Satyr Play 03 Pt. 02

"Maybe the Wild Magic falling from the sky is interfering?" Camila suggested.

"We're heading back to VRL. Can you meet us there?" Sigrid asked.

"Sure, I'll bring Lorelei," Camila said briskly.

"Be careful out there," Sigrid said and hung up. She frowned as a suspicion pricked at the back of her mind. Why had Camila drawn her blinds? Her condo had protective glass.

-=-

Camila called for her car to be ready, then turned to the lovely brunette in her bed. "We need to get going. We'll pick up my daughter Marisa on the way."

Lorelei's head was still gently spinning as she came down from the heights of passion. The exotic creature in bed with her knew things about sex she'd never imagined. Camila's black and red skin gleamed in the dim light and picked up the glow of the green light falling past the window.

She certainly hadn't expected to have sex with Camila when she accepted her offer to stay in her guest room. Tonight, they'd both needed the distraction as they waited for news on Roy's battle with his rival, as Lorelei understood it. She'd been more concerned about Henry. Camila let her listen in on the call, so she now knew Henry was on his way back! She thought this was good news, but Camila appeared worried about his unconscious state.

She slipped out of bed and steadied herself against it for a moment as her body tingled madly. Being with Camila had been intense and wonderful, but now all her body wanted was sleep. There was no time for that, so she pushed herself off the bed and hustled to the guest room.

Her host had been right when she said the light was good in her condo. Lorelei had her easel and paint supplies with her and had been inspired by the new location. She had a new painting almost complete and knew how lovely it would look above Camila's mantle.

After a quick refreshing in the ensuite bathroom, she put on fresh panties and a bra, then her deep blue long-sleeved yoga top and tights, and finally a loose black knit sweater over top. It went down to mid-thigh, so it was almost a dress.

She met Camila by the front door and pulled on her sneakers to follow the woman out. The tall raven-haired beauty looked amazingly fresh and energized in a black dress with a large red orchid print and matching red heels. There was plenty of cleavage on display, and they shared a smile.

They went down to the garage of her building and got into a large SUV. Lorelei noted the driver didn't even look over his shoulder to look at them. He drove them up onto the street and headed downtown. They stared out the windows at the swirling green light. They saw people walking around in it without concern while others were panicking. Camila's cell immediately rang, and she gave it a worried look as she answered.

"Hello, Nuru—" Camila began.

"Camila! Something terrible has happened!" the head of the Succubi Association cried over the phone.

"What's happened?"

"Our glamors! They're gone! We were outside in the park across the road from our hotel, enjoying nature, when the green light fell from the sky. My attendants and I were caught in what looked like a waterfall, and suddenly we were exposed. Our glamors dissolved, and we cannot reactivate them. They're gone! The scent of the light matched yours, so I am calling you. You must help us!"

"Of course! Where are you now?" Camila asked, a feeling of dread in her stomach. This was what they feared might happen.

"We stole a tarp covering a sidewalk vendor's cart and snuck back into our hotel in the chaos. We're in our room, but we're trapped here. There are no cloaks in this hotel!" the woman gasped.

"Give me a second," Camila said to Nuru, then addressed the man behind the wheel. "Driver, how many cloaks do we have in the truck?"

"There are six under the rear bench seats," he said in a flat, emotionless voice. Lorelei frowned as she felt a little put off by his attitude.

"Give me the name of the hotel and your room number. I'm coming to collect you. I have cloaks and will bring you to VRL. We're setting up an emergency base of operations there."

"Thank you, Camila! It's the Ritz Carleton, Central Park, Room 1705."

"We're on our way," Camila said and hung up. "Driver, take us to the Ritz Carleton, Central Park." The man nodded and turned the truck.

She dialed another number. "Marisa? We're going to be a little late. I need to pick up Nuru and her attendants. They've experienced a problem with their glamors. See you soon."

Camila gave Lorelei a bleak look. "This looks really bad."

Lorelei took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

The SUV pulled up in front of the hotel and parked in the drop off zone. The driver jumped out of the car into a green current of light. He closed his door, took two steps, then froze and fell over with a thud. Someone on the opposite sidewalk screamed and ran. Camila looked out the window at the clay statue of her driver.

"Dammit!"

