Dead and Horny Ch. 15

"Probably a knight. She had one of our swords and fought pretty well with it."

The information clicked like a lock slamming into place, and Tasia growled so loudly that Esteban's sword was already in his hands.

"I'm warning you," he began, but Lynn pushed his blade away.

"You know who they were, don't you?" Lynn tilted her head. "Oh, shit! It was the succubus, wasn't it?"

"She traveled with a witch who had one of our swords. We got into a fight and she kicked my ass." Tasia fought for control of her body, forcing her fangs to slide back into her gums. Her claws retracted as well, and she turned away from the others, a phantom pain blossoming across her ribs. "Sorry, that's a sensitive subject for me."

Lynn put her hand on Tasia's back. "It's okay, I get it. Why don't you take a moment and I'll phone that in. That's important information to have."

The master swordswoman stared at Tasia for a few moments, then stepped away to make a call. Esteban stood nearby, his sword held casually by his side.

"If you're going to have trouble controlling yourself," he warned. "You and I are going to have problems."

She wanted to say plenty of things to him, but knew that none of it would be productive. Being nice would sound like an attempt to deceive while being mean would reinforce beliefs. Instead, she went back into the VIP room and took another look around.

Every encounter with the succubus had subverted expectations. She was already falling into the same patterns that had resulted in her failure as a knight. With her near transformation so recent, the smells in the room were magnified and she was ready to open her mind to any and all possibilities.

The sour smell was largely gone, but she could smell the patchouli scent somewhere else. Moving to the far side of the room, she stood on a chair to sniff her way up to one of the air vents.

The scent had faded from days of having cool air blown over it, but it was still there. She pulled the vent cover off and used the flashlight to look inside. The interior was about a foot across and eight inches wide. There were bloodstains on the metal, all dried up now. Behind the scent of patchouli and death, she picked up another scent.

"What are you doing?" Esteban asked, his head in the door. "Nothing could have fit through that vent."

"But it did," she countered, then hopped off the chair. "Go look for yourself. Whoever did this left through there, and took our Jane Doe with them."

"But that's not possible." He didn't argue any further, but went to look for himself. "Shit, you're right. How did we miss that?"

She didn't bother explaining it. If someone had tried to explain it to her a year ago, she would have blown them off. "Looks like we need to revise our options," she said.

"Agreed." Esteban jumped off the chair. "Guess we need to get forensics back in here, see if they can get anything from the vents. We can pop out and see if we can find the exit."

They left together, leaving Lynn behind on the dance floor. A quick examination of the roof found that the wiring for the air intake had been torn off, and a raccoon family had already started nesting in there. However, through the fragrant smell of rodents, Tasia detected the rest of their blood trail. Whatever had killed those people had left through a vent so small that only a child would fit. The options were already limited, but she was prepared to expand those options.

She just hoped Esteban and Lynn would be on board. The sun was already going down, and she couldn't help but feel like she was being watched.

Lynn wrapped up her phone call and came outside the building. "We're setting up shop nearby," she said. "Got us a rental so we don't have to make the drive. Some of the higher ups want to check in with you, Tasia, about their uninvited guests. Sounds like you'll be doing that tomorrow. Forensics is coming out tonight to see if they can find anything."

"I'll stay until forensics gets here," Esteban offered. He turned to Tasia and gave her a little bow. "Good work."

She nodded in acceptance and stepped up to the edge of the roof. Esteban cleared his throat, reminding Tasia that the cops were still down below, now watching with interest. Tasia pretended to scrape something off her shoe, then made for the nearest ladder.

Feeling slightly vindicated, she descended with a smile. Once at the bottom, she waited for Esteban. Julian eventually emerged from the lounge, tucking a wand away. Tasia could smell the fresh magical wards in the air.

"Looks like we've got a plan, then." Lynn jerked her head in the direction of her car. "Drinks are on me tonight."

Luis and Courtney let out a cheer and climbed into the Expedition with Lynn. Tasia hopped into the back seat, determined to stay awake this time. Her stomach rumbled as they pulled away from the Sunset Lounge, turning out onto the main street.

She was asleep in minutes.

