Chapter 5
MALICIOUS
My head whips around. There it is again. That itch, that tingling down my spine, that awareness of … something. It feels like … like magic, but old magic. Really old. I send my power into the night, searching. I get little tastes, little licks of sensation, but I can’t seem to lock on to it. After a few minutes, my magic loses the trail, so I pull it back to me just as The Divide falls.
Without having to concentrate on keeping myself on the human side of the veil, I’m easily able to direct my magic to the grassy stretch of land before me. I coax the elements to come together, the idea in my head materializing into a physical house with a view of the man-made lake with the pretty park on the far side. I’m less than five miles from the street where Paine lives, but it feels like another world here. More green space. More room. More privacy.
I layer my magic into the house, creating the memory that it’s been under construction for several months. I can’t have humans coming around to gawk at the house that popped up overnight.
I dematerialize my clothing as I walk through the entrance. I’ve never cared for clothes, and I don’t wear them unless I’m trying to pass as human. All nepha are beautiful. We are described as angelic for a reason, and I’m no exception. I like to flaunt my ethereal physique. My only adornment settles on my head, a delicate bronze laurel wreath crown.
The shaker-style wood front doors appear, and I smile as my magic creates a perfect replica of Rene’ Burri’s Stable and Pool to hang in the small entryway. I marvel at its beauty. I’ve always believed human souls are so powerful because they have the capacity to create such wonderful things.
Unlike so many of my fellow monsters, I like humans. Well, maybe not like, but I find them fascinating. I enjoy their spirit, creativity, and perseverance. I appreciate their violence and their capacity to love and destroy. Their brief life spans are like a lightning strike—brilliant, loud, and beautiful.
The house is nearly complete as I stride down the galley-style hall, past a small library. At the last second, I add a kitchen. Feeding Summer something I make with my hands would feed something in me.
I smile, my cock growing hard at the thought of the beautiful human woman in my new house—in any of my homes. As I walk towards the single bedroom, I admire the sleek and clean-lined design. It’s so unlike my gothic castle in the monster realm, but that’s what I like about it. I enjoy both styles equally, as well as my country manor in the valley beyond my castle. At first, when I constructed the modest manor, I worried it was too close to the mountain where one of the last of the four ancients lives. But there was no warning earthquake or bolt of lightning, so I figured I was okay.
I press my hand to the bedroom door, but freeze. Anger spikes my heart rate as I stomp back down the hall. As soon as I enter my kitchen, I drop my voice to a menacing tone. “Enjoy this uninvited visit, Galathiel. It will be your last.”
The beautiful nepha turns, her naked, silver skin shimmering. She holds my gaze for a second too long, so I growl at her. She lowers her head as she says, “When you said you claimed this territory, I didn’t realize you meant you would be staying in the human realm. Such a waste of magic.”
“You needn’t concern yourself with what I do or do not do with my territory.”
Galathiel raises her head, avoiding my eyes to look around my new house as she says, “It’s surprisingly modern, Mal.”
“You presume too much familiarity, Galathiel. Get out.”
She comes around the island. Her eyes flick to the top of my head, and her lips quirk in a smile. “I like that you’re still wearing the crown. Sets off your eyes.”
I cross my arms, and her gaze drops to my cock. She takes another step towards me but jerks as I slam my magic into her, keeping her from getting any closer. Her lips pout, and her voice turns seductive. I can’t believe tricks like that used to work on me.
She purrs, “Want to christen the place?”
Fury erupts through me, a little voice in the back of my mind raging that this house is for Summer. My power blasts into Galathiel, and her eyes go round as I lift her off her feet, then slam her onto her back. She grunts, her breath punching out of her in a cough. Galathiel recovers after a few breaths, painting a sneer onto her face, but the scrape of her silver metallic wings scrambling against the floor gives away her internal panic.
Stupidly, she laughs. “Oh, come on, Mal. It’ll be just like old times. We were good together. I can help you hold this territory.”
Like I need her help.
I stand over her, spreading my wings, my eyes flashing with my magic. The fake sneer falls from her lips, replaced by anger. “Seriously, Mal? If this is just boredom, you know how creative I can be.” When I don’t respond, her mouth drops open. “No. Is that why you’re here? You think because a couple of little monsters found their fated one amongst the humans, that you …?” When I don’t answer—because she is too close to the truth—she cackles, her flawless body arching off the floor. “Oh, Mal. Poor, Mal. How desperate you mus?—”
I kneel between her spread legs, and she licks her lips. When I reach for her, she pushes her body towards my hand. Instead of cupping the inviting breast she offers, I grab one of her feathers and rip it out.
She screams, though I know it didn’t hurt that bad. I twirl her silver feather between my fingers, letting my malicious intent shine through my eyes. She stills, finally realizing the trouble she’s in. My magic holds her down, but not so tightly that she can’t struggle. I like the struggle. I trace her feather down the front of her body from her collarbone to her pelvis. She hisses in pain as a thin line of silver blood wells up.
I take a guess, and say, “You want to help me hold this territory? Or do you want to keep me distracted so I won’t take notice of that pretty woman who was working at the bookstore?”
Galathiel’s skin goes white, and genuine fear fills her eyes. Seems I was right. Maybe it’s just a passing amusement, but what if …
Seriously, what the ever-loving fuck is going on in this town?