"Oh my god! What happened to him?" Lorelei gasped, trying to see past Camila. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the man-shaped blob of reddish clay that was beginning to sag.

"He was a Golem. An artificial man, made of clay, disguised by a glamor, and powered by Fae magic. The Wild Magic in the light is undoing the spells the Fae made." She looked to Lorelei. "I have to get Nuru. Wait here."

Camila reached under the bench seat and pulled out three plastic-wrapped bundles. Then she slipped from the truck and rushed into the hotel's front doors.

Lorelei watched the people panicking and running here and there. Her nerves were becoming frayed. She shrieked when someone opened the driver's door and jumped behind the wheel. She quickly sang to the would-be carjacker. He jumped out and ran into traffic. She watched in horror as the man cartwheeled over a speeding taxi.

When the man staggered back to his feet and hobbled the rest of the way across the street to disappear into the darkness, she breathed a sigh of relief.

The panic outside increased.

An older woman rushed past on the sidewalk, chased by a group of angry men. They caught her a short distance ahead. Punches were thrown, and the woman went down.

"Stop!" Lorelei shouted as she jumped from the car. She felt the flow of the light swirling around her. It felt like the uncontrolled current of a raging river, and she clung to the SUV's door to keep from being swept away.

One of the men yelled back at her. "You shut the fuck up! She's a fucking monster!"

Seeing the desperate look in the fallen woman's eyes, Lorelei sang to them to be calm. The sound was unexpectedly amplified by the swirling green light and carried across the street, into the park, and off into the distance. Everyone in earshot paused and looked for the source of the beautiful music. The group closest to her were staring at her with gentle smiles on their faces.

Shaken by the strength of the sound, Lorelei sang once more, a gentle song of returning home. People began to walk away, so she let the tune fade.

The woman struggled to her feet. "Are you all right?" Lorelei called out to her. The bruised and bloodied woman blinked, coming out of her trance to look at the younger woman clinging to the car door.

Lorelei finally got a good look at her. Definitely not human. Ancient. Pale skin with an olive green tint and pointed ears... long pointed ears. She thought of the cloaks in the car and how the woman could probably use one. "I have a cloak."

The woman's eyes lit up, literally, but it was a faint glow that quickly faded as she moved closer to Lorelei.

"What are you, girl?" she asked with a gravelly voice.

"Rude," Lorelei admonished.

The woman snorted. "No more than putting someone into a trance with a song. I'm Investigator Kashellion of the Fae High Court." She looked down at herself with a sad frown. "But it seems my magic is gone."

Making a snap decision, Lorelei gestured for the woman to get in the front passenger seat of the SUV. Then she moved to get back inside herself. The green light suddenly wrapped around her, and she almost lost her grip on the door.

"Lorelei!"

She froze as she heard a familiar voice. "Henry?" She looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"The song. Calm and soothing. More! Stronger!" The voice was coming from the light!

She looked to the old woman watching her in the rear-view mirror as she rested back against the seat. "Can you hear him?" Lorelei asked and received a shake of the head.

"Please!"

Lorelei heard his plea and began to sing a song to make listeners calm, relaxed, and soothed. She increased her volume and let it flow from her to the green sea surrounding her. She felt Henry's focus on her, and a little hope slipped into her song as well. His joy and affection seeped into her, and she almost let go of the door to join him in the light. A wave of it bumped her gently, ending her song, and she was inside the truck. She pulled the door closed and reached under the seat to give the investigator a cloak.

The light around the truck began softly replaying Lorelei's song. It spread out in all directions, and she could see it was having an effect as the panic was subsiding. She smiled as she realized Henry must be responsible for this. It was so beyond anything she'd experienced she knew she should be frightened, but she just remembered the feeling of Henry's presence. He'd seemed so happy, almost giddy with joy.

The old woman moaned slightly when her bruises complained about her struggling to get the bulky garment on while seated. Finally, she pulled the hood up over her head, hiding her ears, and settled back with a sigh. She rolled her head to the side to peer over the seat at Lorelei. "Thank you for the cloak. I ask you again. What are you?"

Lorelei held her eye for a moment. "I'm a Naiad."

The woman's eyes held confusion and doubt. "There-there are no Naiads."

"Baba Yaga saved one."

