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SUCCUBUS DREAMS: SACRIFICE
SUCCUBUS HAREM PART 31

Copyright © 2019 by L.L. Frost

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or

transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other
electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the writer, except
in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial
uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are
either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Cover design by L.L. Frost

Book design by L.L. Frost

Printed in the United States of America.

First Printing, 2019
 CON T E N TS

Breaking Walls
Magic At My Fingertips
Living Nightmare
(un)Made
Two Weeks Later
Harness the Spanking

From the Author

Also by L L Frost
About the Author
F ire rolls down the hall, a scorching cloud that drives the
drones back and devours those too slow to escape. Energy
floods through me, and I hyper-speed forward, straight into
the blaze. Ley line magic crackles from my wings, and I pull the
thread faster, the ice wall caging the wild magic splintering wider.
Iridescent magic takes life in the form of feathers spreading
down my wings, and the first drone I encounter evaporates on
contact, the same way the akuzal did when it ran straight into the
power node on the demon plane.
If I learned one thing from my time there, it’s how to kill without
hesitation.
When I clear the fire, baku run at my sides, and while they can’t
affect the drones on the human plane, they offer a layer of
confusion, some of the eyeballs spinning away to chase after their
shadowed forms.
A narrow path forms down the middle as their gelatinous bodies
roll to the sides. I spread my wings up and out, leaving my body
vulnerable as I drop to my knees in a slide. Magic pops and hisses as
it cuts through their bodies like butter, the pieces disintegrating
before they hit the floor.
 “Fire!” Tobias shouts, and my wings snap back around my body
as flames roll past.
They catch the stragglers, their charred corpses plopping to the
tiles ahead of me.
As the flames dissipate, I glance to the right, noting the number
three on the door. This is where the humans barricaded themselves
in, and it wasn’t even hard to reach.
I release the energy from my limbs, not wanting to waste any
more of it. A grin spread over my lips as I spring to my feet and turn
toward Tobias to share the victory.
Time slows, my heart crashing to escape, as a large drone drops
from the ceiling, tentacles spread wide and gaping maw large
enough to take Tobias whole. He grins as he steps toward me,
caught between one step and the next. The drone must be clouding
his mind, leaving him unaware of the danger.
Half a hall separates us, and I fumble for the energy in my core
as panic rushes through me.
No time, no time. The magic slips through my grasp. Why did I
let it go so easily?
I stumble toward Tobias, my legs too slow.
He frowns at my obvious terror, his eyes sweeping the hall for
danger and doesn’t even feel the first tentacle slither around him.
No.
The denial pulses through me, a physical reaction that slams
against the ice wall inside me, breaking it apart. Ley line magic
floods out, burning in my bones and skin as it tries to unmake me.
My next step closes the space between me and Tobias in a
heartbeat, and I shove him out of the way.
Wet, cold darkness closes around me as the nightmare creature’s
mouth engulfs me, its spinning teeth cutting through my flesh. The
pain barely registers, the agony of holding the ley line magic
blocking out all other senses. It eats my bones, my blood, my flesh,
layer by layer and all at once, a lifetime and an instant. Magic bursts
through my skin with painful relief, and from inside the drone, I
listen to it scream as it disintegrates.
 Up until now, I didn’t think the drones had voices, but I don’t just
hear it with my ears. Its anger, its pain floods my mind, and for a
moment, its single existence is replaced by hundreds, all with a link
to the Dreamer.
Then, light blinds me, the overhead fluorescent bulbs no
competition for the iridescent glow on my skin.
I focus past it to see Tobias still falling, confusion and rage
twisting his face. Emil stands a few steps behind him, one hand on
the wall, ice blooming from where he touches.
Time picks up again, and Tobias slams onto the tiles, the floor
shaking with the first tremor of an earthquake.
Ice rushes down the hall, coating the wall in a thick layer that
covers the doors and ceiling.
Shouts fill the air as the others realize something’s wrong.
A portal opens in front of Tobias, the hag appearing with her
parasol raised in front of her like a sword, and for the first time, I
notice the dagger-sharp tip that glistens with green poison.
I hold my hands up and pull my wings back into hiding. I’m not
the threat here, and after a moment, everyone falls silent.
Tobias sits up slowly. “Are all the drones gone from this hallway,
now?”
Carefully, I inspect the ceiling, walls, and floor, then glance down
at Jimboba’s shadowed form at my side. They, in turn, check with
other members of the BBBB, who rush down the hall and back.
After a moment of conferring with each other, Jimboba
announces, “All clear on this side. The humans are terrified and
confused, but safe.”
I relay the news, and the hag drops her parasol with a huff of
irritation. “We should have just left them to fend for themselves.”
“You saw the size of that drone before it disintegrated.” Tobias
pushes to his feet. “It completely hid from my senses. It could have
taken any one of us unaware if we’d left it alive.”
“There’s likely more of those closer to the Dreamer.” Stuffing her
parasol into the loose folds of her dress, the hag opens another
portal and rejoins the main group.
 Tobias and I stand staring at each other, a hundred unsaid words
between us. I want to go to him, to hold him and make sure he’s
whole, and by the aborted step he takes toward me, he feels the
same. But the layer of magic that coats my body keeps us separate.
He’s a demon of destruction, one of the most powerful I know, but
even he won’t risk the raw magic that claims me at the moment.
Then his eyes drop to my body and he shrugs out of his jacket,
offering it to me with a gruff, “Don’t tempt the humans.”
Startled, I glance down at myself and find only a few scraps of
fabric remaining from my shirt. My pants and rubber galoshes fared
better against the drone’s sharp teeth. I take the jacket and pull it
on, half expecting the magic on my skin to melt through the fabric,
but it stays intact.
From behind Tobias, Emil yells, “Stop fucking around and get
your asses back here!”
My mouth drops open in shock. I’ve never heard my fussy demon
lose his control like that.
Tobias’s lips twitch, and we share a smile before he turns to face
Emil. “We’re coming. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”
“But what about...” I trail off as I peer back down the hall to
where the humans wait.
Ice coats the door, cementing it shut. Even if a drone finds its
way to them, it won’t be able to break through. They’re safe for
now, so long as we don’t burn the building down.
I follow after Tobias, who stops next to Emil and grips the other
man’s shoulder. They share a hard stare before Emil finally grabs his
arm in the closest thing I’ve seen to an embrace.
Nodding, Tobias steps past him, only to be caught up in Kellen’s
arms. Where Emil is reserved in his affection, Kellen is not. He
pounds Tobias hard on the back as static lifts Tobias’s hair into a
poof around his head.
Tobias tolerates it for half a minute before shoving his friend
away and smoothing down his chestnut waves.
I stop in front of Emil and study the ice wall next to him. I took
all of his power not too long ago, and he hasn’t had much time to
replenish his reserves. Dredging up this much energy must have
hurt. “Are you okay?”
“This is nothing.” Filmy white eyes sweep over me, not fully
white, but far closer than he should be capable of right now. “And
you? It seems my power was not enough.”
“Tobias is alive. That’s all that matters for now.” I pick at the wall
of ice inside me, trying to repair the damage, but it crumbles
beneath my efforts. Once broken, it refuses to be put back together.
Ley line magic burns in my bones, destroying and creating, a force
that won’t be contained for long. “We should continue before your
ice melts and the humans put themselves in danger when they
escape.”
Emil’s lips part, questions in his eyes, but he holds them back,
not wanting the answers any more than I want to give them. We
both know I can’t hold this power indefinitely, but I’ll fight tooth and
nail to last until everyone’s safe from the Dreamer.
When we rejoin the group, the demons keep a careful distance
from me, even Landon who’s always made a place for me at his side.
The witches, on the other hand, have no such worry. And why would
they? They harness this kind of magic every day.
Our more somber group press forward toward the main ward.
Julian’s pink, misty barrier pushes back the drones, and his sword
flashes out to cut down any who float too close.
Tobias and I could perform the same hallway clearing we did on
the other side, but after the almost-disaster of the last one, no one
voices the idea.
What happens to a demon if a drone consumes them? After
being inside one, and knowing that the Dreamer feeds on life
energy, I think it might mean permanent death to be caught by one
and not just a destruction of our corporeal forms. While just a
theory, I don’t want to take the risk.
We pass dozens of doorways, only entering when one of the
baku reports a drone in hiding. In those rooms, we find patients
lying on hospital beds, tubes and monitors slowly beeping. Xander
checks the first one for life and doesn’t check another. Whether their
conscious was gone before or after the Dreamer set up its lair here
doesn’t change the outcome, and I wall my emotions away.
Now is not the time to give into regrets. We just have to stop the
Dreamer from claiming more victims.
Eventually, we reach a point where the drones can’t move back
any farther, and we make quick work of the few that remain, Julian’s
barrier and the block behind them making it easy for Julian and
Kellen to step forward with their blades and cut them down. Like
shooting fish in a barrel, only easier and with more slime.
As they fall, they reveal a set of double-doors, barred at the top
and bottom by thick locks.
Emil steps forward, careful of the slippery floor, and waves a
badge over the digital lock. He must have taken it from the nurse at
the front of the building while transferring her to safety. Good
planning on his part.
He hurriedly steps back as the locks whir, retracting into the floor
and ceiling. Julian slowly nudges the right door open with his sword
while Tobias stands at the ready, fire in both hands. When no drones
flood out, I send Jimboba and the other BBBB ahead to check if a
trap waits.
After only a moment, Jimboba comes trotting back, their
shadowed form passing right through Tobias to reach me. “Hall
ahead is clear, but you’re not going to like what you see.”
I crouch, hands on my knees for support. “Tell me.”
Their small trunk curls and uncurls. “Lots of humans. And lots of
drones. And more of those egg sacks.”
My brow wrinkles. “But you said the hall is clear.”
“It is, but this is where you access the main ward. They’re in
there.” Jimboba shuffles, clawed feet stomping. “We gotta go. Aren’s
preparing to enter the Between. We need to be there to back him
up.”
I nod in understanding. “When this is over, I’m buying the whole
team a treat.”
Jimboba’s ears flap in excitement. “I’ve never had a treat before.”
“I’ll make it a good one.” Standing, I salute the small baku. “Stay
safe. And make sure Tally doesn’t do anything stupid.”
 With a return salute, Jimboba vanishes from view, along with the
other shadowed baku forms.
I meet Reese’s eyes, the only other person privy to both sides of
the conversation, and find my worry reflected back.
I fear for my friend in Dreamland. She’s far older than I am, and
should therefore be more powerful, but she doesn’t maintain a
proper baku diet, and I’m not sure how that affects her. Hopefully,
she’ll stay back and let Aren do his thing, whatever that may be, but
if she sees her brother in danger, I have no doubt she’ll rush to his
aid, the same as I would for any of the people here with me.
I turn to the rest of the group. “The hall is clear ahead, but the
ward is full of drones.”
Julian wipes his sword off on his jacket. “My barrier will hold
them back while the others access the Between. Adie, Tobias, Emil,
and I can work on taking down the drones in the meantime. We play
this safe, and we all walk away.”
Kellen cleans his daggers and passes them to Emil. “Stay inside
the barrier. Only strike when you have a clean opening.”
Emil weighs the weapons in his hands before gripping their hilts
loosely. “This isn’t my first battle.”
“No, but it’s your first without the ice to back you up.” Tobias
grips his shoulder. “We watch each other’s backs. No heroics.”
Emil glances over Tobias’s shoulder to me. “That goes for
everyone. Locking up the Dreamer is the priority. We can play drone
clean up after.”
I nod and meet Julian’s eyes. “We stick together.”
The pink barrier of mist pulls in tighter around us as we file
through the doors, finding the hall empty as Jimboba said it would
be.
Unlike the rest of the facility, the lights here are dim, creating
shadowed pockets where the walls meet the ceiling and floor. We
inch forward slowly, senses on high alert, and I double-check with
Reese to make sure he doesn’t see something I don’t.
Halfway down the new hallway, the wall on the right opens into a
long window, and my steps slow as I look inside.
 The main ward is larger than I guessed based on the rest of the
rooms we’ve checked. Unlike the private rooms we checked on the
way here, this is just one large room with a dozen beds hooked up
to machines that blink with lights keeping their patients alive. Drones
swarm over the prone humans, tentacles sliding over their still
forms, creating strings of gray mist that tether their bodies to the
egg sacks on the ceiling above. Hundreds and hundreds of baby
drones, enough to cast a red light over the entire room.
“Fucking hell,” Julian breathes. “How are we supposed to fight in
there with all those humans?”
E mil steps up to my side, keeping a careful distance between
us to avoid touching the ley line magic that burns in my
skin. “They’re probably all dead already.”
“We don’t know that.” Xander steps to my other side, his eyes
intent on the comatose patients. “The fact they’re feeding from them
says they’re still alive. This is the first place we’ve seen that.”
I drag my gaze away to find Landon and the hag. “What do we
do?”
The hag waddles up to the window, her eyes barely clearing the
