Suddenly A Succubus Ch. 34

Vee woke with a start several hours later. Without daylight, it was impossible to know how long she’d been out, but her exhausted body told her it hadn’t been a healthy eight hours. No, something had woken her up.

There was an unusual sound coming from inside her bedroom.

Her first fear was that a reaper had broken through the wards. The sound she heard was soft and wet, just like the sound of ghostly flesh sliding off the bones of those hideous creatures. When she looked around, however, it was immediately obvious that the bedroom was empty, other than herself and Amara.

Her second thought, after confirming her own safety, was that she wasn’t cuddled with Amara. Yesterday, she’d risen to discover that her unconscious self had spooned Amara for warmth, her arms wrapped tight around the demon in a desperate attempt to stave off the cold of Purgatory. Currently, Vee was safely on her side of the bed, though she still felt Amara’s familiar warmth.

Vee grabbed her comforter, holding it tight as she turned to look at Amara, hoping she might have answers. Amara’s lack of sex had likely prevented her from getting any real sleep, and she might have noticed something.

Amara was not only awake, but she seemed to be in pain, or perhaps horribly frustrated. Her breath was erratic, her eyes were closed, and she didn’t seem to realize that Vee was awake.

Worried that Amara might be having a panic attack, Vee quickly sat up, pulling the blankets with her. She turned to face Amara directly and, in the process, accidentally moved the sheets even further. As they shifted, more of Amara came into view, and Vee saw exactly what was making the strange noise.

Amara’s sports bra had been pushed up, and her incredibly full breasts were completely exposed. She was holding one of them, squeezing it tight while her back arched in desperation. Her other hand had pushed into her shorts, and several fingers were furiously working in and out of her soaking wet pussy. The smell of her sex was potent, and the sound of her masturbation grew louder now that the blankets no longer muffled the noise.

Vee was stunned. Words she had prepared were now stuck in her throat, and her eyes wandered over the naked body of her friend. For days she’d been wondering what might happen if Amara went too long without sex, and now it was time to find out.

As the seconds passed, Vee’s initial shock receded. She had trained to fight demons, not support them through withdrawal. Panicked thoughts rattled around in her head as she thought of how they might continue. She initially wondered if she could carry Amara to the portal to meet up with Nick and Tessa, but those thoughts were quickly suppressed in favor of something simpler, something more instinctual.

The nearly naked demon in front of her was breathtakingly gorgeous. Vee had seen most of Amara’s body before; she’d been almost completely nude for the entirety of the fight at the ritual circle, but Vee had taken great care to avert her eyes once the carnage had passed. Now, without any threats, and their friendship on the mend, her curiosity got the better of her. Her eyes lingered on Amara’s breasts, the arch of her back, the way her hips strained against her tiny shorts. The woman currently masturbating on the bed would never have passed as a supermodel, if only because the word seemed a woefully inadequate descriptor for the body currently on display.

Before Vee could stop to question herself, she wondered what Amara might look like completely naked. Without her shorts to constrain her, would the curves of her ass appear just as perfect as her firm breasts? Would her tail flick back and forth in excitement as she proudly displayed herself?

A twitch in her legs drew Vee’s attention to her own excitement, her own sexuality. She remembered just how long it had been since she’d pleasured herself, and a heat began burning in her core.

The feeling was immediately disrupted, however, when Amara’s eyes snapped open. Her nostrils flared as she took a deep breath, and her panicked masturbation stopped as she turned to look at Vee. The whites of her eyes had vanished, and powerfully vibrant amber irises stared at the angel, betraying a deep and powerful hunger.

“Delicious…” Amara growled, her voice shaking. In a flash, she shifted to her knees and faced Vee. “Give it to me!”

The speed of Amara’s movements caught Vee off guard, and she fell backwards. The sudden shift in demeanor had snapped her from her daydream, and she watched nervously as Amara began crawling closer.

Not only were her eyes completely blacked out, but her skin was significantly darker. In fact, when Vee glimpsed the tail and wings behind Amara, she could no longer see a difference. Amara’s entire body was now one, consistent shade of demonic red. Her tail danced erratically as she moved closer, pushing Vee into a corner.

“Amara, wait, let’s talk about this,” Vee said, holding up a hand to try and stop Amara’s advance.

Instead, Amara grabbed Vee’s hand and pulled it against one of her exposed breasts. “No more talking! I know what you want. I can smell it. You want to fuck me, Vee. Why fight it?”

Amara leapt forward, pulling Vee close as she attempted to kiss her. Vee turned her head, scared to start another fight, and instead Amara’s mouth found her neck. Vee felt Amara’s tongue on her skin, then her teeth, and she knew this was wrong. Whatever was happening between the two of them, this wasn’t the next step. Amara’s actions were panicked and desperate, and she wasn’t in her right mind.

“Get off of me!” Vee shouted. She pushed a hand against Amara’s shoulder, then summoned a burst of radiant light. Amara hissed with pain, and Vee took advantage of the moment to leap off the bed.

“Stop fighting me! I can show you pleasure beyond your wildest dreams!” Amara’s tail slapped the wall in frustration, then she turned to face Vee again. Amara slowly crawled off the bed until she was standing, and her breath was so hoarse it sounded like she was growling. The girls locked eyes, and Vee knew she had to think of something fast.

As she took a step back, her foot brushed up against her closet. It was a small walk-in, but it was big enough to hold a person. Without taking her eyes off Amara, she reached behind herself and opened the door.

The action caused Amara to leap forward in a panic, a horrid growl escaping her throat as she ran across the bedroom. Vee had expected this, and with another burst of light, she bought herself a moment to act. She grabbed Amara’s arm, using her weight against her, and pushed her inside the closet. She closed the door behind Amara, then pushed her own shoulder against the closet to keep her inside..

The door shook as Amara threw herself against it. She was openly growling now, pushing against the door with everything she had, but Vee knew she was too weak to escape.

After nearly a minute of struggle, Vee heard Amara slump to the ground inside the closet. Her breathing was even more ragged, and when she spoke, her words were pained and weak. “Vee, please… I’m so hungry…”

Vee turned her back to the door, then slid down until she was sitting on the floor. “This isn’t you. This is Demon Amara, you can fight this!”

“I am Demon Amara! There’s no difference, no matter how much you want there to be!” Amara snarled. Her tone immediately softened, however, and she continued talking. “I’m sorry, I didn’t… I don’t know what’s… Vee, I’ll do anything you want. You want to hold me down and see what my tongue can do? Pull my hair while you ride my tail? Fuck, I’ll let you stab my shoulder again! You can quote scripture and pretend you’re the big strong angel saving the day!”

