KaizerWolf

Innocent Devil’s Harem Ch. 93 (Patreon)

Published:

2022-07-24 15:19:03

Imported:

2023-01

Content

July 24, 2022

BOOK RELEASES:

>> Combat Healer Book 1 is available for $0.99 on Amazon. <<

Please leave a rating (just say you read it on Patreon, if you also leave a review).

The initial ratings are HUGE, especially for a book 1, so please leave one!

It covers Chapters 1-14, and is 101,000 words.

ALSO: Innocent Devil’s Harem Book 6 is also now available, for anyone who prefers the kindle version. I do plan on getting free versions available soon on Gumroad for you guys.

OLD NOTE (Aug 7, 2022): As I’m sure most of you know at this point, each of these chapters can take upwards of 20 to 30 hours to write (including self-edits and plotting), which is why I only release one chapter per week.

However, in the past, I often try to release a ‘bonus chapter’ whenever I can (no more than once a month at most)

Thus, since I haven’t released any Combat Healer in a few months, and since I was finally was able to get some time in to figure out more of the plot, I plan on posting the next chapter today (Aug 7).

NOTE (July 24, 2022) COMBAT HEALER: I know a lot of you have been asking when the next chapter of Combat Healer will be coming, so I just wanted everyone to know it’s definitely on my To Do List, but plot hang-ups (and just not having enough time to plot recently) have been the reason for the delay.

For this story, IDH, I have a ton of plot ironed out, so each week I really only have to worry about figuring out the specific details of each chapter and writing it. But that’s because I have a fairly clear vision of where the next 15 to 20 chapters are heading (I know what all the major points are and how they connect together).

With CH, while I do have an idea of where the story is ultimately heading, the ‘path’ leading to my ideas is vague right now, and I need to spend 20+ hours on plotting alone (yeah, I know that sounds like a crazy amount of time, but it really does take that much).

Honestly, for any of you aspiring writers out there, if you’re struggling to write, that’s probably why -- because ‘plotting’ itself is its own task that you should devote quite a bit of time to. If you were to do it in your free time, that would mean spending 3 to 4 hours every evening for a full week, including 5 or 6 hours on Saturday and Sunday, just sitting down with a notebook (and maybe listening to some music) and ‘thinking/brainstorming’ while jotting down notes (and that might be just for 10 chapters worth of content).

In general, I break it down into roughly 5 categories (and I try to figure out everything for a larger category, before delving into the next lower category): [1] Basic Overarching Ideas > [2] Major Events (out of order) > [3] Order of those Events > [4] Details of specific Scenes (not 'chapters,' as a scene can last half a chapter, or one 'scene' could last 10 chapters) > [5] And then sometimes I will actually jot down the specific 'beat-by-beat' flow of those scenes (other times I have a good enough idea in my head of the 'beat-by-beat,' that I can write at that point).

And by 'beat-by-beat,' I mean more like the key things that need to happen in a specific chapter, such as 'Natalie needs to say this,' or 'the characters need to discuss this,' or 'this unexpected thing needs to happen,' or 'Gwen needs to mention that thing,' etc. Basically, the main points I need to hit, in order ensure that there is foreshadowing and setup for future events to come.

So yeah, sitting there and doing nothing is actually a lot of work, and can really hinder a story when I don’t have time to do that.

But writing more Combat Healer truly is at the top of my To Do List, so I’m hoping to get some time in soon, so that I can at least iron out the plot for the next handful of chapters.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

- CHAPTER 93: Breakfast -

I woke up to soft kisses on my cheek, as well as a young, affectionate, and almost sultry, voice whispering in my ear.

“Good morning, baby.”

Inhaling a deep breath of that intoxicating thick maple syrup scent in the air, I smiled warmly as the short succubus continued to plant tender kisses on my face while rubbing my bare chest gently with her small hand, giggling when she pecked my lips and made me smile even wider.

I definitely felt much more well rested now, but I was enjoying all the physical sensations so much that I didn’t want to open my eyes.