bottom of the windowsill. “We sacrifice the few to save the many, of
course.”
I shake my head, unwilling to accept that as the only option, and
stare at Landon. He taught me to treasure humans, to recognize
how special they are. He can’t be okay with letting these ones die.
He looks from me to the window then back again. “We could
portal–”
“How many tears in reality do you think I have in me?” the hag
snaps. “We agreed to save the staff because we know they’re alive.
But these people”–she waves a hand at the ward–“they’re only here
because their families don’t have the guts to pull life support.
Without those machines, they’d already be dead. We’re just
accepting what nature already decided.”
“People wake up from comas after being unresponsive for years,”
Reese mumbles, his attention fixed on the patients. “But portalling
them out isn’t an option. Without those machines, they’ll die.”
My hands clench into fists. “So, you agree that we just let them
die?”
His head turns, and he blinks at me in confusion. “I didn’t say
that.”
“What are you saying?” Jax demands. “We don’t have time for
you to talk in circles. Those eggs look ready to burst.”
He’s right. They wobble back and forth as the small nightmare
creatures inside roll within their cocoons. The last time I saw them
do that, they’d hatched within a few hours. Do we even have that
much time?
I turn back to find Reese’s odd eyes still fixed on me. “Ley line
magic is life magic. It’s possible Adie can wake the patients, at which
point they wouldn’t need the life support machines.”
“Yeah, or she’d kill them instantly.” Tobias shakes his head. “You
saw what happened when the drones came into contact with her,
right?”
I nod in agreement. “It did the same thing to akuzal on the
demon plane. Hell, it did the same thing to me. You can’t touch it
and not be destroyed.”
“We can,” Reese says simply. “And you’re still alive.”
“Yeah, after it vaporized my body hundreds of times!”
“Reese might have something here,” Slater says. “Humans can
harness ley line magic. Something in our physiology lets us do it
without being destroyed. You’ve seen it destroy demons and
whatever these nightmare creatures are. But you haven’t seen it
destroy a human.”
A hand grasps my arm, warm even through the burn of magic,
and I flinch as I spin, ready to break free. Reese stands in front of
me, long fingers curled around my forearm. The iridescent light rolls
around his hand like a cat welcoming its owner. The magic surges
inside me, wanting to go to him, to fuel his spells.
 Scowling, I jerk my arm from his hold. “That was a stupid way to
make a point. And you’re used to this. How do you know an
unprepared human will be okay?”
He shrugs. “We were unprepared humans at one point, and
we’re still alive.”
I rub my arm in an attempt to calm the magic that wants to jump
from me to him. “You’re willing to risk their lives on your theory?”
“The alternative is to give up on them without trying,” Xander
says, his attention still fixed on the ward. “At least, we can say we
gave it our best shot.”
I hug my elbows. “Then why don’t one of you try it?”
Xander finally turns to face me. “Because spells don’t work on
coma patients, and we can’t just release pure magic.”
“Isn’t that what Jax and Slater do?” I hadn’t seen them casting
any spells when they threw around magic.
Jax shakes his head. “What we do holds intent. If we just try to
call up a ley line and release it, it flows straight back to the power
source. But you’re already separated from the source. A free-
roaming ley line, so to speak.”
I narrow my eyes on him. “And you really think I can do
something different?”
“No.” His eyes flicker to his friend. “But Reese does.”
Silence settles for a moment, and Tobias scowls at all of us. “I
can’t throw fire around with the humans in the way. There are
oxygen tanks in there. If we try to fight around them, we might blow
the entire place up.”
“Doesn’t matter if we blow the place up so long as we lock up
the Dreamer,” the hag grumbles.
“But if we blow the humans up, we won’t have anyone to hold
the way back open.” Patience fills Landon’s voice, as if he’s talking to
a child.
The hag jabs one razor-sharp claw into his side. “Don’t you get
lippy with me, slug. This whole adventure is turning into a giant pain
in my ass. I should have stayed in the Library.”
Landon shoves her out of reach. “But you didn’t, so shut up and
get ready to open a portal.”
 “Can we stop arguing and just do this?” Emil rolls his head,
vertebra cracking. “I have a cat who’s probably starving by now. God
knows what he’s doing to the furniture.”
“Hopefully tearing apart that horrible floral couch.” Kellen rubs his
palms together. “If we’re lucky, he’ll have it in shreds before we get
home.”
“Hey!” I rise onto my toes. “That’s my couch!”
“And you’re Tac’s least favorite person in the house right now.”
Emil’s lips lift in a tiny smile. “I’d really like to see that couch
destroyed.”
I glare at all of them, even Tobias who hasn’t threatened my
couch. Yet. He’s the one most likely to enact furniture murder. I did,
after all, destroy his favorite chair.
As everyone heads for the door at the end of the hall, Jax steps
up beside me. “They know you’re scared and are trying to distract
you. It’s kind of nice to see they have feelings.”
I bristle at that. “Of course, they have feelings. Demons aren’t
without emotion.”
“I know that.” He studies Kellen’s back. “But you live longer than
humans, and you look at the world differently. Sometimes it’s hard to
tell. Slater and I used to live on the streets, you know? Kellen helped
us out of a sticky situation, but he made it very clear at the time that
it wasn’t for free. That his assistance came at a high price.”
I nod. “Gain must be established. It’s the way of things.”
“It’s the demon way of things,” Jax says softly. “I’m not saying
humans were lining up to help us out for free, either, but there are
kind people out there who give for free.”
“And there are bad people out there who will take advantage of
their generosity.” I shrug. “Demons establish the cost upfront to
simplify things.”
Jax tilts his head. “What’s the cost for saving humanity from the
Dreamer?”
I blink at him in confusion. “Humanity didn’t ask that we stop the
Dreamer. Aside from you four, they don’t even know about the
threat.”
 “So, you’re doing this for free? Because you’re generous? I know
why we’re here.” He gestures to Reese, Xander, and Slater who walk
next to us. “But why are you here? No demons have died, right? But
you’re putting yourselves at risk to save the same humans who
destroyed your world.”
Ah, so they heard our discussion in the kitchen.
“How old are you?” I ask.
His brows pinch together at the change in topic. “Twenty-three.”
“Then you’re obviously not the humans who destroyed our
world.” I wave that aside. “But to answer your question, I’m here for
the gain.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t understand.”
“Succubi and incubi feed on humans. The Dreamer threatens our
food source. We gain continued life by locking the Dreamer back
up.”
“You don’t feed on humans,” Reese points out. “Which stands to
reason others of your kind could feed on demons as you do.
Therefore, humans aren’t necessary.”
“Are you trying to talk her out of this?” Slater hisses.
I grin at Jax.
“I bargained for the right to feed on them. Otherwise, I’d be
breaking demon law.”
“It’s not illegal for demons to feed on each other,” Xander
protests. “Tally said succubi and incubi hunt baku for sport.”
My grin falls away. “I didn’t say it doesn’t happen. But the baku
are in their right to sue for abuse of energy rights. They just don’t.
For the most part, demons rarely kill each other. The blood price is
steep. Eternal life doesn’t mean we’re all rich, and demon jail is not
to be trifled with. If you break the law and can’t afford the price,
then it’s not pretty. It keeps most of us in line.”
“So, your gain here is protecting a valuable food source,” Jax
states.
I nod. “Yes, completely selfish motivations on my part.”
He doesn’t look convinced. “And Emil, Tobias, and Kellen are here
why?”
 “I’m their contract succubus. It’s in the contract that they ensure
my health while under their protection.”
Jax squints at me. “So, it’s not because they love you?”
Heat stains my cheeks, embarrassed to talk about the depths of
feelings I have for my demons. “If you ask them, they will say it’s for
the contract.”
“It’s what the record books will say, too,” the hag grumbles, and I
jump, startled to find her walking at my side.
Was she there the entire time? She barely reaches my elbow,
well below my line of sight.
I look around and realize we’ve reached the doors into the ward.
The hag’s head rolls until it faces straight up in a wrinkled scowl.
“This plan for waking the coma patients in the middle of all those
drones is foolhardy. You think they’re just going to let you waltz
those food bags out of here without a fight?”
I glare down at her. “I think they’ll be too busy trying to stop you
to worry about what I’m doing.”
She grunts. “I can establish a portal from the doorway to the
parking lot, but it’s up to you to make sure no drones get through.
I’ll be too busy with the Dreamer to save your ass if things go
sideways. And if it comes down to those humans or us, you better
have our backs.”
My wings rattle against my spine in annoyance. “I know where
the priority is.”
“You’re unpredictable. Usually, I find that amusing because it’s
messing with other people’s lives.” She jabs a claw at me. “But I aim
to walk out of here tonight, so you better reign in your impulses. You
can go back to aggravating the demons of destruction and
Landrogath tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to tell me that.” I jut out my chin. “I already
planned to.”
Julian motions for everyone’s attention. “I can’t cover the entire
room. It’s too big. Where does the barrier need to be, exactly?”
“We won’t know for sure until we’re in there.” Xander steps up to
his side, and points through the window on the door. “But I’m
guessing it’s where the drones are the most active.”
 I rise onto my tiptoes to peer over their shoulders. At the center
of the room, drones dart back and forth, laying down a thick, gray
mist. “Tobias, can you burn the webbing away without harming the
humans?”
Careful of my demons, I step back to give them access to the
window.
Tobias studies the room. “Maybe. It depends on if fire will travel
along it or not. And the amount of smoke it causes.”
“I need to rip open the access way exactly where the Dreamer is
trying to break through.” The hag grabs Landon’s arm, and he
crouches, allowing her to scramble onto his back between his wings.
As he stands, she absently catches one of his butterflies and stuffs it
into her mouth. He winces but says nothing as she peers into the
room. “I can’t tell where the portal needs to go from here, but I
agree, we need the webbing gone. We can’t risk it getting mixed up
with our magic.”
I lift my hand, staring at the shimmering magic that clings to it.
“It might dissolve if I come in contact with it.”
“That might work. We’ll try that before the fire.” Landon turns his
head, bumping against the hag’s nose. “Stop sniffing me, Enyo.”
“Did you change your shampoo?” She snorts loudly, then
sneezes. “I don’t like it. You used to smell better.”
“Then get off me.” He dumps her back on the ground and
reaches for the door. “Emil, open the lock.”
My heart pounds as Emil steps forward, badge at the ready. It all
comes down to this battle. Once inside the room, we each have our
orders. I have to trust Kellen, Landon, the Librarian, Aren, and the
witches to do their side of the job, while Julian, Tobias, Emil, and I
guard their way back.
The lock clicks, and Landon pushes the door open into a living
nightmare.
J ulian’s sword takes down the first drone as he steps into the
room, then pushes his barrier forward to make room for
everyone else.
The drones on the periphery of the ward swarm forward,
pounding against the barrier as the ones at the center of the room
move faster, laying down more gray mist. The sticky stuff fills the
room in a heavy web linking to the nests, the beds, and the
comatose patients.
The pink mist that surrounds us doesn’t seem to affect it, the
gray strings slipping easily through. I dart ahead of Julian, still well
within his protection, and grasp one of the gray strands. It sticks to
my fingers like dry skin on wool, unaffected by the ley line magic.
Is it because there’s no life in the webbing for the magic to
destroy?
I pull back, shaking my hand to free it when the gray stuff clings.
With a hard tug, it tears free from the rest of the web to dangle
from my palm.
I turn to the others. “Ley line magic doesn’t work on the stuff.”
Tobias steps forward, fire at his fingertips, and touches the end
of the strand. It sparks instantly, curling and blackening. Heat
scorches my hand, and I bite back a yelp of pain before the ley line
magic soothes away the injury. The web falls to the floor and
shatters into dust.
Not ideal, but better than it could be. “We’ll just have to be
careful to break it off before it reaches the humans.”
“It will take longer that way.” He smudges his shoe over the dust,
leaving a gray smear on the tiles.
“Adie and I will take care of ensuring the humans’ safety while
you burn the web,” Julian says.
Concerned, I turn to him. “Will you be alright using hyper-speed
while maintaining the barrier?”
“I can’t do it for long.” He winces as one of the big drones slams
down on the barrier. “Figure out where the access point is, and we’ll
focus there.”
The witches confer with the hag as we move forward, sweeping
the room with some sixth sense only they have. Unsurprising, we
draw closer to the center of the room, where the heaviest webbing
blocks our path.
Tobias reaches for it, fire at the ready, and I spindle out my
succubus energy into my limbs. It feels different, mixing with the ley
line magic that spilled free from the wall of ice. I concentrate hard
on maintaining my focus. I need speed to make sure the fire doesn’t
spread.
The fire touches the center of the dense web, rushing outward.
Julian and I blur into motion, chasing the curling flame and breaking
it away before it leaves the barrier.
Gray dust fills the air, and the others lift their hands to block their
noses. I can’t do the same as I work to tug burning strands loose,
and it fills my lungs, bringing back the nightmare of when Domnall
dumped a burning forest into me. It clings to my tongue and chokes
me, but I press on. The fire can’t be allowed to reach the humans or
their oxygen lines.
Coughing, I meet Julian at the other side from where we began.
Gray covers him from head to toe, and he skids to a stop, bending
forward to hack out gray sludge. I do the same, and we lean against
each other for support.