“You can’t possibly think that’s something I want,” Vee muttered, shocked at the suggestion.

“I can be someone else, then! Do you want to finally fuck Nick? I can be Nick! Name your favorite movie star, your childhood crush, I can be anyone you want!”

It took a considerable amount of strength for Vee to fight back her tears. For months, things had been so complicated between her and Amara, but they had finally found a way forward. The last few days, as scary as Purgatory was, were surprisingly enjoyable because she’d gotten her best friend back. It had been wonderful talking with Amara, learning about her transformation, and getting the chance to truly open up to someone about her own angelic heritage.

But now, the very thing that had driven the wedge between them in the first place was back with a vengeance. Her instincts told her that this wasn’t her friend, this was some monster that had taken her place, but no. This was Amara. She wasn’t being possessed or mind-controlled; she was just a scared girl losing a fight against her own instincts.

On the other side of the door, Vee heard Amara whimpering. It appeared she was trying to push her tail under the door, as Vee could see tiny flashes of red trying to poke through, but her tail was far too thick to fit.

How are we supposed to meet up with Tessa like this? I could try to run, have her chase me until we make it to the circle, but she might not have the strength to walk that far. Plus, what if a reaper shows up? She’s in no condition to get away, and I don’t know if the option would even occur to her in this state.

Another thought crossed Vee’s mind, and she took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking. “How does your feeding work?”

There was a moment of silence before Amara responded. “What do you mean?” She sounded calmer, though Vee had no idea if that was genuine or just a falsehood borne of desperation.

“How do you do it? Does it require touch? What do you take from people when you feed?” Vee asked.

“I can feed without touching, as long as the aura is strong enough. At the Halloween party I was able to feed on everyone perving on me, and a bunch of them never even scored a dance. Tessa gets so horny that I can feed from across the room sometimes.” Amara shifted behind the door, and it seemed like she was now leaning against the door just as Vee was. Her breathing was heavy, her sentences weak and stilted. “But… I don’t know what I take. It feels like I’m just feeding off their arousal, their pleasure, but I have no way to know exactly what that means.”

She’s been feeding on Nick and Tessa for months, and they seem fine. But, I’m not strong enough to examine souls directly, so I can’t know for sure.

“Do people… feel it when you feed on them?”

“Never.”

If I do this, there’s no going back. If it leaves any kind of mark on me, physically, spiritually, Heaven could find out. How closely are they watching me? I’ve never been able to talk to my Patron, could that mean they’re not watching at all?

“What if I… take care of myself?”

“That would do it! I could just take a little bit, enough to get me back to the circle, you won’t even know I’m here!” Amara said, her desperation showing again.

She could be lying. In this state, she’d do anything if it meant a chance to feed.

Vee paused again, doing her best to steady her breathing as she weighed her options. Was she actually considering this? Was she okay letting a demon feed on her?

She’s more than just a demon, though, she’s Amara. We’re friends. She’s the only person in the world that knows how scared I am right now. She’s saved my life countless times; she’s proven over and over again that she’s a good person. She deserves my trust.

“Amara,” Vee whispered, “please be careful.”

“I promise, Vee,” Amara said.

With her decision made, Vee turned her attention back to herself. She was no stranger to masturbation, but her libido had a tendency to disappear whenever she was stressed. Due to everything that had happened recently, this meant she hadn’t even thought about pleasuring herself in months. What had she done before?

She decided it would be best to take it slow, to ease back into things. After all, if she weren’t relaxed, it would be difficult to get into the right mindset.

Closing her eyes, Vee began running her fingertips up and down her body. She explored the sides of her neck, her chest, and her legs, trying to reacquaint herself with the sensations. As her breathing steadied, she began moving her hands to the inside of her legs. She made small circles, inching higher and higher as her legs spread open, and it became easier to focus on the joy of her own touch.

It took several minutes to find a comfortable rhythm, to encourage her body that, despite the situation, it was safe to feel pleasure. She replaced the tips of her fingers with her nails, scratching herself ever so slightly in an attempt to heighten the sensations, and she could feel it working. The feeling from earlier returned, the heat in her core. With another deep breath, her fingers moved even higher, teasing her sex from outside her shorts, and she gasped with excitement. In that moment, however, something else touched her.

It wasn’t touching her physically, she was still completely alone, nor was it touching her mentally. It was as if, somewhere deep inside, she held an idea of who she was, and that idea had just met another presence. She knew instinctually that it was Amara, that she was beginning to feed, and her demonic presence sent tingles through Vee’s body.

“Fuck!” Vee’s precarious relaxation vanished in an instant and she jerked her hands away.

“What happened? Please, don’t stop…” Amara asked, her breath heavy.

“I can feel it. I feel you feeding on me,” Vee said, trying to pull herself together.

“But that’s not… it has to be because you’re an angel, right?”

“It has to be! It would make sense, wouldn’t it? For angels to have a way to detect if demons were feeding on them?” Vee’s mind was racing, wondering what this could mean. “You don’t think that was my soul, do you?”

“I don’t know, Vee. What do souls look like? Smell like? I only know what I sense, and it’s not like I have any other demons to ask.”

Fuck! What does this mean?

Vee knew she could stop if she wanted to. Given the situation, she could easily overpower Amara and try to carry her to the Lysander Circle. She would be risking reaper attacks, and possibly even Amara herself if she grew more desperate, but it was an option.

She silently cursed to herself, wishing she were strong enough to see souls. She had never understood why her own powers seemed so limited, why she had always underperformed compared to the rest of Heaven’s army. She had trained for years, followed every command, aced every test, yet when it mattered most, her powers always came up short.

Of course, I have a real chance to help Amara now. Not as an angel, as a friend. Wouldn’t she do the same for me?

It didn’t sound like Amara was pawing at the door anymore, so Vee risked leaving it for just a moment. She grabbed a blanket off her bed, wrapped it tightly around her shoulders, and returned to leaning against the closet door.

“Amara?” she asked.

“Yeah?”

“I’m going to try again. I’m sorry I freaked out, this is kinda scary for me.”

“Can I help at all?”

“Just focus on yourself, Amara. We’ll make it through this, together.”

Vee closed her eyes, then took another deep breath. She tried to calm herself, to focus on the residual heat from the blanket. She thought about her wards, reminding herself that they were still strong, and she was safe inside her room. With each breath, she found more warmth, and soon she began exploring her body again.

Like last time, it was a slow process. The touch felt nice, especially under the warmth of the blanket, but it was hard to shake the knowledge that she would be able to feel Amara feeding on her.