Just before I’d woken up, Miriam had slipped out from between my torso and arm, and decided to sit on my forearm like she’d done to my cock before we fell asleep, her latex pants still unzipped, rubbing her wet pussy on my skin as she kissed my face and rubbed my chest.

She was just shy of five feet tall, being four-eleven, but she was so flexible that she could take up a surprisingly small amount of space when she wanted to. And right now, as she straddled my arm while bent over, I realized I could probably lift her right off the bed if I wanted, with her balancing partially on her chest on my upper arm, while her pussy supported the rest of her weight on my wrist.

The imagery kind of made me want to try it, feeling confident I was strong enough to do so, even if she did weigh more than she looked due to her wings, but another part of me really just didn’t want to move, enjoying being showered with so many affectionate kisses.

“What?” she finally giggled, grinding into my lower forearm as she planted even more pecks. “Is this just the most perfect way to wake up?”

“One of the most perfect ways,” I admitted. “I feel…” I paused, struggling for the right word. “Well, I guess cherished. Loved.”

“Oh baby,” she whispered, giving me a warm intimate kiss on the mouth. “How I love you so very much.”

“Love you too,” I said sincerely. “I think more than I even realized.”

She sighed at that, nuzzling her face against the side of mine. “Yes,” she admitted, sounding somewhat somber now. “I think last night made us both realize just how much we mean to each other. By seeing how…horrible…it would be if we lost that. It was somehow even worse than when…I watched you…die…”

“A living nightmare,” I agreed somberly.

“Don’t ever die on me, okay?” she unexpectedly whispered seriously.

I assumed she must be thinking of the traumatizing experience of watching my heart get ripped right out of my body. I’d saved her life by doing so, but I knew it was a horrible experience for her to witness such a thing.

When I didn’t respond, she continued. “The one time was bad enough…” She added quietly, her voice trailing off.

Trying to lighten the mood, I spoke more cheerfully. “Well, the good thing is that apparently I’m a little harder to kill than most. And you teaching me magic will certainly help prevent me from having to rely on my regeneration.”

She sighed heavily, only to plant a few more tender kisses on my cheek, nose, and then a few pecks on my lips. “Yeah, I guess we should have breakfast and then get started, huh?”

I laughed. “Breakfast in bed?” I wondered.

She giggled too. “Oh how I want to. I’m so wet for you right now. But no, I think we need to stay focused today.”

Grinning, I abruptly lifted my upper body slightly to shove her over to her side, causing her to gasp in surprise as I quickly climbed on top of her, her hands grasping my flat chest as I tensed my hips so that the head of my cock slid along her swollen pussy lips.

“Uhhhhh,” she groaned. “Baby, we really need to be good, and -- UHHHH!” she moaned louder as I sank the head of my cock in between her latex-clad thighs. She then fully gave in. “Oh alright, baby boy. Breakfast in bed.” Her tone became more serious, her emerald eyes firm even though her chin was jutting upward in pleasure. “But then, it’s time for real food in the dining hall, followed by serious class. Okay?”

I bent down to press my lips to hers as I sank my cock in all the way, feeling her squeeze me tightly as I did so, before pulling away just far enough to respond. “After I make you scream my name, then you’ll be the boss for the rest of the day. I’ll do whatever you say.”

She giggled at that. “Oh truly, you’re my perfect lover.”

“Yeah, why do you say that?” I teased.

She chuckled again. “Well, for one, because it took you all of one second to put me in a good mood.”

I frowned at that, knowing she was right, but also wondering if I’d end up regretting taking this liberty right now, when I should be more serious about the upcoming meeting on Saturday. I mean, sex was going to be a sincere need, especially later, to recharge my disposable magic, but right now…

Sighing, I pulled away more, keeping my cock buried in her.

Damn, she looked so sexy as she gave me an adorable confused look, her small tits only covered by that shiny latex bikini top, her slim stomach looking so cute and fluffy, her midnight wings slightly unfolded at her sides, her sexy latex-clad thighs spread for me as I throbbed inside her.