Investigator Keshellion froze, her mouth open to ask another question but the answer she'd just received suggested silence would be prudent. She faced forward to rest once more.

Lorelei watched the doors and saw people coming outside to investigate the music. Their nervous expressions quickly changed to wonder and smiles.

She suddenly had an epiphany. This was something only she could do, with Henry's assistance, of course. It was what she was best suited for. She smiled. "I am needed."

The Fae heard the softly spoken words and glanced back at Lorelei. Then she looked out the window to see the calm expressions on the faces of people walking by in the green light. She understood Lorelei's words and nodded to herself.

Exiting the hotel, Camila guided three tall beings in hooded cloaks. Halfway to the car, Camila's group slowed to a stop and reached for their hoods to throw them back. Camila spotted this and dragged them forward to push them into the rear bench seat one at a time. She glanced at the cloaked being in the front passenger seat, then over to Lorelei.

She didn't wait for an explanation. She rushed around the SUV and climbed in behind the wheel. She looked over at the stranger, and the old woman looked back. "I'm Camila Villamor. Your glamor failed?"

"Investigator Keshellion of the Fae High Court. Yes, all of my magic is failing, or rather, it's being suppressed by the magic in the green light. I can feel it returning now but so slowly. I was attacked by a mob of angry Humans, but the girl saved me." She looked at Camila. "Your glamor seems to work."

"Yes, we'll get to explanations soon. Right now, I need to pick up my daughter, then we'll go to a place we can talk freely," Camila stated firmly and got them moving once more.

It was easier driving now as people weren't running out into the street anymore. Anyone outside was hearing the music.

Lorelei gazed out the side window and thought about Henry. He was out in that green river of light somewhere.

She hoped he was safe.

-=-

Tish was sitting in her sister Ellen's home. Everyone had gathered yet again for another party. There was one exception. Steph's husband David claimed he was partied out and stayed home. When she arrived, the look on Steph's face spoke of a recent argument, so Tish did her best to lighten her sister's mood.

The party was quickly upstaged when the skies fell, and everyone scrambled inside from Ellen's back deck. They just manage to get inside before it hit. Now they were all crowded into the family room watching the news. When they initially heard the light wasn't hurting anyone, the kids were super excited and wanted to go out into the backyard to play in it. When the dad's made to go too, the mothers shrieked their outrage at the idea.

So, here they sat watching the TV.

The light show was happening worldwide, and slowly, a few stories surfaced of people being changed by the light, but the news channels were quick to state that these stories hadn't been corroborated.

Tish grew quiet as she realized these stories could be about real Hidden Races people losing their glamors if the light was Wild Magic. She had to know, so she quietly left the family room and slipped into the garage. Hearing no one following her, she stepped out the rear door and into a swirl of green light. She opened her senses to it and felt the Wild Magic tugging her to follow the flow. She smiled as she felt her energy levels rising.

"Tish."

She turned to look back at the garage, but no one was there.

Then she felt him in the flow of energy. "Henry?" she gasped quietly.

"Yes."

"Where are you?" she asked, beginning to worry. Was he traveling out of body? Something was wrong.

"Everywhere! Oh! Lorelei's singing!" he sighed, then his presence faded.

"Henry!" she called.

"Tish! What are you doing? Get inside!" Steph called out from inside the garage.

She wanted to stay in the backyard with Henry, but he was gone, and she'd likely have better luck finding out what was happening by calling Marisa on her cell.

When the light began to sing, Steph stepped outside and walked to join her sister in the backyard. She swirled her fingers through it and grinned at her younger sister.

They suddenly heard banging on the glass sliding doors from the family room. Ellen, Kristen, and Jackie were gesturing vigorously behind the glass. The doors opened, and the men and the kids spilled out onto the deck. The ladies were the last to come out, and they did so cautiously. The kids rushed down the deck's stairs to run around the yard squealing excitedly.

"This music... it's beautiful, but I don't understand," Ellen said as she came up to give Tish a hug as the music soothed her nerves. Soon everyone was part of the group hug, even the excited kids. Tish's heart felt like it might burst with Joy. She loved her family so much.

"David is an idiot for missing out on this!" Steph snapped, and the others chuckled. Tish hugged her sister until the woman finally smiled again.

Family was everything. Tish had to find a way to keep hers!

