she approached.

Kallish bowed to her. "Yes, my Queen. There is a high probability that her level of Wild Magic will be high. We are just taking precautions for the initial test."

Mab nodded. "Proceed."

With another bow, Kallish took his position next to the bench.

"Deep breaths and relax," Marisa said quietly to Tish who nodded and closed her eyes.

Tish immediately felt herself tensing up as a terrible grating vibration began. It quickly dissipated, and she opened her eyes to see all of the mages looking at her with various levels of concern.

"What's wrong?" Mab asked.

Joren addressed the Queen. "It is as we expected. The Wild Magic is very strong in this one. Not as strong as the Sat- not as strong as it is in Henry but almost more than we can deal with."

"Almost?" Mab asked in a tone that assured the mage that she wasn't about to accept a negative response.

"Yes, we... could use a sink," he suggested tentatively.

She looked at him until he began to sweat. Just before he broke, she nodded. She turned to face the entrance of the room and gestured for one of her guards to join them. The big man rushed over to stand next to the mage. He bowed to his Queen then Mab looked into his eyes and the guard's muscles locked up. The Queen glanced at Joren. "Your sink." The mage nodded gratefully to her and moved back to the other mages.

"What do they mean by sink?" Tish asked Marisa quietly, but the woman just shook her head with tension showing around her eyes.

"We will begin," Kallish said.

Once more Tish felt the grating vibration drilling into her mind and gasped in pain. She felt Marisa's calming presence settle in next to her and she clung to her as she listened to the soothing murmurs.

Allowing this to continue was becoming impossible when every instinct was screaming at her to push them out. It was only Marisa's support that made her resist that impulse. The... noise? Sensation? The incompatibility of the mage's presence in her mind increased the deeper they went until she thought she might fly apart. She could feel Marisa weakening as well, so she reached out to her and tried to give her strength. Energy flowed between them, and for a moment the dissonance eased as Marisa's presence strengthened.
"STOP THAT!" Kallish's voice boomed.

Tish felt the anger and fear from the mages as they prepared to complete their work.

"DO NOT CALL UPON THE MAGIC!" Kallish snapped.

Tish hadn't been aware she was doing that but felt a thrill course through her to think she had.

"Prepare the image. We will bind the glamor now," Kallish growled, but Tish could feel his fear. She could sense all of their fear.

Then the white-hot pain of the binding was the only thing filling her awareness. Marisa shunted some of the pain away, and Tish's mind came back to her. She wasn't sure how long she'd been out.

"Now! The image, quickly! We cannot hold this much longer!" The mage's voice showed the strain they faced. Tish pushed the image of herself onto the blank glamor, and the Fae sighed in relief as they fled her mind immediately.

Then it was just Tish and Marisa, who remained to pull her attention to the trigger for the glamor. Tish felt two, but Marisa indicated for her to leave the second one alone, for now.

They surfaced, and Tish opened her eyes to see Nate carrying Marisa away in his arms.

Camila smiled at her. "She's sleeping."

Tish saw the mages were also lying down in the grass in various states of consciousness. Some were looking at her with anger; others displayed revulsion and fear. None seemed happy. She looked back to Camila who was now holding up the mirror.

"Time for your glamor."

Tish reached for the trigger in her mind, and when she opened her eyes again, she was looking at her face with her original human eyes. Her face had returned to her human appearance with thinner eyebrows and furless ears. Speaking of fur, she reached down to her thighs and felt skin. Lifting her head, Tish looked down as she wiggled her human toes. She touched her temples, but the horns were gone as well. She was back.

A sudden fear shot through her that it had been a dream, so she quickly reached for the trigger once more and flashed back into her Satyr form again. She sighed with relief to feel the fur under her fingertips.

Camila chuckled. "You seriously don't mind that Henry changed you!"

Tish could only grin and shake her head as she switched back to her human disguise. Then she felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over her.

"Sleep. You did very well," Camila said softly.

Smiling as the words warmed her heart, Tish drifted off. She really liked Marisa's mom.

-=-

Queen Mab was broadly smiling as she approached Henry. Ikehorn was at her side, but his eyes locked on the large man the mages had used as a sink for the pain and strain they'd encountered in the dive. They'd shunted the stress and duress through to him. Henry also looked to the guard, at the blood on his trembling lips. The man's entire body was vibrating slightly as his muscles remained locked in a rictus. Henry shared a glance with the smaller Fae.

Mab caught the look and gave Ikehorn a cruel smile. "Does it not please you to see your tormentor in this state?"

Ikehorn glanced at her then back to the brute. "It should... but it doesn't. I would put him out of his misery," he said softly, a troubled expression crossing his face.

Mab frowned. This wasn't what she'd expected of him. Where was the razor sharp whip she used to keep her court in order? She gazed at him with an evaluating eye. "Maybe you'd like to heal him?" she asked, equally quiet.

Ikehorn looked at her in shock as his revulsion at the idea surged. "No!"

Mab's cruel streak flared. It was such a delicious idea she needed to see it happen. "But I think you should!"

Ikehorn's mouth was moving, but there was no sound. Plenty of emotions were crossing his face now as he visibly struggled with his need to deny this request. Desperation won out. "I don't have the strength to repair such severe damage!" he gasped.

Mab smiled sweetly at him. "You healed worse on your own body after they played with you." She delighted at the twitch that went through the Fae's body as he recalled the torture. Henry gaped at her.

"Th-that left me depleted. I haven't recovered my strength yet! I don't have access to enough magic to do this!" he asserted, his inner conflict causing him to tremble.

Now Mab wanted it even more. She needed to see how Ikehorn healed others, but truthfully, she wanted the cruel pleasure it would bring her. She looked to Henry and an idea formed. "You healed Henry's little Satyr friend with his assistance." She looked to Henry. "You could do it again, couldn't you Henry. Give us all a demonstration of how you help heal. Did you know Ikehorn had only a rudimentary level of magic ability before you interfered with him? He had to work so hard to compensate for this; I think that's what made him such an effective enforcer. Now?" She tilted her head to gaze at Henry as she waited for his answer. She knew what it would be, of course.

He blinked in surprise at her and opened his mouth to speak.

"Are you asking for a favor from Henry?" Mahati asked from his side.

Mab's eyes locked on the lawyer and rage flared behind them. "A simple thing-"

Showing no awareness of the Queen's danger signs, Mahati continued. "Not for a non-wielder. It is a significant effort for Henry who doesn't have your powerful wielder abilities."

Queen Mab was trapped by her need to see Ikehorn heal the Ogre who nearly crippled him and her desire to preserve her three favors from Henry. Spending one of them on this seemed frivolous but... she couldn't back down in front of these witnesses. The Queen finally nodded to Mahati to grant the point the other woman had won. She'd find some way to get back at the interfering bitch.

Mab was aware the young lawyer was a member of the Chandra family and knew how powerful the matriarch was. This one, however, wasn't showing the proper degree of fear and respect. Mab could see these emotions reflected on the faces of Henry's co-workers which made her feel a little better, but she wasn't going to forget the impertinence of this one. She would pay for what Mab had just lost.

Mahati turned to Henry. "If you do this for the Queen, you will fulfill one of the three favors you owe her."

Henry nodded gratefully to her and looked to Ikehorn who was watching him with wide eyes.

"Shall we make this man... better?"

-=-

Ikehorn was reliving his nightmare at the hands of Mab's Ogres. He was being punished by Mab once more, but he'd lost track of what he'd done to deserve it this time. He'd disappointed her?

She wanted him to heal the monster that took such glee in beating him almost to death. The very idea made his skin crawl.

He tried to explain how it wasn't possible but he could tell she wanted it. It was yet another sign of her diminished capacity that she allowed her desires to dominate.

When she brought the Satyr into the mix, Ikehorn thought he had an out, but once more Mab's desire won out.

He looked at the determined expression on the Satyr's face.

"Shall we make this man... better?"

Ikehorn barely suppressed sputtering incredulously in response. Make an Ogre better? Was the Satyr as simple-minded as their patient? They were brutes without the intelligence to know any better. Without a moral compass or compassion- Ikehorn froze as a thought occurred to him.

It was bold. It was daring.

It could very well be suicidal. The Queen would execute him if she discovered what he'd done... unless he took precautions.

Could he do this? He looked into Henry's eyes and saw his awareness. Then he realized the man had phrased his question to guide Ikehorn's thoughts to this.

He recalled being in the hospital room with Henry preparing to heal the female. The power being presented to him then, and the strength of the willpower backing it made him feel like a god at that moment. He'd felt like he had enough power to do anything!

Finally, he nodded to Henry and turned to Queen Mab.

"For safety sake, everyone should move back. To give us room to work and to avoid... spillover." Ikehorn said with a slight quaver in his voice.

A smile slipped back onto the lips of the Queen. It didn't fill him with warmth like it used to. The cruel glee was just a little too evident.

He moved stiffly to stand before the injured guard. He could feel his need to heal pulling at him, and he shuddered as he knew he was going to give in.

"Having some trouble?" Mab asked sweetly.

Ikehorn looked back at her and shook his head briefly. "No, my Queen."

He looked to Henry and realized he'd stopped thinking of him as the Satyr. That shook him as well. "Are you ready?" he asked brusquely.

Henry nodded and closed his eyes.

Ikehorn looked into the fearful, almost mad eyes of the Ogre. "I'm going to heal you. I'll take the pain away. I'm... going to make you better," he explained, and some of the fear left the eyes. Confusion took its place. Ikehorn understood that it couldn't conceive of receiving mercy from someone it had tortured. He held his hands out just above the surface of the Ogre's body and passed them up and down. The damage was extensive. The shunted stress from the mages ripped through the muscles, nerves, and other soft tissues of their 'sink' leaving him to bleed to death internally, in absolute agony.

He glanced to Henry and was surprised to see the man surrounded by a thick, deep green aura. The room began to take on a green tinge as the illusion spell soaked in the healing spell's magic as well.

"I can't hold this for long. It's harder to do inside this building," Henry gasped, eyes tightly shut.

Eyes wide, Ikehorn nodded then closed them to concentrate. The amount of power Henry was holding was more than a little frightening. Ikehorn was grateful to know he wasn't a wielder.

He held an image of a healed Ogre in prime health in his mind. Then he looked deeper. He bumped up his intelligence to match his own and more importantly he gave him a conscience, compassion, and caution. The last was his protection against Mab discovering the change. He held this ideal in his mind as he reached for Henry's power and will. The flood almost overwhelmed him until Henry pulled back.

Wasting no more time he opened his eyes and placed his hands on the Ogre. The green flash was intense and violent.

The collapse of the environment illusion spell caught everyone by surprise. The magic dissolved in a rapidly expanding wave, spreading outwards from Ikehorn's position. The Ogre and Henry fell to their knees, but Ikehorn remained standing and stared at the shocked expressions of the gathered people. He looked to Mab who sent a runner from the room, likely to confirm the illusion breaking wave remained within the chamber. There were a lot of illusions that needed maintaining in the rooftop castle. The room now showed its rich wood paneling. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with the riches of the Queen's priceless library of books and ancient scrolls. These were just copies as the originals never left her castle in Ireland.

Henry pushed himself up to his hooves and reached a hand down to the Guard. That one was blinking in confusion but pushed the offered hand away and managed to stand on his own. He gave Henry and Ikehorn a troubled look then walked away.

Queen Mab approached with an odd smile on her face. She looked excited and angry at the same time. "That was an extraordinary display. You used far too much magic for one spell, but I cannot deny you achieved the desired result."

Ikehorn bowed deeply, and Henry glanced at him then nodded to the Queen to acknowledge her weak praise.

Her smile widened. "Now we get to the fun part of the evening. It's time to join the party!" She offered her arm, keeping her eyes on Henry's. Ikehorn sagged with relief as they walked away. Mab paused and looked over her shoulder.

"Ikehorn, keep an eye on our three guests until they wake. See to their needs. If they are up to it, you may bring them to the party in the Great Hall."

"Yes, my Queen," he said with a bow.

He was to be a nursemaid. It was clear to him now that the Queen was going to relieve him of his duties as her enforcer. When he thought of that, he was surprised to realize he didn't mind anymore. The idea would have left him feeling suicidal once, but now...

He just wanted to go home.

-=-

Lise-Anne walked with Clive and Isaac as they followed the Queen and her Satyr escort. Missing from their group was Michelle, who remained with the sleepers as an excuse to avoid a party she was too shy to attend.

Looking forward, she examined Henry Gable. While everyone else wore their glamors, he remained in his true form, and she had to admit he was an imposing figure. They were going to join a party already underway. Considering the ease with which the Fae expanded rooms with illusions she was looking forward to seeing what they'd done with this Great Hall. She was also curious to see who the other guests were, if there were any.

The Queen stopped before the staircase and turned to address the group following her. Three of her guards were waiting there.

"The Great Hall is on the fourth floor midway down the corridor. My men will guide you. Henry and I will make our appearance after you've joined my other guests. Enjoy!" With that, she stepped into the elevator with Henry, and they were gone.

"This way," one of the guards indicated and gestured for them to follow him. He began to climb the stairs, and Lise-Anne moved forward with the others following.

Soon they were all walking down the corridor on the fourth floor. Lise-Anne glanced back and saw Henry's coworkers were showing expressions indicating various degrees of nervousness. Aside from the resting Succubus and her dark-skinned male protector, the dark-skinned female in the leather jacket had also remained behind to watch over the three sleeping women. Michelle had company.

The rest of the group stopped before a large set of double doors.

Two of the guards opened the doors, and the sound of music poured through them. Sweet, decadent, and sensual, the sounds drew them further into the room as their eyes tried to take it all in. The music was designed to make you want to stay, to listen to the next song, to be a part of it, but it was only one component in the trap.

The most profound element for most was the ceiling. Once more it was covered with an illusion, but this time it was a star-filled night sky, amplified significantly to be brighter and more densely clustered than ever seen before. The stars were fantastically brilliant amongst colorful nebulae which painted the room with shades of blues, greens, reds, and gold. When the hallway doors closed behind them, the full impact of the vibrant colors took their breath away.

Once their eyes freed themselves from the splendor of the skies above they saw the outer edges of the vast chamber furnished with large circular sofas the occupants had to climb into. Plush cushions filled each, making them resemble beds. There was a dance floor in the center of the vast room, surrounding a circular DJ's booth. A good number of the partygoers were enjoying themselves there. Servants were circulating with trays of drinks, food, and drugs.

Mab had set them up for a surprise, and it wasn't entirely pleasant. The servants were naked males and females barely out of their teens. Their youth was part of the illusion. The males all appeared to be blue-skinned Djinn with gold ankle and wrist slave bands and piercings in sensitive places. The females all had wet skin and long wet hair to look like Naiads, fresh water nymphs. And all of the servants were exquisitely lovely. So far so good.

The cruelty of this illusion was the fact that neither race existed any longer. Back at the dawn of the Hidden Races, representatives of the Naiads and the Djinn swore their people would not hide amongst the Humans.

So they were executed. Down to the last one.

They'd never been numerous to begin with, but it was a savage massacre none-the-less and remained a black mark on the souls of the descendants of those original members of the Council.