I cleared my throat. “Maybe to save time, we can continue this in the shower, so we’re kind of killing two birds with one stone.”

She rolled her eyes. “Not the analogy I would have gone with, but it works.”

“Oh?” I said playfully. “What would you have used?”

“Hmm, probably ‘filling two needs, with one deed,’” she said with a grin.

“Yeah, I actually think I like that better,” I agreed. “So then, does that sound good to you?”

She giggled again -- a sound I never wanted to stop hearing. “Well mister, you’ll have to pull out if you want me to get up. You’ve kind of got me locked in place right now.”

“Not sure I have the willpower to do so.”

She grinned. “Yes, I can see this big guy is very happy right now, right where he is.”

“Very happy,” I agreed.

She chuckled all over again. “Oh alright, force me to be the strong one, why don’t you.”

With surprising speed, she used her hands on the bed to slide herself away while also tilting her pelvis just enough to cause me to slip right out, only to abruptly roll over and scurry away, practically dancing as she slipped off the bed and began skipping to the master bathroom.

I knew the chase was on, but I also knew what happened when we got too carried away with ‘the chase,’ so I decided to be more modest with my speed as I scooted out of bed to go after her.

Ah, who was I kidding?

We still fucked like wild animals once we were in the shower together.

Afterward, we both dressed, with her wearing skinny jeans and a black corset-style cotton shirt that zipped up in the back, leaving plenty of room for her wings while also being fairly modest. Sure, her slim shoulders were mostly exposed, but it hid the rest of her torso completely.

I suspected she was trying to hide most of her skin on purpose, since I might otherwise get distracted by her tan legs if she wore shorts. Or by her cute belly if her shirt wasn’t long enough. Shit, her small tight ass was still amazing in those jeans, whether she hid it or not.

But knowing we needed to be more serious now, I distracted myself by mentally checking in with my other women, as Miriam and I walked hand-in-hand down the hallway, and then the grand foyer stairs, in order to head to the dining room for an actual breakfast. More than likely, Miriam probably wouldn’t be eating, since she didn’t need to eat to begin with, but I was definitely hungry.

I knew it was late morning now, but I was surprised to realize that Avery was already in fourth period, Pre-Calculus with Mrs. Hayes, which meant it must be about 11 AM, more or less. When I checked in on her, my blonde classmate was actually casually socializing with Natalie through their bond, both of them seeming to be doing alright despite the lack of sleep.

She didn’t seem to notice that I was paying attention to her, so I quickly checked on Serenity and Gwen too, the latter of whom was with Gabriella in the dining hall, both of them currently eating…

Steak?

And eggs?

They were eating steak and eggs for breakfast?

“Umm,” I said hesitantly as we stepped off the bottom of the stairs and began walking underneath the twin staircase that led to the dining hall entrance, realizing I could smell it too, not having quite noticed sooner simply because Miriam’s natural scent was so overpowering. “They’re eating meat?”

Miriam squeezed my hand gently, not responding.

I focused down on her in surprise, only for Gabriella to speak up as we walked into the massive dining room area.

“Oh, hey handsome! You’re finally awake.”

“Good morning,” I replied simply, only to focus back down at Miriam. “Is this for me?” I asked seriously.

She shrugged.

“Miriam…” I said hesitantly. “You don’t need to change for me. If it makes you uncomfortable to be around meat, then I’m fine with abstaining too.”

She finally sighed, blowing a loose strand of red hair out of her chiseled face. “Well, I’m kind of doing it for everyone,” she finally admitted, focusing up at me. “It’s obvious everyone who has received your blood needs meat, at least in the beginning. And well…” She sighed, her green eyes tightening. “I’m also preparing for the possibility that my dietary needs might change when you give me your blood. Right now, I could go without food completely if I wanted to, but that might not be the case afterward.”

