Satyr Play 03 Pt. 01

"Damn, you're getting too good at that! You almost made me tear your clothes off!" she purred.

Henry nodded to her with a gentle smile. They hadn't been... intimate since that night in the hospital. The night he lost control of his heat and changed her and her friends forever. He knew she was frightened to do more than kiss, which made him sad. She was the one who most resented the change, though she was coming to terms with it recently as it was so useful for her becoming a doctor and, ultimately, a surgeon.

"I love what you're doing with your hair," he said, his voice still a little rough.

Her eyes flashed to his as she saw how he was restraining himself. Her gaze softened, and she smiled as she primped her hair just a little. "Yes, I love it almost as much as Sandy loves hers. Now, if I could just get Kesini to stop playing with it."

Henry chuckled as he pictured the blonde locks playing within the mane of dark curls.

Dayshia took a step towards the living room, then stopped and sniffed the air. "What smells so good?" she sighed. Sandy and Michelle must have been sneakily listening in as they immediately came back to the door to take a whiff themselves.

"Is that flowers?" Sandy said with a happy smile.

Henry pointed to the candle. "Tish found this beeswax candle."

Michelle looked at him curiously. "Beeswax candles don't have a scent." He just shrugged, so the ladies moved into the living room to question Tish about it. Henry smiled as he saw Dayshia's hair begin to move seemingly on its own. Sandy needed to drop her glamor so the other guests could see her mischievous hair coming.

There was another knock, and Henry opened the door to see his first guests from outside the building. Sigrid and Meixiu smiled back at him as they graciously accepted his welcome. It was almost June and a warm spring, so they hadn't worn outerwear. He took in the dramatic contrast between the two women. Sigrid's powerfully muscled Valkyrie body was beautifully enhanced by a lovely green mid-thigh dress that flattered her long, muscular legs. Meixiu's slim, long-limbed Vampire frame was wrapped in a long, flowing white gown with a red sash. The almost dainty impression belied the strength in Meixiu's petite body.

Sigrid stepped close and got a warm bear hug from Henry. She felt so good in his arms, and she was enjoying the hug as well. "What smells so good?" she asked when she looked around.

Henry stepped aside and pointed to the candle, then to the end of the hall, where they could hear Tish talking about the candles. With a grin, Sigrid slipped off her shoes and put on a pair of guest slippers before moving to join them.

Henry saw Meixiu was watching him with a slight smile on her lips. He noted she seemed a little weary. After giving her a hug, he held her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Is everything okay?"

She nodded bashfully and glanced down the hall to ensure Sigrid wasn't within earshot. "Yes, I'm just a little worn out from my nightly patrolling."

His smile dropped. "Patrolling?"

Her smile slipped, too. "I'm hunting the serial killer."

Henry's eyes went wide. "Meixiu! You shouldn't be putting your life in danger!"

She reached up and touched his lips with her fingers to quiet him. "I am not seen if I wish not to be."

He looked at the slim girl and felt the slight tremble in her fingers. "You're not feeding." Her eyes widened in surprise at his accurate guess. "You can't help anyone if you don't help yourself first!" He leaned his face closer to hers and gave the Vampire a stern look. "Feed from me."

Her eyes got a little desperate, so he knew she'd put off feeding for too long. She needed the blood to maintain her strength, and Henry's blood was supersaturated with Wild Magic, which would greatly energize her.

He gathered her to him with her back to his chest and held his left wrist before her face. He could feel her trembling in his arms, then she gripped his hand and forearm in her hands and brought the soft skin to her lips. She darted her tongue out to lick the inside of his wrist. Henry felt the area go numb, so there was just the briefest pinch when her teeth bit in. Then she placed her lips to the punctures and drank. It went on longer than usual, but she finally paused and licked the wounds to activate her healing enzymes to close the holes. She rested her front teeth against his skin and took slow, even breaths as the energy swept through her like a tsunami. When she released him, he had to keep her steady.

"I think I took too much," she said quietly as she struggled to stay awake and on her feet.

He frowned, then scooped her into his arms, making her stare at him wide-eyed. "You need a little snooze. You can join the party once you wake." Relaxing, her eyes immediately closed, and her head rested against his chest.

