Mac and the Little People Ch. 07

Fifi led the way out of the rosebush. Mac crawled on his belly behind her. His body smelled of human musk, Rose, and a faint spice that Fifi concluded must have been herself.

Fifi wondered what Rose found so attractive in Mac. He was a maker, but that didn't matter to nymphs. It must have been something sexual, something extremely sexual, for the nymph to mark him with that much pink stuff.

Fifi had to find out. Thinking about it made her realize that Rose was right. Marking a man merely told other females that he was a good one. All the same, Fifi wanted to cover up that pink stuff with her own blend. She smelled her hand. It was faintly spicy smelling. Maybe she had not noticed it before because it was her own, or it was covered in dirt. Mac finally made it out into the sunshine.

"Lets start by finding one of these little trails that leads toward the creek," said Mac.

"Want to ride," said Fifi. Mac picked her up and put her on his shoulder. They set off along the tiny path around the side of the house. It continued through the overgrown yard on a route that diverged from the drive, heading directly downhill toward the edge of the woods. Bushy branches of the trees at the forest edge seemed to grab at the field in a slow motion assault to turn the field back into forest. They made an impenetrable hedge reinforced by spear-like limbs.

"Stop here," said Fifi. Mac stopped with a bushy pine tree between them and the house. "Look at me". She looked into Mac's eyes. He didn't appear to have any obvious enchantments on him.

"I don't trust Rose," she said.

"Why not?" asked Mac.

"She was really pushy, for a nymph."

"What do you mean?"

"Usually they don't proposition couples."

"Are we a couple?" Mac asked.

"I think so." Fifi was suddenly uncertain. She had assumed she and Mac were a couple for a long time. It didn't need to be said. It didn't even need to be known to Mac.

"What do gremlin couples do?" asked Mac.

"The normal things. Make stuff, play jokes on humans, go visit hobgoblin restaurants."

"So now there are hobgoblins too?"

"They have been around for a while. These days they are mostly chefs. They can cook up any food, but anything more complicated than a brick oven makes them confused and angry."

"I think Rose was just lonely for so long she wanted any affection she could get," said Mac.

"I hope that's all it was," said Fifi. "I don't want you going around her without me."

"I think I can handle an old woman," said Mac.

"You can't. You went stupid from a kiss with her," said Fifi. Mac's face turned red. "But I don't know what she would want with you."

"I'm not that ugly," said Mac.

"I didn't mean it like that. They go after men who are lonely, or have broken hearts, or who had a bad war, or...men...like you." Fifi realized it only after saying it out loud. She hugged his head. "I'm sorry. I thought you were fine deep inside."

"I will be fine. Am I really that broken that a stranger can read me like a book?" Mac asked.

"Not everyone. Nymphs can somehow tell when a man is hurting, human men most of all."

"Not nymph men?"

Fifi Laughed. "There are no nymph men."

"Then how do they reproduce?"

"Don't know. But I don't want you to try to find out," said Fifi.

---

Rose had to remind herself that Mac was not Seamus. They could have been twin brothers if they weren't over a century removed from each other. Of course Mac was a better kisser. It was like he made love to her with his tongue. That almost made her want to settle down and bind herself to him. But she knew where that got her last time. Seamus eventually got old and died, and she stayed young from his love. She must have mourned Seamus for twenty years, weeping like a banshee and carrying his bleached skull to all their favorite make-out spots.

Now she looked at herself in the bowl of water she used as a mirror and noticed the change in her face. Her gray hair was no longer falling out. A few strands even had a silvery shine. The frown lines that she hated so much had noticeably faded. There was no way a human man could do that with a kiss, or was there?

Rose examined the pain she extracted from Mac. It was just a kiss worth, a tiny black gem she held in her hand. Whatever he gave was something still in her, something she didn't mean to take.

"I came as soon as I heard you got out and had contact with the new man," said a thin voice.

"Fizzy, so happy to see you, sweetness." Rose hugged the thin green woman, squeezing her tight buttocks. Fizzy's brownish nipples stood erect on her small breasts. Her dark green hair was shaved on one side, and ran wild everywhere else. Fizzy wore fishnet sleeves and stockings to attract men who wanted to be slapped around, and warn off everyone else.

"What is he like?" asked Fizzy.

"Strong, a good kisser, just innocent enough that I can take the lead if I want to." said Rose.

"No, whats he really like?" Asked Fizzy again.

"See for yourself," said Rose, and held the little crystal of pain for Fizzy to see.

Fizzy took the gem and rolled it in her hand. Then she put it in her mouth and shut her eyes.