She shifted, sliding further away from the door before spreading her legs open. Her fingers returned to her bare skin, tracing back and forth in time with her breathing. She let them wander under her shirt, and jumped slightly when she felt how cold her fingertips were. It wasn’t enough to distract her, and she hugged her waist tight for a minute to warm her hands. From there, they moved higher, teasing the bottoms of her breasts. With one last movement, her fingers found her sensitive nipples, and the heat in her core returned. She gasped, her legs twitching in anticipation, and she pinched herself gently.

The connection returned. A strange, intangible warmth that reached both into and beyond her, hungering for her arousal. She paused for a moment, trying to adjust to the feeling before she continued. The warmth began to feel familiar, almost blending into Amara’s residual heat on the blanket, and Vee finally felt comfortable enough to continue.

She’d been playing with her breasts for several minutes now, doing her best to stay aroused, and it was time to step things up. She pushed a hand lower, into her shorts, and found her sex once more. Her entire body clenched, reaching for pleasure, and she made herself relax as she started rubbing herself. Like every step before this, she moved slowly. Her eyes were closed, and she circled her hips in rhythm with her fingers.

Memories from months ago returned, and she thought about how peaceful life had been before her nightmares started. When masturbation had been normal for her, and she’d let herself fantasize about other students. She remembered scanning through dozens of erotic stories, looking for the perfect fantasy to lose herself in while pleasuring herself. On a few occasions, she’d even been bold enough to turn to pornography. The rush had been exhilarating, but in the end, she’d discovered she much preferred the written word.

She recalled her favorite stories and started replaying her favorite passages in her mind. As she did, she moved her fingers faster, and even let them inch closer to her entrance. The story in her head continued, one girl pushing another to the bed and kissing every inch while shifting downwards. Who the other girl was didn’t matter; Vee was focused on the imaginary feeling of lips teasing her clit.

She pushed a finger inside herself, and the fantasy continued. The faceless girl was moaning now, eager to taste Vee’s sex, and her tongue pushed deep inside Vee’s pussy. Using two fingers now, Vee pushed in and out of herself, the smell of sex filling her senses as she imagined a strong tongue inside of her.

She imagined herself reaching down, holding the woman’s long brown hair in her hands. It was thick and lustrous, and it bounced in rhythm with the tongue inside her pussy. Vee imagined the naked body of this stranger, the curves of her flawless dark skin highlighted in the imaginary light. She held herself with such confidence, completely sure that she would be able to get Vee off, and Vee loved being the focus of this woman’s lavish attention.

Vee’s hand moved to the stranger’s cheek, a small gesture of affection, and the woman leaned into it. Her tongue, and Vee’s fingers, briefly left her pussy as she looked down to meet the stranger’s gaze. When Vee saw the woman’s glowing, amber eyes, she knew exactly who was between her legs.

Amara.

The story in Vee’s head suddenly skipped a beat, and Vee was pulled back to reality. What was she thinking? Had she really just started fantasizing about Amara? It was one thing to let her friend feed on her, but it was another to actively imagine them sleeping together.

She tried to reset, to replace the imaginary woman in her head with one of her exes. The scenario in her head began to repeat itself, and she tried to find that same rhythm again.

“Fuck, don’t stop,” Amara whispered on the other side of the door.

“What do you mean?” Vee asked, confused. She hadn’t even thought about stopping and was still actively pleasuring herself.

“Just now, your arousal spiked, but then it vanished. What were you doing?”

Vee’s eyes went wide as she realized what Amara had been sensing. The only thing that had changed the last few moments was the person she’d been imagining between her legs. Had picturing herself with Amara truly been so obvious?

Can I really do that? Wouldn’t that be inappropriate?

A wave of nervous energy washed over Vee, and butterflies appeared in her stomach as she thought about her original fantasy. Was it right to think of Amara that way? Of course, she was already letting a demon feed on her, would it make much of a difference who she was fantasizing about?

Feeling as if she were discovering masturbation for the first time all over again, Vee turned her focus to her connection with Amara. A deep, passionate warmth, touching her in a place she never knew existed. Amara’s feeding, as surprising as it had first been, didn’t hurt in the slightest. That had to be a good sign, right? Surely, as an angel, her senses would alert her if this process was harmful. Though she didn’t fully understand what was happening, it was as if Amara were gently holding her hand, encouraging her that they were still in this together.

Vee closed her eyes, then returned to her original fantasy. As her fingers pushed back into her pussy, she imagined Amara between her legs. Her gorgeous brown hair cascaded down her back, which was arched to give Vee a better view of her demonic figure. Her powerful wings were wrapped around Vee, keeping her warm as Amara’s tongue continued probing the depths of her cunt. Her tail, thick and powerful, excitedly danced back and forth, playfully obscuring the demon’s voluptuous bottom.

She now understood the difference Amara had noticed. As Vee continued picturing her best friend between her legs, she felt a rush unlike anything she’d felt before. The thrill of experiencing something new, something forbidden, and gleefully continuing anyways. She knew Amara couldn’t read minds; this fantasy would be her little secret.

The images in her head began to blur together with her own memories. She thought back to just a few minutes ago, when she’d caught Amara masturbating. Her full breasts on display, her hands digging into them as she fought for release. Vee pictured her own hands taking control, cradling Amara’s curves and relishing the warmth of her body. What would Amara’s lips taste like? Were they as warm as the rest of her?

A new memory appeared, this one from the night of the ritual. After Amara had scorched herself clean, they’d spent several minutes wandering the halls together. Vee had done her best to avert her eyes, to avoid noticing just how much of Amara’s body had been on display, and apparently she had failed. Why were these memories so vivid? Why was it so easy to remember every curve of her friend’s naked body? As tempting as it was to pause, to examine how her own eyes might have betrayed her conscious desires, there was another temptation that was far more preferable.

What was it Tessa had said about Amara’s tail?

“She can do this thing with the tip where she—”

At the time, Vee had quickly cut her off, but now she desperately wished Tessa had finished the sentence. What did Amara’s tail feel like? What could she do with it?

Vee remembered the first night they had cuddled together for warmth, when she’d nervously asked to feel Amara’s tail. It was incredibly soft, delightfully warm, and completely prehensile. Earlier, Amara had invited Vee to ride her tail; what would that be like? The tip was slightly flared, but Vee imagined it would easily fit inside of her. Is that what Tessa had wanted to say? With the amount of control Amara had over her tail, she could twist it however she wanted, and her demonic senses would share which movements drove Vee mad.

Her thoughts were briefly interrupted when, on the other side of the door, she heard Amara moan. It was deep and guttural, and Vee could tell how relieved Amara was to finally have arousal to feed on. The moaning only pushed Vee’s fantasies further, as she remembered that it was her pleasure Amara was feeling.

