The Technomancer’s Playground
Black Magic Woman
Sylvia cursed the digital gods for daring to forsake her. Her language was enough to make even a sailor blush. Still there was no signal. Her headware radio scanned the airwaves, but found nothing. She was on her own, and that was not a comfortable place to be, not right now. Her small hand tightened around the pommel of her blade. In the moonlight, the monomol looked like translucent glass. Forged from orbital crystal, the edge was not really a single molecule wide, but it was close enough. Wielded correctly, it would cut through just about anything. She drew her strength from it, used it as a talisman to banish her fears. She was Blades, and these punks didn’t understand with whom they were messing. In a straight fight, she would have stood little chance. The dogboys were just too numerous, making up what they lacked in finesse with sheer weight of numbers. But if she could bloody them here, even just a little, it might force them to take her a little more seriously. She dialled up her senses, her world expanding as everything became more acute. Different frequencies suddenly became apparent, adding an eerie halo to perceptions. Something clicked, deep inside her chest and the reflex boosters came online. She backhanded the first ganger, as he rounded the corner, knuckles hardened from long hours of practice. Still spinning, using her momentum, she lifted her heel into his temple. The impact was jarring, but he dropped broken to the floor and did not try to rise. Sylvia pirouetted, raising the katana. The gang burst into the small alley. She had chosen well and they could only approach in ones and twos. Her weapon seemed to glow, cutting the air into neon streamers. That pulled them up short. None of them wanted to be the first to face her. They growled, newly budded canine teeth slavering in both anticipation and fear. Sylvia took a single step, sword raised in a double-handed grip. The front ranks broke, and she slashed down mercilessly. Another fell, neatly bisected. That was all it took, the pack deciding that it was enough, at least for now. They scattered, and she sped them on their way with precise lunges. In moments, the alley was all but empty. She was the only one standing, but somehow it didn’t feel like a victory. It was just as she began to wipe the blade clean, that the counterattack came. Energy flared around her, the brilliant light forcing her eyes to polarise, as the flare compensation kicked in. She recognised the silken touch of magic, even as it slipped through her defences. Rule one: geek the mage. But how can you, when you never even see them? The spell captured her, mana seeping into her mind. She was sure that she wanted to resist this, but slowly it was reshaping her thoughts into a new pattern. She’d been running for so long, she was so tired. Wouldn’t it be nice to just rest for a while? Not to have to keep fighting. To just give up for a bit, to surrender, even if only for a moment. The sword dropped from her hand, clattering against the concrete. Very slowly, she sunk to the floor and joined it. Her thoughts wrapping themselves into knots. She sighed, letting go and feeling her eyes drift shut. Finally still, she sunk even more deeply. Her mind at peace, helplessly straitjacketed and still. * * * The hammering sound was getting louder, becoming impossible to ignore. Maria groaned, not wanting to wake up just yet. But it seemed that whoever was knocking, had the stamina to outlast her. Grumbling to herself, the tall, dark woman dragged herself out of the tangle of sheets. She snatched her coat from the back of the chair, as she was walking out through the bedroom door. Throwing it on, she relished its reassuringly heaviness. There was nothing like being armoured to make a girl feel special. She glanced at the security monitor, still only half awake. But what she saw there instantly cleared her head. The adrenaline surge washed away her fatigue and snapped her to full attention. The hammering continued but she only had eyes for the bundle, which lay on her doorstep. Who had sent her a bodybag and was there a body inside it? Maria reached into one of her voluminous pockets and closed her hand around the smooth object that lay inside. Shark’s reassuring presence settled around her. Dark and predatory, they were so very much alike. They had a pact, a bond. Shark granted her its strength and she helped it to feed. A bargain, struck in earlier times, regretted at leisure. But she had no time for self-analysis; right now she just needed strength. The watcher spirit faded away as she opened the door. She briefly considered chasing it down, but they were too simple-minded to yield any useful information. Instead, she allowed her perceptions to shift, gazing into the astral and looking for answers. The bag radiated a slight glow, petty magic at best. But there was nothing else out of the ordinary. It was an effort to drag the heavy weight inside, but she didn’t want to do this on the street. Maria was perspiring freely by the time she had moved the bag into the lounge. She took a deep breath, dreading what she would find inside, and then tugged hard on the large zipper. It glided open, offering no resistance and then the contents was revealed. Maria stifled a gasp. Opening the bag revealed a naked body. The woman had been cocooned in plastic wrap, with only her head exposed. Something liquid and amber oozed beneath the sheath, seeping around the edges. Her mouth had been sealed with sticky tape, and her eyes were closed in gentle repose. Maria stared at her, mouth hanging slightly open. “Blades?” she asked, confusion robbing her of certainty. She fell back on her mundane talents, trying to make sure that her friend was still alive. Sylvia’s skin was warm, coated in a slightly sticky residue. But she did not stir when Maria touched her. With a sense of relief she found the pulse, solid and regular as it thumped against her fingers. The woman’s chest rose and fell gently, deep slow breathes, as if she was only asleep. Maria