Lily sat on a rock overlooking a lake hidden away in the centaur-occupied valley within the greenhouse. From the outside, the greenhouse looked like an antique from Victorian days, but somehow it contained an entire world. Nobody knew how far it went, but it was the perfect hiding place for when she wanted to be out of the house but not too far from home.

She picked up a flat stone with her tail and hurled it with enough speed that it skipped well over twenty times before clattering against large rocks on the opposite side. The water of the lake was eerily clear, and she wondered how deep it went.

"Damned spider," she grunted for perhaps the dozenth time. Lily was mad that Eulalie had put herself in so much danger, but didn't know how to explain to anyone else why her anger was justified. Last fall, when they had met the Arachne sisters for the first time, they had also met their father, Darren. Plagued by nightmares from the war and at the end by cancer, Lily had decided to do the man a good deed and give him dreams of his late wife during their stay.

What had really happened was that Lily had been forced to sit through weeks' worth of Darren's memories inside the Dreamscape. She had watched both Eulalie and Velvet grow up in fast forward, or at least how he remembered them. Privy to sacred moments between father and daughter, she hadn't just been a witness, but had actually felt the emotions involved. It was familial love, something she had never fully experienced.

And if she had done so when she was mortal, the memories had long ago been lost, burned away during her hideous, awful transformation.

When Eulalie had risked her own safety, those painful emotions had surfaced. With Velvet gone, Eulalie was all that remained of Darren's original family, and Lily was determined to keep her safe as a result.

Frustrated, she picked up an even larger rock and threw it across the water. It made a satisfying sploosh in the middle of the water, sending a geyser almost ten feet into the air.

"That was a good one."

Lily spun in place, surprised to see Zel standing in the shadows. There was no way the centaur had snuck up on her, which meant she had been lost in her own thoughts. She turned her attention back to the lake. "Can't a girl get some peace out here?"

"I suppose, but someone is busy yelling and throwing rocks." Zel approached the edge of the lake where the footing was better for her equine half. The two of them now stood about fifteen feet apart. "Imagine my surprise when I find someone hanging out in my special spot."

Lily snorted. "Isn't the whole valley your special spot?"

"No." Zel picked up a leaf and examined it. "The land belongs to no one. We're just here to become part of it."

Lily fought the urge to gag herself. "So what makes this spot so special?"

Zel blushed. "It's sort of where Mike and I...got to know each other better. He had gotten Dragon's Breath pollen all over himself, and then on me, so I carried him here and we jumped into the water to rinse it off."

"Still a better love story than..." Lily waved her hand dismissively. "You know what, never mind."

"What were you going to say?" Zel asked, her head cocked to one side. She had several strands of hair braided and adorned with beads and a pair of feathers had been tucked into the top of the braid. Lily hated how cute this made her look.

"Nothing of value. I just have strong opinions about vampire novels is all." She used her tail as a stool and sat with one leg crossed over the other. Staring out at the water, there were suddenly a lot of questions on her mind, and all of them involved Zel.

"So, what does it feel like?" Lily asked. "Being pregnant."

"Uncomfortable." Zel stared at Lily and lifted her tail, letting loose a hideously loud fart. "I've been holding that in for your sake, but couldn't do it anymore, sorry."

The succubus laughed. "It's all good, I've seen the faces you all make when I teleport in. Is it the baby that makes you uncomfortable?"

"Yeah. Everything is squished around, and I'll admit that I'm starting to wonder if combining human and horse anatomy was a mistake." Zel rubbed her horse belly. "The foal keeps moving, and that doesn't feel good either."

"So much for the majesty of being pregnant." Lily smirked.

"Yeah, I wouldn't have minded just laying an egg like Velvet did." Zel sighed and stared out at the water. "But I sure do look forward to meeting my child. It's amazing to think that there's a whole person growing inside me."

Lily bit her lip and looked away. The hot emotions rolling around inside her were confusing. She didn't like the conflicting feelings or the inner drama. She had no reason to be jealous of Zel. It wasn't like she ever wanted to be pregnant or a mother. Both of those things sounded terrible. She would rather pull off her boots in front of everyone.

At the same time, it wasn't fair. Zel was giving Mike something that Lily couldn't, no matter what form she took. The two of them were now inextricably linked by the bonds of parenthood.