-=-

Dayshia stood on the patio in her sister's back yard and ran her fingers through the green light swirling around in the small fenced-in yard. She felt the tingle of the Wild Magic and knew something major was going on. She pulled out her cell and dialed Sandy's number. On the sixth ring, she finally answered.

"Dayshia! Where are you?" Sandy's voice exclaimed.

"I'm in Chicago! Are you still in Nowhere, Iowa?" she returned.

"No, I couldn't take it anymore, so I'm on my way home. I finally made it to Laguardia, but there are no taxis. What a hellish trip it's been to get here. Do you see this green light?" Sandy asked.

Dayshia snorted. "It's everywhere. I'm standing in it."

"Same here. It's Wild Magic," Sandy said quietly.

"Mmmhmm. This is the stuff that changed us. It may change others." Dayshia said quietly, as well.

"Maybe it should. I don't know about you, but I hate hiding," Sandy grumbled.

Dayshia nodded to herself. "Yeah, but I'm not sure the world is ready. People are panicking." She heard a car squeal into the driveway on the other side of the house. "My sister and her husband just got back with their kids. I'd better go. Be careful out there!"

"Dayshia! Dayshia!" Beth's voice rang through the house as they burst through the front door. The back door was open with only the screen door in place, so Dayshia heard her clearly.

"I'm out back!" she called out.

"What are you doing? Come inside!" Beth shrieked as she ran to the back door.

Dayshia thought about what Sandy said about hiding, and she agreed. However, she couldn't decide for others about changing, though she wished she didn't have to hide what she'd become. She looked back and saw the worried expression on Beth's face and sighed. "Okay... fine."

Then the music started. It was lovely, and Dayshia realized it was coming from the light! She was surrounded by it!

When Beth touched her shoulder with Chris by her side, she started and looked to see their contented smiles. Dayshia was suspicious of their sudden change in attitude and realized it had to be the music. Was it designed to lure people outside into the Wild Magic?

Giggles drew her attention, and she saw Beth's kids playing in the yard. It was far too late to stop them now.

She wondered if her Dad was seeing this and, if he was, what he'd make of it. The chaos of his thoughts might connect to these strange events, or he might just be frightened. That was a sad thought.

"What are you thinking about that's making you sad?" Beth asked gently.

"Dad," Dayshia admitted.

Beth gave her a hug. Chris and the kids joined in, and Dayshia felt so much better.

She hoped everything was going to be okay, but with Wild Magic, you never knew what you were going to get.

Chapter 36

It was happening!

Roger felt excitement buzzing along his nerves as he walked amongst the panicking sheep. He couldn't see what he was walking through, but the sensation made him recall once being at the beach in Florida and feeling the current in the ocean pulling at him. This was gentler, but it still tugged more than simply air.

Most thrilling was the fact that the sheep could finally see the monsters as he did. A group of them chased a small creature past him, screaming curses at it. Roger would have given chase and eaten the thing, but he was well fed and enjoyed the delicious satisfaction of knowing the truth had finally been exposed.

Of course, these were the little people. He knew there was vile corruption at the highest levels. There had to be agents in high places of government and society to hide in plain sight like this. He decided his next mission would be to expose them as well. He salivated as he thought of how delicious their organs would be.

Before he could begin his next phase, he needed to settle the score with Dayshia. She was still a danger to him. He was going to take that bitch down, once and for all. So, he waited in the shadows in the lot next to her building.

He jumped slightly when a voice began singing all around him. He clicked and looked around, but he was alone. Weird. The song was sweet but distracting.

When a taxi pulled up, Roger readied himself to surge forward. A figure stepped out of the cab with a suitcase.

It wasn't Dayshia. It was Sandy.

His heart twisted as he recalled how she'd been like a little sister to him. She'd arrived in New York so innocent, unaware of all the dark secrets society kept hidden. She was like a new daisy, transplanted into the poisonous soil of the city. He'd done his best to protect her and make her aware of the evils around her. Of the group he hung out with at the hospital, she was the only one he thought was worthy of saving. The others had all been drawn in by the seductions of society.

"Sandy," he called out suddenly as the taxi pulled away. He hadn't meant to, but something inside him needed to. He discovered he'd moved from the shadows to stand on the drive before the front doors.