Path of the Necromancer Ch. 03

Once she'd calmed down, she pouted at them and muttered, "Must be nice to have the sponsors on your side. Still, this is insane. You've got to have a pretty powerful backer making you their sole interest." Val offered to sit on Ian's lap so they'd have room, but Scraps pointed out that he preferred to be outside the car to better assess the situation and guard his ward. He could easily keep pace with the car in the city and by jumping from the rooftops of buildings while wearing dark rags he was nearly invisible anyway.

* * * * *

Dani waited in the apartment as the light faded from the sky and the stars came out. She debated taking off, but thought it would be poor repayment for the help her hosts had given her. They would no doubt think she'd betrayed them and had run off to tell the Order about this location. She pursed her lips as she caught herself enjoying the luxurious feel of the fluffy couch.

She chided herself for thinking about her own comfort. This was not a vacation, she reminded herself. Still, she'd been living a Spartan lifestyle for so long, anytime she was sent on a job she inevitably found herself enjoying the soft sheets in a wayward hotel room, or the bathtub. She eyed the whirlpool Jacuzzi in the master bath and sighed.

Frustrated, she paced restlessly before eyeing the laptop on the coffee table. To her relief, it wasn't password protected and she killed time doing her own research on the 9th Order. She knew various locations that were owned by subsidiaries of the Church, but the more she learned, the more she realized just how out of her depth she was. It was staggering just how little she really knew about their operations.

She'd had lessons on hacking as part of her infiltration studies and she put them to use in cracking some of their firewalls. Still, it became clear that they employed even better programmers and her efforts were often thwarted, leaving her with a lot of surface information, but few glimpses of what was really going on. Toppling this enormous empire would have to be done in multiple parts and looking for cracks in their armor was proving to be a challenge all by itself.

She didn't want to try anything too risky as she didn't know how secure Ian's network was, so she made a list of the known locations that the Order operated out of and shifted her attention to learning more about the surrounding areas. Dani figured they would at least be someplace to start. Her eyes drooped the more notes she took and she was half asleep when the lock turned.

Her head shot up and she saw them returning with a visitor in tow. She recognized the branch leader of the Inquisition from her briefings and her head bowed. 'So they sold me out,' she thought morosely. 'I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I certainly deserve it.' She sighed and waited, silently accepting whatever fate would befall her.

Ashley frowned at the pitiful-looking girl sitting on the couch in front of her. As she approached her, she was shocked to feel the strongest mental barrier she'd ever experienced from a non-mage and knew she'd had extensive training to repel psychics. Dani felt her probe and clenched her eyes shut to stem the flow of tears. Then she forced herself to relax and opened herself completely.

Ashley mentally stumbled into the other girl's consciousness as the resistance disappeared, similar to what she'd gone through when Ian had let her in. A wave of memories and experiences flooded her mind as the girl's life flashed before her eyes. She saw the demon kill her family as she watched, then mark her along her back, telling her to grow up big and strong so she'd taste sweeter.

Tears trailed down Ashley's face as she fell to her knees, watching the child experience her first beating at the hands of the inquisitors. She pulled the girl towards her and hugged her fiercely, both of them crying as they relived Ben's death. The young agent, only a handful of years older than Dani, was floored by the amount of pain and suffering the girl was forced to experience in her short life.

She brushed Dani's messy locks of hair as she choked out over and over, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." Dani's shoulders shook and her face was burrowed in Ashley's chest, desperately holding onto the agent as if she was a lifeline. It was more than just therapeutic to share what happened to her with someone else and confront that which plagued her nightmares. This was the first time since her parents' death that she could really face what she'd experienced.

Soon, she cried herself to sleep and Ashley pulled back sniffling, resting the girl's frame along the couch. She knew the Order would want to know what happened to her and understood Ian's request. Her respect for him rose considerably as she saw him want to help her even after her actions had nearly gotten him killed. She also realized Ember's words at the meeting were for Dani's benefit and that the 9th Order would probably take it as fact that their assassin was dead, although they would now shift their attention to trying to find Ian.