It also didn't help that she was mad at Zel's unborn child. When the baby came, it would strip away even more of Mike's limited attention. How the hell was she supposed to compete with a child? It wasn't like she could admit it. Being a bitch was an artform, one that she excelled at. But this matter was petty and sad at best, and she hated that she had no control over it.

"You okay?" Zel frowned at Lily. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mention Velvet so casually. I forgot what she meant to you."

"What?" Lily shook her head. "I just have resting bitch face. I'm fine."

"You're crying."

Lily touched her cheek and discovered it was wet. She snorted, then wiped it away. "It's probably just water that got splashed on me."

"It's not, and you know it." Zel crossed her arms. "Look, I know that you two were close. Dana spends a ton of time here, and she's told me plenty about your adventure last year. I also noticed how mopey you were after the funeral, and--"

"Go suck a dick," Lily snapped.

"If I could ever lock Mike down for more than half an hour, I would!" Zel mimed giving a blowjob, pressing her tongue against the inside of her cheek. "My sex life has been pretty bleak recently, and I haven't tracked down my last boyfriend for a booty call."

"Your last boyfriend?"

"Yeah. He's really nice. You'd like him. Stands about twenty feet tall, powerful limbs. Doesn't like to travel, though." Zel patted a nearby tree. "Looks kind of like this guy, actually."

Lily laughed, the tension broken. "You fucked a tree?"

"To be fair, so has Mike. His tree was a lot hotter, though. Kind of balances out with her sense of humor, which is atrocious." Zel winced. "Damn, acid reflux now."

"Kid is already a pain in the ass like his daddy." Lily looked out at the lake and let out a sigh. "If I tell you something, will you keep it to yourself?"

Zel nodded, her tail swatting away a fly. "Probably."

"When you became chief of your herd, did you feel any different?"

"Technically, you're asking a question, not telling me something."

"Fuck you, I'm getting there." Lily threw another rock.

"In that case, no, I didn't. I kind of had the whole thing dropped on me. My people needed a leader, and I made the most sense. I had trained for it as a child, and seen my own parents lead. I knew the layout of the land and had a great relationship with Mike. It was largely a promotion of convenience, so when I was put in charge, I had two choices. I could try to be a leader first and put others' needs above my own, or I could continue being myself and try to go from there."

"Which did you choose?" Lily asked.

"I'll let you know once I figure it out." Zel chuckled, then picked up a piece of grass. She twisted it around in her hands. "So I didn't feel different as a person, but I was scared all the time. Scared I would make a mistake or screw up. I feel the same way about being a mom. I'm going to have moments where I have to choose between the herd's needs and my child's, and will feel absolutely miserable every time I do it."

"That sounds awful." Lily absent-mindedly picked up her own piece of grass and played with it. "I figured that because you were the chief, you kind of just knew what to do."

"I pretty much make it up as I go," Zel admitted. "Yeah, I have plenty of experience to back it up, but I still screw up all the time. The herd forgives me for it, because they don't know any better."

Lily snorted at that. "I guess maybe I'm feeling the same way right now," she admitted. "But I don't have a defined role. I just kind of float where the wind takes me, here today, gone tomorrow."

"Why is that, do you think?"

Lily shrugged. "I spent centuries having a master who dictated my every move. This last year has been the first time I've truly been free, but..." She shrugged and flicked her blade of grass into the lake. "But I don't know what it is I want. I'm starting to think I never have."

"I don't think that's true. Maybe the things you want don't feel that big and kind of get buried in day-to-day dealings, but that doesn't mean they aren't important." Zel picked up another blade of grass. "Let's do an experiment. Demons can't lie, not when they're asked directly. You can deflect, dodge, or even bend the truth, but you'll know the truth in your heart the moment it comes up."

"I don't under--"

"What do you, Lily, want more than anything right now?" Zel cocked an eyebrow at the succubus.

To be loved for who I am.

The answer was almost immediate, and Lily gasped at the intrusive thought. It cut so cleanly to the center of her issues, especially in regards to Zel and her foal. She was worried that Mike would somehow love her less or even forget about her. It was why she tried so hard to keep his attention, to remind him and the others that she existed. It was the kind of love she had experienced inside Darren's Dreamscape, the memory sticking with her like a cancer all its own.