had just started to peel off the tape gag when she noticed the scent. It was sweet, spicy but hiding something else, beneath its savour. She realised that it was toxic just a fraction of a second too late. The burning sensation in her fingers only a tingling counterpoint to the fire that caught the back of her throat. Poison stung her nostrils, gripping the nerve endings and climbing into the base of her brain. She staggered back, casting about for her medkit. If she could only synthesise some kind of antivenin. But every step seemed to reinforce how little time she had left. Her neurones sparked, apparently at random, sending new messages. She stumbled a little, the room swimming, and for a moment she could only hold herself upright by pressing her body against the wall. The trap had been sprung, and despite her magic, she had no defence. Maria could feel something happening, so slowly that she almost didn’t recognise it. But that didn’t last. Her pulse pounded in her head and she sucked gulps of air in ragged breaths. Sensations burnt there way into her, making the young woman gasp at their intensity. The feeling of vertigo abruptly stopped, leaving her staring at the body of her friend. She saw her with new eyes then, synapses sparking and reconnecting. Her brain became plastic and was remodelled. Something animal stirred deep within her, forcing a heart-felt moan from her lips. She had already taken two steps before she understood what she wanted. Desire built, an eruption of lust so decadent that it was almost pure. Maria knew that she had to have her, whatever the consequences. Part of her recognised the danger, but it was swamped and ignored. The plastic ripped under her fingers, spilling more amber liquid. The aroma seemed to get stronger, filling the room and still burning with each new breath. Maria’s coat flapped open, exposing the nakedness beneath. She straddled Sylvia’s body, grinding her pelvis into the unconscious woman. Juices mixed and mingled, and Maria couldn’t help but cry out in ecstasy. Her sex was on fire, and only Sylvia could quench it. Maria bent forward at the waist. Maintaining the pressure at her groin, she began to rub her breasts against her friend’s body. Slow strokes, flesh pressed into flesh. Her nipples indenting the other’s skin, tracing thick lines in the congealed syrup. Tiny pinpricks lanced up through the tender skin, forcing her to gasp, a surprised hiss of breath. More and more of the amber liquid coated her, its magic dulling her mind while stimulating her body. Maria groaned her need; finally pulling herself lower, ready to sup from the font. Sylvia’s slit glistened wetly, more amber trickling forth. She lowered her head, tongue eager to lap. Parting the other woman’s thighs, tearing more plastic in her desperate haste. Just one taste was all she needed, just to know. The air seemed to shudder, cracking into fragments. Shark did something that she didn’t even realise was possible. It manifested, forcing itself into the physical world. The megalodon’s appearance shocking and impossible in the small room. Maria screamed, shocked from her trance as the jaws flashed towards her. She backpedalled, trying to get away. Adrenaline pumped and her thoughts cleared, just a little. Pleasure still radiated through her, making her skin crawl. The need hadn’t diminished, but, perhaps just for the moment, she was back in control. She did the only thing she could think of under the circumstances. She ran, taking the stairs three at a time. If she could get the poison off of her, maybe that would help. Without pausing to remove her armoured duster, she flung herself into the shower and jabbed at the on switch. The water revived her, as she felt Shark lend her its strength again. She knew that her eyes had already become soulless black pools, but there was no one else here to notice. Her blood ran cold, gill slits opening in the side of her throat, as she accepted its gift. But despite all that, it was still a battle not to rush back downstairs and finish what she had started. She scrubbed, the act of simple cleaning quickly become far more intimate. But it wasn’t enough, it just didn’t work. There was only one thing that would satisfy her now, and she was lying downstairs, unconscious, glazed and ready to be eaten. Maria considered her options, while her fingers continued to rub and stroke. It felt nice, really so very nice. But she just couldn’t get there, instinctively knowing that she would never get there on her own. This was out of her league, she realised. She needed to bring out the big guns. Staggering out of the cubicle, she grabbed up a mirror and comb. Shark helped her, snapping angrily when she tried to look at Sylvia. Somehow they managed to make it to the garden, where her peristyle had been hidden. * * * Maria swirled the goblet carefully, inhaling the heady vapours that arose from within. She’d have preferred something darker and more Irish, but this wasn’t to slake her thirst anyway. Downing the concoction in a single gulp, she fought the urge to gag. The rum might take the edge off of it, but when it came down to brass tacks, she was still drinking blood. Magic flowed around her, ephemeral and chaotic. The Mambo concentrated on her ritual. She really didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to do this. But there was no other choice, not unless she wanted to just roll over and give up. Unconsciously she rocked her hips, pressing herself into the damp earth. Delightful twinges ran in shudders up and down her spine, but it still wasn’t enough. She called, flung out her invitation. The Loa would come, they always did. What scared her was that she didn’t know what aspect they would assume when they did arrive. Maria saw herself in the role of the tragic heroine. She strived to be good, but the weight of her decisions could never leave her slender shoulders. Death’s stalking horse, that’s what they called her. At least when her back was turned and they did not think she would hear. The candles flickered, their warm orange glow becoming