He carried her down the hall, briefly coming into view of the living room, then turned right to head down the bedroom hallway to the master bedroom. He set her down on the Japanese bed he'd grown to love. This piece of furniture he'd insisted on keeping in their bedroom. Tish got used to it quickly.

He slipped her shoes off, closed the door behind himself, and turned to see the group of ladies in the hallway watching him. He gestured they should return to the living room. He left Meixiu's shoes by the front door and joined the others in the living room.

Once he got there, Sigrid immediately spoke up. "What happened to Meixiu?" Her eyes caught the slightly pink color on his wrist and recognized that immediately. "She fed from you?" she said in surprise.

"She looked a little tired, so I gave her a meal. She took a little more than she expected to. She'll join us when she wakes," Henry said, keeping the Vampire's nightly activities private... for now.

Another knock announced more guests, so Henry used the excuse to escape further questions.

He opened the door to see Mahati and Kali Chandra standing there. Mahati looked dazzling in a royal blue and gold saree. Henry froze as he took in her gleaming, straight black hair cascading over her shoulders. Large, dangling gold earrings and delicate gold chains accentuated the elegant look. Her cinnamon skin tone seemed a little redder than usual as she fidgeted under his stare.

"Are you going to rudely gawk at us, or are you going to invite us in?" she asserted. Her full crimson lips were frowning once more as her dark eyes flashed.

"I-I'm sorry, Mahati! Please come in! You look amazing in that beautiful dress! Breathtaking!" Henry stammered as he gushed.

"It's a saree, not a dress... but thank you," the woman said, her tension replaced with surprised pleasure. Her lips now held a pleased smile. She moved forward, and Henry tore his eyes away to look at the younger sister. Once more, he found himself staring as the young woman, who he'd only ever seen in baggy t-shirts and yoga pants, was also wearing a saree, but hers was black accented in gold and left the tight muscles of her midriff exposed. Her long black hair was teased up, with only a few curls framing her lovely face. The whites of her dark eyes were accentuated by dark kohl make-up and seemed to sparkle with her amusement. The chain she usually wore between her nose and nipple was missing, but the impressions of larger piercings on both nipples were clearly visible against the tight fabric.

"You look amazing too, Kali!" he finally managed as she moved inside. She demurely dipped her eyes to him with a satisfied smile.

Mahati turned back to face Henry a short distance down the hall. "It's my understanding that bringing a gift for housewarming parties is customary. You refused this?"

Henry nodded. "We agreed to suspend that particular tradition this time. Your time and presence are enough of a gift."

The woman nodded with another pleased smile and went the rest of the way down the hall to turn left and join the others in the living room. Her sister followed with a sly smile on her lips. He didn't really understand Kali's intentions, so he'd have to keep an eye on her. She seemed to enjoy shaking things up.

"Hi, Henry!"

He returned to the open door and saw Mary Carston standing beside Roy. They were both wearing commando black, and he raised an eyebrow. Mary smirked as she looked down at herself.

"Yeah, Roy mistimed the duration of our training camp with his pa—with his team. We came straight here from there, so you get us in our combat gear." Roy had the good grace to seem apologetic, at least.

"You two are welcome in any outfit," Henry said with a smile. "Please come in!" He gave Mary a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek, then surprised Roy with a hug. They took off their combat boots and stepped into the slippers. Slightly shaken, Roy stopped by the candle and looked back at Henry. "Speak to Tish about the candle, but yes, it gives off the scent of a mountainside meadow."

He heard the elevator ding and poked his head out the door to smile at Camila, Marisa, and Siobhan as they approached. All three looked gorgeous, but the mother and daughter Succubi exuded a little extra confidence. All three wore sleek, body-flattering party dresses and looked like they spent the day at a salon. The Succubi had a natural ability to dazzle the eye, but today, they had a glow about them, which Henry knew was due to Friday's... feedings. Both ladies had individually asked Henry for a recharge. Camila took him in her office, and Marisa surprised him with her request in his office. Both were fully charged. Henry's face warmed as he recalled their appetite yesterday.

He forced his attention to Siobhan, which wasn't too difficult as she was also stunningly lovely with soft brown eyes, a megawatt smile, and long waves of gleaming mahogany hair. As she could now manage its length with some limited control over her link to Wild Magic, she'd begun to let it grow, and it now reached her mid-back. Its natural length reached her ankles, but he doubted she would allow it to be that long day-to-day.