"Such a complex flavor. Betrayal, loneliness, loss, soldier's heart, generously mixed together with alcoholism. Delicious."

"It goes against my sensibilities to hear you talk like that." said Rose.

"Yet you will hear it until the end of time. As long as the humans keep hurting each other you and I will be here to care for the wounded."

"As if you care at all, you just take it out of them and leave their poor hearts a mess."

"And you work too slow," Fizzy almost spat back.

"These things can't be rushed. Men are delicate things who need care and attention."

"Delicate things are the best things to break. There's nothing like the rush when their pain gets torn out with a quick jerk. He needs to tough it out, anyway. Rip out what you want from him and send him packing. The queen might even take notice and change her mind about tying a new lacy bow around that pot of yours."

"Never. That's worse than doing nothing for them, and I'll never be subject of that hussy," said Rose, making sure to spit out the word like a proper southern lady.

"Rose, you are like a sister to me, so I won't tell her you said that. But if you let things stay difficult for her then things will get difficult for you," said Fizzy.

"And I care for you too, sweetness. It's too bad you are so busy with the queen's business you can't stay a while," said Rose, and escorted Fizzy out of her rosebush with just a touch more force than was necessary.

"Think about it, gentle one," Fizzy said over her shoulder as she walked away.

Rose had mixed feelings about Smilax, who went by Fizzy. The leggy green freak was a generous lover when she wanted to be, but at the same time put too much effort into the pain and not enough on replacing it with happiness. Fizzy played rough, even for a smilax.

Smilax nymphs were the only ones tough enough to take the little black stones of pain that Rose collected from those who were broken. Rose didn't like handling them, but it was a necessary part of the cycle.

As soon as Fizzy and the pain gem were truly gone, Rose felt a trickle of arousal flow into her from somewhere she never understood. It was like a little bubbling spring that flowed into the hole that was left behind when Mac's pain went away. Rose stood to stretch out and allow the fresh magic to soak into all her old muscles and joints. She bent forward, putting her forehead to one knee and aiming her sinewy buttocks upward.

She would have to show that to Mac. He would appreciate how flexible and stretchy she was, and she would accept his appreciation in the form of that big human cock. The thought of it fitting tightly inside her and throbbing with his heartbeat made her wet. If only she could get the little gremlin virgin to agree with it. Rose hated to cut in on another woman's man, but she had needs.

A footstep in the yard alerted Rose to another visitor, not a nymph this time, but an elf woman. She prepared to whip it with a few lashes from some of the rosebush limbs and send it running back to the forest, but something about the new visitor indicated she came without malice. Rose normally preferred men, but this woman came bearing a mix of neglect and abuse that she couldn't turn down.

---

Lamlag couldn't see through the thick foliage of the rosebush, but her sense of smell worked fine through leaves. The wind was right, so she got a good idea of what was going on from the human male musk, tingling floral aroma of nymph, and some strange bouquet of blood and spices.

She hid in a privet bush to wait until they were done. It would be polite to wait until the human and gremlin were gone a few minutes, and she was glad she waited. The smilax nymph who went by Fizzy came, then left. Lamlag didn't want to talk to Fizzy. She never liked Fizzy, just like she never liked any of the queen's minions. Just like she didn't like herself for being part of the queen's regime.

When she was sure Fizzy was gone she approached the rosebush. The way in was not clear, so she circled one way, then another. If the nymph wanted her to come in she would let her. Then she saw an opening, just over three feet tall. She didn't see the branches move, but that opening was not there a moment before. It was exactly Lamlag's height, so it was definitely meant for her. Lamlag entered and stepped onto the moss carpet.

"Hello sugar." Rose's voice dripped with hospitality. Rose looked like she was trying out some kind of sexy granny look. Her silver hair fell nearly to her waist, and every wrinkle on her face seemed like it got there from years of regular orgasms. Rose's translucent shawl was draped seductively over her shoulders.

"Rose, right?" Lamlag asked. She had heard of Rose. Everyone in the refuge knew who she was and why she was trapped.

"As long as you make my name feel good in your pretty mouth you can call me that. Now what name of yours will I be covering in honey?" asked the nymph. Rose brushed her fingertips along Lamlag's jaw line.

"They call me Lamlag these days."

"Who might they be?" Rose looked down into Lamlag's eyes. She looked back, amazed that a set of eyes and a being behind them could be so friendly. "Alone in a crowd. I understand, sweetness. While you are with me you won't be lonely."

"Actually... I came... to ask something," stammered Lamlag.

"Oh? Do you have a secret itch that needs scratching?" asked Rose.

"I want to ask about the human man who just left here."