Lise-Anne found their inclusion at the party to be particularly disturbing. It was as if Mab was sending a message to the Council. She turned to share a troubled look with Isaac. His attention was drawn away by a group approaching from behind her. She glanced back, and her eyes went wide in surprise.

"Chancellor Mugawee! I wasn't aware you were in town!" she said in greeting to the leader of the Hidden Races Congress. She nodded to the two congress officials accompanying him, Ilsa Klöckner, Minister of Finance and Elena Velázquez, Minister of Environment. Lise-Anne hadn't expected to see these three until the congressional meeting next month.

The Chancellor was wearing the glamor of a slim, 5' 6" African man in his mid-sixties with greying hair. Lise-Anne knew he was one of the Ninki Nanka, though she'd never seen his real shape. The threat of him shifting to it was often enough to calm contentious members of the Congress in heated arguments. Seeing him in this venue was more than a little alarming as he rarely traveled and never to the States.

The man gave Lise-Anne a frustrated look. "The surprise trip was courtesy of our host and was more like a summons than an invitation as we passed through a door in the congressional offices into an audience chamber next to this hall. I suspect most of these guests arrived the same way."

Queen Mab kidnapped the Chancellor and two ministers? Lise-Anne and Nils gasped in shock.

"The Regent has been most gracious, so far. Are you aware of her agenda for this event?" Mugawee asked and received a shake of their heads. He looked around with a sigh. "I don't think I've ever found myself in stranger company."

Lise-Anne followed his eyes and gasped once more.

She had to agree with him.

-=-

With the grand illusions to catch their attention, the new arrivals couldn't be faulted for not noticing the other guests whose normally exceptional appearance was rendered mundane by the backdrop.

It was Meixiu's surprised squeak that drew her friend's attention. Sigrid looked to her. "What's wrong?"

"That's Kate Kardellian! And that's Beyond with Jay-D!" she gasped excitedly, seeing the celebrities she recognized from TV. Her eyes darted from group to group, and she sucked in an excited breath. "Oh! Oh! Cara Delevine and Miranda Carr!" At Sigrid's questioning look, she explained. "They're famous supermodels!"

Meixiu's head was spinning. There were so many famous people in attendance. She could see others she didn't recognize but may have been celebrities from other countries. She gasped when she spotted the members of a K-Pop band on the dance floor with two gorgeous ladies from India who could easily have been Bollywood celebrities. It was a multicultural celebrity blitz!

Sigrid and Camila shared a glance, and Roy's expression became grim.

"Fae Queen, super-secret hidden castle, magic driven décor, and Human celebrities. Henry's still in his natural form." He looked at the others in his group.

"This is going to be bad," he rumbled.

-=-

As the Chancellor and his ministers made their way towards the doors, Lise-Anne's head was turning quickly in all directions identifying the rich and famous Human celebrities in attendance. She spotted current NYC Mayor William de Blastio reclining in a nearby couch with a drink in his hand. He seemed to be dazzled by the stellar display above.

She slipped her cell into her palm. She had some precautionary measures to make. With a frown, she realized there was no signal which meant there was a shield on the vast room. Considering the nature of the guests attending, that containment would actually work in her favor. She queued up some texts to have certain assets activate the moment signal was available again. The cell went back into her pocket.
Then her eyes caught sight of someone approaching that made her breath freeze in her chest. Ever since the... presumed death of Ra'Anek, she'd been expecting to encounter another member of his family. The 'spirit animal' race was an insular group, but they watched out for each other. Seeing who was approaching and knowing his reputation, she wished it was a different relative. She didn't know his real name as he never gave it out.

"Well met, Minister Hoek," the tall, handsome man with the crooked smile said. His piercing blue eyes locked on hers.

She leaned forward and pitched her voice for his ears only. "Greetings, Huehuecóyotl! I- I wasn't expecting to see you here!" She looked around. "But then, I wasn't expecting to see any of these guests!" she admitted.

The tall man smiled as he looked around. "Coyote is fine. Yes, our host is up to something. Something with great potential to cause social upheaval. I couldn't not attend as I'm drawn to such events." He glanced around. "This certainly beats hanging around a tech expo waiting for announcements of the latest cell phone features."

Lise-Anne stared at him with a shocked expression.

He snorted and laughed aloud. "Sorry, your expression is priceless! I don't do that. Really."

She gave herself a shake. "We believe Ra'Anek may have met his end. I want to give you my condolen-"

"No need." Coyote interrupted with a smile then gave her an evaluating look. He nodded slightly. "It's true, he's left this plane of existence, but I expect he'll be waiting for me in the next. Or he may decide to give this one another go." He shrugged then looked around the room casually.

"What- what's happening here?" she asked.

With a wide grin, Coyote shrugged again. "We'll have to wait and see, won't we." He touched her arm as he moved past her to disappear amongst the other guests.

Lise-Anne's nerves were on high alert. She wished Rand was here. She suspected she was going to need all the help she could get when this party went off the rails as Coyote's attendance suggested. The being was an agent of mischief.

Much better than even odds.

She walked closer to the door and noted the Chancellor's group was being directed back to the party by the guards posted there and her discomfort increased. She reached into her pocket as she wanted to check for a signal again but... her cell wasn't there.

Her head whipped around once more, but this time she was trying to locate Coyote.

Queen Mab wasn't the only one up to something. Shit!

Chapter 42

Henry stood in a luxuriously appointed apartment. The entire top floor of the castle was the Queen's personal and private space. Her quarters were huge and filled with beauty. The art, the furniture, the textiles, and even the window treatments all spoke of the wealth and style of the monarch, each acting as an accent to the beauty of the Queen herself. It was the natural setting to find her relaxing. He glanced at her, and for the first time in this visit, she did look relaxed and happy. That was a very good look on her. When the intensity dialed back just a little, Mab's beauty tugged at Henry's libido with the power of the sun. He felt himself reacting, and for once, he didn't feel the prerequisite fear.

"May I offer you some Nectar? It's the real deal, minus the gift of immortality. They used the original recipe, and it's only mildly intoxicating. I guarantee you; it tastes better than anything you've ever tasted before," she said with a gentle smile.

Henry felt the smile right down to his toes, but he shook his head faintly. "I've been told I need to keep in control of my mind."

She poured herself a small glass of the golden liquid and sipped it while she kept her eyes on Henry.

Once more he felt drawn to her, and he struggled to focus on anything else other than how lovely she looked and how much he wanted her. He knew that allure was only an aspect of her glamor but his body didn't care. Intellectually, he knew what lurked just beneath the beauty and steeled himself against his desires.

Mab swallowed delicately, and her green eyes watched him with interest. "You fascinate me, Henry. You're an enigma of magic and a social studies puzzle wrapped into one."

A snort of amusement burst from him in surprise. "I get the first part but the second?"

She gestured to a small couch, and they sat, turned slightly to face each other, knees almost touching.

"I've known many Satyrs in my life, and I've studied their behavior. While there were unique variations, as a group, they were confident, outgoing, and assertive. You were raised by that overbearing witch and forced to inhabit a physically diminutive Human form. Subsequently, you don't share those traits with your ancestors. It's classic Nature vs Nurture."

Henry saw the point she was making and found himself agreeing with her, but she was still making him feel like a test subject in somebody's experiment. His displeasure must have shown on his face.

"This is another difference. Your face is far more honest in exposing your true feelings than theirs did. I've offended you somehow."

Henry's first impulse was to deny her words, but he found himself unwilling to lie to the woman who lied to him so boldly.

"I'm not a lab rat. I'm a person... with true feelings. You often talk about me like I'm some kind of experiment."

She went still and held his eyes with hers for a moment. "Do I?"

He saw she was honestly curious, so he just nodded.

"Well, I'm going to do something I rarely do so listen carefully. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable. It's difficult for me to relate to others and to know how my words affect them."

Henry was stunned to hear Mab apologize. It must have been difficult for her. He didn't trust himself to respond appropriately, so he nodded.

"While I'm expressing remorse I should mention the Orgy I threw while you visited me in Ireland. I see now you weren't ready, both physically and mentally, to participate in such an event." He could only look at her in surprise as she continued. "You've only recently begun to experience the physical manifestations of your people's greatest gift to Humanity."

"My what?!? Did you call it a gift?" he asked incredulously.

"For that period in history, it was a gift. The current day Humans need no assistance in over breeding. Back then, life was much harsher for early Humans. Stress reduced the female's ability to reproduce, and the males were struggling too. Satyrs provided a much-needed respite from the daily trials of life. Once, local Satyrs would be invited into Human villages to participate in fertility ceremonies and the birth rates naturally increased. It wasn't your people's fault that Human females were drawn to the Satyr at the party and sought them out between these ceremonies in the hopes of a little extra stress relief. Unfortunately, the males didn't like this."

Henry struggled to accept that there was some value to his... pheromone sex bomb, or at least had been. He sighed. "It's more than a nuisance. Because of suppressing it, it got stronger, and I wasn't able to stop it when my friends triggered it. I was too exhausted to stop them from being exposed to the Wild Magic."

"Who told you to suppress it?!?" Mab exclaimed.

"Ikehorn."

"He's not-" Mab stopped and paused as she considered her next words. "He's weak. As I said before, he was never a strong wielder, so he wasn't the right person to turn to for advice. But, you didn't know." She watched Henry for a moment. "You did change him, you know. Before, he was an excellent enforcer. Hard, decisive, and when he needed to be, vicious. Now, you've made him into a healer. He's become... soft, empathetic. Those attributes don't fit his role."

Henry was worried at the tone she was using when she spoke about Ikehorn. Like she was considering ways to discard him. "People change. Grow. He has... new value in the way he is now."

She just nodded and looked away.

Henry was beginning to feel awkward. "Shouldn't we be joining the party?"

Mab smiled at him. "I'm the host. I always make a grand entrance. Eager for some fun? I can't wait for you to meet our guests!"

"Oh? Who did you invite?"

She smiled slyly at him. "The Beautiful People."

Henry's eyebrows went up. Considering the glamors the Fae wore, he wondered how much more beautiful people could get.

"It's time for me to ask for my first favor," Mab said with a slight smile and a twinkle of excitement in her eyes.

He looked to her as he instantly became tense.

She pouted at his expression. "It's not going to be bad, I promise! I think you'll find it very pleasurable!" she insisted as she stroked his arm.

His expressions changed from worry to surprise in a flash as he caught on. "But- the Wild Magic! It's toxic to wielders! It's too dangerous!"

She gave him a genuine smile and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "You're a sweet man to be so concerned, but you needn't worry. All that work I did when you last visited me in Ireland has given me a solution to that... little inconvenience. I have a way to make it perfectly safe!"

Henry knew Mab would find a way to get what she wanted, but now that she was hinting at it, the reality was sinking in. He took a deep breath. "The favor? You want me to make love to you?"

She burst into giggles, and he found it very odd to hear such a gentle and happy sound coming from the older female. "Oh Henry, you are such a refreshing breath of fresh air! Such an innocent!"

He blinked at her as he was off balance once more. Wasn't that what she wanted?

"I want to host a fertility ceremony your people were famous for."

"Fertility- an orgy?" It suddenly became clear to him what she was after. "You're asking me to use my pheromones to trigger an orgy?"

"Yes, Henry. Exactly that! It's been so long since I felt truly engaged with my partner! Satyrs were the only ones capable of making the experience completely fulfilling for me. Besides, my guests are expecting something truly unique. The ancient ceremony will thrill them like nothing ever has. This favor doesn't break any of the conditions your lawyer requested, so you will honor your promise, won't you?" She fixed her dazzling green eyes on him, and that perfect lower lip pouted once more with devastating effect. He wanted so badly to kiss her it took his breath away.

"Yes... but- but I still have very little control over it," he explained as his voice returned.

Mab's smile lit up her face as she heard his agreement. She stood and took his hands to pull him to his hooves. "Oh, what fun we're going to have!" She began to pull him towards a set of ornate double doors at the far side of the room.

Henry glanced over his shoulder toward the elevator. "Shouldn't we be joining the party- uh, orgy?"

"We will, my eager boy! But first, we'll start in my chambers."

His body was already beginning to react to her soft hands on his, the promise in her eyes, and the happy smile on her lips. But the reaction didn't include the heat. "Th-that's not going to trigger the pheromones," he gasped as they entered the bedroom. His eyes went immediately to the bed. Tall and thick mahogany pillars rose from the four corners of the plush mattress. The sheets looked so inviting, only Mab's purring drew his attention away from them.

"I don't think I'll have any trouble triggering the proper kind of reaction from you," she said with a wicked grin. She drew Henry to the end of the bed and slid up against his body. She was rubbing her body against his, and that felt delicious.

While Mab had toned down her intensity to a level that made Henry almost forget the monster within, he realized he wasn't totally at ease with her yet. He cleared his throat, and she looked into his eyes questioningly. "Is it too late to have a little of that Nectar?"

Her smile flashed across her face once more, and he wobbled a bit from its impact. She was so incredibly lovely. "Not at all," she said.

He expected they'd return to the living room but Mab reached an arm back, and two small crystal glasses appeared in the palm of her hand in a slight flare of light. They each held a few swallows of the golden liquid.

"What shall we toast?" she asked as she handed him his glass.

He found himself sinking into her green eyes. "Uh, to a successful ceremony?" he said absently.

Her eyes glowed a little brighter as her smile widened. "That's perfect!" She raised her glass to him then sipped as Henry did.

The Queen wasn't wrong. Nectar was the most wonderous liquid he'd ever passed across his tongue, slid down his throat, or gifted to his stomach. His eyes closed involuntarily as his body trembled with joy. He opened his eyes to look at the glass and saw there was enough for a second swallow. The intensity of his sudden need to drink it made his head spin. He took some slow deep breaths and forced his body to relax. Gritting his teeth, he shook his head and passed the glass back to Mab.

"I've never seen anyone refuse the second sip," she said, the pleasing sensation of surprise bringing a smile to her lips once more.

"You failed to mention exactly how good it was... but... I suppose words aren't sufficient," Henry said with a strained voice as he looked away from the glass. Another tremble went through his body, and he felt his muscles relax, just a little. A pleasant lassitude began spreading through his body. She'd also failed to mention its potency, or maybe she just didn't understand his sensitivity to intoxicants. At least he wasn't drunk this time, just relaxed.

Mab stretched her arm out again and, with another small flash, the glasses vanished.

"More and more you surprise me, and that is such a welcome sensation," Mab purred as she returned to rubbing her body against his.

Now Henry's libido woke up with a vengeance. With his momentary unease suppressed by the buzz of the potent Nectar, there was no holding back his desire. He moaned as the Queen's svelte form ground against his body and his kilt began to rise in the front.

"Mmmm! That feels promising! See, I told you this would work out," Mab said with satisfaction dripping from her words.

"You feel amazing, but this won't trigger the pheromones," he sighed.

Mab raised an eyebrow as her hand slipped under his kilt to take a grip on his heavy cock.

"Fuuuuck!" Henry moaned as Mab's fingers wrapped around the hot flesh and squeezed.