In the fantasy, Vee was now between Amara’s legs. Her friend’s tail had reached behind her and was fucking her deep while her own tongue explored Amara’s clit. They were both moaning louder and louder, and Vee could feel her climax approaching. Fantasy Amara began bucking her hips, she was on the verge of absolute bliss because of Vee’s tongue, and her legs started squeezing Vee’s head. Wings surrounded Vee, holding tight, and everything froze as Vee came at the same time as Fantasy Amara.

Fuck… Amara!

The dam broke, and Vee lost all control. Her moans joined Amara’s, her hips bucking as her pussy clenched tight around her fingers. Her other hand joined in, rubbing her clit as she tried to extend her orgasm as long as she could. As pleasure shook her body, she found herself completely focused on her connection with Amara. The fear had completely vanished, and she had committed to sharing herself, and this experience, with her best friend.

On the other side of the door, Amara seemed to be having a similar experience. The demon’s moans were much louder, which made Vee feel better about her own sounds. Vee managed to keep her own orgasm going for nearly a full minute, and as it started abating, she began refocusing on the world around her.

Slowly, inch by inch, she removed her soaking wet fingers from herself. She looked at her dripping hand, then immediately wondered how she was supposed to clean herself off without any running water. Amara was able to use hellfire, but Vee had never tried using her magic for something so trivial. Out of curiosity, and a desire to not cover her blankets in bodily fluids, she held up her hands and wondered if she might be able to manifest flames of her own. She knew that other angels were able to use purifying flames, so it was worth a shot.

Closing her eyes, Vee pictured Amara’s hellfire. In the past, it had been a horrible omen that had nearly caused her death, but her rejuvenated bond with Amara now brought memories of comfort and support. She thought of cuddling with Amara, her unnatural warmth a beacon of safety in this hostile plane, and remembered that her abilities were entirely rooted in hellfire.

Vee reached for her magic, bowing her head in respect, and imagined holy purifying flames dancing around her fingertips. Her magic seemed to respond to her prayer, and she opened her eyes in shock when a burst of light appeared in front of her.

In the center of her palm sat a bright, enochian flame. The embers were impossibly white, with flickers of yellow and gold dancing throughout, and they felt incredible. They were just as warm as Amara, and their light seemed to chase away the malaise of Purgatory that had crept into her bedroom. Color that Vee hadn’t even realized was missing now returned, and most importantly, her hands were completely free of all traces of her recent activities. She politely asked the magic to recede, its purpose served, and a massive smile appeared on her face.

I just made fire! I’ve never done that before! Why was it so easy this time?

With a quiet laugh, Vee relaxed her head against the closet door behind her. She had been so terrified of sharing this moment with Amara, and yet she felt amazing. She’d manifested an entirely new ability with ease, and as she looked inside herself, she didn’t sense anything missing. She felt whole, alive, and invigorated.

I need to tell Amara about this! I’ll bet she’s doing way better herself, too!

Vee knocked on the closet door, paused for a moment, then spoke up. “Amara? How ya feeling?”

There was no response.

Okay, weird. I know she was feeding on me; I felt it the whole time. Shouldn’t she be on top of the world now? Why isn’t she saying anything?

“I’m going to open the door now, is that okay?” Vee still couldn’t hear anything, and her elation started to fade slightly. Had something gone wrong? Would feeding on an angel have any adverse effects?

Suddenly worried, Vee opened the closet door slowly. When she first peeked into the isolated space, she couldn’t see anything. She had been under the assumption that Amara was leaning against the door, just like she was, but that was no longer the case. Vee opened the door further, and finally found Amara hunched further back in the closet.

At least, Vee assumed she was hunched. All she could see were Amara’s massive wings, which she’d wrapped around herself. They were shaking erratically, and as Vee paused to listen, she realized Amara was crying.

Vee moved closer, kneeling in front of her friend and lightly placing a hand on one of her wings. “Amara, are you okay? What’s wrong?”

The demonic cocoon tightened. Whatever Amara was feeling, she was clearly trying to keep it to herself. Vee wasn’t entirely sure how to respond, as she didn’t know what had happened. She wracked her brain, trying to think of anything that might explain this before, when something clicked. This wasn’t new behavior; Amara was having a panic attack.

Steeling her nerves, Vee reached forward and grabbed the edges of Amara’s wings, then gently pulled them apart. Amara’s resistance crumbled in seconds, and Vee finally saw her friend directly.

Amara was leaning against the back wall of the closet, her legs pulled to her chest. She was hugging herself tight with her arms and tail, and her head was buried in the crook of her elbow. Each breath she took seemed painful, sending uncontrollable tremors through her body, and Vee refused to not intervene. Vee slid closer, thought about what she should say, and finally laid a hand on Amara’s arm.

“Please, talk to me. We’re friends, Amara, and I want to help.”

Vee had barely finished her sentence when Amara looked up at her. The whites of her eyes had returned, and her amber irises no longer glowed with demonic energy. Her skin was back to its normal color, rather than the deep crimson from earlier. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and the moment after they made eye contact, Amara leapt at Vee. She wrapped her arms around Vee’s waist, burying her face into Vee’s stomach as she started openly weeping.

“I’m sorry!” Amara cried. “Please don’t hate me again!”

Although stunned by the response, Vee knew what Amara needed. She reached down, letting one hand rest on Amara’s back while the other lightly played with her hair. With each gentle stroke, she pulled more of the tangled mess from Amara's face. “I’m not going anywhere, Amara. I’m your friend, and I know exactly what you’re going through.”

“But I was terrible! I tried to force myself on you, and I said such awful things! How can you be okay with that?!”

“Because I know you, Amara. We’re in an impossible situation right now, and that’s not your fault. You’ve done everything in your power to stay on top of these new, demonic needs of yours, and you can’t be held responsible for freak accidents that tear away your support network.”

Vee continued holding Amara, letting her cry for as long as she wanted. It might have been a few minutes, it might have been longer; Vee didn’t bother keeping track of time. The important thing was staying together, holding on to the friendship they’d finally managed to rekindle. Vee remembered Amara’s breathing trick, the one Nick had taught her, and she tried to help Amara push through the worst of it. She would move the hand on Amara’s back up for two seconds, then slowly trace down for four. She repeated this for a while, matching her own breathing to the same rhythm, and eventually Amara began to calm down.

Once Amara’s tears had finally stopped, she gave Vee one more big squeeze, then sat up. Vee reached forward, cupping Amara’s face in both hands and using her thumbs to wipe away the tears. Amara forced a smile, and one last surge of emotion rushed through her. Vee suspected it would be more tears, but Amara seemed determined to pretend it was a laugh.

“You’re too nice for your own good, Vee,” Amara said.