I frowned as I considered that, not having really thought that far ahead, realizing she was probably right. I mean, both she and Gwen would be the first two people who weren’t at least a little human, both being wholly a different species. There was no telling what would actually happen, or how they might change, in response to my blood.

Miriam especially.

“Umm, speaking of which,” I commented, still holding her hand. “I should probably give some of my blood to Rosa soon, just to confirm that she will even change in response to it. And maybe Gwen too? If she wants.”

Miriam nodded. “For Gwen, I’d rather wait until tonight, since I’d like her to watch over Rosa while she’s changing during the day, and I may also need Gwen’s help with your training.”

“Oh, okay.” I paused. “Wait, so then what about you?”

She grimaced at that, only to sigh. “Honestly, I’m hesitant to do it before this meeting with your biological father. If the transformation didn’t turn out well, or if something otherwise happened to me, then you probably wouldn’t go to this thing on Saturday, which could potentially cause a lot of problems for you.”

“Miriam…” I said hesitantly, only to sigh. “I mean, we don’t have to do it if you’re really worried, but I’d like for you to be protected from compulsion.”

“I know,” she agreed. “And I wouldn’t mind that either. I guess it’s just that I’ve been the same way for so long, that it makes me nervous possibly becoming something different…like how Natalie became something akin to a hellhound.”

“But Gabriella became more succubus, right? So maybe nothing will happen? Other than you becoming immune to compulsion.”

“Maybe,” she said with a shrug, only for her tone to become more playful. “But enough talk of that for now, baby. We’ve got a lot to do today, so eat up.”

I sighed, bringing her hand up to my mouth to kiss the back of it, before letting go entirely to go sit down next to Gabriella. There was already a plate there waiting for me, currently covered with a metal dome, which was doing a surprisingly good job of keeping the food warm, since it let out a huge puff of steam when I lifted the lid.

Steak and eggs, seasoned to perfection.

My mouth was already watering.

As I sat down, glancing briefly at Gwen who was all smiles as she ate, Gabriella spoke up again. “So I was talking with Avery’s mom just a little bit ago, and she’s on her way now.”

“Oh, what’s Michelle been up to this morning?” I wondered, grabbing my utensils to begin cutting into the steak, knowing that Miriam appeared to be making a brief trip to the kitchen.

“Not a lot. She slept in, and then was just at your house checking in on Natalie. I think she cooked her breakfast. But her first message is actually what woke me up. I asked if she was going to stay there, or come back over here, and she didn’t seem sure what to do, so we talked it out.”

I nodded, trying not to drool over how juicy and perfectly cooked the steak was as I took my first huge bite.

Damn, even if that lady who was cooking was a bit unappealing physically, her skills in the kitchen really changed my opinion about her. Not that I typically judged people by how they looked, but damn, this food was so good.

After swallowing, I continued. “Was she worried about not being welcome here, or something?”

Gabriella nodded, reaching out for her glass to take a sip of orange juice. “Yeah, I think it was that, and also just wanting to make sure Natalie wasn’t feeling left out. I mean, she was the one who decided to hang out at your place, but I think Michelle was considering keeping her company.”

I swallowed hard at that, suddenly remembering the game I’d played with Rebecca, Avery, Michelle, and Natalie on Tuesday afternoon, recalling the latter two ending up in bed together, and all the hot passionate sex that followed once I got involved.

I doubted Michelle would be thinking of anything sexual when she was considering keeping Natalie company, especially when the direct link Natalie and Avery shared might affect the younger blonde at school, possibly causing her to transform in the middle of class, but just the general idea was really turning me on.

I knew I had to stay focused though.

I’d already taken one minor deviation with Miriam this morning, and while sex would probably be on the menu later on, I needed to make sure I wasn’t getting carried away and wasting too much time on it.

“So, what time will she be here?” I wondered simply, trying to focus more on my meal, taking a big bite of eggs. Given that my bites were so massive, I was already almost done devouring what was on my plate.

