Goetic Justice 2

The ecstasy hit him like a fist to the gut, raw and primal, teasing his aching muscles as it spread through his body. It wasn't confined to his erection, the wonderful tingling radiating through the core of his body, reaching every extremity. The waves of his orgasm rocked him like the crashing tides of an ocean, a primal force that was completely beyond his ability to control or contain. Like a stranded sailor being buffeted by the waves on a stormy sea, all he could do was attempt to ride it out as the euphoria drowned him.

The pitiless milking of Gamori's loins continued even as his erection leapt inside her, beating like a second heart as it struggled to spill its load. Hot, thick ejaculate splashed against the rippling walls of her passage, contrasting sharply with her cool flesh. Her muscles drew it deeper, sending more jolts of pleasure tearing through him, like it was sucking the semen directly from his body. It felt like she was pulling a knotted rope out of him, it just kept going and going.

Through the haze of his pleasure, he finally understood the point of all this. The Djinni had teased him so for the express purpose of storing up an unreasonable amount of his emission behind the restraining band, so that Gamori could limit her contact with him and receive as much of his energy as possible in a single encounter. It was so calculated, brutally efficient, there would be no need for prolonged sex or multiple couplings as had been the case with Vapula.

He wanted it to be over now, he couldn't take it. The sensation was too intense, and it didn't show any signs of ending. As another crippling wave of ecstasy turned his legs to jelly, he wondered if he might pass out.

Gradually the intense pleasure began to subside, giving way to a duller, lingering euphoria. He felt giddy, high, his thoughts jumbled as he lay in Gamori's soft folds. He shivered and gasped as his member throbbed once more, pumping the last of his ejaculate into her, her dexterous muscles quickly carrying it away. She let him lie there for a moment, basking in his afterglow, then she began to unwind. Her smooth scales brushed against his wet skin as she released him, depositing him back onto the bed. Ryan felt another sharp pang of sensation as her tight loins slid back up his length and released him with a sucking pop, his aching erection now finally able to recede.

It was so sore, it felt like it should be covered in bruises, but the state of nirvana in which he found himself did a fine job of masking the pain. He could hear the snickering of the Djinni, apparently having enjoyed the show, the chorus of their laughter echoing through the grove.

Everything felt wonderful, it was like he was drunk. Even the silken sheets felt amazing as they pressed against him, the gentle breeze cooling his damp skin. He didn't want to move a muscle, he just wanted to lie there forever, to fall asleep and slip into some beautiful dream.

His bliss was quickly disturbed, however, Gamori prodding him with one of her fingers. She folded her arms, waiting for something. Of course, she expected to be dismissed now that her contract was complete.

He looked around drunkenly, wondering where his copy of the Lesser Key had gotten to. He had left it on the ground somewhere, he didn't even know where he was right now in relation to the summoning circle. Doing nothing to hide her frustration, Gamori slid her long tail off the edge of the bed, retrieving the heavy book and depositing it unceremoniously onto his belly. He picked it up, struggling to focus his eyes, and flicked through the pages until he found the banishing ritual.

It was unlikely that Gamori would demand an especially formal dismissal, she seemed eager to be rid of him. He felt oddly like he had just awoken from a one-night stand and his now less than impressed date was demanding that he call her an Uber. The Djinni at least seemed to have enjoyed his company. He could have sworn that he even saw one of them waving to him, but maybe the darkness was just playing tricks on him.

After a hurried and rather slurred banishing ritual, Gamori climbed back up into her camel's saddle, folding her long tail across its back to once again resemble a pair of legs. She gave him one last icy glare, then vanished into a whirlwind of sand. The mattress beneath him began to sag, and Ryan looked down to see that the bed was also made from sand, which was collapsing now that the demon had taken her leave of him.

It fell like a sand castle being dissolved by the tide, dropping him heavily to the grass below, the particles carried away by a gust of wind until there was no evidence that it had ever been there.

Ryan sat up, getting his bearings, his soreness returning with a vengeance as his euphoria began to wane. Nahash reached down to help him to his feet, and he leaned his weight on her as she led him towards a pile of cushions that she had no doubt conjured seconds earlier. She sat him down then presented him with a bowl of clear liquid as her sisters crowded around, jostling to get a look at him.