 “Just like old times,” Julian gasps, then spits out a nasty black
clump.
“When this is over, let’s go to a spa.” I cough out another glob,
then straighten to look at our handiwork.
The area in the middle of the ward now lays open, and Reese
already crouches on the floor, using the gray dust to draw out a
circle.
“This is it?” I ask, just to make sure. I don’t really want to clear
any more web if we don’t have to.
“Duh.” The hag hooks a thumb behind her. “The door portal is
active. Get to work.”
I nod but go to Kellen and Landon first. “Be careful in the
Between. Don’t get caught in their maze of fog.”
“We’ll be fine.” Landon’s hands lift, as if to embrace me, then
drop back to his sides. “Don’t take any unnecessary risks, Boo.”
“I won’t,” I promise. I turn to Kellen. “You still owe me a date.”
“I still owe you a spanking.” He grins, then brings his finger close
enough to my face for a static shock to leap across the small space
and zap me in the nose. “I’ll take you dancing this weekend.”
Throat tight, I turn away before I give in to the urge to beg him
not to go. This needs to be done, and I need to trust they know
what they’re doing.
Tobias and Emil join me at the edge of the barrier, and I study
the human who lays in the bed on the other side. He’s younger than
I expected, only a teenager. So far, all of the Dreamer’s victims have
been older. He still has a full life to lead, if he comes out of this
intact.
Nervous, I bite my lip. “Maybe we should test this out on
someone else.”
“You don’t have to do this,” Emil points out. “The drones might
leave them alone.”
But even as he says the words, the egg sacks attached to the
ceiling above the patient bulge, the babies inside writhing to escape.
Once that happens, they’ll slide down the gray tethers that link them
to the human and drain him dry.
I pull my shoulders back. “I can do this.”
 “We have your back,” Tobias rumbles.
Before I lose my nerve, I dart out from the protection of the
barrier. I don’t know exactly what I need to do to make the ley line
magic jump from me to the human, but Xander made it sound like
intent was everything. I can’t try to shape the magic; it needs to be
pure.
I clear my thoughts, then press my fingertip to the kid’s
forehead.
His body arches, his eyes flying open like I hit him with a bolt of
electricity. Rainbows color his pupils as the magic rushes through
him.
A dozen red, glowing eyes whip around to face me, attention
drawn from the barrier as I steal one of their food sources.
“Hurry up, Adie!” Emil yells as he lifts his daggers and turns to
face the incoming drones.
I fumble with the hoses and tubes attached to the human, then
freeze as his eyes close once more, and his body goes limp.
Frowning, I touch his forehead again, his body arching off the bed,
but the second I pull my hand away, the magic snaps back into me.
My pulse jackrabbits as I race to the next bed and tug on my
succubus powers. Gritting my teeth, I yank the ley line magic back
toward my core until my hand looks normal once more, then
carefully pull back the child’s eyelids. My power struggles to find a
consciousness to latch onto, but only stifling emptiness lives inside
the little girl.
Emil and Tobias hold back the monsters as I run to the next bed,
an elderly woman frail and wasted away before her time. Emptiness
echoes from her soul, the machines the only thing keeping her alive
long enough to feed the drone’s babies once they hatch.
Heart heavy, I motion for Emil and Tobias to retreat to the
barrier.
“What happened?” Julian demands as he stabs a large drone.
I shake my head. “We’re too late for these ones. They were
either already brain dead, or the Dreamer’s had them too long.”
Emil’s hand settles on my shoulder. “I’m sorry we couldn’t save
them.”
 Taking a deep, shuddering breath, I push the disappointment and
sadness aside. “There’s nothing we can do about them. We need to
protect our people now.”
I turn toward the center, where the witches have their circle up,
and the hag stands in its center, her clawed hands scratching at the
air in front of her. Kellen stands on her left, storm clouds filled with
lightning unfolding from his back, while Landon stands on her right,
a cloud of butterflies dancing in front of him.
Sensing a change, the drones concentrate their attack on Julian’s
barrier, slamming into it from all sides.
An eyeball slams against the barrier, one thick tentacle breaking
through. It slaps against the tiles, reaching for the witches.
Julian dances forward, sword flashing. With a decisive slice, the
tentacle flops to the floor, leaving gray fluids that find the grout lines
in the tiles and seeps closer.
Another drone slams down on the barrier, this one breaking
halfway through, its maw grinding in threat as it bears down.
Julian stumbles then straightens, determination tightening his
expression. He steps toward the drone, sword raised, and another
drone slams down on the opposite side, closer to the circle where
the hag, Kellen, and Landon stand.
Emil meets the new threat, daggers slicing. They’re less effective
than the sword, taking longer to dismember the thrashing tentacles
before he safely reaches the eye and cuts into it, spilling red fluid
and slime.
Tobias arrives at my side, concern tightening his lips. “We have
to consolidate. Julian can’t keep his barrier spread this wide.”
We retreat to Julian, and the pink mist tightens around us,
becoming denser and harder to see through. Taking up the point
that faces the back of the ward, I unsheathe my wings and spread
them wide, ready to take on any drones that break through on this
side.
Flickers of light fill the room, a tingle running down my spine as
the hag finally tears through to the Between. Gray mist billows out
of the rip in reality, washing over the hag, Kellen, and Landon,
swallowing them whole.
M y heart pounds as I stare at the empty circle where
Kellen, Landon, and the hag stood only moments before.
Gray clouds roll along the tiles, rushing outward before
they come up against the witches’ circle and fold back on
themselves.
I resist the instinctive urge to rush after them. Landon warned us
they would have to physically go into the Between to meet Aren and
lock the cage around the Dreamer. I just never expected it to be like
this. It feels like the Dreamer won, that it ate the people I love, and
everything in me demands I get them back.
“Adie, pay attention!” Julian yells, and I spin just as a drone flies
straight at me.
It slams into the barrier, its gelatinous body smashing inward and
spreading wide, rupturing on impact. Another one comes right after,
killing itself against Julian’s barrier, and cold gel slaps against my
cheek. I lift a hand, startled, and it comes away wet and sticky.
Another drone slams into the same place, fluid splattering
through the barrier.
I stumble back a step. “Julian, we have a problem!”
“Don’t break the circle!” Emil yells.
 I flinch and glance down to find my heel only a foot away from
the witches’ spell. It pulses with magic, anchoring the way back from
the Between.
More goo splatters my body, and my eyes travel the lines of tile,
zeroing in on the runnels of gray ink that creep toward the circle.
My eyes widen in horrified realization. “Tobias, I need you!”
He burns through a drone before running to my side. Slime
splatters his clothes, and his chestnut hair falls across his forehead
in disarray. Black covers his eyes, blotting out the white.
As he arrives, another drone slams forward, bursting on impact,
and he growls. “Why are they doing that?”
I point to the ink creeping along the grout lines at our feet. “Burn
it.”
Swearing, flame fills his hands, and he sweeps them downward.
Black, stinging smoke fills the air as the ink burns, and Jax, the
closest to us, coughs as he breathes it in. The light in the circle
wavers, the tear between dimensions fluctuating.
“Are you two trying to kill the humans?” Julian demands as he
stabs another drone, his blade coming back thick with goo. It drips
from the tip, joining the splatters on the floor.
Terror rushes through me. If Tobias keeps burning away the ink
that creeps through the barrier, he’ll asphyxiate the witches, and if
he doesn’t, the ink will break the circle. “Julian, you have to push the
barrier out again!”
He scowls over at me. “They’ll get through if I do that!”
“They’re getting through now!” Tobias risks another small spurt
of flame, setting more ink on fire.
It catches and grows, spitting noxious fumes into the air. Jax
coughs again, joined by Reese, and the circle fluctuates harder.
I grab Tobias. “Give me your shirt.”
He yanks it off without question, and I drop to the floor, trying to
wipe up slime. But the shirt just pushes it around instead of
absorbing it and creates a bigger puddle. I shove it toward the edge
of the barrier, but as more drones burst themselves against the
walls, more ink seeps through.
Frustrated, I look up at Tobias. “This isn’t working!”
 Flame dances in his hands as they clench in frustration, able to
fix the problem but held back by the mortals we need to keep alive.
My head jerks toward Emil. We need his ice. It could freeze the
ink, slow its progress long enough for the others to return to the
human plane. But its fractured power is the only thing holding the
ley line magic inside me at bay.
Another drone sacrifices itself against Julian’s barrier, slim
splattering us, and its ink joins the growing stream. Tobias crouches,
singeing another runnel of ink that creeps too close to the circle, and
more smoke fills the air.
If we keep this up, we’ll fall on this side, leaving the others
trapped in the Between.
Through force of will, I grab the ley line magic inside me, forcing
it down, down, down, into a ball that burns in my core. The
iridescent light fades from my skin until only flesh remains, and I
hyper-speed to Emil.
His eyes widen in surprise as I appear before him, cupping his
cheeks. “You need to take it back.”
Instant understanding registers, and he shakes his head. “No,
you need it.”
“I held it for the exact right amount of time. Now, I need to give
it back.” I pull him down, our lips meeting, and release the ice ages
back to their master.
It rips out of me faster than it came, eager to return to Emil.
Frost forms under my hands, his lips chilling against mine. He
releases a shaky breath, and the air freezes in my lungs before I
release him.
White eyes stare down at me, the blue obliterated. His fingers
trace my jaw, painting snowflakes on my skin before he turns away.
Ice rushes outward from his feet, sweeping along the floor to circle
the witches, freezing the ink in its path.
Undeterred, the drones continue to crush themselves against
Julian’s barrier, and the mist wavers as my cousin loses power. His
magic was never meant to be used like this, not for this long. He
pulls the mist in tighter, strengthening the walls and caging us in
tighter.
 I stare at the rip into the Between. How long will it take for them
to come back? Will we know as soon as the Dreamer’s locked up?
Will the drones fall, or will they keep trying to break through, even
cut off from their master?
A clang and yell comes from my left, Julian’s sword spinning on
the ground as a drone breaks through and grab him around the
waist, pulling him toward the ceiling. As I take a step toward him,
another tentacle breaks through the barrier right in front of me and
wraps around my waist, yanking me toward a gaping maw of
spinning teeth.
My hold on the ley line magic inside me loosens, power rushing
along my bones, tearing through my muscles and flesh to burst free.
Sound whites out around me, a crackling buzz that blots out
everything else.
The drone that holds me disintegrates, the magic that rides me
unmaking it in an instant. Without the will to take new shape, its
form blips out of physical existence, but its energy remains. Purified
by the destruction, it sinks through the floor, through the dirt and
rock under the foundation, deeper and deeper until it joins the node
of power that pools far beneath the building.
I follow the drone’s death, feeling the joy as it becomes one with
the magic of creation, strengthening the binds that hold our worlds
together even as it gives up a piece of itself to the witches’ call,
allowing the humans who fight with us to take it and reform it into
something new.
With this comes the realization the Dreamer didn’t choose this
place to break through only because the inhabitants offered a ready
food source. It chose it because humans made the Dreamer, and it
can use the power node here to grow, to consume life faster than it
did the first time it tried to wipe out humanity with its never-ending
hunger.
The knowledge sinks into me fully formed, along with the
knowledge the witches won’t be strong enough.
With new eyes, I see Kellen, Landon, the hag, and Aren weaving
their magics together in the Between, forming a new cage. But even
if they win this time, the cage will fail again, the Dreamer will return,
and we might not be there to stop it next time. Aren could be
sundered, his power divided. The witches will die of simple mortality.
Landon could give into non-existence, as some of the older demons
do. The Library could consume the hag.
Jax was right.
We shouldn’t lock the Dreamer up. It’s a Band-Aid on a festering
wound that will kill us in the end. But the witches aren’t strong
enough, they’ll never be strong enough. Because they’re mortal.
As Tobias frees Julian with a targeted blast of fire, more drones
break through on the side of the barrier left unguarded, their
tentacles dangerously close to Slater’s back.
Ice rushes from Emil, freezing the monster, and the temperature
in the room drops until every breath that leaves me forms a cloud in
the air.
Tobias sends out another blast of fire, and the slime and ink on
the floor catch, black fumes rising.
The witches shiver and cough, and Reese lifts one hand from the
circle to cover his nose and mouth. The magic dims, the tear into
the Between wavering.
In defending the witches, we’ll kill them.
I lift my hands. The same magic that powers the circle flows
through me. With it freed once more, I hear the call of the spell, feel
the desire to power it. I don’t need to be able to create the spell;
Xander and Reese already did that. I just need to maintain it until
the others come back.
Like Jax said: I’m a walking ley line right now.
Before I second guess myself, I run to Xander’s side and kneel
beside him. His shoulders shake as he coughs, his lips blue from the
cold. I reach for the circle, and his surprised gaze shoots to me, his
lips parting in a protest that dies on the next breath as I make
contact.
A bell rings in my bones. Like a tuning fork finding alignment, the
rolling, wild magic inside me stills. It stops destroying and remaking
me as it finds new purpose, the witches’ circle giving it direction. It