"Are you sure-mmmph!" Mab squeaked when Henry's mouth found hers as he pulled her against him in his strong arms. When he lifted her off her toes and spun her around, her eyes widened in surprise. Then she was on her back on the bed, and he was pressing his hard body down on hers. The pressure between her legs felt delicious. His kiss was a little raw, but his need fanned her passion, and she gave in to it for the moment. It'd been a long time since she'd felt this.

Henry couldn't get enough of her lips and her talented tongue. She felt soft and hot under his body, and he began to rock his pelvis in circles over hers.

"Oh! Yes! Henry! That's good!" she sighed as she pulled back from his mouth. She inhaled his scent and, while he smelled pleasantly warm and masculine, a tiny frown appeared between her brows. She couldn't detect the pheromones yet. Her previous Satyr lovers would have been flooding the room by now ensuring her receptiveness. She was eager to continue, but she needed his heat for her plans. She suddenly gasped as the hard ridge of his cock strummed across her clit. Fuck! He could make her cum without the stimulation of his pheromones!

"What's wrong Henry? Why aren't you expressing your heat?" she softly asked as she kissed his cheeks while undulating under him, trembling from the shots of pleasure coursing through her.

He slowly blinked as he was so fucking turned on. He found Mab's eyes with his, and he was falling into their green depths once more. "Doesn't happen one on one," he sighed as he caressed her lips.

She suddenly realized he wasn't trying to be difficult. It honestly wasn't going to happen! It had to! It was a crucial element in the spell. All her preparations would be for naught. She'd made a critical mistake, an assumption based on her previous experiences with Satyrs. Henry was proving once again to be an exception to the rule, and that would derail everything!

She had to think quickly. Henry said it wouldn't work one on one. She could call for some servants, but that had been disastrous in Ireland. She glanced over to a door at the side of the room. Her pet's antechamber. She could use them, but they might prove to be difficult to control with Henry added to the mix. She only had them trained for herself. She glanced at the clock as she felt another twinge go through her body. She couldn't delay. It needed to happen tonight. She had too much riding on this. That gave her an idea.

"Henry, I need to be on top," she whispered, and he rolled them over, his big hands going to her ass to drag her against the hard ridge of his cock. She allowed herself a moment to enjoy that then she gestured to the door. It unlocked and slowly swung open.

Curious crooning came from inside then two faces looked out the doorway. They sought the Queen then noticed she wasn't alone. They hissed and rushed the bed.

Mab made a sharp sound, and the two females froze instantly, looking to her in fear. Henry came out of his fog of desire in a flash due to the shock of seeing the two Succubi. He also recalled his time with Mab when her servants displeased her. That thought was a splash of cold water on his libido.

While his exposure to the race was somewhat limited, these two Succubi were distinctly different from Camila and Marisa, and he couldn't look away. They were remarkably identical from their five-foot eight-inch height, their svelte, hard muscled bodies, and their gleaming and hairless red-orange skin, including their scalps. The only extra padding they had appeared to be concentrated on their tits and asses which he supposed were a Succubi's tools of the trade. From their foreheads sprouted seven-inch red horns, curving back to deadly points. Their ears pointed upwards as well, and their large eyes were completely black and almond shaped. Slim noses were above full lips which were currently slightly open as they panted softly in their excitement/fear, showing their gleaming white teeth and not so insignificant fangs.

Henry managed to pull his eyes from them to look to Mab in question.

The Queen smiled at him. "Do you like my twins? I managed to save them from being murdered by their mother when they were born. They are quite affectionate."

Henry was off balance once more with this latest development. He felt his desire cooling further, and Mab frowned when she sensed him softening. She sat up to straddle his body then made another sound, and the twins looked at her in surprise then back to Henry. They moved to the sides of the bed and climbed up to stretch out on either side of him. Timidly, they looked up to Mab for confirmation and received a nod.

Henry carefully watched as they moved their faces closer to his. He couldn't tell where specifically they were looking as their eyes had no pupils, being completely black. They leaned in and sniffed his skin; one made a pleased sound as the other gently licked his cheek with the tip of her tongue. Henry's eyebrows went up as the licking one purred to her sister who also took a lick. Then the first one slid her mouth over his in a caress. That sent sparks through his body and parts that were falling asleep woke once more. He felt Mab enjoying this new firmness as her hips began to rock and grind again. Then he had no brain cells left to acknowledge the Queen as the Succubus' caressing kiss deepened and her tongue was doing some... intensely sensual wrestling with his own. Her plump, soft lips locked on his, and that was pure heaven. She began to make little needful mew noises, and Henry reached maximum rigidity. He heard Mab's purrs and her breathing began to sound like she was panting as well.
When the Succubus pulled back from the kiss, she stared at her sister across Henry's chest. Something passed between them as the second one quickly leaned over to kiss Henry too. She was a little more forceful than her sister, but Henry was immediately caught up in her passion and moaned into the kiss. She made mewing noises as her sister had. She tugged on his arm to slide his hand under her body.

Henry jolted when he felt the hot, slick softness of her wet pussy pressing against his fingers. When his other hand was pressed up against the wet opening of the other Succubus, Mab lifted his cock to position it for entry. It was suddenly too much, and the pheromone glands tingled fiercely, and his heat exploded out along his limbs.

The twins cried out as Henry slid a thick finger into each of them as they inhaled his pheromones. Their heat burst forth as well as they clung feverishly to his arms.

Under the triple onslaught of their scents, Mab lost strength in her legs and dropped onto Henry's pelvis, driving his cock deep into her body. She soundlessly screamed as the sensation of being filled beyond capacity overwhelmed her. Mab held very still, but she could still feel Henry's powerful heartbeat deep within herself. Even that felt like too much, so she willed herself to remain calm and more importantly, not to move.

Henry's mind was threatening to leave his body. The two Succubi were alternating between kissing him and teasing his nipples. He wasn't so much into the nipple play, but they were so incredibly excited there wasn't much he could do to stop them. He was pumping two fingers into each of them now, and from the sweet noises they made, as they struggled to kiss him, he knew they loved his attentions. He smiled at one when she pulled back from his lips, and she paused before giving him a sweet, shy smile. Then he lost view of her as her sister claimed his mouth with hers.

When Mab began to move, he moaned, and his hips began to lift. It felt too good. He caught her eye between kisses and saw a deep satisfaction in them. When the bed started to move, he thought he might be hallucinating, but he saw Mab leaning slightly to compensate for the turning of the bed. Then he saw the whole bed was lowering towards the floor and realized they were descending into the fourth floor. That's all he had time to observe as Mab began to rise and fall on his cock with vigor. Soon, her pale skin was gleaming with her sweat.

The twins resumed their kissing, and he felt their inner walls pulsing and squeezing his fingers as they came explosively. The one not sucking on his tongue began nibbling at his ear, and his mind soared away.

The heat continued to pour from his body, and the Succubi contributed to that as well.

He was in heaven but descending into.... what?

-=-

Roy was the first one to detect the flood. Lifting his sensitive nose, he took a careful sniff and reeled back. He looked to Sigrid and Camila. "Pheromones! Powerful ones, coming from above."

Sigrid took the scent as well and locked eyes with Roy. "It's Henry... and something else."

Camila noticed the guests closer to the center of the room were beginning to pull their clothes off and make their way to the closest circular sofa.

"I'm feeling very strange," Meixiu moaned as her pale skin began to flush.

Sigrid's brows came down as she realized Henry's heat was getting stronger. She licked her lip as it was pushing her will harder than it had before.

"These effects are caused by Henry's pheromones?" Mahati gasped as she unbuttoned the top few buttons on her blouse and struggled to keep herself from climbing onto the sofa pit.

"Shit! It's all I can do to stay in disguise and not ravish someone!" Camila muttered, visibly trembling.

"It has to be Mab. She's intensifying the pheromones somehow," Roy said through clenched teeth.

By now the effects were being felt right to the edges of the large room. The servants were being pulled onto the sofa platforms to be ravished by, or to ravish the guests there. The Fae seemed to be equally affected.

While the Humans were particularly sensitive to the pheromones, Roy saw the Council members succumb to them one after another with Lise-Anne being the last to maintain her dignity before climbing onto one of the sofas to tumble around with the occupants found there. He looked to Sigrid, puzzled. "Why are we able to resist?"

"It has to be the Wild Magic. It's stronger than the old magic. That might mean Mab is messing with Henry's heat, maybe boosting it with her magic."

Mahati looked distinctly embarrassed, uncomfortable, and desperate as she squirmed next to Roy.

"We're rather conspicuous, being the only ones still on our feet," Roy noted.

There was a sudden sound coming from above like delicate glass bells tinkling. Something in the center of the ceiling was descending.

Roy swept his arms out and gathered the women to his chest and pulled them to the shadows next to the side of one of the sofas. They were close enough to the center of the room to have a clear view of the circular platform slowly descending. It was spinning gently as it dropped, giving everyone a good show. The first thing they were able to see was a four-poster bed. Lit with invisible spotlights, this was another bit of magical trickery.

When Mab came into view, her flushed pale skin gleamed with sweat under the lights. She had her eyes closed tight as she energetically rode atop her currently hidden partner.

Camila pushed against Roy to give herself a little space. Her face reddened as she tingled where he'd pressed against her. She cast a look at Sigrid whose only sign of being affected was a slight beading of sweat on her forehead and upper lip. Mahati's control was gone. Clinging to Roy, she was desperately grinding against him. He gave Camila a concerned glance, but there was nothing for it. They had no antidote for this.

Then she realized she couldn't see Meixiu. Glancing over the back of the sofa, she saw the young vampire straddling actor Zack Effram and riding him hard. Camila looked incredulously at Sigrid, but she just rolled her eyes and shrugged.

Roy was keeping his eyes on the platform as wave after wave of pheromones spread out over the gathering. Moans and cries of ecstasy rose from every corner of the room. The intensity was increasing, and some of the calls sounded almost desperate. He held Mahati close and let her find her pleasure against the hard muscles of his leg.

The platform was now low enough to see Mab wasn't the only one on the bed with Henry. Two red skinned Succubi were writhing on either side of Henry.

"NO!" Camila hissed in outrage. "Ferals?!?" Her eyes widened as she took in their distinct coloration. She immediately recognized them for what they were. She also now knew the source of the heightened pheromones. It was a blending of heat from the three of them.

Sigrid gave her friend a worried look.

Camila shook her head in embarrassment and tried to get control over her anger and her loose tongue as she looked away. Ferals weren't something Succubi talked about, especially outside their race.

The fact that Mab had a set of twins and likely kept them as pets was beyond repugnant! It also broke the treaty the Queen had with the Succubi!

What was that crazy bitch up to?!?

-=-

The platform finally reached the dais in the center of the room where the DJ had been moments before. A subtle shield spell activated on the dais to keep visitors away. From the inside, the light outside the shield grew dimmer then the inner surface became a domed mirror giving an amplified and distorted view of the bed. When the lowering stopped, Mab realized she was reaching her limit. She looked down at Henry to see if he was close, but she couldn't see him past her pets.

She snapped out a sound, and they should have leapt from the bed. Instead, they looked to her and bared their fangs as they clung to Henry's arms! They'd bonded with him!

Trying to hide her rage from Henry she flicked her hands, and the two Succubi were flung from the bed in either direction to tumble off the platform. The energy field angrily snapped as they passed through it and, unconscious, they slid across the floor to crash up against the nearby sofas.

Henry blinked up at Mab, and she bit her lip in relief as she could see he was desperately close himself.

She prepared her master spell, the trigger on the tip of her tongue. Then she swooped down and kissed Henry deeply as she tugged on his arm to indicate he should be on top. Henry followed her wishes, and she grunted as the extra pressure pushed him even deeper inside. They both gasped as they ground together. His hips twitched then began to move on their own, long but fast strokes, pounding her against the mattress.

"YES! HENRY, YES!" she cried.

"I'm gonna cum! I need to pull out!"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Mab roared as her rage slipped her control.

Henry rocked back and almost pulled free. "It's... dangerous!" he mumbled, as he looked into her eyes.

She closed them and pulled at his hips to force him deep once more. Once she bottled up her emotions, she allowed herself to speak. "I- I told you. It's safe. Fuck me... please."

Still a little unsettled he began to thrust once more as she clung to him tightly.

Mab felt it approaching. She hadn't felt this good in a very long time. "yessss... harder!"

Henry was right there, but he could tell Mab needed a little more so he grit his teeth and followed her instructions. Soon he was back to pounding her against the bed, and her smile was back.

"That's it! I- fu- cum! Now!" Mab's eyes flew open as she felt the pressure break and ecstasy exploded through her body.

Henry cried out as he felt her begin to tremble and he released his control. He erupted deep inside her, filling her with his hot cum in surge after surge. His heat finally broke, and Mab's cries turned into gibberish sounds. He looked down at her in concern, worried the Wild Magic had affected her brain.

But she was looking up at him with glowing green eyes and the strange words were coming out of her mouth faster and faster, the pitch of her voice rising as well until it was just a high pitched whine. There was a massive flash of light, amplified by the mirrored dome surrounding them and a shockwave blew Henry up and backward. His outspread wrists struck something to become pinned as his ankles became tangled as well. When his head cleared, he found himself suspended between the two large posts at the foot of the bed, his arms and legs tightly bound by thick vines growing from the wooden pillars. Before him, Mab looked far more comfortable suspended in a hammock swing made of the same fibrous cables between the posts at the head of the bed. An aura of the green healing light surrounded her, and he could feel himself drawing it in rapidly for her. She faced him with her legs spread and raised slightly. She quickly twitched, and her expressions were flashing by on her face like she was moving in fast motion. He frowned as he didn't understand what was going on. None of this had ever happened before, so it had to be something Mab was controlling, but what?

Then he glanced up and noticed the thin tendrils of silver light bleeding from his horns up to the mirrored surface of the dome. That surface had changed its shape to reflect some of that light through the green aura to touch the top of Mab's head. He couldn't tell where the rest of the light was going.

His eyes finally locked onto an unusual motion. It was Mab's tummy. It was growing, and a sick horror filled him.

She was making a baby. And it was his.

Chapter 43

Marisa surfaced from her sleep and saw Nate sitting and dozing next to her bench. He had an arm resting across her protectively. She recalled their previous night's activities and smiled. He was a very skilled lover, and with no danger of altering her with his essence, he was finally able to relax and enjoy it thoroughly. They hadn't used a condom and Nate was so expressive about how amazing she was, she finally had to kiss him to shut him up. She chuckled at the memory, and his head popped up as he looked to her.

"What? Are you ok?" he asked in concern.

"I'm fine. Feeling better even," Marisa said with a smile. She spotted Tish walking over in her Human disguise with a smile on her face, so she sat up. Nate stood and stretched the kinks out of his back.

"How are you feeling?" the tall brunette asked gently.

Marisa nodded. "I feel fine. Just a little tired. Nothing a good night's sleep won't cure."

Sandy came running over, and Marisa couldn't get over how different she looked with Human hair. She already saw Kesini as an integral part of the blonde. Her bestie Dayshia was walking over at a more sedate pace speaking with Mary and Michelle. Once they were all gathered around, Sandy glanced around then leaned in to whisper. "What's the second trigger for?"