Gabriella shrugged, her tone casual. “Probably in about thirty minutes, more or less. I think she left about half an hour ago.”

I nodded, taking another huge bite, mentally focusing on Serenity to find her doing deskwork again.

Actually, now that I thought about it, she’d never shared whether or not there had been any consequences for her being the first at the scene when I rescued Gabriella, but I felt like the amount of time she seemed to be at her desk the last couple of days was not normal. Maybe she got benched for a week or two, and didn’t want Gabriella to feel bad about it.

My redhead fiancé continued. “Oh, and my mom will probably be on her way soon too. She said the closing was at 11 AM, but it shouldn’t last longer than one to two hours at most.”

“What time is it now?” I wondered, having no clue where my phone was, after I’d thrown it out of the shower last night.

Gwen spoke up right away at that. “Master, I placed it on the end table next to the couch where I was sleeping last night. Would you like me to go retrieve it for you?”

At first, I was going to decline and suggest I’d get it later, but she seemed so hopeful that she could do something for me, that I almost said yes. However, I realized that the phone itself could be another distraction, when I otherwise needed to be focused.

Still, Gwen looked like she really wanted me to ask her to do something.

I glanced at Gabriella. “Umm, if she grabs my phone, would you mind holding onto it for me?”

My busty fiancé nodded. “Yeah, of course. I’m fine with that.”

I focused on Gwen. “Then yes, please grab it for me. Thanks.”

“You’re very welcome, master,” she replied sincerely, wiping her mouth on a cloth napkin and then rising to her hooves to go do as I’d asked.

Miriam came back out of the kitchen just as the devil maid exited the dining hall. Of course, being able to hear just fine thanks to having part-ownership of Miriam’s domain, I knew nothing overly special happened in the kitchen, with the short minx simply socializing with the cook for a few minutes while the rest of us ate. Not that I was overly concerned about it to begin with.

“Where’s she off to?” Miriam wondered.

“Just grabbing my phone. I’m almost done eating,” I added. “Where are we going after that?”

The short succubus pulled back the tall chair in front of me and plopped down, looking so sexy in her simple jeans and fitted black cotton top. “Actually, we can probably start with talking a little, and then I’ll take you to the range to see where you are, in terms of both offensive and defensive magic.”

“The range?” I said in surprise. “Where is that?”

“To the east, on the other side of the wall as the garage. And when I say range, it’s designed more as an archery range. Though there’s really no reason why someone couldn’t do some target practice with guns there either.”

I nodded as I considered that, being well aware that, despite the fact that I’d literally run most of her property a few nights ago, there was a lot I still hadn’t seen closer to the mansion. For one, I knew she had several vehicles, one of which was a behemoth off-road monster that was also Gwen’s favorite toy, yet I’d never actually been to the building where they kept them.

And if all this was on the east side, then I knew that was the reason why.

Because not only had I not visited the library on the east side, but I likewise had never walked around that side of the house. Or on that side of the wall, for that matter. No doubt I’d missed a lot when trying to scope out the two-thousand acres in only a few hours, only having my own spatial awareness to go off of, when attempting to cover as much ground as possible while avoiding checking the same areas twice.

“So then, what do you want to talk about first?” I wondered, taking my second-to-last bite of food.

Miriam pursed her lips. “Well…it’s very obvious that, not only do you have a natural talent for certain types of magic, but those who are like you do as well. In particular, Natalie and Avery.” She paused, seeming to evaluate my expression, as if she was searching for something. She then continued when I simply swallowed and took my last bite. “I talked to Natalie while she was here last night, before you got here, and asked her for more details about the incident. She said that the spell she used -- the one that turned her blood into a wall of fire -- came from your head.”

I frowned at that. “Well…yes,” I admitted. “But I mean, spells are just the verbalization of what you want to happen, right? It’s not like that spell was anything special.”

“Perhaps,” Miriam offered, putting her elbows on the table, interlacing her fingers and resting her chin on them. “But there’s also the fact that you used my healing spell on me, when my legs were broken. And not only used it, but also shortened it, losing none of its effect.”