arrows down my arms, through my fingertips, and flows outward,
solidifying the circle once more.
 I meet Xander’s wide eyes. “Take the others and go through the
portal. You’ve done enough here.”
“But we can–” Another harsh cough breaks him off, and tears roll
from the corners of his eyes. Smoke clouds the air, growing thicker
every time Tobias’s fire catches one of the drones.
Around the circle, the others struggle to maintain their positions.
“I have this. Trust me.” Gently, I curl one wing around Xander
and shift him backward until he loses contact with the spell. It
ripples for a moment, then brightens as my magic replaces his.
“With you four out of the way, we can fight the drones without
concern for your safety.”
He stares around the room, at the weakening barrier and the
careful way Emil and Tobias use their powers, before he slowly nods.
Quickly, he runs around, collecting the others. As each man pulls
away from the circle, it brightens, the pull on the magic inside me
growing stronger.
When Slater, the last of them, lifts his hands away, something
clicks inside me, a sense of rightness. I nod to let them know I have
it, that they’re safe to leave.
The drones must realize something changed for us and pick up
their attack. They come at us from all sides while, overhead, they
crush themselves on the barrier, slime oozing through like some kind
of horror movie jello rain. It spits and sizzles where it hits the circle,
but the magic holds strong.
Slater and Jax grab Reese and run for the portal, but Xander
stops beside me. Heedless of my sharp wings or the acid slime that
rains down, he bends and whispers in my ear, his words almost lost
through the crash of battle.
I nod in understanding, and he squeezes my shoulder before
chasing after his friends.
“Are you sure about this?” Julian demands as he watches them
vanish.
I stare at the strong, glowing circle then at the drones that
swarm around us. “I got this. You just worry about killing every
single one of those things.”
 Julian, Emil, and Tobias exchange vicious grins, and Julian’s
barrier splits, one part forming a tight bubble around me and the
circle while the other guards the portal out.
Julian vanishes in a blur of motion, drone bodies falling in pieces
in mid-air.
Fire and ice flow out unhindered in an elemental dance of raw
power. Heat and cold rush past me, glorious in the primal
destruction.
Inside the rift, another battle rages, the Dreamer’s enormous
body slamming against the cage of power Aren, Kellen, Landon, and
the hag weave around it. The bands of energy form like lattice,
soaring into the sky then bending inward, trapping the Dreamer and
hundreds of drones. It forms slowly, a tapestry of lightning,
butterflies, and nightmares, as the Dreamer’s enormous, eye filled
tentacles slam against it. Drones not trapped within bombard them
from the outside, only to be caught in one of the hag’s portals and
cast into the cage.
The power inside me drains steadily. Unlike the node beneath the
building, the magic I hold is finite. It drags through my bones and
flesh, scraping out parts of me as it fuels the spell, and I will our
people to hurry.
More drone bodies fall around me, sliding off the protective
barrier to land on the floor only for the tiles to rip open and consume
them.
Few remain, and they hover near the ceiling, ripping open the
egg sacks to free the baby drones not yet ready to hatch on their
own in a last-ditch effort to survive.
The smaller eyeballs tumble free, small, translucent tentacles
spiraling to life with a single-minded need to feed.
Hundreds of them fill the room, their hunger a steady buzz. Wary
of the new threat, Julian, Emil, and Tobias retreat into the barrier
around me, the space tight as they struggle not to cross the circle.
Julian stabs through the pink mist, but the smaller drones roll out
of the way faster than their larger predecessors. Tobias throws out a
ball of flame, catching only a few as the others spin out of the fire’s
path. Emil’s ice meets with similar results.
 Seeing us weakening, the larger drones swoop in, and the babies
turn on them, their hunger owing no allegiance. They devour their
brethren, growing in mass and strength. Soon, hundreds of full-sized
drones swarm the room, more than when we first entered, the battle
reset in their favor with our people weakened.
Tobias clenches his fists in frustrated anger. “This isn’t working.”
“It would be easier to just blow the whole place up.” Julian
glances down at me. “How are you doing, Adie?”
“I’d like them to hurry,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Can you hold it?” Emil demands.
I nod grimly as more magic flows out of me, dissolving bones
from my wings to power the spell. I give them freely. My wings
mean nothing compared to getting Kellen and Landon back, and
buying Aren time to return to Dreamland. Even the hag, for all her
snark, means more than the wings I earned through death and
destruction. If need be, I’ll give everything I have to hold the rift
open.
As if the magic heard my vow, the glow in my skin brightens, the
power chewing through my flesh until it turns transparent. I squeeze
my eyes shut, focusing on wrapping my will around the magic,
willing it to slow down.
I didn’t mean I’d give everything right now.
“Well, this looks like a shit show,” a grumpy voice says, and my
eyes snap open once more.
The hag stands in front of me, Landon and Kellen a step behind
her.
“You did it,” I gasp out before my vocal cords dissolve, but I don’t
care. They’re back, we won. I can make new vocal cords once we
return home.
Relieved, I lift my fingers from the circle, the way Xander
instructed to cut off the flow of power. Without the magic, the rift
will close, sealing the way to the Between.
But when I lift my hands, strings of magic stick to the circle, the
spell still active.
“Adie, stop powering the circle,” Tobias commands, his voice
harsh.
 I look up at him, eyes wide with panic. I try to speak, to tell
them to run as the magic swells inside me, but my throat can’t form
the words.
The hag shakes her head and grabs Kellen and Landon. “Time to
go boom, kiddo.”
As the three vanish in a rush of portal magic, my gaze shifts to
Julian.
In a blur of motion, my cousin grabs Emil and Tobias and hyper-
speeds them through the barrier, past the sea of drones, and
escapes through the portal at the doorway.
The second part of the spell engages, dragging my hands back
down to the circle. Xander warned me to leave before this
happened, but the ley line power refuses to listen as it rushes to fill
the drawing at the center of the circle.
The witches never planned to stop at a simple cage for the
Dreamer. Like me, they realized it would come again and planned to
prevent that from happening.
I squint as the Ouroboros comes to life, a giant, glowing serpent
bent on devouring.
The magic rips out of me, the last of my wings disintegrating,
then flesh and bones, until all I am is a ball of energy once more.
Then, it takes that, too, as the Ouroboros flows into the
Between, hungry and destructive, pulling me with it.
My being merging with the snake, giving it thought and purpose
to go along with its hunger. We’re two of a kind, the snake and me.
Both creatures of need. I know well the bottomless ache that
demands to be filled, the desire to be satiated.
We flow toward the cage, so carefully created by the others. It’s
beautiful and shining, its bars designed of storms and thunder, of
nightmares and endless loops that cast its prisoners back on
themselves. A maze that can never be solved, with bars that eat the
inhabitants.
But the cage has weaknesses, as all cages do, and the Dreamer
has all of eternity to find those spots and exploit them. As long as
people can reach the Between, the Dreamer is a threat.
 With one thought, the snake and I coil around the cage, adding
to the power that flows through it, strengthening the bars until they
merge into a solid, glowing ball of light.
It takes all of our magics, those provided and those ripped from
the world around us, consuming to fill a hunger that will never be
appeased.
The orb vibrates within our tight hold, the Dreamer thrashing as
it senses the approach of its death. But its hunger is no match for
the snake, cut off from its original creators, a god left forgotten,
without the time it needed to reclaim its disciples.
Drones sacrifice their lives to feed their master as we latch onto
the orb, sinking teeth into its glowing surface.
We grow bigger, the temptation to consume pushing back
reason. Thoughts of hundreds of people, thousands of dreams, call
like a siren, promising an end to hunger.
We stretch the bounds of the Between, greater than this small
existence. Just past the threshold, millions more lives wait, both in
the human plane and in Dreamland. So much wrong with these
worlds, with these existences. So much that needs to be put right.
And we can do that. Eat and eat until we become one. One being.
One purpose.
No circle holds us this time. We passed that point in coming to
the Between. We can escape, be free, become gods and heal the
worlds by consuming them. No more pain. No more suffering. Just
freedom in becoming one being.
Fire pulls at me, followed by the crackle of lightning and ice.
They tug at my consciousness, a part of me still held separate from
the snake.
Tobias, Emil, and Kellen.
I pull back from the orborous, catching hold of the strings that
bind me to my demons. I remember love and heartache, happiness
and sadness.
If I stay with the snake, I’ll lose my connection with them. The
temptation exists. Everything becomes easier when the struggle of
existence is removed. But this hunger that drives us will never be
quenched. It will never stop.
 Once all life ends, the hunger will remain. An eternity of
emptiness that will never be filled.
I latch back onto the oreborous, sink into its being, and stop it
from absorbing the glowing orb before it breaks. The Dreamer must
remain imprisoned.
Through sheer will, I force the snake back to the rift between
worlds.
We crash into the human plane, the witch circle shattering
beneath our new strength, and holding the Dreamer’s cage in our
teeth, I direct us down through the building, through the earth, to a
place that glows with the magic of creation.
The snake zeros in on this new power, the hunger inside us
swelling, and we slam into the ley line.
The magic surges around us, unmaking the ouroboros, the cage
of power, and the Dreamer. Our energy spreads out, stretched over
the map of the world, everywhere at once. The hunger vanishes, the
snake losing its hold on itself. It lacks the will to remain whole once
its single driving force disappears, and the power taken from the
Dreamer spreads out, washed clean by the ley line’s magic.
Freed from the snake, I turn my attention back to the strings that
vibrate inside me. They have names, have meaning, and give me a
reason to leave.
Painfully, I drag myself back together, collecting the pieces of
myself spread out through the ley line. Its magic clings, offering new
shapes, new power. It gives as it takes, creates as it destroyed. With
the knowledge the ley line offers, I could keep the power, create a
body capable of wielding it, walk as a god on earth, more powerful
than my demons of destruction. No more worries about survival,
able to take everything I need.
Fire burns in my center, a power the ley lines can’t touch, and I
know if I accept the gifts it offers, it means giving up my men.
There is no gain without cost.
Before temptation changes my mind, I rip myself free from the
ley line.
Once more I fall, a meteor of power, a falling star intent on
returning home for good.
“M aster, the cupcakes are cooled,” Jessi reminds me
for the second time. “You promised to show me kitty
witches.”
I give Torch one last pinch around his little tummy before setting
him back into the oven. He flickers blue in goodbye before he belly
flops into his bowl of wood pellets.
Closing the hatch, I stand and turn, pulling off my heat resistant
gloves in the process. I’m a little sad not to be able to hold Torch
without the thick gloves for protection, but it’s a small price to pay
for returning to the human plane as just a normal, low-level
succubus once more.
Jesse dances from foot-to-foot, her chef’s coat hanging well
below her knees and a hairnet over her limp, brown ponytail. Her
large, liquid brown eyes shine with excitement. As soon as she sees
she has my full attention, she scurries to the decorating counter and
climbs up on her footstool.
I follow at a slower pace, my gaze drifting around the kitchen.
Iris stands at the large mixer, weighing ingredients before she adds
them one at a time, prepping a new batch of the pumpkin spice
cakes to replace the ones we almost sold out of after the lunch rush.
 Through the passthrough, Martha handles the espresso machine
like a pro while Kelly takes orders and rings up customers at the
cash register. Tally drifts around the main floor, making sure people
have what they need. When her path takes her past the table where
Xander and Reese work, she lingers, and I look away from their
quiet affection.
I hadn’t told anyone about the second spell the witches laid, and
we’ve tactically agreed never to speak of it. I escaped the oreborous,
and bringing it up after the fact will only endanger them.
We all came out of the battle with the Dreamer whole and
healthy, but it was a near thing. Jax was down for a week with a
brutal cough, and Aren lost much of his impressive size, though
word on the street is that the baku revere him even more now.
Apparently, it’s a big thing to expend that level of power without
having to give up a piece of himself. He now leads the BBBB in a
kind of dream police, making sure we caught all the drones and that
no new monsters enter Dreamland.
After the battle, Julian and Landon went into deep sleep to
replenish their reserves for a few days. I’d driven Landon home in
the middle of the week and deposited him safely on his couch with a
bucket of double-fried chicken, a case of water, and the promise to
return with a casserole next Friday.
The hag vanished on her scooter before I even returned, unable
to leave the Library without a guardian any longer. But an illustrated
book on sex showed up a few days later as her way of wishing me a
speedy recovery.
Only Emil, Kellen, and Tobias came away completely unaffected,
but their worry over me ratcheted up significantly after they had to
dig me out of the new crater created by my return home. I don’t
complain about the extra snuggles, but I put my foot down on
staying away from the bakery once I was back on my feet.
Jesse’s shoulder bumps against my arm, and she waves a tube of
black frosting under my nose. “Kitties.”
With a smile, I bend and curl an arm around her narrow
shoulders as I study the tray of cakes in front of her. Autumn leaves