Tish and Dayshia leaned in a little closer as well. The others were listening curiously too.

"It's for a shield spell to protect you against offensive magic attacks. It probably won't block spells from master level wielders like Queen Mab or Baba Yaga but anyone less, most definitely." She looked to Mary whose expression showed her disappointment. "I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you but I'm not a wielder, and I could only sneak it in while the Fae mages bound their glamor spells." She looked to the other three. "It's best to keep it a secret until you need it." She looked back to Mary. "In a magic attack, stay behind one of these three."

"Magic attack. Like we'd recognize it happening," Mary snorted, and Marisa acknowledged her point with a small smile and a shrug.

"Company," Michelle quietly said as Ikehorn approached.

They turned to look at the Fae who bowed slightly to them. Tish spoke first.

"You're the one who healed me with Henry?" she asked, her expression guarded.

He paused and looked to her with a sorrowful expression. He cleared his throat. "I'm also the one who orchestrated the plan to have you and your friends injured to ensure Henry's cooperation in the Queen's plan."

"Which is?" Marisa asked.

He looked to her but shook his head. "I don't know." He looked back to Tish and bowed deeply. "My apologies for the pain I caused you and your friends."

Marisa's eyebrows went up. "I've never heard a Fae apologize... for anything!"

Ikehorn looked to her again. "Yes, well... I've changed."

Marisa smiled. "Henry changed you."

Stiffly, Ikehorn nodded. Then he frowned. "In strange and significant ways. I- I'm finding myself questioning my previous behavior and regretting much. It's... difficult to process."

"You heal people now. Compassion is a necessary attribute for that. A conscience leads to empathy," Marisa said gently.

He nodded then frowned nervously. "This change has not pleased the Queen."

"Which brings us back to her plans for him. I think we should go attend this party to see if he needs any assistance," Marisa said as she stood.

The others traded nervous glances, especially Michelle, but they followed Marisa and Ikehorn to the double doors. Before they arrived, the ceiling pulsed once with a silver light.

Ikehorn looked up in surprise. "That shouldn't be possible. The floors are supposed to be isolated. Magic shouldn't be able to bleed from one to the next."

They turned to the doors, but two of Mab's security goons stepped in front of them to block their way.

"Too late to join the party now," one growled with a sneer on his lips. Ikehorn looked to the other and saw intelligence in its eyes and discomfort in its expression. Just following orders.

"We need to go see if Henry is ok," Sandy insisted.

Dayshia dropped her glamor and allowed her eyes to return to their new natural state. She gaped at the massive Ogre Sandy was facing off against, and her mouth went dry.

"The doors only open for us and we're not opening them for you. Go sit down," it growled.

Unable to look away from the brute Dayshia reached out a hand blindly to pull Sandy back, but the blonde stepped forward into the guard's personal space.

"You aren't hearing me. We need to go see Henry, now," the small blonde said firmly.

The Ogre's minimal patience ran out, and he swung a big backhand at Sandy as Dayshia sucked in a terrified breath. Kesini snapped forward to intercept the slap and grabbed the Ogre's arms, legs, and throat to slam him up against the door he'd been blocking. He struggled, but he couldn't move. As his air slowly ran out his rage turned to fear.

Sandy turned her head to face the other guard who just stood blinking at the small being before him. Dayshia suddenly realized he couldn't see Kesini as Sandy was still wearing her glamor.

There was a solid knock on the door behind the frozen guard. He glanced at the door then back to Sandy. She tilted her head to indicate he should open it. So, he did.

Standing in the doorway was an old woman. She was deeply wrinkled, her body bent and weathered with age, and her peasant's dress was soft, worn and faded. For all her apparent age, her eyes held a fearful strength.

"Baba Yaga!" Marisa gasped.

Sandy's eyes widened. "You're Henry's Baba? He misses you so much!"

The old woman frowned. "He's a fool, then," she insisted, but there was no bite to her words.

She looked curiously at the guard pinned up against the door gasping out his last breaths.

"Oh!" Sandy said, realizing what Kesini was about to do. The guard suddenly launched from the door to sail over their heads and crash to the floor halfway across the room where he lay still. Sandy dropped her glamor, and Kesini was visible once more.

"A Gorgon? I haven't seen one of your kind in a very long time," Baba said with interest. She then looked to Dayshia who was doing her best to not look at her. "Face me," the old witch snapped.

Dayshia felt the compulsion and involuntarily looked to her. She sucked in a breath then relaxed as she only saw an old woman. Baba was either preventing her from seeing beneath a façade, or she was what she appeared to be. "I'm not familiar with your race, but truth seeing is a dangerous gift to give to someone so young. Practice caution and discretion. Keep what you see to yourself." Dayshia nodded shakily.

Tish dropped her glamor, and Baba's eyes widened. She opened and closed her mouth a few times as something passed behind her ancient eyes. Then her jaw snapped shut as Baba turned her face away for a moment. Turning back to Marisa, she was frowning. "Where is the boy! Someone is meddling with power they should not!"

Marisa moved closer and pointed up. "Queen Mab's thrown a party, and he's preventing us from joining it." She indicated the remaining guard.

Baba considered the Ogre, and it dropped its glamor too. Sandy, Tish, and Mary gasped. The old witch smiled. "You're surprisingly civil and cooperative for one of your kind," she said.

"That's his fault!" the Ogre grumbled, pointing a thick finger at Ikehorn.

"Meddling Fae," Baba snapped angrily, but Tish stepped between them, closed her eyes, and activated her magic shield. The old witch frowned and noted the strength of the defense. It wouldn't stop her, but it would take a vast amount of energy to get through. Baba needed to save that for Mab if required.

"Please. He's a healer now," Tish pleaded slowly opening her eyes.

Baba noted the shocked expression on the Fae's face. He hadn't expected the Satyr to protect him.

"Can we go see Henry now?" Sandy asked.

The witch sighed in frustration but nodded. She looked to the Ogre. "Lead me to him." The guard just nodded and left the room to head for the stairs. The witch followed with everyone else rushing to keep up.

Ikehorn touched Tish's arm as he walked next to her. She glanced at him. "Why?" It was all he could manage through his tight throat.
Tish considered him for a moment. "You said it yourself. Henry changed you. You aren't the same person who did those things, and you expressed remorse for doing them. I can also forgive you as my life now is so much better than it was before. Thank you for healing me."

Ikehorn nodded shakily and fell behind a little so he could wipe his eyes, unseen by the others. This swelling of emotions was another gift from Henry. Before, the strongest sentiment he'd felt was hate and even that he had to work at to maintain. The depth of the feelings he was able to access now? Overwhelming! It was like... he was suddenly seeing the world in color for the first time.

Then he caught Baba Yaga glancing back at him. She frowned then looked ahead. A chill ran down his spine. How could this... being have raised someone like Henry?

And why was she here now?

-=-

When Mab threw the two Succubi from the bed, Camila moved from her hiding place. Keeping low, she rushed forward and reached the first one just as a massive flash of light exploded from the platform. She looked up and saw Henry was in trouble. He was bound spread-eagled between the two, footboard bedposts and a silver light was draining from his horns. That silver light began leaping from the top of the energy shield over the central platform to each of the surrounding sofas. These were suddenly forming domed energy shields of their own, trapping their occupants inside. She looked back to Sigrid in shock but saw her friend yanking Meixiu clear a split second before the field snapped in place over that sofa. The actor and two other couples remained inside, unconscious the moment the field activated.

The room also began to glow with the green healing aura as each energy dome filled with it.

Camila looked up in awe at the web of silver threads spreading outwards from Henry's trap to all of the other domes. Inside each, the occupants were twitching minimally but in fast motion.

She looked back to Sigrid who was tending to a very groggy Meixiu. The young vampire finally nodded and hugged herself as tremors shook her body.

Camila checked the unconscious Succubus and saw it was breathing and had no visible injuries. She kept low as she moved around the central dome to find the second Succubus and it was also unconscious but otherwise uninjured. The CEO carefully lifted the sleeping twin and carried her back to her sister, gently setting her down. Confirming they were both unconscious, she rushed back to the others.

"I take it they're alive?" Roy asked, and she nodded. "They're Succubi, but I've never seen one like them before. You called them feral. What does that mean?"

She gave her head a brief but firm shake. "Later, we have to get Henry out of that energy dome somehow. How's Mahati? She's our only wielder."

The female in question was resting back against the sofa, staying clear of the energy field. She looked to Camila, her face still flushed with the aftereffect of the pheromones which thankfully were dissipating. She looked distinctly embarrassed. "I'm... well."

Roy looked into the dome, and his eyes widened. He looked back at Camila in shock then rushed forward to peer into the force field with Henry. "Shit!" he exclaimed softly then rushed back. "This wasn't an orgy. It was some kind of fertility ceremony for the specific purpose of producing a baby for Mab! She's pregnant and developing fast. The silver light coming from Henry's horns might be accelerating time within the domes." He moved to peer into a few other domes. "Other pregnancies are developing in these domes as well! In the Humans!"

Sigrid looked to Meixiu then back to Roy. "Accelerated time? How are they remaining alive without food and wat- OH! The healing magic!" she gasped. He nodded.

"Henry's trapped in the dome with Mab. Can you get him out?" Camila asked Mahati who frowned and hovered her hand close to the energy field momentarily. She looked back to Camila.

"Not without great risk to the occupants. I could probably overload the field, but it may fail... explosively. There are energies at work here I've never seen. The silver light-"

"Is none of your affair so don't be meddling in things you don't understand."

They turned to face the voice and froze. Baba Yaga!

She was walking amongst the energy domes, looking inside each like they were display cases in a museum. Behind her was the rest of their group.

Marisa moved forward to hug her mother. Then she spotted the ferals. "What-"

"We'll talk later."

Baba would have none of that. "Oh! What do we have here?" she said with glee. "Feral Succubi? Mab has been a bad girl, hasn't she! Exposing such a guilty secret! How will you explain this to your friends?"

Camila glared at the witch. "Brutal necessity."

Baba looked into her eyes and nodded gently. "A good answer." She moved off to look into the other domes.

Camila sagged then looked back to the others who were watching her. She sighed resignedly.

"On exceptionally rare occasions, Succubi are born in a feral state. It's a form of birth defect. They all share the same physical characteristics you can see. Worse, they suffer from specific genetic defects that limit access to some areas of the brain while heightening others. The result is stunted intellectual growth and behavior driven by increased aggression and wild instinct. The Fae won't waste time and effort giving them a glamor as Ferals won't use them. This behavior makes them too much of a threat to the Hidden Races secret to be allowed to live. As horrific as it must be for a new mother to do, feral children must be euthanized at birth. For the safety of us all." She shuddered as she contemplated it. "Mab must have stolen these... twins, which are the rarest of the rare."

"What do we do about these two?" Roy asked.

"Nothing," Baba said from a few rows away.

Roy looked uneasily between Camila and Sigrid. The latter just shrugged. Baba had spoken. They weren't powerful enough to argue.

When the witch returned, she fixed her eye on Sigrid who was scowling at her. "What is it, woman?" she asked testily.

"Aren't you going to break Henry out of this trap?" the Valkyrie blurted, relieved to get the question out.

"And kill all these living souls?" Baba asked incredulously. Sigrid looked at her in surprise causing the old woman to cackle with glee. She sighed with contentment once she finished laughing. "It's true. I don't care about any of these insects under the domes. However, the children they are creating is a different matter."

"Children?" Sigrid asked.

"This was a fertility ceremony. I counted thirty-two new infants about to enter the world, imminently," Baba explained.

Sigrid looked around at all the... incubators. That's what they were. "Human children-"

"No!" Baba grinned manically. "None of these newborns will be human. Soaked in the Wild Magic from their inception, what forms they will take is unknown. These will be exceptional children, but they cannot remain with their birth parents. The Hidden Race Council will have to find homes for them. Surrogate parents. They have quite the task ahead of them."

Tish stepped forward, back in her Human disguise as the Ogre, who remained in the hallway, had warned them that the room contained human guests. "I could take care of one!" Sandy and Dayshia looked at her in surprise.

Baba smiled at the tall woman and approached her. With a gesture she canceled Tish's glamor, forcing her back into her new form. Tish blinked at Baba in surprise as the witch gently patted her tummy. "You will have your hands full with this one. Don't bite off more than you can chew."

"What... I'm not- I can't be! I can't have a baby!" Tish stammered, almost panicked.

Baba shrugged. "But you are and you will." She turned her attention back to Sigrid oblivious of the impact her words had on Tish. Sandy and Dayshia rushed to her sides to brace her as her trembling legs began to give out.

"I cannot break the link until Mab's spell completes. If I try, I kill everyone contained within the energy fields, including the developing children." The witch looked to Mab who was watching her thoughtfully through the shimmering light of the dome. "She knows it too. It was her gamble that I wouldn't risk Henry. But I'm more interested in the child growing within her. What purpose does she have for a child at her age?"

"How long until the spell completes?" Sigrid asked.

Baba looked into the interior of the closest sofa. "Minutes from now. Time is moving much quicker within the fields. She will pay for meddling with what she shouldn't."

Everyone but Baba jumped as they heard the sound of footsteps approaching. A tall man with a crooked smile walked around the central dome and walked over to them. He was smiling at the witch.

"Well met, Baba Yaga," he said.

"Coyote. I suppose I'm not surprised you're here," she replied.

He nodded. "Plenty of potential for social upheaval here. I would have been here sooner, but I had some texts to send for the Minister of Security."

Baba's eyebrows rose. "You work for the council now?"

His smile was wide and toothy. "You know me. I work for everyone's best interests. Even if they don't know it yet."

Sigrid was becoming anxious about the impending completion of the spell. Their bantering wasn't helpful in this situation. "If the Humans wake when the spell concludes, we'll have a massive breach of the secret, if we haven't already. These are famous personalities in Human culture. They can't just disappear," Sigrid exclaimed.

Baba glared at her. "And how is this my problem?"

Coyote gave her a sly grin. "Is it not in the children's interest, to maintain the secret?!?" He'd been listening in, of course.

"Why would you care? Aren't you an advocate for change?" Baba challenged him.

Coyote shrugged. "Subtle yet profound change is best. This... this is blunt force trauma. There is no finesse or cleverness to this. I'm disappointed in the Queen. She can do better than this."

Baba frowned as she considered that point. "I still haven't determined her true intent. This could be a decoy." After a moment of silent staring around, Baba began hissing like an old steam engine. Then she looked around at all the sofas and seemed to be counting.

"Uh, excuse me?" Dayshia said.

"Silence!" Baba snapped as she tried to put the pieces together.

"The Queen is leaving." Dayshia asserted with a cross look at being dismissed.

"WHAT?" Baba looked at Dayshia in surprise then over to the central dome. It looked like nothing had changed but...

"Where is she going?" Baba asked. Dayshia pointed up.

They heard the sound of glass bells tinkling then there was a brilliant silver and green flash before the vast chamber plunged into darkness as every energy field collapsed simultaneously.

Another bright flash exploded outwards in a wave from Baba, filling the Great Hall with its light before the room went dark once more.

"What was that?" Sigrid asked.

"Something to keep the Humans unconscious for a few hours. That should be enough time for you to find a way to deal with them," Baba growled.