Like Camila and Marisa, Siobhan had been upgraded by exposure to Wild Magic. She was a Selkie and no longer needed to carry her magic-infused pelt in a purse as it had become her hair. She only needed to will it to become her pelt to transform herself into her seal form.

She'd initially been exposed to the new magic by a man who wouldn't be attending the party tonight, Nate Walker. There'd been no sign of Henry's latest friend since Queen Mab took control of his mind and used him to escape. The suspicion was that Mab still had the Incubus with her in her castle in Ireland, but the impregnable fortress was locked tight. That was something else that troubled Henry's dreams.

The ladies reached his door, and each gave him a sensual kiss before going inside. While he'd expected it from the Succubi, he was a little surprised by the passion in Siobhan's kiss as Henry hadn't been intimate with her... directly, though he'd helped her complete her upgrade with Marisa's assistance. He blinked at the cheeky smile she gave him over her shoulder as she dropped her shoes, slipped on the guest slippers, and joined the others in the living room.

He locked up and moved to the entrance of the open space. He panned his eyes over his friends, and aside from Meixiu, all were present and accounted for. They were all making themselves comfortable on the couches and chairs. He joined Tish and took drink orders to ensure everyone had a glass in their hand ranging from cool spring water to fruit juice to twelve-year-old scotch for Roy and Mary. The veggie trays were being enjoyed as well.

The knock on the door caught him by surprise as he was pretty sure he hadn't invited anyone else. Glancing at Tish, he went to the door and looked through the peephole. He blinked in surprise and pulled the door open. Two ladies stood there in their complimentary colored party dresses, looking sweet and innocent. If it hadn't been for Yuko's penchant for trying to kill him with her Kitsune magic, he'd have let down his guard. Instead, he looked at them cautiously.

"Yuko. Jun. You both look very lovely today..."

"Are you going to invite us in?" Yuko asked, her voice trembling just a little. Jun hooked her little finger around her sister's and settled her older sibling's nerves.

Jun tilted her head at Henry. "Kali invited us to your party. She did not inform you."

"Ah... no, she did not. But... she would not," Henry sighed gently, and Jun's eyes twinkled with amusement. They were both aware of the dark beauty's enjoyment of generating chaos.

Henry nodded to himself. He could rise to this challenge. He faced Yuko, whose eyes looked troubled. "I welcome you two to join the party, but I ask that you refrain from activities of an explosive nature."

Jun burst into giggles at Henry's careful choice of words, and even Yuko cracked a smile, looking up at him sweetly from under her bangs. Her eyes twinkled a little as well.

"Agreed," the older sister said quietly.

"Then please come in," he said, standing aside.

They stepped inside and waited for Henry to close the door and lead them to the living room. He caught Kali's eyes immediately, seeing her anticipation, and raised an eyebrow. The young woman grinned as her sister looked at her in disapproval. When Yuko and Jun came around the corner, conversation lulled as all eyes looked in their direction.

"Some of you know or know of Yuko Imamura and her sister Jun. They live on the seventh floor. Please make them feel welcome," Henry said. Eyes went to him next, and he nodded to his friends.

Tish gestured for them to come further into the room and offered them a drink. They both indicated white wine, so she busied herself with getting that while Henry found them chairs. When he had his last two guests situated, Meixiu appeared in the doorway with a shy look on her face. She hustled over to squeeze between Sigrid and Marisa on one of the three sofas Tish and Henry filled their new place with. He got her a glass of spring water, which she accepted with a grateful smile.

Henry and Tish moved to stand by the kitchen island, facing their friends, and raised a toast.

Henry cleared his throat, and all eyes went to him. Once, that much attention would have crippled him with stage fright, but these were his friends, something else that was relatively new for him. He felt wealthy beyond measure for having so many and being comfortable with them. He missed Nate, but he pulled his mind from those thoughts.

"Thank you all for joining us in our new home. If it weren't for the incredible generosity of Camila and her company, VRL, and the efforts of Sigrid to make the deal, we would not have had the opportunity of living here." There was a polite round of applause for the two ladies. "I'd also like to take a moment to reflect on the humbling and often frightening nature of fate that made this unit available. I hope the terror responsible for these murders is quickly caught and brought to justice for the sake of the victims and their families."