decorate the top in gold and brown, with little red dots for apples
mixed in. The spicy scent of cinnamon apple cake drifts up, making
my mouth water.
I nod in approval. “You did well with the bases.”
She rolls her eyes. “I practiced like you said.”
As soon as I brought up Fall Themed ideas, Jesse had been all
over practicing with the reward of frosted kittens dangling in front of
her.
“So you did.” Expression serious, I take the tube of frosting from
her and scoot the plate back far enough to slip a sheet of wax paper
in front of it.
I lay out the thin line for the cat’s tail, then the shape of the body
and head. Switching to purple, I add the brim and pointed top for
the witch’s hat.
Jesse claps with delight. “Magic kitty!”
Laughing, I pass her the black frosting. “Think you can replicate
that?”
With an excited nod, she snatches the tube and bends close the
wax paper, her tongue poking out as she concentrates.
A few tries later, she has the pattern down and moved on to
piping the cats onto the cakes. Then, I show her how to add a few
more leaves to hold them in place better. When we finish, we have a
dozen festive Halloween cakes.
I nod to the two-way door. “Want to go offer them as samples?”
Her happy face morphs into a scowl, and she pulls the plate
closer. “My kitties.”
Well, I should have seen that coming. “How is your savings
coming?”
I’d promised Jesse that if she proved she could save her money
and be responsible, I’d consider her request for a cat.
Her lower lip trembles, her eyes brightening with tears, and she
quickly looks back down at the plate of cakes. Her long, slender
fingers stroke the edge of the plate forlornly. “It’s okay.”
I bite my lip, wanting to give in to make Jesse happy. But part of
my contract with my imps stipulates I prepare them to live in the
human world, and she can’t do that if she doesn’t learn to save.
 So, instead, I hug her gently. “How about you use these samples
to get some pre-orders for the holiday? You’ll earn a twenty percent
commission for every order you bring in today.”
She sniffles before her shoulders square with determination.
Climbing off the step stool, she carefully takes the plate and heads
for the door.
“Master is kind,” Iris whispers as she sidles up to me and wraps
me in her baby powder scented embrace.
I pat her, letting her stay as long as she needs to.
My demons of destruction aren’t the only ones who have gotten
clingier since my return. When everyone came back from the
hospital without me, my imps went into panic mode, fearing what
would happen to their contracts with me gone.
Without a guarantor in place, imp contracts go up for auction,
and if no one picks them up, the imps are forced to return to the
demon plane and start over. While I made sure Julian would take
care of them if I was unable to, I never had that conversation with
them.
I remedied that as soon as I got out of bed, forcing Emil to take
me to their house with printouts of my agreement with Julian. The
documents took some wrangling to get from the demon clerk’s
office, but it was well worth Emil’s annoyance when I hand each imp
proof that they wouldn’t be left uncared for. I would have loved to
promise them I’d no longer put myself at risk, too, but with the way
life keeps throwing things in my path, I can’t speak those lies, even
to ease their worries for a short time.
It’s a promise I couldn’t make to Emil, Tobias, and Kellen, either,
but they never asked for one. As demons of destruction, I think
they’re used to danger.
The official report that came out after we took down the
Dreamer was a leak in the oxygen tanks in the main ward, which
resulted in a minor explosion. Over a dozen casualties were
reported, but Emil assured me only the humans already killed by the
Dreamer were left in the building. It had been the only way to hide
what happened there that night.
 Even with a demon cleaning crew there to help wipe memories
and clean up the mess left from killing the drones, the hospital was
too damaged in the main ward to be able to reasonably explain it
away.
A rash of the flu explained away the other humans affected by
the Dreamer, bringing about the worst flu epidemic the city has seen
in years. After three days, though, the news moved on to more
exciting things, and the city quieted down.
Tally walks through the swinging door and frowns at Iris. “How
are the pumpkin spice cakes coming along? We only have four left in
the case.”
Iris rubs her cheek against mine, scent-marking me. “They have
another twelve minutes before they come out of the oven.”
Tally’s frown deepens. “Then relieve Kelly at the cash register.
He’s due for a break.”
Iris’s arms tighten around me for a second longer before she
reluctantly lets go and walks out to the front.
Tally’s arm’s fold under her breasts as she turns the frown on me.
“You’re spoiling them too much.”
Unconcerned, I shrug. “They can have another week before I put
my foot down.”
She sighs and joins me at the counter to stare out the
passthrough. “The Dreamer scared me,” she admits in a quiet voice.
“Before I left Dreamland, nothing scared me.”
“The human world is dangerous,” I agree.
Her attention shifts to where Xander and Reese sit, bent over
their laptops. “It’s worth it, though. Right?”
I close my eyes, pulling in a deep breath of the sugar-sweet air.
With the scent of spices comes the warm rush of happiness humans
release when indulging in sweets. It seeps into my skin and curls
around my core like a warm hug of welcome. “Yes, definitely worth
it.”
“Emil and Tobias will be off work soon.” Tally turns to lean a hip
against the counter. “Why don’t I close down the shop tonight so
you can have dinner with them?”
 I shake my head. “I can’t do that. You’ve already closed the last
two weeks.”
“Adie.” Gentle reprimand fills Tally’s voice. “You died hundreds of
times and broke through the veil between worlds twice. You’re
allowed to take the time needed to recuperate. I can handle a
couple more nights of closing.”
Tobias said the same when he saw me getting ready to head into
the bakery, but with a lot more anger.
I hug my elbows. “I need for life to go back to normal.”
“What’s normal?” She laughs softly. “We’re demons hiding on the
human plane. Normal doesn’t exist for us.”
I glance back out at the bakery. “Normal’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
Tally’s mahogany-colored eyes meet mine. “You won’t get that
the way things are currently going.”
“Nope.”
Her pink eyebrows lift. “And definitely not if you stay with the
demons of destruction.”
“It’s unlikely,” I agree. After a moment, I turn my back on the
bakery and all the normality it offers. “I gave up being a god to
return here.”
It’s not something I’ve told the guys. I think they’d understand
why, but it puts weight on our relationship that it doesn’t need when
it’s so new.
“Go home, Adie.” Tally gently nudges me away from the counter
and down the hall to the large pantry at the back. “Have dinner with
your men. Re-solidify your bonds.”
“Okay, okay.” I pull my apron over my head, toss it into the dirty
clothes basket, then grab my hoodie from the small desk crammed
into a corner of the pantry. “But you’ll call me if something happens
and I need to come back.”
Tally flaps her hands in a shooing motion. “Nothing’s going to
come up. And the imps can do morning prep work, so don’t you dare
come in before ten tomorrow.”
My steps slow. “I should write a list of what cakes to make–”
“Already done.” Her hand on my back shoves me through the
side door.
 Out in the alley, I spin around. “Mark down any orders Jesse sells
for Halloween. I promised her a cut.”
Tally gives me a thumbs up before yanking the door shut on any
more instructions.
Happiness fills me, and my steps turn light as I head to the
parking lot behind the bakery where my car waits. The mystery
machine blocks it from immediate view, and I hesitate before forcing
myself around it. Tally or one of her witches will drive the imps
home. They live on the same block, so I really don’t need to go back
just to make sure they’re okay with that arrangement. The keys for
the colorful van still rest in the drawer of the desk.
I should make a second set to give to Tally since she’s taken on
part of my responsibility of carting them around. I need to figure out
a good payment for her to absolve any lingering obligation between
us. Maybe another girl’s day where I pay for lunch and buy us
purses?
It’s weak but will suffice between friends.
That thought warms me. When I left Landon’s house, I never
thought I’d have a friend, let alone an entire family to call my own.
Maybe I should do something bigger for everyone. A Halloween
party where I make all the food.
I like that idea. I’ll have to plan it behind Emil’s back, though.
He’s still not over the second destruction of the lawn, and after my
cousins invaded the house last time, he threatened not to allow any
more people through the doors.
Not that he can stop me. I haven’t told them, but I’ve started
nurturing the house, giving it some of my power and leaving
offerings at night before I go to bed. I don’t know what will come
from it, but the house woke when I brought back the ley line and
has been slowly groaning to life ever since. In a year, it might even
let me claim it, and won’t that just piss off the guys?
I wiggle with excitement at the idea, then scowl when I round
the van to find a pink ticket shoved under the wiper on my
windshield. Looks like the traffic cops finally noticed I need to renew
my tabs.
 I yank it off, open the driver side door, and throw it in the
backseat to deal with later. I won’t let something like a driving
violation kill my mood tonight.
My old car rattles to life after two false starts, then belches out a
thick cloud of black smoke. Which is why I haven’t renewed the
tabs. No way this pollution machine will pass emissions. Maybe I can
bargain another car out of the guys. Or just steal one like I did the
Mystery Machine. I should check the toy store for a black sports car
and poach Tobias’s baby.
The asshole is still hiding my purple sequin pillow from me. He
deserves to have his precious car stolen.
With that thought in mind, I push my old car to go faster. I made
a mistake with the Mystery Machine swap, using the wrong model of
toy. Kellen let it slip after his initial outcry, but Tobias will be a lot
more specific. I need make, model, and year. I might even have to
special order one online. But with two-day shipping, I could be in a
luxury machine before the middle of next week.
When I pull up into the driveway, I let my car die before
bouncing out from behind the wheel and jogging to the garage on
the side. But when I poke my head inside, the spot where Tobias’s
and Emil’s car usually rests is empty. I check the time on my phone.
With traffic, I didn’t make it home before they would usually be
here, but they weren’t expecting me for dinner, either. They may be
eating out tonight or have a late meeting.
Disappointed, I shut the door and jog back to the front of the
house, my neon blue clogs loud on the wooden steps. Silence fills
the house when I step inside, and I kick my shoes off under the
bench in the entryway before making my way inside. The living room
lays in shadows, the kitchen dark. Not even Tac waits downstairs on
Emil’s couch like he usually does.
I should have called to see when they would be home before
letting Tally shove me out of the bakery. There’s no point in being
home if they’re not here.
I’ll just change and make a stew that can be reheated later or
stored for tomorrow if they decided to eat out tonight.
 Jogging up the first flight of stairs, I pause on the landing to
stare down the short hall to Emil’s closed door. “Tac?”
I wait a moment to see if the giant cat monster will make an
appearance before I shrug and head up the second flight to my
bedroom in the attic. My eyes instantly move to the pile of pillows at
the headboard. I rebuilt my nest, but it doesn’t feel right without my
cornerstone.
Something flutters on the foot of my mattress, and I walk closer,
curious what was left for me. I haven’t reset my barrier on the
threshold, and the guys sometimes sneak in to check on me. They
think I don’t know, and I allow the pretense.
The bright pink plaid skirt stands out brightly against my
comforter. A matching pair of suspenders lay over a button-up white
shirt with a scalloped collar and princess cap sleeves. A pair of white
thigh-high socks rest on the bed next to the ridiculous outfit, along
with a notebook.
Smiling, I pick up the book and flip it open. A stick figure with
circles for boobs wears the skirt on the first page. I flip to the next,
find a similar drawing in a slightly different pose, then quickly ruffle
through the book. The stick figure takes on life, bending over and
lifting her skirt while another stick figure walks onto the page, fire
rising from its head, and proceeds to spank the first one.
A laugh escapes me, and I reach the end of the animation to find
an arrow pointing to the right. I turn to my open window and stare
across the roof to the glow of Kellen’s room. The storm demon leans
in his open window, his shoulders bare and golden, his hair like fire.
He points behind me, then crooks a finger in invitation.
I lift the dress and shout, “You can’t be serious!”
In answer, he steps back from the window, revealing his
complete lack of clothes. My mouth waters at all that delicious skin
on display, and grinning, I toss the school uniform back on the bed,
then strip out of my hoodie and t-shirt.
If my storm demon wants to play, we can play.
C old wind flutters the pleated hem of my skirt as I run across
the length of roof that separates my bedroom from Kellen’s.
Like all of his clothing gifts, the schoolgirl uniform is a size
too small, the shirt uncomfortably tight across my breasts and the
skirt indecent for public view.
I reach his window and grasp the windowsill, easily hoisting
myself into the open window. Unlike the last time I visited, no
barrier blocks my entry into his room. It feels like so long ago that I
came to him for help in bringing Tac back home after he escaped,
and for me, it has been. But for Kellen and the others, barely two
weeks have passed.
Hunger gnaws at my stomach as I take in Kellen’s glorious
nudity. He lays on the bed, golden body on full display. One knee
bends up, giving me full view of everything from his beautiful balls
to the mouth-watering length of his hard cock.
Drool floods my mouth. I want that cock on my tongue and down
my throat. I need his release in my stomach, his power in my core.
Swinging one leg into his room, then the other, my stocking covered
feet sinking into the throw rug laid out on the floor.
His lightning-kissed eyes watch me through hooded lids, lazy and
waiting for me to come to him.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
SUOMALAINEN RYIJY