"Don't you mean 'for us to find a way'?" Sigrid asked from the darkness.

Then began the wailing of the newborn infants.

Sigrid called for her armor, and the white light painted the area around her. Baba was gone. Coyote, as well. "Shit!"

"The Ferals! She took them!" Camila gasped.

"She did warn us to leave them alone," Roy muttered.

Mahati stepped forward, muttering under her breath, and began to touch the sofas as she walked by them. Her spell caused them to glow softly, illuminating their occupants and the space around them.

Roy and Sigrid spotted Lise-Anne walking towards them with a baby in her arms. Clive and Isaac followed. Behind them, an old black man and two women carried children in their arms.

"Yours?" Camila asked the Minister of Security carefully.

The Council member shook her head, still a little dazed by her experience. "How- how long were we in there?"

"No more than twenty minutes," Roy replied. "How long did it feel like?"

Lise-Anne shuddered, and the baby fussed in her arms. "Months. A year? Maybe a little more." She finally shrugged then focused on the child in her arms. "We have to get the children to a safe place." She looked to the glowing sofas. "We have to-"

The big doors at the end of the room burst open, and dozens of agents from the Security ministry poured through. All dressed in matching black uniforms with visored helmets they moved amongst the sofas, each carrying a large duffle bag. Their team leader came to a stand before Lise-Anne.

"We received your message and prepared what you asked for." He gestured to the unconscious people in the closest sofa. "These are the Humans we need to treat?" the agent asked.

"Treat?" she asked in confusion. The texts she'd prepared hadn't explicitly outlined a plan as she hadn't had time to create one before her phone was-

"Are you well, Minister?" the agent asked as he watched her.

She straightened her posture and shifted the baby to her other hip. "Apologies. I was caught in one of Queen Mab's time compression traps. I'm having a little trouble recalling what I sent you."

The agent's eyes widened. He leaned in to bring her up to speed.

While the Council and its clean up team were preoccupied, Sigrid pulled her group to the side. Like Baba, she was also of the opinion that Mab might have meant for this to be a delaying tactic. When she saw she had their attention, most of them anyway as babies tended to be distracting, she addressed them.

"We need to go after Henry. Mab's already broken her contract with him. She has him held captive," she insisted.

Mahati was nodding. "I'm shocked that she managed to do it. The rationalizing required to allow her to break a contract in this way. Unheard of."

"Which means Henry could be in significant danger," Camila asserted. She looked to Dayshia. "You say she went up?"

"Yes, the whole platform, bed and all, just rose straight up and disappeared into the ceiling," Dayshia said pointing to where it went.

"So we have to go up too," Camila said.

Roy looked a little uncomfortable. "Didn't the witch go up there?"

"You heard her; she's not interested in Henry anymore. I don't think she's capable of loving anyone. She only wants the baby Mab is making and who knows for what! We have to go up to help Henry!" Sigrid argued. Roy looked her in the eye and nodded.

The group moved to the hallway outside the darkened chamber. There was no sign of the smart Ogre. The lighting was much better out here, and Roy did a quick headcount. Then he noticed Ikehorn was still with them. "No offense but we're going upstairs to confront your Queen about how she abducted our friend. We'd all feel much more comfortable not having a Fae wielder at our backs as well."

Ikehorn looked from face to face then nodded. "Apologies. I find myself at a loss for what I should do now."

"Go home," Sigrid suggested, and his face lit up for a second then the doubt came back.

"Whatever it is you decide to do, do it elsewhere," Roy said sternly.

Ikehorn just nodded. "I will be in the garden outside." He moved off in the opposite direction down the hallway. Sigrid wasted no further time and headed for the stairs up to the next level. As the group rounded the corner, they saw their way blocked by four of the large goons.

"I could probably incapacitate them with a spell-" Mahati suggested.

Camila shook her head. "It would be best to reserve your magic until we reach the floor upstairs. We may need all of your strength then."

Roy grinned at Mary. "This seems like a job for us."

Mary shared the grin and stepped forward next to Roy. She looked back. "Sandy, don't let anyone get past you and Kesini." The small blond smiled and nodded to her.

Roy looked at her curiously, but Mary just smirked. She liked having a secret of her own.

-=-

Henry witnessed the birth of his first child, while tied to the bedposts. It also happened incredibly fast. As the bed rose back up to the ceiling, Mab had been a blur as her violent motions indicated she was in intense pain or at least significant discomfort. Then it was over, and Mab had a beautiful girl in her arms. The newborn grew a few months older as they rose to the fifth floor, Henry's chest felt like it might explode as she watched the angelic face as she slept.

The platform sealed itself back in Mab's bedroom once more, and with that final tinkle of bells the spell was broken, and the energy field collapsed. The silver light was no longer being pulled from Henry's horns, though the draining sensation continued subtly.

Mab took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "That was an unpleasant experience!" she sighed weakly. She gave him a feeble smile. "Almost there. Just one more spell."

"What? What have you done?" Henry gasped as he tried his bindings.

"It's what I'm about to do that should interest you more," Mab said as she gently set the infant on the middle of the bed. Henry couldn't take his eyes from her face. Her eyes began to open, and Henry saw they were the most incredible shade of blue.

He heard a creaking and looked up to see Mab binding herself to the top bedposts like he was. The hammock had given way to single vines growing from the posts.

Mab stared across at him, and her green eyes began to glow once more. Grinning maniacally, she opened her mouth. Henry screamed as the words she spoke stabbed at his eardrums and made his brain boil like angry bees trapped in his skull.

His horns once more poured out the silver threads, but these were reaching down to touch the baby. The light played over the tiny body... and she began to age. Slowly at first through the infant and toddler years, then faster to reach and pass through the teens, and back to a slower pace through the twenties to stop somewhere close to thirty. That was how she appeared to Henry's horrified gaze at least.

The silver threads faded and Henry slumped against his bindings.

He heard a chuckling deep in a chest and forced his eyes open. The thirty-year-old woman stretching on the mattress was grinning widely and turned her eyes on Henry. Glowing, green eyes.

He immediately looked to the woman hanging in the bindings before him. Her glamor was gone, and her actual age was evident. He stared in shock at the ancient being before him who looked at him with innocent blue eyes.

"oh my god... what have you done?" Henry breathed in horror.

Mab sat up and grinned at him. "I gave myself a new start in a young body with your link to the realm of Wild Magic. It is very powerful. With my vast knowledge of spells and this powerful new magic source, I'll be able to do... anything! The Fae will rise again to rule the world and put those pesky Humans in their place." She pouted sweetly. "I had intended to begin my new era tonight by sending all those fools I gathered downstairs out into the world with proof of their insignificance. They were to be my heralds, announcing my return to power. Their children would be my foot soldiers. The Hidden Races Council would realize their time had passed." Her expression soured. "Typical, Baba Yaga has arrived to interfere."

"BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR CHILD?!?" Henry roared and pulled at his bindings.

The baby trapped in the crone's body jolted in surprise and began to cry.

Mab made an expression of false sympathy for her old body and frowned at Henry. "Don't worry, without magic to sustain her ancient body she won't suffer for long. Only minutes, in truth."

Henry stared at Mab in shock. She was a monster!

"You broke the deal."

Mab looked at him sharply. "I did NO such thing!"

"You're holding me captive!" he growled.

"Please, this is just a little bondage play. Human's do it all the time, and it's only momentary, not permanent," she asserted dismissively with a grin.
He shook his head. "Far more damning, you're physically endangering someone I consider important to me."

She looked at him. "Who?" She shook her head as it came to her. "You can't mean the infant? She's a stranger to you! She can't-"

"I watched her grow, and I witnessed her birth. She's part of me! Of course, she's important to me. She's my daughter!"

Mab looked at him with a strange, angry and anxious expression. She finally shook her head. "You're lying about her importance to you." She gave her head an angry shake then pushed the thoughts from her head. "No!"

She slipped from the bed and pranced over to her closet to find a gown. "It is so refreshing to go without a glamor and look this good!" She stepped out of the room.

Henry looked across to his... daughter and his heart began to pound. He had to save her. She couldn't die! Not when she was just born. Not like this!

Gritting his teeth, he began to pull on his bindings with everything he had. He recalled Sigrid saying he didn't know the limits of his strength, so he fed that into his efforts and every muscle bunched and strained.

He was almost at his limit when he heard it. A high pitched creaking. With renewed energy, he threw his head back and pulled just a little harder. His muscles were beginning to tear, but still, he strained with everything he had.

The frame suddenly failed with explosive force, and splinters flew outwards from the shattered pillars. Henry fell forward onto the mattress and scrambled to get to his hooves to catch Mab's old body as it fell from the dying vines. The damage he'd caused sent a cascade of failure through the entire bed frame. He gently lowered her to the mattress. Her blue eyes were fading, and the lost look in them tore at his heart. He began to cry as he rested his forehead against hers.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?!" Mab screamed as she returned from the powder room. She cursed as she stepped on a sharp splinter.

Henry ignored her as he pulled at the healing spell. He needed his daughter to live. To get better. She needed to be young again! He wasn't a wielder. He could pull the energy to him, but he didn't know how to shape it. He needed help!

His body bent backward in agony as fire raced over his nerve endings. He screamed and almost lost consciousness. The pain ended, and he looked over his shoulder to see Mab grinning as she shook her tingling fingers.

He glared at her. "Monster. You're a foul monster."

Mab's new face contorted with rage before she hit him with another bolt of pain. He grit his teeth and tried to endure it but ended up screaming once more. He threw his hands up to block her, and the space between them ripped open.

The rest of the magic bolt went through to the other realm and played harmlessly over the beautiful glass surface of Xiong's back. He had no nerves to carry the fire. He could store the energy though. He was getting quite good at that in their new home.

Xiong turned and looked at the surprised face of the woman. He felt the familiar mind of the one who saved him nearby. Henry reached out to it to commune and Xiong instantly picked up the situation. He was saddened that the child was in danger. He looked to the green-eyed woman and released some of the energy he'd saved to give it back to her. She flew back to crash against the wall and slump down to the floor, her ankle bent at an unnatural angle. Xiong realized he'd given the energy back harder than she'd given it to him though he still felt flush with the delicious energy. He bid farewell to the sad one who released his grip on the gate once more so he could concentrate on saving his child.

As it closed, Xiong wished him luck. He recalled his children and knew how special they could be.

Henry felt a spark as the gate closed and he tapped his horns against Mab's old body. That draining sensation came back then it grew stronger and stronger. He looked up and saw a thick rope of silver light emit from his horns and splash across the room. He tried to aim it, but it swung wildly. When it struck his daughter's true body, Mab screamed as she woke. The silver rope suddenly split and its other end snapped to the other half of the magic spell, Mab's original body.

Mab looked down at herself as she began to grow younger. She screamed as she dropped below 25 and the effect accelerated.

The doors to the room exploded inwards, and a huge Ogre rushed in only to stop in shock at the scene. He didn't know what to do. The sounds of battle entered the open doorway. He glanced nervously behind himself.

"HELP ME! I'M YOUR QUEEN!" Mab screamed before her body dropped more years, taking her into her teens.

A mental push accompanied the command so the Ogre couldn't resist it. In that moment, he saw the bright new future the Fae healer had given him stripped away but he was powerless to stop it.

He rushed across the room and picked up the Queen as he ran. The guard didn't slow, even though the silver beam was ripping years from his body as he ran. He tucked the Queen against his body and leapt against the fifth story window, crashing through to fall into the garden below. He rolled midair to protect her and land on his back.

The silver thread broke the moment they passed through the window, and the entirety of it snapped back to focus on Mab's old body. The years peeled away turning into decades and soon centuries. Wide blue eyes stared up at him as he struggled to control the flow, but he quickly realized he couldn't slow it down much less stop it. Mab's body became younger and younger as Henry desperately tried to pull away physically. If he couldn't prevent it, she was going to regress into nothing.

He managed to stumble a few steps away from the bed when he heard a noise behind himself. He just had time to turn to see Baba dropping the body of an Ogre over his horns. The massive weight crushed Henry to the floor and broke the thread of magic. The dead weight atop him absorbed the energy and winked out of existence in a silent implosion. The corresponding sudden expansion of the vacuum slammed Henry violently against the floor.

Henry lay there slipping in and out of consciousness as Baba walked past him. When she came back into his view, she was holding a baby girl. She set the baby on the floor next to him and whispered words that tickled and teased his hearing. Henry hissed as his right hand flattened on the floor, and the fingers splayed. He couldn't move anything but his eyes, so he watched the baby's tiny right hand do the same thing on the floor next to his. He looked up at Baba as she knelt next to them.

"Ba...ba?" he gritted out.

She looked to him, and her eyes held a strange mix of emotions. He thought, hoped, he saw compassion in there, and maybe even love, but it was gone before he was sure. "She's still dying. She's a creature of the Wild Magic trapped in an old realm body. You can't help her but I can. Hush now."

Baba pulled her ornate scissors from the pocket of her apron and opened the blades as Henry's eyes widened in terror.

When she slammed the points through their hands into the wood floor, she severed his right ring finger at his palm, and the baby's as well.

Henry tried to scream, but he couldn't draw a breath in his frozen state. His eyes went to the baby and saw she was wailing silently as well.

Baba pulled the scissors free, wiped them on her apron carefully and put them back into her pocket. Then she gently lifted both fingers and switched their places. His finger was bigger than the baby's entire hand.

He watched in horror as she whispered some words he couldn't quite hear, and the pain began again. The tiny finger was connecting to his severed knuckle and growing to fit. Nerves linked up, tendons reattached, veins reconnected, and sensation returned with a vengeance. He saw his severed finger was shrinking and binding itself to the baby's hand as she struggled to cry. He tried, but he couldn't move to protect her.

The magnitude of what Baba was doing exploded into his consciousness, and he struggled to speak. The ring! He had to stop her from putting his curse on the child. It wasn't fair to her! He locked eyes with the crone, and for the briefest moment she appeared to be considering his plea for her to stop this madness, but she looked away.

When the baby's finger had grown to fit his hand, he was shocked to see it looked like his old finger, minus the ring. Baba whispered again and lifted the baby in her arms. The witch touched his horns, whispering once more, words that sent sharp pains through his brain, and the subtle draining sensation stopped. She turned away and walked a short distance before pausing to look back at him.

"Goodbye, Boy," she said with sad eyes.

"no... please... don't take her..." he managed, but Baba stepped back into the shadows and was gone.

The moment she was gone the binding on his body released, and he screamed. All the pain, rage, horror, sorrow, and frustration burst forth as he could no longer contain it. It was too much. His mind finally shied away from the onslaught, and he passed out.

A small mercy.

Chapter 44

The fifth floor, Mab's domain, wasn't just protected by the Ogres at the base of the stairs. While they prevented access to the top level, a squad of Fae soldiers suddenly arrived in the hallway behind them.

Bringing up the rear of their group, Sandy, Dayshia, and Tish were the first to hear them and only had seconds to react.