"Here, drink this," she whispered. "You must hydrate."

He took the wooden bowl from her hands and gulped down the contents eagerly, the cool water refreshing him somewhat. Nahash hovered nearby as he took a minute to compose himself.

"I think I might need some more of that salve," he chuckled, then quickly stopped when the laughter hurt his aching muscles.

"Are you alright?" Nahash asked, and he nodded.

"All things considered, it went a little better than Vapula's summoning."

"I didn't know whether or not to intervene," she said, her tone apologetic. "Your emotions were so confused, I couldn't tell if you were enjoying what was being done to you or not. You never called out to me for help, and so I thought it best to let the encounter run its course."

"She didn't hurt me, she adhered to the terms of the contract," he said as he set the bowl down on the ground beside him. "I have to admit, I've never felt so frustrated in all of my life. I thought I was losing my mind for a while back there."

He was perhaps treating the situation with more flippancy than it deserved, but his afterglow still lingered, and the exertion had given him a kind of runner's high. He still felt rather giddy, almost tipsy, and right now all he really wanted to do was rest.

"I've never seen you so...wanting," Nahash added, a hint of arousal in her tone. "Gamori and her Djinni put on quite the show..."

"Feeling jealous?" Ryan chuckled, holding his ribs and wincing as a stab of pain shot through him. "You can buy those rings, you know."

Her ears perked up at that, and she blinked her eyes at him.

"R-Really?"

"Yep, you can order them online. I'll make you a deal. If we get out of this grove in one piece, and if our lives ever return to any semblance of normalcy, I'll let you buy the weirdest marital aids known to man and you can use them on me to your heart's content. How about it?"

"Well I wasn't invested in our survival before," she joked, "but now I certainly am."

"Glad to see all of those comedy specials that I made you watch are rubbing off on you," he grumbled as he lay back on the soft pillows.

CHAPTER 8: ANGELS AND DEMONS

Campfires lit the dark forest, casting long, dancing shadows between the trees. Clustered around them were soldiers clad in combat gear, their rifles leaning on nearby trunks or hanging over their shoulders on slings. They muttered quietly, making idle conversation as they waited for the order to move out.

The squad had been assigned by the Grand Lodge to take out a rogue summoner and his familiars who were holed up in a nearby grove, but it was protected by magic that was beyond the order's ability to breach. Now all that they could do was wait.

One of them slapped his forearm, the limb sheathed in black combat armor, crushing an especially large moth that had landed there. The whole forest seemed to grow more infested with bugs and weeds the closer they got to their destination, like the grove was the beating heart of this woodland. You couldn't take two steps without finding some disgusting insect or a tangle of creepers that seemed almost designed to be a trip hazard. They had already lost one soldier to a broken ankle as a result of getting it caught in a gnarled root. It was rough terrain, and it didn't make for a very attractive campsite. Everyone was twitchy, impatient, tired of waiting for the time to strike.

The low murmur of voices was interrupted by the hiss of a radio, and everyone went quiet, listening intently as their leader stood and held the blocky device to his ear. There was a hurried conversation, the tinny voice at the other end too hard to make out for the onlookers, and then the man turned to address his subordinates.

"The call has come through, pack up your gear and get ready to move. They're sending a VIP to bring down the barrier."

VIP, that was a Mason code word for a demon. Nobody liked being around those things for very long, and the soldiers hoped that the thing would perform its function and then promptly leave. They retrieved their gear and prepared to move on the grove, checking ammo and adjusting the straps of their rucksacks, kicking dirt onto their campfires to choke out the flames.

When the fires had all gone dark, and the only light was coming from the moon as it bled through the forest canopy, their attention was drawn to a burst of orange flame. At first, they assumed that someone had failed to put out their campfire, but the blaze began to grow and spit, leaking what looked like molten metal onto the ground as it became a roaring torrent of flame. A creature stepped through it, as if the burning fire was some kind of portal, its massive paws crunching the twigs and leaves beneath them.