I shrugged, taking a deep breath as I pushed my plate away. “What’s so weird about that?” I wondered. “I mean, I’d just died, and dying really pissed me off. Which I guess gave me a lot of magical power. Speaking of which, is that normal? To get magical power from anger?”

Miriam frowned at that. “Is it possible? Yes, for certain types of creatures. Is it normal?” She paused. “Well, that’s a difficult one to answer. Hard to say what is normal for you, in particular. For a succubus like myself, gaining magical energy from anger is not possible. And for an incubus, I again do not believe it is possible.”

I nodded. “Okay, but I’m guessing it’s similar to gaining energy from lust or passion, right?”

“Yes,” she agreed. “But what makes it unique is that you are the one generating the magical energy for yourself.”

My brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Well, with lust, I can’t use my own. I have to get it from someone else.”

I felt dumb for even asking. “Oh, of course. Sorry, that was a stupid question.”

She closed her eyes briefly and gently shook her head, her chin still resting on her interlaced fingers. “Not at all, my love. There are no stupid questions here, okay?”

I nodded. “So do you think it would be possible for me to also get magical energy from another person’s anger?”

Miriam pursed her lips again, seeming briefly pensive. “Honestly, I wouldn’t know. That’s something you would have to find out on your own.” She paused when I inclined my chin. “However, going back to your original question, the thing that is so weird about all this, is just the fact that you’ve required no training at all to use certain types of magic. As if you truly have a natural talent for it. And having an affinity for certain types of magic doesn’t really explain it, in my opinion. I mean, you even created your own spell to free Natalie from her former alpha. That’s kind of unheard of.”

“I think I was angry in that situation too,” I admitted. “Angry at what he was doing to her. Did we ever tell you what actually happened?” I paused briefly when she shook her head slightly. “The guy was practically breaking her arms, forcing her to transform partially, but making her arms snap the wrong way. As a sort of punishment.”

Miriam grimaced at that, seeming sincerely concerned. “I wasn’t aware of those details, but I can understand how you felt.”

I nodded. “Although, I don’t want to rely on my anger as a main source of energy, if possible. I’d like to understand more about how I can store magic, and how I can use it more efficiently.”

She sighed, her emerald eyes glancing at Gwen entering the room again, my phone in hand, before refocusing on me. “Well, I do have some bad news there. Most people can’t store very much expendable magic in their own bodies. Succubi and incubi can, to an extent, but that’s the energy that we need to stay healthy. You can use it for spells, of course, but you risk making yourself sick if you don’t replenish it fairly quickly.”

I took a deep breath, watching as Gwen handed off the phone to Gabriella to hold onto. “So, then it’s as I thought,” I replied simply, feeling pensive as Gwen walked back out of the dining hall for an undisclosed reason. “But then, how do people fight with magic in longer battles? Or is that not a thing?”

Miriam shrugged her delicate shoulders just slightly, her chin still on her interlaced fingers. “Well, that’s why gems and crystals are so important. And likely why that man you killed yesterday was wearing those rings. Jewelry is the primary method to both imbue spells that can be used by almost anyone, and also the method to store magic. Diamonds and opals are both especially good at storing magical energy for the sole purpose of saving it for later, retaining the energy deposited even after hundreds of years, but also decent are sapphires, rubies, and of course carnelians.”

Well, shit, I supposed that made sense.

Kind of sucked that storing more magic internally wasn’t feasible, but at least being part-incubus meant I did have a reserve. It was just a reserve that would need to be replenished quickly, for my own health, if I ever used it all up. Although, I had to admit that I did also have some capacity to hold even more than what my body felt like was enough to keep me satiated, but depending on how I used it, I could burn through that magic fairly quickly.

Either way, one thing was clear.

It was wisest to have an additional backup reserve. The kind I’d have to wear.

“Okay, so how best do you think I could go about getting an extra reserve? Should I wear a ring or something? How much magic can even fit in a ring?”