She stroked the girl's dirty blonde hair and kissed her forehead. Bowing her head, she began placing ring after ring of protective spells on the girl. She repeated continuously in her mind, 'never to be found by those who would search her out, never to be recognized if seen, never to fear being hunted.'

When she'd finished, she was stunned by the potency of the compulsions surrounding the girl. The clarity her purpose gave her and the cause she was doing this for allowed her to cast them with a strength and will beyond her years. Each time she came into contact with Ian, her powers grew exponentially at the impact the events had on her. Ashley also admitted to herself that the compulsions probably wouldn't have taken hold if the 9th had been looking for Dani in force. The bluff that they used that night must have been enough to turn their attention away from the girl.

She rose and turned to Ian. "It's done," she said, her voice sounding alien even to her.

He smiled at her gently and thanked her. Ian was moved by the comfort she'd offered Dani and the determination with which she'd set about her task. "You can stay the night if you want," he offered.

She shook her head. "I've got to get back and check in with Lily." She paused before saying, "You have to possess me again." Ian froze and started to shake his head when she continued in a strong voice, "The director came by this morning. I was pumped for information and I was powerless to stop them." She looked up at him and her eyes flashed. "I will not allow this girl to come to harm. If they find out about her, I don't know what they would do. I can't risk that happening."

Ian pursed his lips as he tried to think of another way. The spirit that had taken to following him around caught his attention and made a placating gesture, offering to take care of it. He frowned, knowing there were dangerous things in the spirit world as well.

Wraiths that would try to eat your soul given the chance, Phantoms that haunted locations and would often simply try to kill you for interrupting the pattern they had set, and Ghouls that possessed the dead and fed on the living to gain energy... There was also a whole host of monsters he knew nothing about.

Still, Ian had come to trust this spirit and he didn't feel any menace coming from her, only sorrow. The more he thought about her, the more he realized that she'd been with him since long before that night he'd been forced to flee his home -he actually couldn't remember a time since he'd discovered his power that she hadn't been nearby. He fed her a small amount of energy and told Ashley to drop her shields and mental barrier.

Ashley worked to calm herself as she prepared to be assaulted by a horde of ravenous ghosts again. She sat in a chair at that dining table and clenched her fists, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth. Then, she forced herself to relax and let go, feeling naked as her protections crashed down around her.

Surprise filtered through her as a single tendril of energy seemed to seep into her consciousness. It wasn't frenzied or violent like the others had been and it seemed to want to spare her any pain. Ashley didn't feel like she'd lost control so much as if she'd been placed in the co-pilots seat. Through each memory that was locked away, the spirit seemed to turn to her and ask for her permission to continue. The entire process almost felt relaxing.

The spirit then shocked Ashley by creating a space inside her consciousness that seemed to ignore all the laws of Sorcery she'd been taught. It was as if her psychic ability was completely unable to focus on anything that went on inside the bubble. She watched as the spirit placed the location of the apartment inside the newly defined space and Ashley knew that even if she came to visit again or thought about the location while being scanned, someone reading her would be unable to see it.

She opened her eyes as the spirit gently, almost reverently, backed out of her mind, returning the reins to her. She stared wonderingly at the ghost, still visible from the energy Ian was feeding her. She knew that if the League of Sorcery in Europe found out about this, necromancers would be vilified to an even further extent as they found themselves impotent against spirit magic in one of the primary ways that defined their craft.

Ashley shook herself and stood. "I should go," she said. Ember surprised her by giving her a hug as she reached for her coat. "Come back soon," she heard before she jerked in surprise as the succubus pinched her ass.

Val piped up, "I need to leave too."

Ian asked, "You sure you don't want to stay?"

She blushed before shaking her head. "Bobby is probably climbing the walls," she answered, "and the old man will need all the help he can get organizing the corporate takeovers. I'll give you a call tomorrow." She leaned against him and kissed him softly. Her heart fluttered as he made sure to leave her breathless. "I need to use your phone to call Bobby. I don't think the buses run this late."