"I hate that question," she snarled, then picked up a stone with her tail and chucked it out into the water.

"The truth is known to be difficult. For example, I have to live with the idea that there's a very real possibility that I may die during childbirth." Zel picked a few more blades of grass and wound them together. "Being angry at it doesn't help me."

Lily narrowed her eyes at the centaur. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I shouldn't have to explain it. I have the uterus of a horse and the vaginal canal of a human woman. So on days like today, I come here to my special spot and try not to scream as I contemplate how my days may be numbered, or that I may never get to meet my own child." Zel wiped at her eyes, her hands now braiding the grass.

Lily stared at the centaur, suddenly aware of the bags under her eyes and how her face was slightly puffy.

"Surely there are options," she began.

"No." Zel held up a hand to silence the succubus. "This is a truth I have already confronted. It's the same for any woman who carries a child, honestly. My tribe has some incredible healers, but I'm a unique case. Preparations have been made, but when the baby comes...we'll just have to wait and see."

"My problems suddenly feel small and shitty." Lily crossed her arms and pouted.

"That's not fair either. Our problems are different, that's all. We don't need and can't compare them to each other." Zel stood and walked over to where Lily sat and held out her hand.

Puzzled, Lily reached up and took it. Zel deftly slid a woven bracelet made of grass onto Lily's wrist with a flower braided into the center.

"Nothing is forever," she said. "We must appreciate the beauty of the things we have while we have them. If holding onto something is keeping you from experiencing happiness, then you need to let it go."

Lily blinked up at the centaur, then examined the bracelet on her wrist. The flower in the middle had delicate red petals that matched her hair.

"Shit like this is the reason they put you in charge," she muttered. "Can't believe you put things into perspective with a friendship bracelet. Guess it beats a motivational poster."

Zel shrugged. "We love the same man, yet do not compete for him. We both wish for the house to succeed. I would like to think that we're friends, but I know we aren't close. I have certainly enjoyed sharing my lake with you."

Lily shook her head in disbelief. "Leaving already?"

"Yeah." Regret colored Zel's face. "Have to choose between myself or the herd, after all." She started to move away and froze. "He's moving right now."

Lily could see Zel's stomach shifting. Without thinking, she placed her hand on Zel's belly, marveling at the presence she felt. It was a blank slate, taking in the world through a filter of darkness. If she wanted, she could slip into his mind and look around.

"He's sleeping," Lily whispered in awe.

Zel's eyes went wide. "What's he's dreaming about?"

Lily concentrated, her consciousness slipping through the void and resting just on the edge of the foal's Dreamscape. His soul was extremely fragile, and she dared not go any further for fear of harming the child.

"He's dreaming about your voice," Lily said, marveling at the cacophony of colors. The foal had no frame of reference for life; all it knew was warmth and the sound of its mother. Zel's voice was a muffled lullaby, the colors moving in tune with her words. "Do you sing to him?"

"I do." Zel's eyes were shining with tears. "He knows who I am?"

Lily wouldn't go that far. This was an unborn child, after all. Knowledge only ran so deep in a creature that was unaware it was alive. Still, she could see the child's soul, woven together from bands of light. She recognized one of the bands immediately. It was the same color as Mike's, blazing with a magic all its own.

Remembering Zel's question, Lily broke the silence. "He does."

"Wow." Zel wiped the tears from her eyes. "That's amazing."

"Yeah." Lily broke contact with Zel's stomach, her consciousness now fully in the waking world. The experience had been sublime, and she was busy processing the accompanying emotions from it.

"I was wondering what I should name him." Zel was giving Lily an odd look. "But I don't know if I should give him a human name for his father, or a centaur name for his herd. What do you think?"

"Why ask me?"

"Because you've met him." Zel laughed. "I must admit I'm a little jealous."

"Don't be. It's like peeking at a pie while it's still in the oven. Hardly a finished product." Lily contemplated the bands of light and what Mike would want. The man rarely thought of himself, always striving to do good for others. "You should pick a centaur's name. Something good that will help him fit in here, with the herd."

"You think?" Zel asked.

"I know." Lily took a step back and looked into the forest. "I guess you should probably go off and deal with your beheadings, or whatever."