"Magic Attack!" Tish gasped as she triggered her shield. Sandy and Dayshia got theirs in place a split second before blue lightning struck the air before them. They shrieked in fright, but the bolts just fizzled out as the electricity scrabbled across the surface of the shield. In fear, the women linked hands and watched their shield form a wall and spread out before them, blocking the next volley of blue lightning. Michelle huddled down behind them as well, trembling in fear.

A streak of white leapt over their protection to shoot towards the soldiers. It struck with tremendous force, tossing their bodies against the floor and walls like rag dolls. As quickly as it began, the battle ended with Sigrid standing over the fallen Fae soldiers. She poked a few with her spear, but they were down and out. She trotted back to the friends and grinned widely.

"Excellent defense coordination!" she exclaimed. The three just looked at the Valkyrie in awe and nodded weakly. She took up a position beside them with her shield at the ready.

"Save your energy for Mab!" Camila called out from the middle of their group.

Up ahead, Roy and Mary were going toe to toe with the four Ogres defenders. Both were holding their own, much to the rage of their opponents. Mary was taking a pounding but released that energy with devastating blows against their bodies. Bones were snapping, and blood sprayed, but the brutes wouldn't stop their attacks regardless of the damage they took. Their rage consumed them, leaving no room for rational thought.

"We need- to finish- this!" Mary gasped to Roy.

He saw the Ogre holding the top of the stairs turn and charge back towards the Queen's chambers. "You ready to get serious?" Roy asked her as he sent his opponent flying back against the wall. It shook off the blow, ignoring its missing ear and roared.

Mary gave Roy a quick look "Seems the only way," she said with a frown as she broke the leg of the guard rushing at her. It still managed to slam her into the corridor wall, but she rushed back to kick it in the ribs, driving it back to strike the stairs with its back.

"Why aren't they using guns?" Dayshia muttered to Sigrid.

The tall blonde gave her a grim smile. "They can't fire one inside the castle without risking the building's magic bindings. The building isn't truly here. Mundane explosions send shockwaves through magic. It wouldn't be good to have the building fall into the between with all of us inside."

Dayshia looked closer but to her augmented vision the building's integrity showed no sign of disappearing.

"I'll explain later. I'm going to assist Roy and Mary. Hold the line!" She spun and leapt over their group. She drew her sword and prepared to surge forward as she saw an Ogre jump at Mary. She lifted her shield just in time to block the spray of gore as Mary drove her fist through the brute's skull while Roy swept his claws upwards, opening his opponent's torso from groin to throat.

"Dammit, Roy!" Sigrid bellowed as the dead guard's shredded guts rained down from above, splashing off the shield.

He surged forward to finish off his last opponent with a savage bite through his throat.

Panting, blood dripping from his jaws, he turned to look into Mary's eyes just as she snapped the neck of the goon she was choking out. She didn't shy away from his gaze, and he grinned at her.

"You're one messy motherfucker," she said.

He switched back to his glamor and began to laugh when a terrible cry sounded from up the stairs.

He and Sigrid were the first through the door with Mahati close behind, spell prepped for launching, balanced on her fingertips.

But Mab wasn't there.

Baba Yaga wasn't there either.

And there was no sign of the baby Roy had seen growing in Mab.

As Sigrid was bringing Henry around, Roy moved to the massive hole in the window and looked down to see the dead body of the last guard. His body landed on the grass, but his head struck a stone walkway. Roy frowned as he spotted Ikehorn's body crumpled on the ground a short distance away.

Sigrid knelt next to Henry who suddenly burst into deep, soul-crushing sobs.

"Henry? Are you hurt?" she asked gently.

He rolled his head from side to side slowly.

The room pulsed slightly then dimmed.

"Shit! We have to go! Henry, get up!" Sigrid said as she grabbed his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Sandy nervously asked as she watched Sigrid haul Henry to his hooves.

"Oh my god! It's slipping away!" Dayshia gasped as she finally saw what Sigrid meant.

"Mab is pulling the plug on her castle!" Camila exclaimed. "Hurry! We have to get out of here before it takes us with it!"

-=-

Marisa was still exhausted from her efforts and running up the stairs drained her even further. She looked to Nate in desperation as she didn't know if she'd be able to keep up.

Nate dropped his glamor, scooped Marisa up in his arms and jumped out the window. His wings snapped open and, after a brief moment of terror, they found themselves gliding around the building. Marisa clung to him with her face pressed tightly to his neck. They tumbled onto the soft grass when they reached the bottom. Marisa lay next to Nate gasping for breath. When she felt her heart rate dropping back to normal, she looked over at him and saw he was grinning at her.

She reached over and slapped his shoulder. "Don't ever do that again!" she scolded.

"On the contrary, do it again!"

Marisa looked up and saw a teenage girl looking down at her.

"Ah ah ah! Stay right there," Mab said as she gestured to Marisa who was struggling to rise.

Suddenly, Marisa felt like a giant's hand was pressing her into the grass which covered the rooftop. Nate leapt to his feet but Mab touched his forehead, and he blinked in confusion at her, his facial muscles going slack.

"Aren't you going to glide me to safety, my dear Nathan?" Mab asked.

"yes... Marisa, of course," he said, distractedly.

Marisa stared up at Nathan and struggled to get a breath, to call to him and wake him from the spell, but she was beginning to see spots before her eyes.

"Sorry, I haven't quite gotten control over this body or its magic just yet," Mab said with a shrug and a gleam in her eye. She led Nathan away and waved goodbye to Marisa with a cruel grin.

All Marisa could do was watch Nate climb up onto the ledge, hug the young woman to his chest as his wings spread wide. He tipped over the edge and was gone.

Marisa couldn't breathe. She needed to scream, but she had no breath. She looked towards the castle which was flickering light and dark. She needed help, but she couldn't call for anyone.

And Nate was gone.

-=-

Camila stared at the window where her daughter had been carried through. Roy was standing at the edge and nodded.

"They're gliding. Going around the building. They're ok. We have to go now!"

"Michelle, can you take someone down the outside with you?" Sigrid asked.

The woman looked at her and nodded. "But I can only hold onto one."

"Take Dayshia and move away from the building once you get down. Find Marisa and Nate," she instructed.

Michelle immediately dropped her glamor and held out her hand to Dayshia.

"Kesini- she says she wants to climb down as well!" Sandy exclaimed nervously. "She can do it."

Sigrid nodded, and Sandy rushed to the window's edge and lifted off her feet as Kesini took control. Sandy squeaked only a little then smoothly flowed out the window and down as her hair found or made grips in the stone, lowering her quickly down the outside wall.

Michelle spun a web and bonded it to the window frame. Then she hugged Dayshia to her chest and used her front legs to support the woman as well while she lowered herself out the window.

Mahati looked panicked, and Sigrid picked up on that immediately. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not a fast runner. I'll never make it in time," she squeaked.

"Sigrid, take her out the window. Glide her down but go dark. The illusion is failing so you'd be visible otherwise." Camila said.

The Valkyrie looked to Meixiu. "I can climb down as well!" the petite woman insisted.

Sigrid frowned but nodded. She looked at her remaining friends. "Hurry!" she said a little desperately then lifted Mahati against her chest and sprung backward out the window, spreading her wings once she was clear.

Meixiu was immediately out the window and climbing downwards.

When it was only the four of them left in the room, Tish seized Henry's hand and tugged at it as she dropped her glamor. "We have to run!"

He nodded and followed as Roy rushed by holding Camila's hand.

Henry was only dimly aware of the rush to exit the building as they ran down the stairs. His hooves unerringly found the steps and his muscles pumped to keep up with Roy and Tish. Camila was in Roy's arms now as they could move faster that way.

"This wasn't how I envisioned us running together!" Tish gasped with a worried smile. He locked eyes with her, and that halted his slide into a dark funk. Mab's horrific theft, Baba's cruel act, they had to take a back seat to the imminent danger to Tish. The building suddenly dropped an inch under their feet.

"We're not going to make it to the ground floor!" Roy yelled as the group ran down the stairs from the third.

Henry saw a possible exit ahead. "The window!" he yelled in response.

Roy put on a burst of speed and shot away as Henry and Tish charged down the final steps.

-=-

It took Sigrid a significant effort to glide carrying a passenger and keeping her wings dark, so the grass caught her by surprise and they bounced and tumbled on the lawn, knocking the wind from them.

She looked up at the castle which was fading from this reality significantly as the radio towers bled back into their actual location. She rose and pulled Mahati to her feet. They ran around the building until they saw the others gathering around someone on the ground. As they got closer, Sigrid saw it was Marisa.

"What happened?" she called out.

"She can't breathe! Something's holding her down!" Sandy cried out and tried blowing into her mouth, but her chest couldn't rise.

Mahati reached out to feel the spell, and she looked back nervously at Sigrid. "I can't break the spell. The magic is too strong! It's trying to flatten her to the roof's surface."

Kesini suddenly stabbed deep into the ground around Marisa's body. Muted sounds of destruction began as Kesini ripped through the roofing materials, then the support structure beneath until Marisa suddenly dropped ten inches. They heard her suck in a deep breath then wheezed it back out as the pressure returned.
"Keep going! Drop Marisa below roof level. The spell should stop there," Mahati exclaimed.

More terrible noises came from the building structure below Marisa's body which continued to drop in increments. They all leapt back as the roof gave with a final squeal of protesting metal. Marisa disappeared into the darkness below with Sandy falling in as well.

"Sandy!" Dayshia shrieked.

They heard coughing and relaxed a little. "I- I'm ok! We're ok. Kesini caught us," Sandy's voice said from the darkness. Marisa could be heard coughing as well.

"What happened to the spell?" Sigrid asked.

Mahati held out her hands and muttered a few noises. "Dissipated. It completed its task."

Michelle moved forward after bonding her webbing to a railing and lowered herself into the hole. They heard Sandy squeak in fright then her apologizing. Moments later Michelle brought her back up to the surface. Kesini was positively drooping.

"What happened to Kesini?" Dayshia asked anxiously.

As Michelle went back down for Marisa, Sandy gathered her limp hair in her arms. "She's exhausted... and dirty! She needs a good shampooing!"

Once Marisa was back they saw the castle suddenly dim as it began its final slip into the between. There was a crash of glass, and a huge red beast came sailing through the debris of the second story window. As they were in midflight the lights suddenly dimmed then came back with a vengeance as spotlights lit up the antennae array on the rooftop. Roy landed on the pebbled roof surface with a thump. He sprawled out, and Camila rolled across the roof until Sigrid caught her.

"Where's Henry and Tish?!?" Sigrid yelled.

Camila looked up in a daze and glanced back. "They were... right behind us!"

They stood looking at the cluster of antennas... where their friends should have been.

-=-

Henry could feel it. The building was slipping away into... nothingness, forever in all directions. The building was going to drop away before they made it to the window.

In desperation, he thought of the magic realm, the Glass People, and threw his right hand out to open a tear.

But his finger was bare.

He was no longer wearing the ring which linked him to the Fae's global healing spell. In that moment, he realized he could no longer feel the subtle buzz of potential from the energy waiting for him to reach for it.

The magic no longer waited for his beck and call.

He couldn't open the way for them to escape.

Despair stabbed through him as he looked to Tish. She didn't deserve this. She deserved so much more-

Orange light poked him in the eyes, startling him into pinching them closed. His hoof caught the edge of a stone on the uneven ground, and he went sprawling in a field of tall red grass. Once he slid to a stop, he lifted his face and spat out a mouthful of plant matter. He looked back and saw the rip sealing. Xiong and a second glass being lowered their arms and the opening snapped shut. For the briefest moment, he was looking back into an absence of everything. Then it was gone.

He nodded gratefully to the two beings and felt their joy at having saved him this time.

Henry pushed himself to his feet and turned to see Tish standing a short distance away in the grass. Her mouth was open in shock as she took in the yellow sky, the enormous red-orange sun dropping to the horizon, and so many shades of red in the plant life.

Pushing himself back to his hooves, Henry inhaled slowly to get his first deep breath on this world. It was the first time he'd been here physically. He smiled at the air's strange and subtle blend of sweet and spicy, like a hint of cherries and cinnamon.

He walked up beside Tish and saw the joy on her face. "Welcome to the realm of magic," Henry said to her gently.

She turned to look to him as a tear slipped down her cheek. "Oh my..." she said struggling for words to describe what she was feeling. Then she noticed the two beings standing patiently nearby. "Oh!"

Henry smiled. "These are my friends. Two of the Glass People. Xiong and... Dave." The second name came through his link to them.

"Dave?" Tish blinked in surprise as she waved to them.

Henry nodded. "They used to be human but got caught in a strange and intense lightning storm back home. That's how they described it at least."

"You're talking with them?" Tish asked, a sparkle of excitement twinkling in her eyes. Henry touched his temple and nodded again making her bounce happily on her hooves.

"Wait! How did they get here?" she asked breathlessly.

"I got them here," he admitted.

"Like you got us here!" she gushed.

Henry shook his head. "No, they opened the tear to get us here." He gestured to the two beings watching them. "They must have heard my call. I- I can't open the way any longer." His throat tightened as he held his right hand in his left, staring at his bare finger. Mab's finger? His... daughter's?

He felt a smaller hand touch his chest gently. Compassionate eyes looked into his. "What happened?" Tish asked, but he could only shake his head. It was too soon; he was too raw.

She pulled him into a hug, and he struggled not to let his grief explode forth again. He felt the love and support from all of the Glass People linked to his mind. They saw everything and shared his horror and sorrow. He sent his love and gratitude to them as well.

When Tish pulled back, she smiled at him until he managed to return it. "While I am thrilled to be one of the first people to stand on a... alien planet, alternate Earth... does it have a name?"

Henry looked to Xiong and Dave and smiled. "They don't rely on words too much anymore, but after they first arrived, they called it Eden."

Tish grinned at the two glass figures and nodded. "Lovely name! Lovely place! But how do we get home? Our friends won't know we got out of the castle! They'll be devastated!" Tish looked more and more distraught as she thought of her friends.

Henry looked to Xiong and felt his response. The two beings turned and walked away. Henry held out a hand and wrapped his arm around Tish to calm her and guide her after them.

"They'll open a gate for us, but they need to recharge. Earliest is midday tomorrow." He gestured to the setting sun. "That's their main energy source, and they used up a lot to get us here."

They followed their escorts a short distance across the hillside meadows until they reached a clearing in a group of trees where the others relaxed on the grass.

Tish watched them moving around, and Henry could tell she had questions. The beings were different sizes, but all were humanoid in shape. Their facial features were minimal, but Henry knew they maintained their distinct personalities. It was just their drives that had taken a dramatic change. Body shape, wealth, social status all became meaningless in their new state of being.

"So many!" Tish gasped quietly.

"Population of a small Midwest town out watching their children play football!" Henry explained softly.

"What?!? Them? But they were reported as dead!" she gasped quietly.

"Yet here they are, very much alive. Happier than they've ever been. They'd love their relatives to join them but they don't know how to duplicate the circumstances that led to their creation, and most wouldn't volunteer to go through it," he said.

Tish looked at him. "They told you all this?"

He nodded. "Not in words. They're sharing their minds with me. I... it feels like memories. It's hard to explain. When linked like this, I can recall things that happened in their lives. I don't look too closely as it feels like I'd go mad if I did. Too intimate and too much."