Ian chuckled and willed the key for the BMW off the countertop and handed them to her. "Enjoy," he told her, enjoying her stunned expression. "I can buy a phone for you as well if you'd like."

Her brain finally started working again and she shook her head. "Patrol leaders used to be given burners, but Bobby says because of the money rolling in we'll all get personal ones soon." Her eyes tracked down to the key in her hand and she asked, "Are you sure?"

Ian smiled down at her. "Ember and I don't need two cars. If for some reason that changes, I'm sure the sponsors would jump over themselves to provide another." He looked at the key and said, "It's already warded so don't feel pressured to watch where you park it."

Val smiled at him brightly before turning and walking towards the door. She let out a squeak of surprise when Ember grabbed her possessively and kissed her soundly. Her tail formed and snuck between the girl's legs to rub her covered sex and give her something to think about. Then the succubus pulled back, her eyes gleaming red, and smacked Val's ass hard enough to send her stumbling towards the door.

Val caught up to Ashley in the hallway and offered to drive her home so she didn't have to take a cab. The agent smiled gratefully down at the young gang member and asked her about herself. She learned that Val had just graduated high school. College had been a distant dream for her, but with the money they were now making Bobby was pressuring her to go.

She thought that maybe she could take some business or accounting classes to help with the administrative needs of the Night Watch. Ashley found herself fascinated by the resilience the young girl showed and was surprised to realize that in the short time she'd known her she had started to consider her a friend. With a small smile, Ashley began placing her memories of their encounter and all they'd talked about in the space in her mind she'd come to treasure as her own.

* * * * *

The issue of sleeping arrangements filtered through Ian's mind. It didn't seem right that Dani should take the couch while he took the bed, but he had Ember to think about and their guest was currently passed out anyway. A stray thought entered his mind that involved Dani and Ember sleeping in the bed together and his brain promptly shorted out.

Ember could apparently sense when he was thinking naughty thoughts and wrapped her arms around him, a hand snaking down to squeeze his crotch. "She's pretty," his lover commented as she observed the sleeping girl. She sighed. "It's too bad that she's been marked by a demon. Her spirit has healed considerably since the sorceress read her memories, but she still has a long way to go."

Ian raised an eyebrow and commented with a sly grin, "A long way until she's better or before she's between your legs?"

Ember's eyes twinkled as she replied, "What's the difference?" She grasped his hand and led him into the bedroom, their ever-present mystery spirit floating along behind them curiously. Grim seemed to seep back into his book and Scraps checked the locks. The wards around the apartment shone brightly to him in the spirit realm. Finally deciding the place was secure, he crouched with his back to a corner and sat back on his heels to quietly observe his surroundings, tireless and unmoving, always watchful.

Ember stripped out of her clothes and then nearly ripped Ian's remaining garments to shreds when she decided he wasn't moving fast enough. She pushed Ian backwards onto the bed and dropped to her knees. Reaching out, she squeezed Ian's cock and he felt electricity shoot through his limbs as his member hardened in an instant. She smiled wickedly as she lowered her mouth.

Her tongue seemed to wrap around his girth and the feeling of it grasping him as she bobbed her head a few times caused his mind to blank. When he came back to himself, Ember was straddling him atop the bed, his cock poised to enter her. He moaned and through his head back when she decided to rub his tip up and down her slit, teasing him to the point of insanity. Finally, when he could take no more, she plunged down his length. Her spines sought out his most sensitive regions and stimulated them. His breathing picked up as she ground her hips down, causing the most amount of friction and he gasped when she hit bottom.

She chuckled at his desperate expression and she put a hand on his chest. "Go on, baby," she whispered. "I'll take care of it." Ian laughed softly as he gave up his hopeless effort to ward off the inevitable. The waves of pleasure she was inducing broke through the walls of his resistance and he felt himself swept away on an ocean of bliss.