“Yeah, well, I’m an angel, aren’t I?”

Both girls laughed, then Amara reached up to gently hold Vee’s hand. Their touch lingered briefly before Vee pulled away, giving Amara the space to pull herself back together. “I didn’t mean those awful things I said, Vee.”

“I know you didn’t, Amara.”

“But like, I don’t want you thinking that I secretly have all these horrible thoughts about you! These aren’t things that have always been there that just happened to come out, they’re thoughts I’ve never had before, I promise!” Amara was now nervously wringing her tail.

“It’s okay, I promise. I’m not going anywhere, we’re still friends, and nothing has changed between us. I mean, if anything, we’re closer than ever, aren’t we? You’ve fed on me now.” Vee smiled, trying to catch Amara’s eyes and inject some levity into the situation.

“I mean, yeah, I guess I did…”

“How did that feel? You seem a lot better, and your skin isn’t red anymore.”

“Wait, what?!” Amara said. “My skin was red? Like, stereotypical demon red?”

“Yup, every single bit of you matched your tail. For the record, you were rocking it.”

This time, Vee finally got Amara to laugh. “Oh, shut up, you’re just trying to make me feel better. I’m sure, in better lighting, I would’ve looked awful.”

“Okay, but seriously, how are you feeling?” Vee asked again. “This wasn’t a normal feeding, I’m an angel. Did it feel any different? You don’t sense any adverse effects, do you?”

Amara shook her head. “No, I feel a lot better. It was a little strange, but I’m not sure how to explain it. It’s like you were… spicy? It was a little tingly, but I also got more energy than I expected to. I didn’t like, dig extra deep like I did at the ritual, but I think your aura is a little difficult for me to read.”

“That kinda makes sense, doesn’t it? That I would have a bit of natural resistance to your abilities?”

“It does, but it just wasn’t something I’d thought about before.” There was a brief pause, then Amara spoke up again with a smirk. “I mean, you could be super into me, and I’d never know!”

Vee laughed nervously, desperately hoping that the dim lighting would help hide her blushing face. “Y-yeah, wouldn’t that be crazy?”

Amara seemed more like herself with each passing moment. “Hey, if it’s okay to ask, what happened while I was feeding? It was weird ‘cuz like, I was getting a bunch of energy, then it dropped off almost completely, then it came back again. That wasn’t me, was it?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Vee asked in surprise.

I had to have misheard that, right?

“Well, like, I was trying to be quiet so that I wouldn’t distract you, but you also said you could feel me feeding. When the energy dropped off, I worried that I might have accidentally done something to mess you up.”

Okay, definitely misheard her. Phew.

“Oh, that.” Vee swallowed nervously. “Right, well, um, I promise that thinking of you didn’t distract me. I was just, uh, mostly thinking about some smut I used to read, but it’s been a bit since I’ve… you know. Practiced that kind of self-care.”

“Thank goodness!” Amara said with a sigh. She paused briefly, and Vee could tell from her face that she was thinking about asking a question; Amara had a tendency to chew on the inside of her lip when she was making decisions. Eventually, she seemed to make up her mind, and she quickly moved forward to give Vee a proper hug. “Thank you so much, Vee. I know it must have been really awkward and difficult, but it means the world that you did this for me. I promise I won’t let it change me, okay? I’m not going to tell anyone what happened, and I’m going to assume this was just a one-time thing.”

They both settled into a comfortable hug, and Vee sighed in relief as they held each other. Amara seemed determined to keep their relationship platonic, and Vee knew that was for the best. Even though they were friends again, the scars of their bitter rivalry were still fresh; clear boundaries would help maintain the stability they both needed.

Besides, it would be weird not to think she’s attractive; she’s a succubus, that’s kind of the point. Once we’re home, things will go back to normal. I did what I had to in order to survive, it didn’t mean anything.

Before long, Amara broke off the hug and pulled her legs underneath herself. With a deep breath, and a quick flash of hellfire, she wiped the tears off her face. She ran her hands through her hair, cracked her neck, and rolled her shoulders a few times. Once she’d pulled herself together, she jumped to her feet and reached out for Vee. “Now, you want to come out of the closet with me?”

The joke caught Vee completely off guard, and the fit of laughter that followed prevented her from grabbing Amara’s hand. When she finally found the strength to compose herself, she accepted the gesture, and the two returned to Vee’s room. “Oh! Do you want to see something cool?”

Amara jumped on Vee’s bed, then turned to face her. “Sure!”

After taking a few steps away from Amara, Vee held out her hand and repeated the prayer from earlier. It seemed to take longer this time, but soon enough, she was holding a small enochian flame in her palm. Its brilliant white light illuminated the bedroom, and she took another step back just to be safe. “Check it out! I’ve never been able to do this before!”

A wide smile appeared on Amara’s face. “Vee, that’s incredible! What changed?”

Vee dismissed the fire quickly before sitting next to Amara. “I’m not really sure, to be honest. After we… y’know, I wanted to clean off my hands like I’ve seen you do. In the moment, it just felt kinda natural for some reason.”

“Well, obviously you’re half-demon, and our rekindled friendship is rejuvenating your powers.” Amara stuck her tongue out at Vee before playfully hitting her with her tail.

“Oh, shut up, Hellspawn!” Vee pushed Amara in retaliation, and the demon fell back onto the bed, laughing hysterically. “Maybe you’re half-angel, and that’s why my magic doesn’t hurt you as much!”

“Nah, no way,” Amara said. “If I were a half-and-half, that would guarantee that my mom was either an angel or a demon, and I just don’t see that.”

Vee fell backwards as well, settling in on the bed before turning to face Amara. “Why are you so convinced your mom is human?”

“I just don’t see how she could be anything else. She did her best to give me a good life, and I love her more than anything, but I could tell that things were tough for her. I never explicitly confirmed this, but I know we had money problems.” Amara turned as well, the girls now facing each other as they talked.

“Really? But, don’t you have that entire apartment to yourself? If money were as tight as you think, how could she afford that?”

“We’ve never talked about it, but I think she gave up a lot of little things to try and provide for me. Her meals were always suspiciously small compared to mine, and I think she overworked herself to keep providing for us; she always seemed a little tired. I asked a few times when I was small, and too young to understand money, and she always seemed to have a decent excuse. Like, ‘Oh, work bought everyone lunch today, so I’m not too hungry’ or ‘I was lost in a good book last night, and stayed up later than I realized’. Once I was old enough, I started seeing the truth behind her white lies, and I decided to stop asking questions. Still, whenever possible, I tried to ask for cheaper Christmas presents, and I worked really hard to get a good scholarship for college.”

“So, you think that if she were an angel or a demon, she wouldn’t have money problems? She would just use her powers to make things better?”