The smaller beings brought soft grasses by the armload as bedding for them. Some of the 'elders' brought stones, wood, and kindling for a fire pit.

Another adult shot sparks from one of his limbs, and soon they had a lovely little blaze going in the pit. The fire had the bonus of trickle feeding the smaller Glass People who joined them in a circle around it.

Henry had to act as translator as they discovered they couldn't connect to Tish's mind.

It wasn't too long before Tish began yawning and their hosts began to slip away to wait for dawn's light in their dormant state.

Henry bid the final members a good night and headed for the bed of grass. Tish settled down next to him and cuddled up against his side.

She was silent for a while, and Henry thought she'd drifted off. But she was trying to determine how to ask him a question. "Henry?"

"Hmmm?"

"Your Baba. I get that she's an incredibly powerful witch but... is she a truthful person?"

He felt a shock go through his muscles when she surprised him with the question. Thinking of Baba was... difficult after what she'd done.

Tish felt his reaction and was immediately contrite. "I'm sorry, Henry! Never mind-"

He frowned. "No, it's fine. You just surprised me. Is she truthful?" He thought back and looked for lies she might have told him. "She's kept things from me. Important things. But she's not the type to speak lies. She's always demanded the truth from me and has no patience for less than direct speech. I can't recall her ever overtly lying to me... so, yes, she's truthful. Why?"

Tish was quiet once more, and Henry began to worry.

"When you healed me with Ikehorn... did you only fix my back?" she asked quietly.

He went back to the night, not that long ago though tonight it felt like a lifetime. He recalled wishing with all his might that she would be made whole, complete, and healthy. He also remembered Tish's confession about her accident. "I might have been concentrating on fixing... everything," he said cautiously.

She sucked in a quick breath, and suddenly her lips were on his. She kissed him feverishly, but he picked up a difference this time. She was crying!

"What- Tish! Wait! What happened?" he finally managed as he gently pulled her back to see her face. Tears were running down her cheeks, but her eyes were shining with joy, and she was smiling at his look of confusion and concern.

"Baba Yaga told me I was pregnant. It's ours."

"Oh! OH! Oh, Tish!" Henry's face showed his shock.

"Are- are you happy?" she asked, suddenly nervous.

Henry pulled her to him and held her close. He was going to be a daddy! Again! "I can't begin to tell you how happy I am!"

She clung to him, and they both shed tears. But that was ok. They were tears of happiness. Henry did feel a pang of sorrow at the thought that their child may never meet their half-sister.

He pushed that aside and just enjoyed the pure happiness of the moment. With how his life went, he had to savor these small intervals as they arrived.

Chapter 45

Meixiu sat by herself in the dark gazebo behind the mansion and waited. The others were inside, shedding tears of loss but she knew in her heart that Henry, and Tish, were alive. Sigrid has asked her how she knew, if she was in contact with him somehow, but she just shook her head. Meixiu couldn't explain how she knew. She saw the pity in Sigrid's eyes but knew the woman was hurting, so she took no offense.

After the castle vanished, they'd done a frantic but futile search for their friends amongst the antennae and machinery. Then the Minister of Security arrived to tell them they had to leave as the Human authorities would be coming shortly to discover the Celebrities in their drugged state. The clean-up crew had managed to move them all to an empty floor in the office building and made preparations. Escorted from the roof, Roy had to restrain Camila while Sigrid carried Marisa. They'd driven from the building moments before the police arrived.

The drive back to the mansion was quiet, the only sound being soft crying. Meixiu let everyone back into the home then made her way back here as Henry seemed to like it.

She'd been out here for almost 24 hours. She'd nodded off a few times only to jolt awake at bird calls, wind noises, or when Sigrid came out to check on her. But she hadn't lost hope.

The back door opened again, and Meixiu knew it was Sigrid once more checking on her. She smiled faintly at how much Sigrid cared for her. She truly was a beautiful soul.

"Meixiu? You should come inside and have something to eat."

"Not hungry." She'd said the same earlier in the day. It was true as well. She felt... nothing.

A pain suddenly began to grow in her chest, and she frowned. What was the source of this hurt?

She felt nothing.

Because he was gone.

She found herself on her feet, running down the steps and into Sigrid's open arms. The pain exploded, and tears flowed as sobs wracked her slim body. Sigrid held her close. Protecting her in her arms. Sharing tears with her. Sharing the loss.

They remained that way until the pathway suddenly lit up with a warm orange light. Sigrid sucked in a sharp breath.

Meixiu released her grip on Sigrid and spun in place and look back to the gazebo. She frantically wiped the tears from her eyes as the rip widened and orange sunlight spilled through, bathing them both in its glow. Tish hopped through and moved aside as Henry quickly followed her through the opening. Both were in their Human glamors.

Meixiu moved faster than she ever had and was pressing her body against Henry's chest, clinging to him as her tears started again. Henry's strong arms wrapped around her and held her close.

"I'm so sorry Meixiu. We couldn't get back until now. Our friends needed to recharge before they could open the way. They saved us too," he said gently.

She rubbed her face against his chest then looked back through the opening at the Glass Man gazing back at her. She gaped in surprise. Still clinging to Henry, she began speaking very rapidly in Chinese to the being on the other side of the tear in space.

Henry grinned in surprise. When she finished, she looked up at him in puzzlement as the Glass Man hadn't responded.

"Xiong is very pleased to meet you as well. He says he was from the same province as you and understood you very well. He also said you're welcome. He'd like to talk longer, but he must release the opening." Henry bowed to him and expressed his gratitude to them all once more in his mind. He felt their joy then the gate snapped closed. The area fell into shadows once more.

Screams of surprise and excitement immediately began at the back door of the mansion as his friends inside realized who was standing in the gazebo. Henry and Tish moved down the steps to meet the onrushing group. Meixiu clung to Henry's arm, almost afraid to let go as if he'd suddenly disappear if she did. Unsettled by her earlier breakdown, she watched Henry anxiously. She finally had to let go when the others reached out to hug him, but she stayed close.

Sigrid pulled Henry into a fierce hug, and he kissed her. A big tremble of relief shook her body, and he kissed the tears on her cheeks making her hiccup and giggle.

The moment he released her Camila was in his arms, and she was kissing him and crying, talking a mile a minute. Henry held her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly until she calmed.

Marisa was next, and he held her in his arms as she trembled. He noticed the sadness in her eyes when she pulled back. He was immediately concerned.

"What happened?" he asked.

Marisa's bottom lip trembled as she gave him the news. "It's Nate. I think Mab took him. I think it was her but younger. We can't find him."

He froze as an intense rage swept through him. The Queen's name pushed him beyond his ability to think coherently. If she'd been within his reach, he would have gladly murdered her with his bare hands. No one could have stopped him.

"Henry? Henry!"

Roy's voice cut through the red haze clouding his sight, and he came back to himself. "Oh, Roy!"

The big man abruptly pulled him into a tight hug then immediately held him out at arm's length to look him over as if looking for injuries. "Aye lad. It's good to have you back in one piece. We thought we'd lost you. What happened?"

Before he could answer, Sandy and Dayshia pulled Tish over to him, and they gave him a group hug. While he couldn't see her, he felt Kesini's warm hug as well.

Suddenly, it was all too much. Henry looked to the joyful and relieved faces around him. His friends- no, his family. The love they showed him him was more profound than he ever expected to have in his life. Then he thought of the new life inside Tish, and he wobbled a little on his feet.

"Henry! Are you ok?" Sigrid gasped.

He felt Kesini bracing him, so he just smiled at Sigrid then turned that smile on the others. "So much better than ok!" He looked to Tish, and they shared a special smile. Then his stomach grumbled. "We haven't eaten or had anything to drink since before we left. We weren't sure what was safe to consume there."

"OH! I will make you and Tish dinner!" Meixiu squeaked and rushed away, finally comfortable he was here to stay.

"There? Where did you go?" Mary asked as she stood slightly behind Roy, curiosity burning in her eyes. Henry reached out and hugged her too then stepped back to look at the others.

"We'll tell you all about it, but maybe we could sit down first? They had no chairs on the other side!" Henry said, and chuckles erupted around him.

"Where are Mahati and Michelle?" he asked as they walked back into the home.

"I've got to call them to give them the good news!" Camila gasped and rushed ahead to get to her cell phone.

Sigrid guided them to the dining room, and everyone took chairs around the big table, Henry and Tish sitting next to each other with their backs to the wall facing everyone else.

Once they were settled and listening, Henry began by explaining the Glass People. Then he told them how they'd been saved and taken to the alternate world which was the source of their magic. Tish added in how they'd done a little exploring while their hosts absorbed enough energy to open the rift for them. They'd even been able to go for a run, as long as they kept their eyes open for the flying black ribbons. Nasty beasts!

"What happened here? I didn't get a good look at who was at the party. Anyone we know?" Henry asked.

Camila answered. "We don't know what she intended, but she brought Human celebrities and public figures to the castle."

Henry gawked at her. "Mab said with her new power, the Fae would rise again to rule the world and put the Humans in their place. She was going to use her guests as heralds for her return. Did she expose the Hidden Races?"

Camila shook her head. "Minister Hoek's team was as efficient as it was quick. They couldn't cover all the anomalous activities and facts, but they spun up a story that the public can accept. The story is that a new, technologically savvy cult lured them to the building with promises, injected them with a potent hallucinogen, and strapped them into virtual reality simulation in an attempt to brainwash them into joining. To corroborate this, each wore a VR headset, and they had injection marks on their arms, covered with a bandage. They were injected with a harmless substance that mimics LSD and mescaline. The blood tests will be inconclusive, but there's enough to cast a shadow of doubt and reduce the credibility of the alternative; that their virtual dream experiences were real. Not a perfect cover but it provides a mundane and believable answer. The Feds are never going to close this case."

She shook her head. "There is still the issue of how these celebrities were snatched from their homes all over the world only to show up in a building in New York instantaneously. Mab's magic door is causing the Hidden Races Council a tremendous amount of grief but a few hints have been dropped here and there on the web about new technologies that someone is perfecting. Not a perfect cover story but it does point away from magic."
"Can we get back to Mab's new power?" Sigrid asked once Henry had absorbed Camila's information.

He grit his teeth. "She- she had a child from me. A baby girl. Then, somehow, she stole her body. Switched places. She left our child's mind in her ancient body to die. She needed a new body, one linked to the new realm of magic." Expressions of horror and dismay were evident on their faces.

Marisa nodded. "It worked. She looked like a young teen when I saw her. She told me she hadn't gotten control of the body or the magic yet, but she was able to create a spell that almost killed me."

"That much power in the hands of the mad queen in an adolescent body. That's a thought to keep one awake at night. Where was the other witch? Why didn't she stop this? She may no longer hold the title of strongest witch now!" Roy growled.

Henry looked down at the table. "She was there. She was waiting. Mab's spell made the... temporal energy? Time magic? Whatever, it made that stuff in my horns leak out. I managed to use it to make Mab's ancient body regress to a baby, but Baba took her. She said... said the baby would still die because Mab's body was old magic... and incompatible. She said I couldn't help her, but she could. I- I'm wondering now if she had other ideas about using Mab's body. Ways to get back at her." The thought filled him with dread.

He stopped there. He kept the news that he no longer had the doomed ring to himself. He knew that while he wore it, no one else could see or feel the ring so they couldn't be aware that he wasn't wearing it now. He'd keep that secret from everyone. He could protect his daughter from being targeted for the ring at least. Besides, he just couldn't bring himself to talk about it.

Meixiu spared him from having to say more as she brought in a tray with their dinner. His mouth watered at the scent. He looked into her eyes and thanked her gratefully. He was surprised to see the need in her eyes, so he nodded to accept her unspoken request and a blush spread across her face as she smiled.

He and Tish ate in silence until they realized how quiet it had become. When they glanced up, everyone laughed self-consciously at being caught staring fondly at them.

Conversation started up at the table again, and Henry listened to the tone of it. Relaxed. Happy. Relieved to the point of being a little giddy perhaps. That silliness made him think of Roger. The energetic, wild man with no filter. As the thought made him a little sad, he kept it to himself. He didn't want to disturb their current mood. He'd ask about the man later.

For now, he'd enjoy this time with his family.

Chapter 46

Life was getting back to normal. Normal-ish. Henry got up in the morning, got dressed in real clothes, ate breakfast and took the subway to work. He enjoyed his job of solving technical issues, increasing efficiency and effectiveness of their computer hardware and software for the staff, and he returned to his condo at night. A mundane lifestyle and pure bliss for him.

Granted Camila still called on him for a feeding or two as did Marisa now. He could see she continued to worry about Nate. He learned that official requests sent to the Fae yielded no results yet.

He'd also gone on a date with Sigrid then Meixiu this week, but he expected this frequency to taper off once they'd recovered from the shock of his presumed demise.

As he left the Path station to walk home, he recalled his visit with the Hidden Races Council when he gave his statement on what happened. He'd brought Mahati with him, and she'd protected him from the overly aggressive attitude of Rand von Deussel who'd been in a foul mood from the moment they arrived. That Hoek lady hadn't been friendly either.

Weird shit continued to happen in the world, and they thought he was somehow to blame. Not that they came right out and said that. Henry didn't disabuse them of the idea that he remained linked to the Fae's Global Healing spell.

They may have also been upset about the ongoing fallout from Queen Mab's party. The cover story had been sufficient to answer most of the questions about what happened that night, and the public accepted it. However, the instantaneous travel aspect continued to plague the Council. A significant portion of the guest list lived in Los Angeles. None recalled traveling. No sign of the hinted at technology surfaced and people refused to believe in instantaneous travel, so it remained a mystery.

Additionally, further complications arose. There was the aftereffect of the hostages being immersed in a healing spell for a little over a year. The Security Team could not have covered this unless they'd murdered every guest, eradicating their bodies in the process. While they'd confiscated and destroyed all of the cell phones they discovered, they'd only dealt with the cosmetic evidence on the hostages. They'd shaved heads and clipped nails to eliminate this timeline evidence. They hadn't been informed about the healing spell, so they missed the internal aspects and fled before the Human authorities arrived.

There were some miraculous cures. Drug and alcohol addictions were gone. Diseases ranging from nail fungus to cancer, cured! These healed celebs were being more than a little vocal about their improved health. While they were upset about being kidnapped, they wanted to find their captors to thank them. But no sign was ever discovered.

Life moved on.

Sandy was back at work, and so far Kesini was behaving admirably. The fact that the petite blonde was now able to manage the larger patients without assistance impressed her manager, and she received praise for improving her strength for the job. Sandy likened Kesini's assistance to wearing an invisible suit of powered body armor, only silky soft and beautiful.

Dayshia was now going to medical school. On her first day back on the job she'd discovered her eyes had a way of seeing below the skin. While assisting a doctor, she saw a tumor the man had missed. He'd taken the bulge along the woman's leg to be muscle tissue, but she'd looked deeper and saw it for what it was. While she'd annoyed the doctor at second-guessing him, she'd managed to intimidate him into taking a second look. He informed her the next day that she'd been right, but he'd no longer be asking her to assist him. She enrolled for medical school the next day. She wanted to be a surgeon!