Kysymyksessä oleva ryijy on nyt myyty juutalaiselle. Siihen oli

kudottu kokonainen elämäntarina: tarina onnellisesta
avioliitosta, joka päättyi miehen uljaaseen kuolemaan. Se
sisälsi myös elämänfilosofian, joka on mutkaton ja
luterilainen. Tarinan eli minun isoäitini ja hän omisti myöskin
tuon elämänkatsomuksen.

Koko paikkakunta on keltainen.

Joku kapea juova vain
on vihreätä ja valkoista
ja sinistä näillä main.
Ja tuulimylly on kankaalla
ja jauhaa ja pyörii ja soi.
Ja poika seisoo sen vieressä
ja nauraa minkä voi.
Ja tyttö on miltei punainen,
hän on aivan palavissaan.
Ja poika on juuri kosinut
ja tyttö on antanut jaa'n.
MORAALI:
Vaan taivaalla ovat symboolit.
On ensiksi elämänpuu:
joka siitä maistaa, hän elämästä
ja onnesta huumautuu.
Ja taivaalla on tuntilaseja —
jonossa, rivittäin —:
ajan hiekka tippuu laseista,
käy nöyränä, kumarapäin
luo hautas mustan, se määräsi on,
se jokaisen määrä on.
Ja Jumalan silmä on taivaalla:
elämä on loputon.
HISTORIA:
Vaan keskellä ryijyä vuosiluku
on vanha ja himmentynyt.
Minun isoäitini rukouksia
monia hymissyt
on kutoessaan ja muistaessaan
nuoren miehen sen,
joka seilasi aavoja valtameriä
tyyrissä Alicen.
Minun isoäitini yksin jäi
leskeksi ja puutteeseen
kun Alice, uljas fregatti
upposi lasteineen…
PUER NATUS IN BETLEHEM

Me istuimme kirkossa kaikin, etupenkissä, hytisten. Ja

ikkunaholveissa tuikuttivat liekit kynttelien ja huurua tulvi
ovesta, kun kansaa saapui. Ja soi papinkello tornissa
levottomana. Urut jo huminoi kuin kaukainen syksyukkonen.
Ja nyt jo veisattiin ja lukkarin basson kohina yhtyi vapiseviin ja
valittaviin huiluihin vanhojen urkujen. Vaan kirkon yllä
veisasivat parvet enkelien.

Me istuimme kirkossa kaikin, etupenkissä, hytisten. Tänä

aamuna tunsimme elävän rovastin sanojen: ne juoksivat
saarnatuolista, luo ihmisten tulivat. Me näimme miltei
kalveten: ne olivat ihanat, ne olivat hunajan pisarat tai
Saaronin liljat tai pyhä manna Siionin korvessa, jota kerran
syödä sai koko Juudan kansa nälissään. Ne täyttivät taivaan
ja maan ja ihmeellisen lohdutuksen toivat tullessaan.

Me istuimme kirkossa kaikin, etupenkissä, hytisten. Ja

äkkiä näimme kedot ja laumat paimenten: ne olivat alttarin
luona. Koko Juudean kalpea maa oli hitaasti alkanut kynttelin
liekkien lomitse pilkoittaa. Se oli himmeä ensin, se oli kuin
utuinen yö. Vaan nyt jo, katso, lammaskatras kedolla ruohoa
syö ja purppuraviitta-paimenet sauvaansa nojaavat. Ja nyt jo,
katso, enkeliparvet, suuret, valoisat koko taivaan täyttävät
soitollaan. Ja nyt jo paimeniin on tarttunut onni ja riemahdus.
He rientävät Betlehemiin.

Oi, pieni piltti lepää keskellä eläinten. Hän on kuin lehdellä

kaste, hän on aivan nnellinen, hän ei tiedä kalkista,
orjanruususta, ristinpuusta. Hän on juuri taivaasta lähtenyt ja
nähnyt elämän hyvin ihmettelevin silmin. Hän on lapsi viaton.
Vaan tähti on hänen yllänsä. Se Kuoleman tähti on. Oi, hyvä
Maaria, taudita hänet seimessä unehen, oi, hyvä Maaria,
tuuditathan hänet syvään unehen.