“Exactly! Like, look at me, I’m insanely powerful, and I’ve only known about my demon side for a few months. How strong am I going to be in a year? In five? Plus, I mean, you’ve met my mom. I love her to death, but she’s a little boring.”

Vee thought back to the last time she’d seen Amara’s mom, Evelyn. Freshman year had just ended, and everyone was busy packing their cars to return home for summer break. Evelyn was helping Amara move boxes, and Vee had stopped by to return a few of Amara’s things.

It was hard to disagree with Amara. Evelyn was incredibly sweet, but Vee had never sensed anything strange about her. Granted, she’d also failed to realize that Amara was a demon, so it was hardly convincing proof in either direction.

“What do you think would happen if you told her?” Vee asked.

“Fuck, I have no idea. I don’t think she’s very religious, so I doubt it would go horribly, but that’s still a huge shock. Maybe she’d faint or have a panic attack? She’s never been the type to get angry.”

“I know it’s a different scenario, but I’m happy my parents know I’m an angel. I don’t have to worry about hiding my abilities from them, even though I have to occasionally withhold details about what the Church has me doing. Although, honestly, I’m glad I didn’t have to tell them about our fight.”

The conversation paused for a minute, and Amara seemed to be lost in thought. When she did speak up, it was only to change the topic. “Should we try to get some more sleep?”

“Honestly, after all the commotion earlier, I’m not sure I’ve got more sleep left in me. Plus, I have no idea how much time has passed, and I don’t want to risk missing Tessa’s next attempt to make a bridge. I’m pretty sure I didn’t get a full night’s rest, though. How about we grab some food, especially now that your appetite might be back, and head back to Lysander after that?”

Amara quickly averted her eyes. “Oh, you, uh… noticed me not eating?”

“Please, it’s not like you were trying to hide it, Amara. I’m assuming you actually need food to survive, yeah?”

“I do, and now that you mention it, I’m pretty hungry.” Amara’s stomach grumbled in agreement, and the girls got up to pick through Vee’s remaining food. “I still think I might be able to survive on nothing but sex, but Nick won’t let me try.”

“Well good, because I won’t either. C’mon, eat.” They both laughed and spent the rest of their presumed morning enjoying the tiny sliver of peace afforded by Vee’s apartment.

—

“Tess? Hey, Tess, wake up.”

“No… you wake up…” Tessa grumbled, turning over as she grabbed her pillow tight.

“I did, Tess. C’mon, we should get back to work, shouldn’t we? Amara and Vee can’t make it back without you.”

As her peaceful slumber continued to drift further away, Tessa began to return to her senses. She had fallen asleep in her clothes, apparently, and her bed was cold and hard. Her pillow felt strange, too; it was far too fluffy for her liking. And was that Nick speaking?

After a defeated sigh, Tessa opened her eyes. She was greeted by a large, blank wall, and she immediately remembered that she’d never left Lysander Hall.

Why the fuck is there a blanket over me? Whose pillow is this?

Tessa sat up, rubbing her eyes as she tried to avoid looking at the bright fluorescent lights above her. She appeared to be in a corner of the secret room, and if nothing else, the illusory wall was still up. Nick was kneeling next to her and had just pulled a hand away from her shoulder. “Nick? What’s going on?”

“You could barely keep your eyes open, and you fell asleep a few hours ago. Thankfully, I had a feeling this would happen, and the last time I got food, I also grabbed a spare blanket and pillow for you.”

“You let me fucking sleep?!” Tessa shouted. “Nick, I need to get this circle up and running! How am I supposed to get them back if I waste all my time sleeping?”

When Nick responded, he did so with unusual assertiveness. “Tess, you were literally falling asleep while hunched over the circle. Yes, you weren’t able to get as much work done, but if you’d stayed up, your work would have been sloppy and second-rate. I may not understand all these magic runes, but I’m an athlete and I know how to study. Without proper rest, you’re not going to be able to do shit, alright?”

Surprised at Nick’s sudden assertiveness, Tessa wasn’t entirely sure what to say. “Yeah, well… shut up.”

Ugh, fuck. Nick didn’t deserve that, he wants them home just as much as I do.

“Besides, I set some alarms, so we should be fine. I have no idea when Amara and Vee are going to be at the circle, but I’m hoping it’s around the same time. If you take down the wall, I should have plenty of time to get us some breakfast.” Nick paused briefly, then cut Tessa off just before she could speak up. “And some coffee. Don’t worry.”

Tessa wanted to hate how smug Nick was being, but the more she thought about it, he wasn’t even being smug. He was just putting his foot down to make sure that she ate food and got some sleep, which was hardly something to get upset about.

“Alright, fine. Let’s get this wall down, and then you’ve got half an hour. Just like normal.”

While Nick was busy getting breakfast, Tessa took advantage of his absence and re-checked all her work from last night. Loathe as she was to admit it, she found a few small errors that needed correcting. Thankfully, even while exhausted, her work was much cleaner than everything the cult had done, and she was able to correct everything quickly.

Why am I snapping at Nick? He’s just trying to help, and he’s been nothing but supportive this whole time. Ugh, I hate apologies. He’s probably going to want to hug or shit.

Once her previous work had been corrected, and Nick had returned with the food, Tessa ate as quickly as she could. The coffee was something to savor, as she needed the energy, but she wanted the food to get to work as soon as possible. After finishing, once she’d crumbled up her wrapper and thrown it in the corner, she reluctantly turned to Nick. “Hey, um… look, I’m sorry about earlier, okay? I just hate the thought of them being stuck there for even longer.”

With a soft smile, Nick placed a hand on her shoulder. “I get it. We’re in this together, remember, and for better or worse, I know you. You can’t work yourself to death, otherwise we’re never getting them back.”

Alright, well, that’s better than a hug.

Tessa didn’t bother responding, and instead crawled back to the edge of the circle. “Okay, I think I’m ready for another crack at this. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely better. Even if they can’t cross over, we should at least have more time. You ready?”

Nick nodded, and Tessa began her work.

Her hands flat on the ground, her tattoos flaring, she started to focus on the circle. She watched her magic flow through all the different runes, observing how each one interacted with the circle as a whole, and she was happy with what she saw. Her alterations seemed to be taking, and after a minute of focus, she felt the circle stir to life.

This time, the process was much quicker. The flow of magic seemed healthier and more efficient, and she had a feeling that holding the connection wouldn’t be as strenuous as last time.

When Amara appeared in the middle of the circle, she came into focus almost immediately. She was sprawled out in the middle, her tail lazily flicking back and forth in the air. Vee was sitting next to her, leaning back on her hands, and the two girls seemed to be in the middle of a conversation. Whatever they’d been saying must not have been too important, however, as they stopped the instant the magic settled.