Tish got a job at a hospital where she'd previously worked. They were grateful to have her back. She missed working with her friends, but Sandy was the only one left from the original group still working there. This location allowed her to avoid Doctor Sumeer who might create trouble for her due to her miraculous healing.

There remained no sign of Roger and that worried everyone.

The housing situation was undergoing a little adjustment as well.

Dayshia moved into the second bedroom of Michelle's condo. Michelle had secretly craved company, and with Dayshia's appreciation of Arachnids, it was a good match. Dayshia also helped draw Michelle out of her self-imposed isolation, making her more social and confident.

Tish's apartment wasn't in a segregated building, so her unit was prepared by Hidden Races services before she moved back in. It would only be temporary though.

Sandy was sharing Henry's condo with him while hers went onto the market. The property manager was keeping an eye open for the next available two bedroom unit on an odd numbered floor. Henry needed a more spacious apartment as Tish would be moving in with him and they'd need a room for the baby. Sandy would take over ownership of Henry's condo at that time.

With Sandy working mostly night shifts, they hadn't been at home together until the previous night.

They'd had a lovely dinner and watched a romantic movie on Sandy's big TV, now mounted on the wall of his living room. When it was over Sandy pounced on him, and they made out on the sofa for a time. He enjoyed her soft lips, and she trembled at the feel of his. Running his fingers through Kesini's soft hair sent shivers of pleasure through both her and Sandy. It was relaxed and casual, and their passions grew slowly. Finally, he stood and lifted her in his arms.

"I've been waiting to do this," he sighed.

"Then waste no further time!" she grinned.

He carried her into his bedroom and gently set her down on the bed. He kissed her and felt her tongue slip into his mouth. He sucked on it, and she moaned.

When he pulled back to tug his shirt up over his head, he looked down and saw Sandy's dreamy eyes gazing at his torso. She reached out and ran her fingertips down the hard muscles of his stomach until she reached his belt. Kesini was busy undoing it. Her eyes widened as she saw the bulge on his jeans. She bit her lip nervously and looked up into his eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I've been dreaming about this night for so long," she said anxiously. He just smiled at her, so she continued. "I've also been dreaming about your Satyr form, but I don't think I'd survive sex with a Satyr."

Henry snorted in amusement. "I'd never do anything to hurt you! Camila told me my glamor is sensitive to the 'needs of my partner' so I'll only be the size you need. I don't notice a difference, but apparently, there is." He shook his head. "Don't ask me to explain how that shit works."

She grinned up at him. "You don't like magic do you?"

He smiled in return. "I don't." He assisted Kesini in pulling off his pants, and Sandy purred happily.

"I like magic! I like it a lot! Give me some of that magic! I may need many, many samples."

He helped her off with her shirt, a button down as Kesini wasn't keen on pullovers. Next went the bra as Kesini slid Sandy's jeans and panties off.

"I swear Kesini is more eager than I am!" Sandy giggled.

Henry chuckled then began kissing his way down Sandy's body. Her giggles quickly became moans then cries of bliss as Henry's lips and tongue reached her most sensitive regions.

He brought her to a gentle peak, and as she floated back down from Heaven, he gently guided his cock into her hot, wet pussy. He noticed Kesini was spread out over the pillows languidly rippling in the blissful tingles. So, it was good for her too!

"Ooo! Fuck that was amazing!" Sandy purred.

He took his time easing himself deeper, and they both sighed as he finally rested his body on hers.

"Henry... that feels so good!" she sighed.

He kissed her tenderly then pulled himself out and thrust forward.

"Ah! Again!" she begged. So he did.

Soon, his hips were slapping against hers, and her heels were pulling at his ass as she cried out in joy.

His release exploded just after Sandy's, and her eyes flew wide as the energy flowed into her body.

He rested atop her as they both panted, catching their breath.

"Sample one," Sandy teased.

For all her sassy talk, Sandy only managed to last through one more sample and that one was relaxed and playful. She did ask him to stand and pose in his Satyr form after their second time.

"One day I will make love to you in this form!" she purred then drifted off to sleep, blissfully satiated. Kesini was spread out over the pillows, languidly blissed out in the shared afterglow.

Henry grinned as he returned from his memories of the night before. He was in the home stretch, walking along the waterfront walkway from the path station to his building. Dayshia and Michelle were hosting dinner at their place tonight. Tish would be there too. This was another move to help socialize Michelle. Having company in her home was a big step. He was looking forward to it.

"Henry."

He slowed his pace and looked around.

"Henry."

He stopped and looked to a bench tucked in under some trees. There was a street person there, wearing a torn and dirty three-piece suit.

"Please..."

He moved closer and was shocked to see it was Ikehorn! Roy told him he thought the Fae was dead. Henry looked around but there were only a few other people around, and none were looking his way.

The second reason he was shocked was that the Fae were in a sort of self-imposed lockdown. Their Queen had broken some important Hidden Races laws, abused treaties, and was locked away in her castle in Ireland, unwilling to communicate with anyone or answer for these things. The Fae Race were operating on a work to rule and house arrest basis to reduce tensions as they waited for word from Mab.

He walked over to the bench and stared down at the man. He didn't look so good. "Ikehorn?"

He got a brief nod. "Help me," the Fae sighed.

"What can I do?" Henry asked. "Do you need money?"

"I need to heal my wounds. Mab... I healed her. Then she fired me. As a goodbye present, she stabbed me," the healer rasped.

Henry felt a flare of his rage. That bitch needed killing. Not that he had the power to do it. Even Baba may not have that ability at this point. His heart sank as he realized he no longer had the means to help Ikehorn. He hadn't shared that with anyone, least of all a Fae. What was that about deals and the Fae? Maybe he could frighten him off by demanding a favor. Then he wouldn't have to disclose the truth.

"If I do you this favor you will owe me. Big time," Henry bluffed.

Ikehorn looked at Henry in surprise. Then his face fell. He nodded weakly. "I deserve that. I just want to go home. Someone is waiting for me there. Someone important. I will owe you anything you ask. Just help me get home."

Henry suddenly felt like a creep. Ikehorn was in love and just wanted to live so he could be with his loved one. He hung his head in shame.

"What's wrong?" Ikehorn asked.

"I'm so sorry. I was trying to scare you off so I wouldn't have to tell you." Henry looked around again, but they were alone. He looked into Ikehorn's confused eyes. "I no longer have the ring that's linked to the healing spell. I can't pull the healing magic to me," he whispered.

Ikehorn's eyebrows went up in surprise. "I thought it was bonded to the bone. Your hand seems fine."

Henry sighed. He was going to have to tell the whole story. Inexplicably, he trusted this Fae, even after all the shit they'd experienced. He sighed. "Baba cut the finger off and the same finger from Mab's old body. She swapped the fingers and bound them to us. Then she took my daughter."

Ikehorn blinked at him. "So... the ring is still on your finger, but the finger isn't on your body?"

Henry considered that and nodded. "Yes, it's on Mab's old body. The one our daughter is trapped in," he explained. A shiver ran down his spine, and his rage suddenly surged. He fought it back and took some deep breaths to calm himself.

Ikehorn was staring out at nothing as he worked on a solution. He turned to look at Henry. "Sympathetic Magic. You can reach her through her finger. And she can reach you with yours. I don't know if it will work, but you may be able to draw on the healing energy through this link to her. Would you be willing to try?"

He stared at the desperate man and slowly nodded.

"We begin by making a connection to Mab's old body through her finger." He stared into Henry's eyes. "If this is painful at first, push through it. You only need to set it once."

Ikehorn took a deep breath and held his hands over Henry's right. He muttered a few words and pushed with his will.

Henry's finger felt like it was coming off, in a fire. He swallowed his scream.

"Don't move," Ikehorn said then muttered the words again.

The pain struck again, but this time there was... an echo? Was that pain going to his daughter as well? "Wait-"

The Fae spoke again, and the pain shot through his finger. An equal pain returned from... elsewhere.

"Stop! Don't! She's just a baby! She doesn't deserve this pain!" Henry said trying to move his hand, but it froze in place. The pain suddenly faded, and his hand moved freely once more.

"It's done. Call out to your daughter. Let her hear her father's voice," Ikehorn said, slumping on the bench, his face ashen.

Henry looked at the Fae in concern then looked to his finger. "Just speak aloud?"

The Fae looked at him like he was dense. "No, not your actual voice. Hold your finger to pass along the sensation of touch and will your voice to her."

Henry followed the instructions and apologized to her for causing her pain. He sent her his love and felt something in return. A motion and a sound. The lightest brush of a mind which felt like nothing more than the momentary focus of attention. Then a light, tentative touch. He concentrated very hard and felt wet and teeth. "She's teething! The finger is in her mouth!" Henry gasped then he couldn't see as tears filled his eyes. He struggled to hold back his emotions as relief, joy, and sorrow crashed through him.

"I used too much energy. Mab always told me I was sloppy with my spells." He painfully sighed as he thought of the Queen... who stabbed him... and left him to die. Who told him with a cruel smile as he lay on the grass bleeding out, that she'd fed Bronagh to her Ogres. The pain of that was finally dull, and he shook his head slightly as none of it mattered right now. "I must try the healing. I'm too weak to do it myself. Will you try to pull the healing spell to our location and lend me your strength?"

Henry looked away from his finger into the pained expression on the Fae's face. "Will it hurt the baby?" He dabbed at his eyes with a tissue from his pocket.

Ikehorn frowned. "Did it hurt when you pulled the healing magic to you?" Henry shook his head. "It's the same for her."

"Ok, let's try. Should we go inside?" Henry asked nervously.

Ikehorn shook his head. "If I move, I bleed out. What little healing I managed was insufficient and is failing. I must do it here... and now," he said breathily as his brow furrowed.

Henry did one more visual scan of the area around them, and it was as clear as it was going to get. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the ring on his finger, imagining it was still on his body. When he felt that synchronize to his nervous system, he reached for the magic and... it came! He opened his eyes and saw Ikehorn watching him collect the green light with a desperate, hungry expression. Henry pulled harder, and the area around them began to glow with the green light. He mentally pushed it to the Fae who greedily accepted it. The light flashed, and Henry found himself on his butt on the ground a few feet away.

Ikehorn took a deep breath and finally relaxed as the pain was gone. He slowly stood and straightened his jacket. He closed his eyes, and a new glamor appeared over his dirty clothes. Then he moved to helped Henry to his feet and shook his hand.

"Thank you, Henry. What can I offer you in return?"

Henry shook his head. "You've already done it. You gave me a link to my daughter and proof of life. Consider the debt repaid," he said sincerely.

The Fae watched him for a moment then bowed deeply. "I don't believe we will meet again, so I hope you find peace and contentment in your life."

Henry nodded to the Fae. "Good luck in your life as well, Ikehorn. Be careful out there."

With a final nod, Ikehorn walked away and soon vanished from sight.

Henry suddenly felt the creepy sensation of being watched, so he briskly walked towards his building. The feeling didn't leave him until he was inside the front door and he looked back. He just caught the trailing edge of a tall man dressed in black, walk around the corner of the building across the street. Maybe the man had been watching him, but he couldn't tell.

Shaking the feeling from his shoulders, he headed inside. He had a dinner party to attend, and his mood had improved dramatically. While he couldn't share it, he had some good news!

His daughter was alive!

-=-

The Pixie Observer hiding in the tree above the bench leapt into the sky in her pigeon disguise and flew towards Manhattan as fast as her wings could carry her. From what she'd overheard from her vantage point, she had significant news to bring to Minister Hoek!
When the injured Fae dragged himself to the bench under her, she knew she was in a prime spot for observing the Satyr. She recognized the Fae from the team briefing and knew he would likely attempt to contact the Satyr as he returned from work.

The Pixie Observer team positioned themselves in key locations in the city along Henry's daily path. They were using maximum stealth spells to hide from Fae observation as well, though this wasn't as critical lately. It was tiring and worse, boring, but it had finally paid off! The Satyr no longer wore the ring bound to the Fae's healing spell. That sure sounded like significant news!

She'd witnessed the Satyr was still able to draw the healing magic to himself, and she'd almost been blown from the tree when the Fae used it to heal himself. A brute force use of magic but undoubtedly effective.

It would be up to her boss to determine what to do with this news, but there was only one outcome she desired.

She wanted to stop hiding in that damn tree disguised as a stupid pigeon.

-=-

Maintaining a smooth, confident stride, Roger walked away from Henry's condo, heading back towards the Path system. He'd witnessed Henry interacting with the injured man and just saw that man leave under his own power, completely healed. Henry was the focal point in Roger's current investigation.

He'd smelled the blood on the man. A lot of it. It set off some impulses he'd had difficulty restraining.

Roger was hungry. All the time now. He hadn't been able to appease that need. Not since that night in the hospital when everything changed.

No. When Henry changed everything.

As he walked, he maintained cautious surveillance of the area around him, tracking the movements of everyone within his observation zone. Tonight, that was only two punks spraying tags on the wall of an alley off the waterfront path. The hiss of the spray paint cans was unmistakable and familiar.

Then he smelled it. Beneath the bite of spray propellant was something sweet and savory. His mouth began to water. He turned his head, following the scent. It was the punks. He adjusted his step, moving silently as he got closer. The smell was coming off only one of them. The other stank of cigarettes, sweat, and grease.

"Creating art?"

"FUCKSHIT!" the unpleasant smelling one screamed in surprise at Roger's sudden appearance in the alley's mouth.

"I used to do some fairly righteous tags before I moved on to more aggressively subversive acts," Roger said with a grin. He struggled to remain calm as the scent was pulling him closer. The other one's nervousness was beginning to bother him.

"You some kind of badass rebel?" the calm one asked condescendingly. "Is that why you're wearing your hat's brim pulled down to hide your face? You here to show us how it's done?"

Roger grinned so they could see his bright, white teeth. "No, not at all."

He swung his left arm out, and his claws ripped the throat out of the smelly one. Gurgling, the youth dropped to his knees then fell forward onto his face.

Whistling quietly, Roger tilted his head up until he was looking into the terrified eyes of the deliciously scented one.

The young male stared back into the blood red orbs and noticed those white teeth were significantly longer and sharper than normal teeth. The youth struggled to keep from wetting himself. "What the fuck are you?" he whimpered.

Roger's whistling was reflecting off the inhuman features of the being before him. He'd come to realize in the days since his change that no one else knew these inhuman creatures were living amongst the population. He'd been gifted with a way to see the truth finally.

Coming back to the present, he realized his dinner just asked him a question. How rude he was to make him wait.

"I don't know. What are you? You're certainly not human!"

The youth lost control of his bladder, and Roger wrinkled his nose.

"You- you can see... me?"

"Yes... I can see everything now."

Mere steps away from the alley where Roger feasted for the first time on inhuman flesh, a young couple made their way along the riverside walkway towards a condo building overlooking Manhattan. There was a unit on the fourth floor that just became available, and they had a viewing tonight. Seeing it up ahead, they hurried their eager steps.

They were very excited to be getting a chance to move into such a lovely building in one of their favorite neighborhoods. It was so much more peaceful here and far less dangerous than the nightmare of where they lived now.

It was a virtual dream come true.