Haures was birthed from the raging inferno, taking the form of a monstrous panther, his eyes shooting fire like a pair of blowtorches. The slaver that dripped from his maw resembled glowing magma, but it didn't set the undergrowth on fire where the droplets landed. In fact, it was a miracle that the whole forest hadn't gone up in a blaze. The beast lurked there, watching the soldiers as if it was waiting for something to happen. Was this not the VIP to which their commander had referred?

They stood around nervously, keeping their distance from the demon, until a bright glow illuminated the forest. Rays of blinding light shone between the trees, emanating from what seemed to be a single point, as if a burning ball of white phosphorous was hovering a few feet off the ground. The soldiers turned away or covered their faces, gasps of alarm and exclamations echoing through the forest. The bright light slowly faded, and when they were again able to look directly at it, it had taken the form of a giant figure.

It was a man, twice as tall as a normal person. He had long locks of golden, curly hair falling about his shoulders and he was clad in beautiful armor. It looked almost medieval in design, plates of white metal with golden trim, inscribed with flowing text and holy sigils. The pauldrons alone were almost as large as a mortal man's torso, yet he moved as if the armor weighed nothing at all. They noted that his feet were bare, the roots and brambles withering away where he trod as if clearing a path for him. His skin was pale, his features youthful, and his eyes were a shade of striking amber that glowed subtly in the gloom as he examined his surroundings. Most notably of all, upon his back were perched three pairs of feathery wings, reflecting the light of the moon like they were forged from solid gold. Light seemed to emanate from him, as if he was under a spotlight with no visible source.

It was an Angel, a Seraphim, the highest of their order and one of the most divine beings in the Universe. The soldiers could hardly stop themselves from kneeling before the figure as intense emotions of awe and reverence came over them. The Seraphim smiled jovially, gesturing for them to rise, radiating love and warmth.

"Rise, friends," he said in a voice that would have put any opera singer to shame. "The Lord has need of you tonight."

He was impossible to deny, they felt an urgent need to obey him, some of the men wiping tears of joy from their eyes as they readied their rifles and took up position behind him. Haures lurked in the shadows nearby, eyeing the entity with a mixture of wariness and disdain.

The Seraphim cleared a path as he walked towards the grove, the plants seeming to recoil as if exposed to great heat, the swarms of insects fleeing. As he neared the tangled mess of vines and twisted trunks that marked the boundary of the grove, like a physical wall of plant matter that impeded their progress, the Angel raised a hand above his head and opened his fingers as if preparing to grip something.

A shaft of light materialized in his hand as if he was holding a golden ray of sunshine, the formless glow slowly taking on the shape of a gigantic spear. The shaft was made from pale wood, and it was tipped with an ornate, gilded spearhead. Without hesitation, he plunged the weapon into the barrier like a javelin, embedding it deep into the twisted plant matter with an audible thud.

The wall of vegetation seemed to tremble, a shudder passing along it in a wave, and then the gnarled brambles and hedges began to recede from the point of impact like they were shying away from it. They could hear creaking wood and rustling leaves, the wall parting and forming a breach large enough to let the group pass unhindered.

He waved the soldiers forward, their boots pounding on the newly cleared earth as they shouldered their weapons and advanced through the opening, Haures skulking along behind them.

***

"What was that?" Nahash asked, her head snapping back to stare into the darkness at the edge of the clearing. Her ovine ears flicked, angled towards the source of some unheard sound. Her sisters did the same, the group of Seirim abandoning their idle play and revelry in unison to peer into the gloom.

"What was what?" Ryan asked, rising from his sitting position in Nahash's lap and brushing himself off. "I didn't hear anything."

"Something is wrong," Nahash muttered, her tone ominous. "Get behind me, Ryan."

"The barrier," one of her sisters crowed, "we are exposed!"

From the darkness appeared a light, growing more brilliant as Ryan watched. When it came into focus, he realized that it was a humanoid figure. He was unnaturally tall and broad-shouldered, marching across the grass as if he wasn't even touching the ground. He was encased in some kind of glowing armor, and even his flowing mane of blonde hair seemed to radiate light. He was beautiful, for lack of a better word, majestic. It was like watching some profound work of art take human form and begin walking around the gallery.

"Watcher!" Nahash hissed, bristling as she took a defensive stance in front of Ryan. The other Seirim did the same, their usually gentle faces contorted into furious snarls, their pointed claws extended and ready to strike.