Me istuimme kirkossa kaikin, etupenkissä, hytisten. Me

miltei itkimme kajahdellessa rovastin sanojen. Sitä pientä
pilttiä paimenet suuresti ylistivät ja aamun tullen saapuneet
itämaan tietäjät. Vaan myöhemmin hänet tylysti ristille
ripustettiin. Me emme tätä käsittäneet, me vaivuimme
kyyneliin: me olimme pieniä lapsia. Ja kynttiläin himmeitten
me näimme kanssamme surevan kuolemaa Jeesuksen.

Me istuimme kirkossa kaikin, etupenkissä, hytisten. Me

kuulimme rovastin sanovan lempeän aamenen. Ja katosta
lensi enkeli. Se purjehti valkoisin ja kirkkaanvärisin siivin
ihmisten penkkeihin. Se veisasi riemulaulua meidän
kanssamme. Sen me sitten näimme monesti keskellä unien.

Puer natus in Betlehem,

Cust' iloitze Jerusalem,
Halle, Halleluja.
VAATIMATTOMASTA HAUTAUKSESTA

Kylän laidassa asui tyttö, jota lapsena ihailin.

Hän kuoli sitten ja taivaassa sai morsiuskammarin,
kuten kaikki pienet tytöt, jotka varhain kuolevat.
Hänet pantiin arkkuun valkeaan ja surevat vanhemmat
sen ottivat varoen polvilleen rekeen istuessaan
ja ajoivat kiviportille lumisen hautausmaan.
Minä olin niin pieni poika. En paljon ymmärtänyt.
Minä kuulin, kun kulkuset helisivät. Marjatta, Marjatta nyt
on tulossa, sanoin äidilleni, nyt mennään tervehtimään.
Vaan sitten näin itkevän Miettiskän ja Miettisen kumaran pään.
Ja äkkiä olin ääneti. Ja valtavan onneton.
Ja minä en tiennyt ollenkaan, mikä kuolema on.
Ja kirkonkellot läppäsivät
vanhassa tornissa…

Ja isäni, joka on pappi, tuli portille paljain päin:

hänen kainalossansa käsikirjan mustat kannet näin.
Ja lukkari tuli myöskin. Ja sitten he veisasivat
ja kääntyivät hitaasti takaisin menemään molemmat.
Ja Miettisen vanhemmat pojat, ja Kasper ja Heinonen
ja Miettinen itse ja Kalle kulkivat laahustaen
ja kantoivat pientä arkkua. Oi, äiti, sano, oi,
miks kirkon tornissa iso-kello noin taukoamatta soi?
Ja äitini puristi kättäni ja me joukkoon liityttiin
ja mentiin ääneti lumista tietä. Pieniin kämmeniin
kävi tammipakkanen kovasti. Missä siis Marjatta on?
minä kysyin hiljaa äidiltäni ja olin onneton.
Ja kirkonkellot läppäsivät
vanhassa tornissa.

Hän on mennyt taivaan saleihin. Hänen ruumiinsa

haudataan: hänen valkoinen arkkunsa lasketaan juuri
helmaan maan. Minun äitini itki myöskin ja silitti päätäni. Niin
minä silloin hyrähdin minäkin katkeriin kyyneliin. Minä tiesin
äkkiä jotakin, jonka kaikki toiset jo ties. On Kuolema ollut
minulle sitten niin tuttu mies…
LEGENDA VÄSYNEISTÄ NAISISTA

On kolme köyryä niskaa, kolme naista ahkeraa. Tämän

päivän ehtooksi kitketty on koko naurismaa. Olen uupunut,
sanoo Malviina, olen kaamean uupunut, minun niskaani
polttaa ja sydäntäni on kummasti vihlaissut. Ja Sanna:
Lähden täältä, menen pojua imettämään, hän on siellä
hirveän janoissaan. Vaan Miina: Minä jään tähän viime
minuutille, vaikka loppuni sitten ois: saa kartanon rengit
kuljettaa minun ruumiini kauniisti pois.

On kolme köyryä niskaa, kolme naista kalpeaa, jotka

kankein jaloin piennarta pitkin kotiinsa vaeltaa. Tuli Jumalan
kääsit vastaan. Ja pieni enkelikin on kiivennyt hymyillen
Jumalan rinnalle Jumalan kääseihin. Ja Jumala katsoo heitä
ja viittaa kädellään. Ja raudikko-orhi karahduttaa koivikon
hämärään.

On kolme köyryä niskaa, kolme naista ihanaa, he

naurispellon pientareella nauraen vilkuttaa.
SOTAMIEHEN HAUTAUKSESTA

Rummut, rummut: Tararam, tararam. Me olimme

kunniakomppania, me tiesimme: juhlallisesti joka ainoa askel
ja jäykkien kasvojen eljet niinkauankuin marssia kaupungin
kaduilla kesti. Me olimme ennen kuin veljet, kun elimme
keskellä rauhanaikaa. Nyt rummut raikaa: Tararam, tararam.

Rummut, rummut: tararam, tararam.

Me marssimme hitaasti, kiväärit olalla, kasvot jäässä,
hyvin hitaasti marssimme ruumisvaunujen jäljessä, joissa
meidän veljemme arkussa makas, granaatinsirpale
päässä,
ja järki aivoista, sielu rinnasta poissa.
Hän kuoli keskellä rauhanaikaa.
Ja rummut raikaa:
Tararam, tararam.

Rummut, rummut: tararam, tararam.

Ah, veljemme oli nyt ruumis. Hän oli jo mätä.
Hänen nimensä oli jo sisällyksetön sana.
Me ääneti mietimme jokainen kaikkea, kaikkea tätä
kun marssimme jäykkänä kunniakomppaniana.
Me elämme keskellä rauhanaikaa.
Ja rummut raikaa:
Tararam, tararam.
MIKKO PUHTISESTA

Olin tutkinut puoleen yöhön. Olin löytänyt viimein sen

jota kaipasin dokumenteista. Mikko Puhtinen
oli von der Buchtien kantaisä, ukonkarilas:
toden totta, jo laski hiukan, oi kreivitär, kunnias!
Minä aukaisin uudinta hiukan ja katselin yöhön ja näin,
miten Otavan kyöpelivaunu oli vierinyt länteen päin.
Näin, kuinka puistossa kaikki oli himmeän hiljaista. Niin
tulin vihdoin silmäni ohjanneeksi flyygelin ikkuniin.
Kuka valvoo siellä? mä huusin.
Joku vastasi: Puhtinen.
Meren äärellä, kuutamossa,
minä tapasin neidon sen,
meren äärellä.

Otin liinan ja shaalin ja lähdin ja kolkutin voimakkain

ja rohkein iskuin. Ja flyygelin pariovet auki sain.
Koko porstua tuoksui homeelle. Näin valuvan kynttilän
suurpirtin honkapöydällä. Peräpenkillä istui hän,
toden totta, Mikko Puhtinen, hyvin vakavin naamoin. Ja pää
oli hänellä jalo. Ja ilmeessä oli jotakin viehättävää.
Oi, hyvää iltaa, mä sanoin,
 oi, Mikko Puhtinen.
Meren äärellä, kuutamossa,
minä tapasin neidon sen,
meren äärellä.

Minä niiasin hänelle syvään. Vaan jäykkänä istui hän.

Minun rohkea tuloni häntä ei näyttänyt häiritsevän.
On ihana yö, minä sanoin. Hän tuijotti, tuijotti vain.
Tänä yönä, jatkoin, meidän sukupuumme selville sain.
Koko Buchtien, Liewencronain, von Birckendahlien
suvut juontuvat teistä, teistä, oi Mikko Puhtinen.
Miten onnellinen te olette,
oi Mikko Puhtinen…
Meren äärellä, kuutamossa,
minä tapasin neidon sen,
meren äärellä.

Hän syöksähti kiivaasti ylös. Hänen silmänsä vavahtivat.

Hän iski honkapöytään teräsnyrkkinsä molemmat.
Se on valhe, hän huusi. Sitten hän itsensä hilliten
taas lysähti raskaasti penkille. Olen Mikko Puhtinen,
joka syntyi suomalaiseks, joka eli kuin Suomen mies,
joka milloinkaan ei tietänyt, miten painaa juhdan ies,
joka iski pirulta parran, joka ruotsilta listitsi pään,
joka hirtettiin kuin suomalainen ja karsikon hämärään
pääs isäinsä luokse nukkumaan. Olet kumminkin sanonut,
että poikani poika on Birckendahl tai kreivi von der Bucht?
Mene, huuda: Mikko Puhtinen, joka ammoin hirtettiin,
on kirouksensa singonnut joka ainoaan petturiin!
Olen suomalainen, hän sanoi,
olen Mikko Puhtinen.
 Meren äärellä, kuutamossa
minä tapasin neidon sen,
meren äärellä.

***

Meren äärellä, kuutamossa minä tapasin

neidon sen, meren äärellä kulki hän autiolla
laulua hyräillen. Minä otin häneltä laulun hänen
kantaisästään ja kirjoitin sen kirjaan herra
Mustapään.

V
DOMINUS KRABBE

1. Pappilan nuorenherran kertomus

Hän vaelsi alakuloisena, kuten nuoret miehet aina,

vaikka sydäntä ei suinkaan vielä maailman huolet paina,
hän vaelsi tukka liehuen ja mieli jossain poissa.
Hän kuuli, kuinka lasikellot soivat vaahteroissa.
Hän kulki kotipihalla ja samalla maailmalla.
Hän seisoi hetken epäröiden kanslian ikkunan alla.
Suviyössä valitti tuuli,
lasikellot, lasikellot…

Ja laiha liekki tuikutti, tuikutti ikkunasta. Hän hätkähti ja

vaivoin välttyi takaisin juoksemasta. Se on isäni tietysti, mietti
hän, hän valvoo poikaansa tänään. Oi, poika, poika, isälläsi
on suruja nieltävänään: sinä etkö kadu viipymistäsi kylän
karkeloissa — vain sielus mistaat ja sydämesi syntipaikoissa
noissa.

Hän tarrasi ikkunaluukkuihin ja keljuili ylös vähän ja miltei

kauhusta kirkaisi kun katsoi sisään. Tähän hän totta ei ollut
valmistunut keskellä nykyistä aikaa: suviyössä olis siis
kaikitenkin hitonmoista taikaa!

Hän käsitti salamannopeasti: kaamea menninkäinen oli

kansliassa ja kirjoitti. Jokin uho, kalsea, jäinen kävi lasien
lävitse pihalle kuin luurangon kostea hiki… Hän tunsi äkkiä
Pappi Krabben. Se istui ruutua liki, se kohotti tyhjän
katseensa, hän tunsi tuon saman saaliinhimon syttyvän
siihen, jonka niin, oli sakaristossa maaliin ja kankaaseen joku
mestari ennen siveltimellä luonut. Niin, tietysti se taaskin oli
krouvissa viinoja juonut (se krouvi sijaitsi kirkolla, hänet erotti
piispa siksi, kun hän möi viinaa ja joi hän viinaa henkensä
pidättimiksi).

Hän sisään kävi ja rohkaisten luontonsa rykäisi ovella

lujaan ja arveli sillä saattaneensa haamun umpikujaan. Vaan
se oli aivan rauhallinen, ei syöksynyt ilmaan lainkaan. »Oi
iltaa poikani», sanoi se vain, »miten suuren kunnian sainkaan
kun vaivauduit minun luokseni näin myöhään yöllä ja tahdoit
minun mieltäni riemastuttaa, niin, oi poikani, mahdoit, mahdoit
hyvin nukkua vain sinun vuoteellas. Vaan äläpäs, äläpäs
huoli, jos sitten hieman juteltais, ota, istu, tuossa on tuoli…»

Ja sitten hän haamulta tietää sai: se kirkossa saarnata halas.