“Tess? That you again?” Amara asked.

Tessa pulled her hands off the ground, sighed in satisfaction and walked on the circle. “Yup!”

Vee spoke up next. “Oh, thank goodness. I feel like we’ve been waiting here for hours, there’s really no way to tell time in Purgatory.”

Looking around, Tessa couldn’t help but notice how calm Vee and Amara looked. Yesterday, when they’d briefly managed to talk, they had both seemed pretty exhausted and panicked. That had also been the first time they’d made contact since disappearing, so it might have simply been nerves.

“So, Tess, how does this work?” Nick asked, stepping closer.

“Yeah, like, do we have to do anything? I didn’t see Nick until he stepped onto the circle, which has me a little worried.” Amara was now on her feet, and even offered a hand to Vee to help her up as well.

“Okay, so, interplanar travel is weird. To make this bridge, I’m essentially merging the space on Earth and in Purgatory. As long as we’re in this circle, we’re in both planes at once, yet also neither. It’s not a traditional portal like the one the cult made; those have a habit of being unstable, and when they’re especially poorly made, they can even damage the fabric of reality itself. Unfortunately, while my option is less dangerous, it can be harder to figure out exactly how to choose which plane you want to end up in when the connection closes.”

“So… you don’t know,” Vee said.

“I don’t see you doing anything to get us home!” Tessa said, staring daggers at Vee.

Amara stepped forward, putting herself between Vee and Tessa. “Hey, Vee doesn’t deserve that. Her magic is what’s letting us survive over here, we all have a part to play, alright? Just let us know what our next step is, and we’ll take it from there.”

Okay, odd. Now Amara’s defending Vee? What on Earth happened over in Purgatory?

After awkwardly clearing her throat, Tessa looked around at everyone, then continued. “Right, um, well, first we need to see how strong the connection is.” Tessa stepped closer to Amara, then reached out for her shoulder. Thankfully, when she made contact, she met an appropriate amount of resistance. Amara’s body felt incredibly solid, and she was giving off just as much heat as Tessa normally expected.

After seeing this, Tessa swore the entire group sighed in relief. Nick was the first to move, jumping at Amara and hugging her tight, all with a goofy smile on his face. “Fuck, Amara, I’m so glad you’re okay. You too, Vee. We had no idea what to think when you both vanished. You don’t know why it happened, do you?”

Vee shook her head. “Nothing yet. Like I mentioned last time, there are some weird monsters skulking around campus, but we haven’t seen anything actually suspicious. Amara thinks we just got pulled in because we’re not human.”

“Yeah, what’s up with that? Ever since you mentioned those things yesterday, I’ve been trying to figure out what the hell would be living in Purgatory.”

“We don’t really know. They’re kinda like these big, vulturic, wyvern things that look like ghosts. Stark white, a little see through, with bits of wet flesh constantly falling off of them. Our current theory is that they’re some kind of native species that enforces the balance between life and death in Purgatory, so we’ve been calling them reapers. I don’t think the reason they’re around matters much, though. They were pretty aggressive for a day or two, and now they’re mostly just circling the quad. We saw a weird circle there, too, but with all the reapers, we haven’t been able to get in close and see what’s up.”

“Uuughh I hate magic sometimes,” Tessa groaned. “Alright, look, there’s a million things going on, but I can’t hold this connection forever. Amara, can you walk out of the circle? I want to see which plane you end up in.”

“Can do!”

After moving aside, Tessa watched as Amara moved to the edge of the circle. She took a nervous breath, then stepped forward and disappeared.

“Hm. Shit.” Tessa moved to the edge of the circle, examining the ground where Amara had just left.

“We’re still stuck here, aren’t we?” Vee asked.

“As much as I hate to say it… yeah, I think so. I was trying to align the circle so that it would— No, the specifics don’t matter. Look, I think I know how I can fix this, but I’m gonna need a bit more time. Do you think you two can make it through one more day?”

Vee and Amara looked at each other, and eventually the blonde girl spoke up. “Well, I still have more food, and my wards seem to be holding up pretty well. But, Amara…”

“No need to beat around the bush, Vee,” Amara said. “If I’m going to make it another day, I’m gonna need to feed. But, with the circle working like it is, that means it has to happen here and now. I don’t give a fuck about being watched, and Tess, I know you don’t either.”

“Sorry, I’ll have to sit this one out,” Tessa said. “The circle is pretty stable, but I still need to concentrate to keep it running smoothly. I can’t afford the distraction.”

One by one, all three girls looked over at Nick, whose eyes went wide. “Wait, me?”

Amara walked closer, wrapping her arms around Nick’s shoulders. “Sorry Nick, but our hands are tied. It can’t be Tessa, and it’s obviously not going to be Vee. C’mon, you’ve never been curious about exhibitionism? What about that time at the library when I—”

“O-okay, no need to share everything we’ve ever done, I get it.” Nick was blushing furiously, his eyes darting between Tessa and Vee. “I just, y’know, it’s a little weird. Can you all at least look away?”

Vee nodded quickly, pushing some of her hair behind an ear. “Not a problem for me.”

Amara looked at Tessa next, a pleading look on her face. Tessa rolled her eyes, sighed, then said, “Ugh, fine. I promise I won’t look.”

Nick swallowed nervously. “Thanks, both of you. I really appreciate it.” He barely had time to finish talking before Amara had grabbed his face and pushed her lips against his. Her tail wrapped around his leg, squeezing him tight before traveling higher. Her hands reached under his shirt, and she clearly wasn’t trying to hide her own moans of excitement.

When Tessa looked over at Vee, she caught the angel blushing as she watched the seduction unfolding in front of her, but they both quickly averted their eyes as they committed to giving Nick and Amara a veil of privacy.

Surprisingly, Tessa was glad to have the circle as an excuse to abstain from hooking up with Amara. As amazing as the sex was, she still didn’t know how she wanted things to proceed between them. The time apart, as well as several uncomfortable conversations with Nick, had reinforced her own hesitations over giving Amara free reign over her body. Nick still trusted Amara implicitly, and Tessa was inclined to agree with him, but she wanted more time.

Without a strong idea of how long Amara might prolong their hookup, Tessa decided to sit down on the floor while she waited. She knew from idle gossip that Nick loved dirty talk and hearing Amara moan, but she had a feeling they were going to try and keep things quiet out of respect.

Of course, they were still fucking, and a certain amount of noise was to be expected. It wasn’t long before Tessa heard Nick’s breathing pick up, then a series of sloppy, wet sucking noises. Tessa wondered if they just might stick to oral for now; Amara could cum no matter what, and it would be less clean up afterwards. The two kept moaning as the minutes crept on, and Tessa couldn’t stop her thoughts from wandering.

