Blood & Magic Ch. 21

"Don't touch my panties!" Melissa swung her hand at Katya's but just missed.

"As a member of your clan, I'm also feeling embarrassed that you represent us." Tiana curled her lip.

Kirstin saw creases form over Melissa's brow and her cheeks, making her question if vampires cried. She watched Melissa's fist tighten before opening, her face relaxing as she nodded, "Thank you sister for calling me out. Yes, I guess I-no I am being defensive at Hierophant Vercci's words. For that I am sorry." she bowed her head, "My pride...is something that is of protection for me, trusting my intuition. Yet, I see how these signs of embarrassment could be messages from the Dark Mother."

The Hierophant remained still, not bothering to lower her gaze as she asked, "What will you do then Priscus to further this lesson, this gift from the Dark Mother?"

"I..." Melissa looked around and shook her head, "I don't know...look for more embarrassing situations?"

A grin spread over Katya's face, matching the Hierophant's. "Perhaps the Dark Mother is asking for more direction. A concrete step. A ritual..."

Melissa's lip quivered, "You don't mean-"

"YES!" Katya cheered, evoking cheers from the others.

"The Crimson Walk." The Hierophant said. Kirstin's eyes shifted to Sakeena who shook her head. "What do you think Priscus Watkins?"

Melissa's eyes squeezed shut, trying to block out the quieted excitement of her peers. She looked down at her panties, "I'm uncomfortable. I feel vulnerable in these and I hate it." she whispered, "I don't want to do this, I'm angry and afraid...." she raised her head, opening her eyes, "This is my Pride speaking. This is also why I must say....." she blinked, "Yes...."

Her answer drew applause from everyone. Kirstin and Sakeena mimicked their claps out of peer pressure. Kirstin leaned forward to whisper but stopped when Sakeena shrugged and shook her head. When the noise quieted Melissa asked, "What will be required of me?"

"I will need some time to decide." The Hierophant turned to Katya, "Since Katya specializes in all things kink related, I may defer to her." she looked back at Melissa. "We will schedule the ritual in one month. I'd suggest you focus your meditations Priscus."

Melissa nodded and then glared at Katya, who began clapping as she stuck her tongue out, "I do look forward to planning this Priscus. Especially after what you planned for my Crimson Walk."

"That will be all for now regarding this business. Before we honor the Dark Mother tonight, is there anything else that needs discussing?"

"Just one." Melissa left the circle to bend down and reach into the pocket of her pants. When she returned, she held up the choker with the amber jewel Kirstin remembered worn by the hunter. "This item was worn by the hunter Kirstin and I defeated." She presented it to the Hierophant, "At first we thought it was the source of her strength, yet when we removed it she lost her size."

"Her size?" Tiana asked.

"Her tits and ass shrunk." Kirstin blurted. She shrugged when Melissa shot her a glance.

"Yes. I've never heard of something so absurd, yet all magic does not follow logic. So I wondered if anyone here might have been familiar with such a device."

Hierophant Vercci took the choker with both hands, pulling each side so she could examine the jewel. "What powers did you and Kirstin observe?"

"Super strength, some speed, fast enough to keep up with me. That was about it." Melissa looked to Kirstin.

"What was her name?" Katya asked, "And why wasn't I told about this artifact?"

"That's why we're here Deputy." Melissa folded her arms, "I wanted to tell you earlier but Kirstin's embrace took my priority."

"Do you realize how-" Katya began to say but was interrupted by the Hierophant.

"Enough. Katya, you still know of this before others of the Domain. As much as her pride is proving to be a weakness for Melissa, we can thank her for keeping all magical artifacts within our circle only." she twirled the gem, "Curious, augmented fighting abilities are not uncommon but to also expand one's body proportions..."

"What could it be Hierophant?" Tiana asked. By now, all of the Acolytes had closed the circle, leaning forward to examine the choker themselves, "I thought hunters believed all magic to be evil."

"This particular hunter was...strange." Melissa turned to Kirstin and Sakeena, who both nodded, "At times she was making odd quips as if she was in an action film."

"Perhaps she was a rogue." Katya tapped her finger on her opposite bicep, "If anyone else in the domain finds out about this...and that I didn't report it to the Sheriff..."

"It will remain with us." Hierophant Vercci said, "If this gem provides the powers as described, then it is not power that matches the gifts the Dark Mother brings." she presented the choker to Melissa, "Would you be willing to help the Circle tonight and help us test this magic?"

Melissa stared at the choker and then to her sisters. Kirstin noted the lack of emotion on their faces, yet their eyes remained fixated on Melissa. She shared their curiosity, wondering if the vampire ruled by her pride would put herself at risk.