Everyone followed Henry's lead and raised their glass to join the toast.

Once done, Roy spoke up. "We offered to join the Council's efforts to hunt down the killer, but they refused," he said as Mary nodded. "Instead, they're insisting on a curfew for all Hidden Races members who don't need to be outside at night."

Michelle nodded. "The Council has confirmed that five of the six victims have been members of the Hidden Races. They believe the first Human was likely a mistake since all others have been non-Humans, and there are so many more Humans out there. Five to one seems like a pattern." Henry was pleased to see how comfortable Michelle was becoming amongst their group. Not that long ago, she was almost crippled with shyness when asked to speak before people.

Mary looked at her. "So, the human murdered at the first crime scene was just collateral damage?"

Michelle nodded again. "The trauma to the Human's body was much less severe."

Roy wasn't finished. "I don't understand the Hidden Races Council's thinking on this. New York is just too big to cover everywhere this monster hunts, even with the number of agents they have at their disposal. They should incorporate our teams. The packs that live around the city are all willing to participate."

"The Council likely has enough trouble keeping their teams invisible to the Human police patrols," Camila offered.

"I think you've hit the nail on the head when you said monster hunts. Based on what I've heard from my contact within the Coroner's office, I believe the killer is feeding off his victims," Sigrid added.

Several people squirmed uncomfortably upon hearing this.

Michelle spoke again. "Some of us work nights, but I take cabs and keep to the well-lit main roads. This seems to be a good way to avoid danger. So far, all of the victims were attacked outside, at night, in darker neighborhoods."

Mary frowned as her former police detective skills were intrigued by the case. "There doesn't seem to be a pattern for their preferred location. The first murders were here in Jersey City. The second scene was in Brooklyn, then Manhattan, Queens, and finally Yonkers."

"That's a lot of territory to cover. How are they getting around? Do they have a car?" Roy then looked at Michelle. "Taking a taxi may not be as safe as you think."

"Roy!" Camila scolded.

"What? They may be driving a taxi. That would explain how they're in so many locations," he explained. "No one pays attention to another cab on the road."

Mary shook her head. "That theory only works if the victims were traveling to someplace distant. The first Hidden Races victim was a block from his home and walked there with a friend, who was also killed. Were the other victims far from their usual routes?"

Michelle paused as she recalled the reports she'd read. "No... all of the victims were close to their homes or businesses or directly between them."

Mary looked at Roy. "So, the killer may be using a cab to get themselves around the city, but they aren't using the vehicle to lure their victims to these dark spots to commit the crimes."

"The Hidden Races aren't easy targets. We fight back! Wielders will use their abilities against attackers!" Yuko suddenly blurted.

Roy responded. "We don't know anything about the killer except they may be able to see through glamors to identify non-Human targets. Five to one is a pattern. They cause vicious damage to their victims, and as Sigrid mentioned, they seem to consume parts of their victims. I suspect they're Hidden Races themselves and have claws and teeth like a Werewolf. I can't speculate on their motive."

"No one can see through glamors! That's impossible," Yuko insisted.

Dayshia began to chuckle. "Nothing is impossible, girlie." She dropped her glamor, and her gorgeous, oversized eyes flared with brilliant blue, green, and gold light from within. "Oh! What lovely and colorful tails!"

Yuko's eyes widened. "What are you?" she gasped.

Dayshia smiled gently at her as she switched back to her Human glamor. "We don't know. Even Baba Yaga didn't know."

"Ahhh! Di' ye hafta mention her name?" Roy snapped in annoyance as he glanced around, looking for shadows.

"Roy, you know she's not likely to show her face around Henry any time soon," Sigrid complained.

The big redhead glanced over at Henry and seemed to calm himself. "Right, tha's true. Sorry, lad."

Henry shrugged. He was aware that Baba wasn't going to visit him as she'd stolen his daughter from him. She hadn't completely driven a stake into his heart to kill his love for her, but their relationship was... severely strained, to put it mildly.

"If we can put a bookmark in the discussion about the serial killer, has anyone heard anything about a certain mad Queen?" Marisa asked the group but seemed to be directing her attention to Michelle, who was privy to the Council and appeared willing to share. Henry knew she missed Nate. He missed Nate, too! They both suspected Mab still had him.