Se kylmeni harppujen huminalle ja taivaasta vaelsi alas,
se hetkeksi vanhan pappilan kanslian pulpettipenkille palas
ja sytytti haarakynttilän ja istuen myöhään yöhön
koko palavan henkensä voimalla vaipui saarnanvalmistustyöhön.
Sen sulka rapisi paperilla ja kirjainten jono musta
kuin huusi jo lain ja evankeliumin sanoman julistusta…
Suviyössä valitti tuuli.
 Lasikellot, lasikellot
soivat vaahteroissa.

Vaan sitten se haihtui kuin usma pois. Ei näkynyt enää

häntä. Hän oli riuska ja kippura ja paksu ja pienenläntä ja yllä
keltainen sortuukki ja jalassa pieksunhylyt, kuten sakariston
taulussa, ja silmät jäiset ja tylyt.

2. Piika Amandan kertomus

Ja meidän piika Amanda oli herännyt aamulla varhain,

vaikka piikain uni, kuten tunnettua, on juuri amulla parhain.
Hän oli kuullut nurkissa kolkutusta. Ja hissun kissun kulki
jokin kaamea olento porstuassa ja ovia ryskien sulki, ja juoksi
pihalla, puutarhassa ja anturat maahan iski kuin nuija-juntta,
ja kumminkaan ei haukkunut Halli-piski.

Ja Amanda kylmässä hiessä ui ja nousi ja ovelle juoksi ja

raoitti varovaisesti ja palasi ikkunan luoksi kun mitään ei
nähnyt eteisessä, ja aukaisi ikkunanverhot. Vaan ulkona värisi
aurinko ja kedolla leikkivät perhot ja lehmät ynisi
karjatarhassa. Lahdella sumu leijas… Mikä hitto häntä unien
keskeltä turhaan ylös peijas?

Vaan äkkiä kämmenin hamuilevin hän punaiset kasvonsa

peitti: jokin valkoinen olento tallin edessä satulan selkään
heitti pienvärisen korskuvan valakkahevosen, ja itse hyppäsi
selkään.
 Oli haamulla liperit leuan alla ja jalassa pieksunhylyt, kuten
sakariston taulussa, ja silmät jäiset ja tylyt…

3. Renki Epramin kertomus

Ja meidän Eprami kuului olleen tulossa kotiin. Hän mietti,

miten iloisen yön hän Nikulan Alman aitassa juuri vietti.
Hänen ajatuksensa ruusunpunaiset kiersivät tuttuja maita,
hänen huulensa vihelsi nuotteja villejä, drillejä onnekkaita.
Hän astui rennosti Ripakon kujaa kun aurinko nousi. Hän
saapui järvelle kimmeltävälle ja yli sen sousi ja katseli kuinka
korsissa sipisi, aalloilla lipisi tuuli. Hän telkkien vitinän,
ruislinnun haikean ritinän kuuli. Hän niitulla näki vilkkuvan
keltaisten kurppien nokkien, hän pajuista äkkäsi kerttujen
parvet ja ilmasta lokkien. Hänen venheensä kokka törmäsi
suhisten kaislaan ja santaan ja notkein ja nuorin jäsenin
hyppäs hän pappilan rantaan. Poissa on kulta…

Ja aurinko heitteli pappilan laseihin punaista tulta.

Ja Eprami lauloi haikeesti: Poissa on kulta…
Hän mollissa lauloi ja asteli rennosti taloa kohti.
Oi aikainen aamu! Se mutkikas polku läpi koivikon johti.
Hän lauloi mollissa: Poissa on kulta. Ja koivikko hymys.

Vaan äkkiä paukkui ja tantere soi. Ja Eprami lymys

ikikokoisen koivun rungon turviin ja kalveten näki: oli liikkeellä
valkeat menninkäiset ja hautojen väki. Pikimustalla ratsulla
karkasi kelmeä vainaja ohi ja ruoskalla vinkuvasiimaisella sen
kupeita sohi. Verenkarvainen liekki suitsusi ympäri hevosen
 suusta. Ja ratsastajalla naama lie ollut pelkästä luusta, pyhä
piplia toisessa kainalossa ja jalassa pieksunhylyt, kuten
sakariston taulussa, ja silmät jäiset ja tylyt…

4. Kirkonvartija Optaatuksen kertomus

Ja kirkonvartija Optaatus, joka soittaa kelloja aamuin ja on,

kuten kaikki kirkonvartijat, tarkka tuntija haamuin, meni
aamulla varhain sakaristoon ja aikoi siivota siellä: näet on niin
raskasta antaa rovastin liialti tomuja niellä, se tekee kurkun
karkeaksi ja saarna ei oikein luista…

Vaan semmoista suurta säikähdystä ei Optaatus toista

muista: pikimusta ratsu on köytettynä lampetin lenkkiin ja
kauraa se rouskii nuorilla hampaillaan. Ja nurkassa joku
nauraa röhönaurua, paksua, karmivaa. Kun Optaatus sinne
kääntyy, hänen hyvänsävyinen naamansa kauhusta vinoon
vääntyy. Se on pappi Krabbe, se syntinen mies, jonka kuva
on kaapin päällä. Mitä hittoja hänkin, vainaja, on näin päivällä
vielä täällä: kuten tunnettua on vainajilla aikaa yhdestä viiteen
ja sitten niitten on lähdettävä takaisin kiireesti hiiteen… Oli
haamulla rillit nenänpäässä ja jalassa pieksunhylyt, kuten
sakariston taulussa, ja silmät jäiset ja tylyt…

5. Pappilan neitien kertomus

1.
 Me menimme juhlapukuisina herkän-hartaalla miellä ja
yhteen kartanon Mirjamin kanssa satuimme kirkkotiellä. Me
hymyilimme ja tervehdimme. Ja Mittumaarian pellot oli
kukkamerenä: päivänkukat ja apilaat ja kellot kuin laineet
kohisi aidan takana. Väkevä koivujen haju ja kasteen tuoksu
syöksyi vastaan kuin myrskytuuli raju. Ja helähti kirkon
isokello, kun kellonsoittaja veti koko hartiavoimalla kellon
nuoraa. Sitten pimpitti heti papinkello kimein kilinöin. Se
viittasi meidän isään. Me tukkaamme hiukan sipaisimme ja
marssimme rivissä sisään.

Koko kirkkorahvas kahahti ja sitten suvivirsi soi holveissa ja

sen soidessa kaikkosi sydänten kirsi. Se on kaikkein virtten
suloisin, ah, siinä on jaloa voimaa, sen väristessä ja
helistessä totisesti soi maa… Vaan se meni poikki. Me
hämmästyimme. Virtemme jäi puoliin. Jokin peljättävä
kummitus oli kiivennyt saarnastuoliin. Joku vaimo kirkaisi
perällä. Joku pudotti kirjansa. Joku oli jäykistynyt ja huulille oli
syöksynyt manaushoku. Ja isämme, hän oli sakaristosta tullut
ovelle asti ja seisoi ja tuijotti saarnastuolia perin tuikeasti. Ja
lukkari yritti virttä taas. Vaan sävel soristen kuoli… Ja sitten
meillä ei enää ollut muuta kuin saarnastuoli ja kummitus
saarnastuolissa. Se kohotti luurankonyrkin ja pauhasi meille
lain sanoja lausein kiivain ja jyrkin. Sen kaljulla oli kalotti ja
jalassa pieksunhylyt, kuten sakariston taulussa, ja silmät
jäiset ja tylyt.

2.

Me kuulimme, kuinka Herra teki armon Juudean maalle kun

Johanneksen lahjoitti sille vanhalle Sakariaalle, me kuulimme,
 kuinka Herodias oli häijy ja jumalaton kun eli alla Herodeksen
kuninkaallisen katon, me kuulimme, miten Salome tanssi
Herodeksen nähden, me kuulimme, miten Herodes antoi
Salomen tanssin tähden pyhän Johanneksen mestattavaksi
aivan ilman syytä, me kirosimme Salomea, sitä kurjaa, kurjaa
kyytä, me siunasimme Johannesta, hyvää Jumalanmiestä,
joka edelläkävi ja Messiaalle tiedot antoi tiestä. — Vaan
saarnattuaan tähän asti kummitus taukosi vähän. »Minä
tahdon tähän lisätä, minä tahdon lisätä tähän että kaikki
tietäis sen seurakunnassa: Olen kuin Herodes muinen, tämä
käsivarsi ja nyrkki tässä, tämä nyrkki kalmanluinen on
kuoleman miekkaa pidellyt ja tappanut miehen kerran, ja
totisesti se mies oli myös, kuten Johannes, mies Herran. Oi
ystävät, ystävät, kalvetkaa, sillä kenkään, kenkään teistä ei
taida silmin synnittömin Herran edessä seistä. Te olette kaikki
Herodeksia, joka ainoa miehen murhan on tehnyt omassa
sielussansa tähden himon turhan. Kuka luulee itsensä
viattomaksi Seebaotin nähden? Joka ainoa oman itsensä on
tappanut Salomen tähden…»

3.

Ja liikutus kävi seurakunnossa, itku nousi ja laski. Ja

rahvas oli kuin vastakaadettu, vastakulottu kaski, ja
vastakylvetty: odottaa sai milloin nousis oras. Joku akka huusi
ja mylvi melkein, joku ukko manas ja poras, joku kimeä-
ääninen pojan-nappula penkillä seisten huusi: »Oi taivaan
profeetta, taivaan profeetta, Messias, Messias uusi.» Ja kaksi
vanhaa-emäntää hihitti mieltä vailla, ja kaunis tyttö
ristikongilla tanssi Salomen lailla…
 Ja kummitus vihdoin lopetti. Emme nähneet enää häntä.
Hän oli riuska ja kippura ja paksu ja pienenläntä ja leuassa
pieni piikkiparta ja jalassa pieksunhylyt, kuten sakariston
taulussa, ja silmät jäiset ja tylyt.

6. Vanhan haudankaivajan kertomus

Hän kuului juuri siirtäneen mädän hautalaudan pois

kiviaidalle reunustalta vastaluodun haudan ja sitten ääneti
istahtaneen. Ja hän hautarivit näki ja mietti, että siinä se
nukkui pitäjän vanha väki: oli paroonia ja riiarinnaa ja rovastia
ja muuta — vaan itseasiassa kuitenkin vain rapiata luuta, joka
helponlaisesti murenee ja tomuks ja tuhkaks hajoo, kun
kaivaessaan lapion terällä hiukkasenkin kajoo…

Niin, sielu, sanovat, ikuisesti veisaa ilossa taivaan, vaan

ruumis, miksi se katoaa, miks ruumiin madot sai vaan… Ja
hän sytytti niveräpiippunsa. Niin, oli se kysymys vakaa. Hän
hymähti lievästi itsekseen. Vaan silloin puitten takaa tuli
hitaasti ratsu ja ratsumies. Mitä kummaa ne tekivät tässä
pyhää kirkkorauhaa sunnuntaina noin julkeesti
häiritsemässä? Ravas ratsu Krabben haudalle. Hävis
ratsumies satulasta. Ja silloin hauturi äkkäsi, hän äkkäsi
silloin vasta: oli miehellä piirteet kauheat, oli silmät jäiset ja
tylyt, kuten sakariston taulussa, ja jalassa pieksunhylyt.