"I will Hierophant." Melissa took the choker from Hierophant Vercci's hand, "This could be another gift from the Dark Mother and if it is, then risking my own safety is a price I accept." She took both ends of the choker in each hand. Closing her eyes, she felt the soft fabric wrap around her neck, tightening its grip as she fastened it together. She muttered a silent prayer and lowered her arms. Kirstin watched as each Acolyte except for Hierophant Vercci backed away. Kirstin felt Sakeena grab her hand and pulled her away from Melissa.

A glow overpowered the fire around them. As it faded, Melissa opened her eyes, looking down at her breasts. She smiled at recognizing them, her light brown nipples flush over her small breasts. "Nothing." she held her arms out as she turned, "I guess the magic only works for mortals?"

She turned her head when she heard her sisters giggle. "Are you sure sister?" Natalya asked

"What do you mean?" Melissa frowned

"You don't notice a little...added weight?" Tiana snorted. She pointed to Melissa's lower half when she made eye contact.

Melissa turned and froze mid step when she felt an odd movement around her upper thigh. She also noted the waistband of her underwear sliding down, the spandex lining felt tighter around her legs. She looked over her shoulder and saw something jiggle. Her backside had grown twice in size, each cheek rounding out to form a wide peach shape. Her thighs had also expanded, narrowing the gap between each other. Her once slender legs had swelled around the leg openings of her briefs and the crack of her buttocks was visible now that her panties were too small.

Melissa gasped at the sight of watching both cheeks swaying side to side from the momentum of her steps. She heard laughter from the others and immediately turned away. "Stop it!" she hissed, grabbing the back of her panties to pull them over her widened buttocks. "What the hell is this?!"

"It looks like the magic decided to add size to your ass." Katya said, swinging her hand down to give Melissa an upward spank, striking the undercurve. The impact caused it to dance as if it had a life of its own.

Melissa yelped and hopped away, "Bitch!" she growled as the laughter of her peers got louder.

Kirstin covered her mouth to hide the shock on her face seeing Melissa spanked. Kirstin watched Sakeena to gauge what reaction was appropriate. With her eyes wide, Sakeena kept her face to the ground, lips tightened and hands pressing harder over her waist.

"Enough." Hierophant Vercci said, her calm tone dousing the laughter in an instant. "Tell me Melissa, is there an ideal body you desire?"

Straightening her posture, Melissa kept trying to pull her panties up, feeling the cotton pushing harder against the heavier weight of her ass, "I...I don't think so, I've always loved my body, Hierophant."

Hierophant Vercci moved forward, causing the other vampires to take one step back, all except Melissa who remained still. Kirstin watched Vercci's eyes narrow, noting her amber eyes glowing as she said, "Speak the truth, what is your ideal body?"

Melissa's hands relaxed by her side. Her eyes stared back at the Hierophant in awe. In a monotone voice she said, "I love my body as it is...but I wanted a fatter ass." As soon as she finished the sentence, Melissa gasped before covering her mouth with both hands. The circle exploded in a fit of giggles and she closed her eyes.

"Wait!" Tiana held her hand up but couldn't speak between her laughter, "So you just make a wish? Like if I say I want big titties, I just put the choker on and 'abracadabra titties'?!" her joke drew laughter even from Sakeena.

"Actually." the Hierophant said, her tone rising to speak over the laughter of her sisters, "This type of magic reminds me of glamour."

"Glamour?" Natalya echoed.

"Yes..it's a type of magic I'd heard centuries ago when I lived in Europe." her narrative ended the laughter of the others, allowing her to speak in a softer voice, "It's magic used by the Fae, 'faeries' if we were to use the bastardized term. Glamour is a magic the Fair Folk used to mask their true appearance. Often times, it gave them beauty that seemed beyond possible."

"How interesting!" Melissa blurted out, "Perhaps this Hunter is working for them?"

"'How interesting!'" Katya mimicked Melissa's dry tone, "The only interesting thing is why you fantasize about having an ass the size of a beach ball!"

Melissa shuffled her feet, she wanted to run away but had to stay with her sisters. No matter how much she moved her hands, they were too small to cover her widened ass. "I'm only trying to understand why Fae magic is involved! I didn't know it could change me based on what body I desired!"

"I thought you said you loved your body as it was." Natalya said.

Melissa's eyes shifted from Natalya to the Hierophant, "I did. I mean-what I meant was-"

"I see." Hierophant Vercci cut her off, "You tried to hide the truth from me." Hierophant Vercci said her tone remaining soft, yet it caused Melissa to shrug her shoulders.

"I'm s-sorry Hierophant." Melissa whispered.

"Why are you sorry?"

"M-my pride got the best of me again."

"I see that. The Dark Mother is telling you something Melissa, something we must all learn."

Kirstin and Sakeena watched as Melissa's head seemed to grow heavier, her shoulders slumping the more she stared at the ground. "I-I understand." Melissa's voice was barely audible. "As hard as it is to hear, I want to learn from the Dark Mother."