I decide to push Galathiel just to see her reaction. I say, “She was quite lovely, and I sensed her soul was potent. She’d be a satisfying meal.”
I’m rewarded with a growl as Galathiel snaps at me. “You leave Lilith alone!”
She snaps her lips shut, turning her gaze away from me, realizing she made a mistake. I grin, twirling the point of her feather into the skin of her stomach. “Lilith, huh?”
“Fuck you, Mal.”
I get right in her face as my magic coalesces at my chest. A growing pinpoint of light illuminates the horror in her eyes. My voice is eerily calm as I say, “It seems, Galathiel, that you have forgotten your place.”
My body gets hotter as my magic increases. Galathiel whimpers, “Please, Malicious. I’m sorry. Please, don’t.”
There are few things that can kill a nepha. An ancient certainly can with no problem. But another way to kill one of us is through what the humans call our “holy light.” The very light that I have aimed at Galathiel.
She tries to scramble away from me, but my magic has her pinned. Again, she begs, “Please.”
I extinguish my light, and she swallows. “Thank you, Malicious. You’re right, of course. I’m hungry, that’s all. I could use a boost of magic. The woman is nothing. She just caught my eye, and I thought I might have a little fun with her before I consumed her soul.”
I raise a brow. Nice try. “But remember, Galathiel, this is now my territory. So …”
Anger, fear, then feigned boredom all march across her face. “You want Lilith? Go ahead.”
I stare at her, my lips quirked in a smirk. Galathiel remains silent for five whole seconds before she huffs a breath. “Fine, Malicious. You win. I want her. May I … please have her?”
I remove the feather from her flesh and lick her silver blood from the tip, savoring the burst of her magic as I consume it and make it mine. Cocking my head, I wait, enjoying making her sweat. I grin, sitting back on my heels. Crushing her feather in my hand, I watch as silver dust sprinkles onto my brand new floor. “Yes, Galathiel, I will grant you this gift, but you will owe me.”
When I release her, she sits up, her skin glowing a brighter silver as she heals the long gash slicing down her middle. I rise, spreading my bronze wings, the metallic black tips scraping against my pristine white walls as I command. “Get. Out. If I see you again without my summons, I’ll take your wings.”
She curls said wings around her body before she disappears. Immediately, I throw up magical wards around my house and the surrounding property. Nothing will be able to get close without me knowing, not a monster, a human, or even a squirrel.
I use my magic to clean up the mess in the kitchen before padding back towards my new bedroom. I open the door, looking at the large king-size bed with its blue velvet bedding. White curtains cover the floor-to-ceiling windows, and a flick of my wrist lights the stained-glass pendant that hangs over the bed. It’s the same one that was in that bookstore, only bigger. The bookstore where I met her.
Suddenly, all I can see is Summer spread over my bed, and I imagine crawling to her like a supplicant. Her tan thighs would fall open, and I groan as I picture her sweet pussy glistening for me. What would she smell like? Taste like? Feel like?
My cock stands at attention, and I grip it, slicking my pre-cum down my length. My magic surges from me, doing something I’ve never seen it do before. It creates a writhing form on my bed. It’s her. My magic has made me a Summer. She is slightly transparent, but her small body arches off the bed, and I go to her. When I touch her inner thighs, she’s solid enough to grip. Pressing her wide, I watch her phantom pussy clench in anticipation. I flatten my palm to her lower belly, slowly tracing my touch up her body. She shivers, her mouth falling open, her throat bobbing. I imagine a moan coming from those lips, and I growl as my cock throbs with need for her.
My hands wrap around her thighs, and I slam into the magical apparition. It’s not quite right. Something is missing, something I imagine only the real Summer could give me, but it’s enough to have me rutting into my magic. I make the ghost of Summer hold my gaze as I thrust into her over and over. I can see my dick through her skin, and I growl as I go deeper. My magic weighs her down to keep her from shifting up the bed as I drive into her with increasing strength. My legs are shaking. I’m so close, but there’s a whisper at the back of my desperate mind telling me it’s not really Summer. That this is a poor copy. That the real thing is out there.
I’m going to find her. I’m going to find out what she really feels like taking my cock. I’m going to learn what sounds she makes as she comes. I’m going to memorize every touch that makes her squirm. I’ll learn what steals her breath. I’ll find out how to make her beg for me.
I’m going to destroy that little human.
My orgasm flashes through me, my cum spilling into the magical body under me. I rock into her, the sparks of my pleasure fading to tingles until I’m spent. Tucking my wings, I roll onto my back, my magic dispersing the fake Summer, cleaning my cum in the process.
I press my hand to my chest over my racing heart. Well, that was … interesting.
Hours later, The Divide starts to pull at me as the magical veil begins to go back up. I realize I haven’t moved from this spot on my bed. I’ve been staring at the ceiling thinking about … her.
I slip through The Divide into the monster realm of Ekenys. I’ve spent enough magic for one day. Spreading my wings, I aim for my castle. Hope skips like a child through my heart. Could Summer be my …? No. No. After all these centuries, it wouldn’t be that easy.
Still, the thought of her …
I laugh at the stars as I barrel-roll through a cloud. The cool mist clings to my bronze skin, and I shake it off, my laugh getting louder.
I’m certainly not bored anymore.