What caught her off guard, however, was what she wanted to fantasize about. It wasn’t Amara’s supernatural tongue, or her thick, prehensile tail; it was Nick. She focused on his moans of pleasure, wondering what he might sound like if she ever got the chance to fuck him. Did his tastes change from partner to partner? Tessa’s certainly did.

It was strange to fantasize about Nick. Sex had always been comfortable for Tessa, but it had never been something worth imagining. Her life had always been delightfully simple; when she wanted sex, she got it. She knew how to meet people, and how to tell which ones were on the prowl for some good pussy. Why bother fantasizing about sex when it was never more than a phone call away? Now, with Nick having refuted her advances time after time, she almost felt like a horny teenager again, desperately wishing she could hook up with the cute guy down the street.

As time kept passing, Tessa was forced to awkwardly shift positions a few times. She could feel herself getting more and more turned on, but she didn’t dare make things more awkward by doing anything about it. For one thing, it would be horribly rude, but it would also endanger the bridge she’d built to Purgatory.

Thankfully, it seemed like Amara was on a mission. Tessa knew from experience that the demon could easily draw out encounters as long as she wanted, but today she seemed content to end things quickly. Nick’s breathing grew louder and more panicked, then Amara’s moans picked up in volume, and before long, they were cumming together. It sounded like Amara was having significantly more fun than Nick was, and Tessa wondered if he was simply trying to be polite by keeping things quiet.

There was a shuffle of clothing, the sound of a zipper, and then Amara spoke up. “Alright you two, we’re all finished!”

Tessa shook her thoughts loose and turned around. “Whew, that’s probably for the best. I think I’ve got a headache coming on from keeping the circle up and running. If you two are all set, I think we should call things here.”

Amara licked her lips, her tail excitedly darting back and forth behind her. “I’m all good! Vee?”

Vee was still blushing as she turned around, and her voice seemed quiet compared to her usual demeanor. “Um, yeah, I’m set. Hey, Tess, is there any way to send brief messages through the circle when you’re not holding the bridge open? We were waiting a pretty long time today, which is fine, but I’m just curious.

“I suppose you could try pushing your magic through like you did last time? I can’t promise I’ll see it instantly, especially if I’m in the middle of some alterations, but it might be better than nothing.” Tessa said.

“That’s good to know! Hopefully we won’t be in any emergencies, but I figure it’s good to have a plan just in case. We’ll see you two tomorrow!”

Nick and Tessa both hugged Amara goodbye, then Nick did the same with Vee. Out of habit, Vee moved closer to Tessa, but hesitated as she reached out. The gesture had seemed so genuine, as had the hesitation, and after a moment of awkward silence, Tessa rolled her eyes and moved in for a hug. Vee squeezed her tighter than she expected, and she couldn’t help wondering if there was an apology hidden in the gesture.

Everyone stood on opposite sides of the circle, and then Tessa dropped the magic. The circle faded back to its original state, then Amara and Vee disappeared from view.

After a few moments, Nick spoke up. “Hey, before you get back to work, you want to go take a walk around campus? You’ve been cooped up in this tiny room for over a day, and you need to get some fresh air. I’ll even buy you lunch.”

“Honestly? That sounds pretty nice. I think some space will do me good.”

After passing through the illusory wall, the two of them marched up the stairs until they found their way back to the quad. As they walked, Tessa very nearly started pestering Nick about his recent exhibitionism, but another topic wormed its way into her thoughts instead.

“Nick, how do you do it?” Tessa asked quietly. They were skirting around the outside of the quad, which had an unusual layer of thick fog in it.

“Do what?”

“You’re just, like, always so chill. You get a little flustered sometimes, and there was that week you took off from school, but it seems like you’re always taking everything perfectly in stride. I mean, your best friend’s a demon, I’m a witch, Vee’s an angel, and we’ve all almost died like a dozen times over. Yet, through all of it, you’re just smiling and buying me burgers, or letting Amara suck you off while we awkwardly pretend we can’t hear everything that’s happening.”

Nick cupped his hands around his mouth, briefly warming them, before shoving them in his coat pockets. His breath hovered in the air briefly as he sighed. “I don’t know. Like, yeah, everything that’s been happening is really fucking weird, but isn’t that life? Just a constant parade of fresh bullshit, day after day? Yesterday Amara grew a new limb, today she’s stuck in Purgatory, and maybe tomorrow she’ll be upset because she got a bad grade or something. At a certain point, I find it’s easier to just accept everything that’s happening and instead shift my focus to doing something about it. I’ve been supporting Amara through panic attacks for years, so does it matter why it’s happening? She’s always had skills that I didn’t, only now it’s throwing fire and fighting cults, whereas before it was knowing how Photoshop works. It’s obvious that I can’t help out on the battlefield, so my options are actually pretty clear. I keep her calm, help put things in perspective and remind her that she doesn’t need to be scared of her powers.”

“You make it sound like it’s so easy,” Tessa said with a smirk.

“I mean, to a certain extent, it comes pretty naturally to me. I realize that’s not the case for everyone, so I try to help out when I can. Like, even though it’s easy for me to focus on putting one foot in front of the other, I understand why certain situations are cause for panic. I’m not immune to it myself, I was pretty freaked out when Amara disappeared. But, in that case, it’s because I didn’t know where to put that next foot. When Amara says she needs to feed in front of two of our friends? That’s awkward, but I know what needs to happen.”

“Well, you’re lucky. I wish we could trade places sometime. I’ll make you do all the planar math, and I’ll just sit back with a burger while Amara goes down on me.”

Tessa was trying to rile up Nick, and it worked like a charm. He was burying himself in his scarf as his cheeks turned bright red. “Okay, look, I’m very much aware that I’ve gotten a little lucky in certain aspects, alright? I’m just trying to be respectful of Amara and not be some jackass who takes what he has for granted.”

With a hearty laugh, Tessa punched Nick’s arm. “You’re such a dork. I’m just being an ass; no need to be so defensive about it.”

It took several minutes for them to finish their walk to the local burger joint, and just after they’d placed their order, a stray thought from earlier reappeared in Tessa’s mind.

“Did Amara seem, like, not as tired today?” Tessa asked.

“How so?”

“Like, yesterday, she could barely stand up without Vee’s help, and I even thought her skin looked a little red, but today she seemed pretty put together.”

“Y’know, now that you mention it, yeah, I guess a little bit. But wait, wouldn’t that mean…?”

Tessa’s eyes went wide as the pieces finally clicked together. “Holy shit!”