"There's a wait list for him, sweetie. But I'm free all afternoon." Rose put a hand around Lamlag's waist and stepped closer. Her sagging breasts were perfumed with something that invited Lamlag to stay a while.

"It's not like that!" said Lamlag.

"No need to be shy, sweetness. With that particular man it's exactly like that."

"I just want to know what he has planned."

"And do I get the pleasure of your company while we discuss your plans for your crush?"

"He's not my crush. And what do you mean by pleasure of my company?"

"Sugar, I mean exactly what I said." said Rose.

"But I don't really know you," said Lamlag.

"And I don't know you. But I do know that human and that gremlin, so it would be rude to gossip about them with a stranger. But if you were a friend that would change things."

"Please, I need to know what he is up to."

"This is highly irregular, but I'm willing to make an information for information trade. You tell me why you need to know and I give you the same information I gave them." said Rose.

"I want to be the one who warns the rest of the elves about our new enemy and make Drochide be nice to me".

The smile faded from Rose's eyes. "You're wasting your time with him, sweetie. There's no kindness left in that corrupt heart for him to give." she said

"You don't know, you have been trapped for over twenty years."

"Who do you think put that lace bow on me with his own hands?" said Rose. She pointed to the ragged lace ribbon that lay discarded on the ground. "If he had even a shred of kindness left I could have stopped him."

"He could have reformed a little," argued Lamlag.

"But in your eyes I can see he has only become more cruel as the years have passed," Rose said. Lamlag looked at the ground. It was true. Drochide was crueler than ever.

"Let me soothe your tears, sweet elf. I'll replace your sadness with love."

"I still want to know what you told the human., said Lamlag.

Rose looked thoughtful for a minute, then said "I quote: I saw Cuttystool carry a leather bundle out this morning. She went in the direction of the creek. That's what I told them. Maybe if we had more time together I could relay the entire conversation."

"That's enough to go on, thanks," said Lamlag, and turned to go. Rose caught her with a firm, but gentle hand that encircled her waist and held her just below her navel.

"You weren't leaving without a goodbye kiss, were you sweetie?" Rose whispered into Lamlag's ear.

"I was. I mean I think I was. I mean, I, forgot, um, almost forgot," stammered Lamlag. Of course she wasn't leaving without a kiss. Rose was too sweet, too hospitable, too sexy to not kiss goodbye, even for another female.

Rose kissed Lamlag on the side of her neck, tickling just enough to send a shiver down her spine. The elf laid her head on Rose's chest and exposed her neck. Rose kissed her way down to Lamlag's shoulder, then slowly worked her way back up to her ear.

Lamlag guided Rose's hand to her crotch and held it there, enjoying the contact. Somehow Rose had lifted her skirt. Rose's lips found Lamlag's earlobe and squeezed it, sending a lightning bolt of pleasure down Lamlag's spine that struck her clit. She felt Rose's finger slide along her slit, then slip inside. The finger found its way to the most sensitive part of Lamlag's body, and gently rubbed the soft flesh it found there in time with Rose's lips on her neck.

Rose's warm body, lips, even her silver hair brushing lightly against Lamlag's breasts, all became orgasmic. Lamlag moaned and gushed as Rose's magic flowed through her in waves. Her knees gave way and Rose slowly lowered her to the soft moss. Lamlag let it happen. She felt more like water than flesh and bone. The abuse of last night, the combined cruelty of the past few years, the nagging feeling of being alone in a crowd, all seemed to dissolve into nothing as Rose's magic soaked into Lamlag's mind.

She regained consciousness with her head in Rose's lap and her body wrapped in the translucent shawl. The old nymph was combing Lamlag's hair and humming some nymph song that was so old the lyrics were forgotten. She lay still, enjoying the attention. It was a welcome change from her usual loneliness. She caressed Rose's leg.

"That was some goodbye kiss," she said.

"It was good for you too, sweetness?" asked Rose.

"It was. I was in such a hurry, but now I don't want to go."

"You can't lay around forever, sweet. You'll waste what I gave you," said Rose. Lamlag arose, unwrapped the shawl from her body and handed it back to Rose.

"I hope you figured out which way to go," said Rose.

Lamlag thought a moment. "I think I do. I finally know what way to go."

"Do you still want to know about the human and the gremlin?"

"If you think its important," said Lamlag.

"He is a great kisser, like an elf, but bigger. Now run along before it gets dark."

Lamlag left the rosebush feeling a bit more confident. But she didn't know what Rose meant by great kisser. She didn't need Drochide to be nice to her. She realized he had no kindness to give so there was no use looking for it. She could get rid of that human herself without him. She just needed to borrow a spear from camp.