"First" Hierophant Vercci touched Melissa's chin, lifting it so she made eye contact, "You must receive punishment for deceiving her." Her eyes glowed again, her whisper coming out as a hiss, "Show me why you want a fat assssss."

"No please..." Melissa looked to Kirstin and Sakeena, the lines on her face twisting in horror as she turned her back to the circle, raising her arms in the air as she bent down in a squat. "Oh my goddess!!!"

The cackling of the other Circle of the Crone members startled Kirstin, who didn't know how to feel watching Melissa scream as she gyrated her hips, causing her enlarged ass to bounce. Melissa rested her hands on her knees so she could widen her squat.

"Woooo!" Katya hollared, "Make that ass clap Priscus!"

Tiana ran away from the circle, kneeling down by her clothes to grab her smart phone. When she returned she tapped it several times to turn on the sounds of an electronic bass beat to go in sync with Melissa's twerking.

"Tiana! As your Priscus I'm ordering you to turn that off!" Melissa's voice had risen an octave, the highest Kirstin had ever heard. She covered her face while she continued shaking her ass, standing straight so she could shake her hips side to side. The momentum was so great the smacking sounds of her backside echoed throughout the woods.

"I only obey the Hierophant in this space, Priscus." Tiana said.

"You'll draw attention to us!" Melissa whimpered.

"I don't give a shit if people hear us, this is too priceless!" Tiana wrapped an arm around Katya for support, both of them laughing that their sounds echoed.

"I swear as soon as I-" Melissa stopped when she heard a sound pierce through the music, the sound of cotton ripping. Her neck and head remained stiff while her hips continued shaking, her backside building momentum, testing the strength of her cotton panties. She hopped in the air, landing in a wide squat. There was a louder rip as the cotton to the back of her Wonder Woman panties exploded, allowing her pale, peach-shaped ass to burst free. Melissa screamed as she saw the torn back of her underwear, "That was a gift!"

"Holy shit!" Katya pointed, "I didn't know that was possible!"

Tiana held up her phone, "I have to get a picture of this."

"Tiana stop! This violates the Masquerade!" Melissa tried to cover her ass with both hands. Now that her cheeks were free, she felt cellulite around the undercurve, her fingers pressed into the wide surface of her backside and she noted how firm it seemed. She heard the electronic sound of a shutter go off and turned her head away from Tiana's camera phone.

Sakeena felt Natalya's thin fingers around her shoulder and jumped, "It's almost hypnotic isn't it?" Natalya whispered.

Sakeena forced a smile and nodded, turning to Kirstin and reaching her hand out to squeeze her hand.

Hierophant Vercci walked around Melissa, lifting her hand and swinging down to slap her left cheek. Melissa screamed, hopping forward but landing back in her squat position while she continued to dance. "That was for lying to me." Vercci said.

"How long do I have to keep this stupid thing on?" Melissa gripped the choker with both hands.

"Keep it on Melissa." The Hierophant commanded. She spun in a circle as she held her arms above her head, "We will close the ceremony now, join us sisters."

One by one, the other Crone members joined their leader around the fire, swaying their hips to the club music. They did not seem as concerned with the noise as Melissa was, their voices joined in a choir of loud calls to the night sky. They jumped in the air, spun around, and clapped their hands in joy, an emotion Kirstin never imagined possible for the undead. She wasn't sure if they were celebrating the Dark Mother, or enjoying the humiliation of one of their own.

"Come childe!" Katya reached out and grabbed Sakeena's hand, pulling her, and Kirstin into the circle. A grin spread across Kirstin's face as she looked down at her naked body, glowing against the fire. At first, she wasn't sure how to dance like the others afraid to move in a way so wild she might accidentally hit someone. She looked to Sakeena, who was also watching the others, her hands raised to make slow jerking movements left and right. All self-consciousness about how she danced faded from Kirstin's mind in comparison to Melissa, whose eyes were closed while she bent forward, sticking her ass out so she could make it bounce more. The momentum was so strong her cheeks made a clapping noise.

"Fuck!" Melissa covered her ears to block the sound of her cheeks slapping together.

"Yes!!!" Katya raised her fist in the air, "This is the best night ever!"

Kirstin watched it dance as if it had a life of its own, the torn shreds of cotton flapping in the air like a flag. She wondered what the Crimson Walk was and how it could be worse than what Melissa already endured.

Melissa didn't know if the heat she felt on her face was from the flames or from accidentally reanimating her flesh, causing her face to blush. The more she moved her hips to make her backside dance, the more she tried to distract her thoughts from how embarrassed she felt in front of her peers. How embarrassed she'd feel telling Ashley why her gift was ruined. The only sobering thought that helped was if the gem was Fae magic, where did it come from and where in the domain did they reside?