The walls of the bedroom turned a hellish red as Ember lived up to her name, the glowing light of her eyes reflecting the fire of her lust. She milked her lover's release, using her talents to extend his orgasm. Ian arched his back and clenched his fists before relaxing. This time he knew she wasn't going to stop as she picked up the pace, keeping him hard inside of her.

He rested his hands on her creamy hips, knowing her soft skin and delicate frame hid a savage, deadly creature that he'd never be able to tame. He felt her need through their bond and tried to increase his own pace, driving into her harder, faster. She was a force of nature that didn't require any action on his part to get herself off, but he felt a strong desire to be the best lover he could for her. He knew she deserved at least that much.

Ember smiled at the determined look on his face and reveled in the love she felt coming off him. It tasted strong and potent. Devotion in its truest form was something a sex demon almost never achieved. Being the objects of lust and desire, one rarely got passed their outer shell to recognize the being below the surface. It tended to make demons, and succubae in particular, jaded -her included.

She thought she'd given up on finding someone she could spend the rest of eternity with. Tears filled her eyes as she shuddered through a small orgasm before resuming her pace. Ian saw the red glow become blurry and looked to see her eyes swimming with emotion. He didn't know what caused it, but he took one of her hands in his and brought it to his lips, brushing across her fingers tenderly, wanting to show her that no matter what she faced he would be there.

Ember bowed her head as his dedication to her flooded her consciousness. Despite the darkness in her heart, the deaths she'd caused, the vicious, often sadistic, nature that sometimes came out, she truly believed he would always stand by her side. An explosion rocked through her, limbs locking at the charge that struck her like a thunderbolt, and this time it was her that blacked out.

When she came to, she found herself lying atop Ian, wrapped in his arms. His mouth rested against her brow, breathing in her scent. She flushed with embarrassment at her display of weakness, but when she looked into his eyes there was no criticism, only pure adoration. It was an incredibly freeing experience for her to know that no matter how far she fell there would always be someone there to catch her. She relaxed and placed her head back on his chest, sighing in contentment.

Ian closed his eyes and brushed her hair, feeling her breathing become steady as she fell asleep in his embrace. He smiled and knew that this feeling would never get old. His thoughts shifted to the changes he'd observed lately. He had noticed various improvements happening to his body the last few days, his muscles becoming more toned and defined, his stamina increasing, his vision becoming sharper. The pleasure he received from Ember never dulled though. If anything, it got even more potent.

He guessed that the sexual energy Ember received which allowed her to retain her eternal youth was being shared through their bond. As sleep overtook him, he thought of the future. He didn't know what it would bring or if the risks he continued to take would catch up to him sooner rather than later, but he knew he wouldn't stop trying to live life to the fullest. His experiences would now always be shared with Ember and he was determined to make her time in the realm of the living as wondrous as possible.

* * * * *

Dani woke to a heavenly feeling. She was lying on the softest velvet and covered with a blanket that felt like it had a million thread count. Blinking open her eyes, she squinted against the light streaming in between the curtains of the living room and she shot upwards as she got her bearings and realized where she was.

The events of the night before crashed down on her. She had no idea why she was still there. Glancing around the room, she gave a start as she saw the revenant crouching in the corner of the room, looking like the scariest gargoyle she'd ever seen. His hood hung low over his face and he held a stillness and patience that no human mind could achieve.

Finally, she took account of herself as the blanket pooled in her lap. She was still dressed, but someone had taken off her boots. They'd arranged her so she wouldn't be stiff and even given her a pillow. She frowned. Barring waking up in a cell or not at all, she'd at least expected to have been violated. There was something wrong with a succubus, let alone a necromancer, with morals.

Stretching, she went to use the guest bathroom, wondering about what Ian had planned for the day. Whatever it was, she was sure he'd need to eat first. She remembered the pancake mix that was in the cupboard and determined to try her hand at breakfast, despite her lack of experience. She hadn't cooked at all in the enclave and the flighty nature of her vocation afterwards hadn't led to a favorable environment to practice in.