Miriam grimaced. “Unfortunately, I’m not sure it would be wise for you to walk around with any kind of crystal infused with magic. At least, not right now.”

“How come?” I asked in surprise.

She sighed, finally sitting back up fully and leaning back in her chair. “A couple reasons. For one, I think you’re assuming that you’ll be able to easily use the magic from an opal or diamond, but that’s actually its own skill. One that often takes months to train. Both to draw out magic from a crystal, and to also store magic in a crystal.”

“Oh,” I said simply, surprised to hear that. I’d witnessed Miriam store magic in opals so easily that I’d just assumed it was something anyone could do. But clearly, it was only quick and easy for her primarily because she’d been doing it for thousands of years.

She abruptly held her finger up, as if anticipating that I was going to say more. “Of course, it’s possible that you might have a natural talent for that too, but then that just brings me to the second reason.” She sighed, dropping her hand. “Hiding that you are carrying around some kind of object infused with magic is almost impossible, which means you’re practically announcing to everyone else that you’re carrying a loaded gun. Now, if you’re alright with your biological father discovering that you’re quite adept at magic, and are prepared to use it, then that’s one thing. But if you want to avoid drawing attention to yourself, then I think it’s best to focus on seeing what you can do with the magic you can store in your body.”

“I guess that makes sense,” I realized. “I mean, I knew right away that those rings that guy was wearing were something special.”

“Exactly,” she agreed. “And as your third-eye grows stronger, so will that ability to perceive such things. I’m afraid that showing up to meet your father for the first time, with any kind of ring imbued with magic on your finger, would be a poor idea.”

“Makes sense,” I repeated. “But then, what exactly do you plan on teaching me?”

She nodded, holding up her finger again, this time to illustrate. “One, you obviously have an affinity for fire magic, so I want to teach you to use it more effectively. However, with magic, the best defense is not a better offense. Meaning…” She held up a second finger, giving me the peace sign. “Two, I want to teach you how to create a barrier to protect yourself from magical attacks.”

“And physical attacks too?” I wondered, glancing up when Gwen walked back into the room, her hooves clacking on the hard floor as if she were wearing high heels.

Miriam shook her head, her chin-length red hair bouncing slightly. “Honestly, I don’t think there’s enough time to teach you a spell to defend against physical attacks. And with your ability to regenerate so quickly, I’m less worried about you getting hurt from a knife, or even a gun.” She paused. “I mean, sure. If you somehow master a basic anti-magic ward in two days, then we can focus on other stuff. But right now, I just want to spend a tiny bit of time on teaching you to use your fire magic more efficiently, which I’m assuming you will be able to pick up much quicker than the average person. And then, I want to focus on protection from magical attacks. I feel like those two things are the best use of our limited time.”

I took a deep breath, nodding. “Okay, then what’s first?”

She pursed her lips briefly. “Well…” She paused, glancing at her maid while still speaking to me. “Actually, do you want to wake Rosa up and give her your blood? And then we will go out to the range and begin your lessons.”

I nodded, focusing on Gwen too, watching her automatically begin heading in the other direction, likely to grab some syringes. “Yeah, that sounds like a plan.”

“Perfect,” she replied warmly, scooting out of her seat.

I figured we’d have to wait a few minutes for Gwen to return, especially if she was going all the way to the lab, but instead she went around the corner to the breakfast room, just before the conservatory, and was grabbing some packaged syringes out of an end-table drawer.

Gabriella spoke up, as we all stood there for a second. “Umm, and what should I do?”

Miriam shrugged, starting to walk to the end of the long table, toward the grand foyer. “Feel free to tag along. I don’t mind if you try to learn some stuff too, but just keep in mind that he’s my priority right now.”

We both began following after her, Gwen not too far behind.

“Oh. No, I definitely get it,” my busty fiancé agreed, catching up to me and reaching out to casually intertwine her fingers in mine. “Basically, it’s like he’s got to cram for a big test in two days, and I have plenty of time to study.”