A Watcher? If Azazel was a fallen Watcher, then did that make this entity...an Angel? He could certainly believe it, even the long grass and the wildflowers seemed to be parting before his bare feet as he made his way towards them.

The Seirim looked ready to tear him limb from limb, but Ryan couldn't understand their hostility. This man was the very picture of purity and grace, just looking at him filled him with an odd sense of peace and tranquility. Somehow he felt that he could trust this creature implicitly. The entity didn't look like he was about to attack them, perhaps he just wanted to talk?

As the glowing man drew closer, Ryan noticed that much of what had appeared to be a halo of light surrounding him was actually several pairs of golden wings, shining as the gilded feathers reflected a light that had no obvious source. Although it was the dead of night and the only illumination came from the moon and stars, this Watcher seemed to have been plucked straight out of a summer's day, like video footage that was being superimposed from another source. His ornate armor even glinted as if it was under direct sunlight.

The figure spread his arms wide, showing them that he was unarmed.

"Child of Adam," he said, his voice musical and sweet. Apparently, he was addressing Ryan. "Come, treat with me. There is no need to shed innocent blood today."

Of course, why would he disobey such a reasonable request? The mere presence of this creature warmed his heart, filling him with an emotion that could almost be described as joy. The Seirim were overreacting, he knew for a fact that he was entirely safe.

He stepped out from behind Nahash, walking towards the Watcher like a moth drawn to a flame, the man smiling warmly as he extended a hand towards him. It felt like coming home, like being reunited with a childhood friend who he hadn't seen in decades. Ryan couldn't help but return the smile as he reached out, tears welling in his eyes.

Nahash grabbed him by the arm and jerked him back, Ryan reeling in confusion.

"Ryan! Do not look at it!"

"What?" he replied, confused by her reaction. His brain felt fuzzy, his thoughts muddled. He tried to step forward again, wanting nothing more than to be closer to this Angelic being, but Nahash kept a tight grip on him.

"Close your eyes, Ryan," she hissed. "Listen to my voice!"

One of her sisters grabbed him from behind and held him, covering his eyes with her hand and blocking out the brilliant glare from the Watcher. As soon as his world went dark, Ryan felt a strangely familiar sensation come over him. He felt exactly the way that he did when Nahash used her empathic powers on him, manipulating his emotions. As the dulling of his senses subsided, he began to think clearly again. He was alarmed by what had just happened, he had very nearly walked into the arms of their enemy. What would have happened to him had Nahash and her Seirim not been there to stop him? The Watcher's powers were many times stronger than that of a Seirim, completely compelling him to act against his own interests.

When the Seirim moved her hand to let him see again, much of the bright glow that radiated from the Watcher had faded, though he was still unnaturally bright. Ryan no longer felt that strange sense of joy and reverence when he looked at the entity now, it seemed that the Angel had abandoned his attempt to influence Ryan. He could now see that the entity was wielding a spear of enormous proportions, it must have been fourteen feet long, tipped with a golden point.

"Ah, Nephilim," the Watcher said as his vibrant features twisted into a sneer. "You are as troublesome as ever. If only our father had succeeded in washing your filth from the Earth."

Ryan's stomach lurched as he watched a four-legged creature skulk out from behind the Watcher, hunched low to the ground as it fixed its blazing eyes on him. It was Haures, the demon was unmistakable, molten saliva dripping from its jaws as it loosed a rumbling growl. That settled it, no creature that kept such company could be anything but evil.

"This grove is protected," Nahash spat, standing her ground despite how intimidated she obviously was by the sudden appearance of this Watcher. "Leave now, or face the consequences of trespassing in Azazel's domain."

"Why do you think I'm here?" the Watcher shot back, flicking his golden hair and resting the spear across his armored shoulder. He looked so casual, aloof, as if this whole affair was just a waste of his time. "Where is my beloved brother? I had hoped to do some catching up..."

His voice dripped with venom, he was referring to Azazel no doubt. Ryan noted that his mannerisms and speech patterns were not as archaic as some of the other demons and entities that he had encountered. Like Nahash, perhaps this Watcher had interacted with modern humans more recently than some of the Goetic demons?