“Exactly right,” the short minx replied, grinning at the sight of us holding hands as she glanced back. “And part of me hopes he really does pick up on everything quickly, but I feel like he’d be a little too talented if he did.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” I commented, recalling that the entrance to the dungeon-like basement was just past the stairs on the first floor, hidden in a tight closet space. The exact direction Miriam was heading.

Miriam hesitated as she opened the closet door. “No, it’s just…unnatural. Like, if a baby was born and started talking right away, that would be weird.”

“Is that really what his talent is like?” Gabriella asked seriously.

Miriam shrugged, entering the doorway and opening the concealed entrance that led downward. “Yeah, kind of,” she called back to us, beginning to head down. “I mean, using fire magic without a spell? There are certain monsters that can do that kind of thing, but rarely are people that talented.”

I frowned at that, letting Gabriella go first, since the concrete stairwell wasn’t quite big enough to comfortably walk side-by side. “What kind of monsters, exactly?” I asked seriously.

Miriam sighed. “Well, hellhounds, for one.”

My eyebrow shot up at that. “Is it possible I could be part-hellhound?”

The sexy minx stopped at the bottom and looked up at us as we continued down, with Gwen only now closing the closet door behind us at the top. “Normally I would say no. It is absolutely impossible that you are part-hellhound. Because it’s a monster, akin to an animal.” She paused to step back a little as Gabriella joined her, followed by me. “Of course, there are creatures like werewolves that blur that line between beast and human, but there’s no such type of creature known to exist, in relation to hellhounds.”

Gabriella chimed in. “So then, does that mean Natalie is sort of the first of her kind?”

Miriam shrugged, beginning to lead the way down to the right, around the sharp corner that led to the bare rooms. “No idea,” she said simply. “But just because I don’t know about something, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

We both simply nodded, with me focusing on the floor and walls.

For me, being back down here again brought back some pretty intense memories, knowing I’d killed that monster on Sunday afternoon, after it killed me, burning it to a pile of ashes with my magic.

And knowing that there had been construction workers here most of the day on Monday, cleaning up the broken concrete and black dust, repairing the walls to make it look like nothing had ever happened. It was still possible to tell a slight difference in the color of the gray walls, distinguishing the repairs, never mind the smell of freshly dried concrete. But overall, anyone coming down here probably wouldn’t have a clue that there had been so much damage only a few days ago.

I cleared my throat as we passed the spot where I’d fought that monster…as a monster myself.

“Umm, so just wondering, but how come there’s no lingering sense of death down here?”

Miriam focused back at me as she responded. “Probably because the thing that attacked us wasn’t truly alive.”

“Really?” I said in surprise.

“Yeah, if I had to guess, I think our older vampire friend killed it, and put a spell on it to animate its body for a time. To seek out revenge for being killed, by killing everything in sight.”

“Damn, I knew he had that death ray spell, but just how powerful is that guy?”

“Don’t know,” Miriam said casually. “But if he was truly responsible for all that, then it would mean he is very adept at some very dark and very powerful spells.”

“Think Rosa would know?”

“Maybe,” Miriam replied, stopping at a metal door that was just one doorway past where I’d been kept when I first visited. “But I didn’t want to ask her so soon. I figured I’d give her some time to adjust before inquiring more about what she knows about that man.” She paused when we both nodded, Gwen having caught up. “Alright, this is it, so if you’re ready, we can get this done and then head to the range. Sound good?”

“Yep,” I replied simply, ready to get started.

FEEDBACK: Next chapter 94 will be a tiny bit of Rosa (more of her to come in a later chapter), as well as some training and learning about magical stuff.

Thoughts on this chapter?

(This one was focused on establishing the plans I have for the next 3 to 4 chapters, as well as to hint at some things to come -- some of which will hopefully be unexpected.)

Chapter 94 >>

LIST OF STORIES >>

LIST OF ARTWORK >>