a fiery red. That answered her question, Petro tonight, the darker side of her art. She had never quite taken that final step, never quite becoming bokor, but it was a near thing. The presence crashed into her without warning. Familiar in its darker aspect. They knew each other of old, having shared so much. Erzulie Dantor, scarred and buxom, protector of women and children. They fought for control, each exercising their strength. The battle was no small thing, if she failed then the spirit would hold dominion. It had happened before, though not for a long while. But not today. Today Maria held firm, clinging to herself as she started the long bargainning process. Offering up the mirror and the comb. Then more rum and more blood. Sealing their pact in the time honoured fashion. Maria took the strength, that warrior’s spirit. While Erzulie accepted the offerings, although they were both well aware that it was the freedom to experience life that the Loa truly craved. It was not comfortable, being ridden. But when the number of possibilities collapsed down to nothing, what other choice was there? * * * “What of your little friend?” The voice wondered somewhere deep inside. “She will be so terribly alone.” Maria forced herself to ignore it, to push aside the part of her than urged her to run to Sylvia’s side. She was well aware of Erzulie’s inclinations. But, although it was likely that the Loa would be immune to whatever effects the toxin might have, she couldn’t afford the delay or, indeed, the risk. The conflicting desires warred within her, but her strength had increased almost exponentially. The once overwhelming tide had receded to become just a mild irritation. She took a deep breath, feeling how the cool night air chilled her skin. Beads of sweat mixed with the potion and she began to shiver. The Loa’s chuckle forced her to clench, somewhere deep inside. It was irredeemably vulgar but stirred other longings that she desperately wanted to keep at bay. Angrily she clamped down on her control, feeling the spirit’s amusement. “Okay,” Erzulie agreed, “First to business, playtime can wait until later.” Maria wanted to make some calls, use up some markers, but she just couldn’t trust herself. Besides, she was hardly alone, not anymore. In fact, it was getting quite crowded here when she thought about it. She needed to track Blades’ journey, find who had done this to her, the person who had tried to do this to both of them. Embarrassment flared as she realised that she had spent the last few moments lost in thought, idly playing with herself. She had to get a grip. Being able to sense Erzulie’s interest did not help at all; it merely served to highlight her discomfort. Nervously she assensed her friend, shifting her perception once more and trying to fathom her aura. What she saw was like nothing she had ever encountered. Nausea tugged at her, so shocking was the utter wrongness. Whatever had happened to Sylvia and of course, was now happening to Maria herself, it was neither a spell nor some form of toxin. It had the feeling of both and yet somehow, also of something more. Sylvia was awake and aware, that much was obvious. But, she seemed locked away, unable to interact with her surroundings. Maria could tell that she was held on the brink, teetering at the point of release, but not ever quite reaching it. She could only marvel at what torment that must be. Part of her considered whether this might be what was in store for her as well, but the idea was too terrifying to contemplate. Making her friend a simple promise, she got herself dressed and prepared for whatever she would face. She idly stroked the collar of her duster, a gift from an old friend. For a moment she found herself wishing that Feral was here. But reassuring though his presence might be, this wasn’t something she could trust to anyone else. “I’ll be back for you,” she whispered, “I am going to get you out of this Sylvia.” * * * It was an easy thing to form a watcher of her own. Tearing a small piece of astral space and forming it into her minion. Conjuring origami, leaving a small, unquestioning creation. It was too stupid to trust with much, but smart enough to get the job done today. She showed the idiot creature what she wanted. Then unleashed it, letting it follow the trail. A magical bloodhound, following the scent all the way back home. The watcher spirit happily led its mistress downtown, into Bywater. Confusion gripped her as she stalked along Piety Street. This was her old stomping ground; she had even bought supplies here, back in the day. But the spirit was insistent; this was the route Sylvia had taken. The howl set her nerves jangling. Definitely augmented, it ratcheted up into the ultrasonic. She could feel Shark’s toothy grin, its condescension. There were predators here, but they weren’t the scariest thing abroad tonight. The dogboys tore out of the darkness, a ragtag group, not even close to her league. A faint tang of the familiar sweetness drifted from them, making the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Maria’s eyes were drawn to the largest of the gangers. His muscle augmentation was bulky and functional. She guessed that it was Russian or at least Eastern European. But it was the milky-white sword that he swung in clumsy and inexpert arcs, which held her attention. She recognised Ice, Blades’ katana. It was somehow obscene to see that beautiful weapon in the hands of this creature. She reached out, grasping the energies at her disposal, for a moment just revelling in those new levels of power. Then, the moment passed and she just used what she had. Shark’s strength and ferocity. Erzulie’s warrior heart and passion. Both mixed with the special something that she brought to the party herself. She became a blur, at that moment her speed almost matching Feral’s. Shark lashed out, the carved tooth biting into soft flesh. It feasted and this time she didn’t even try to stop it. The big one, who she assumed was the leader, attempted to rally his troops. She engulfed him in her hatred and he disappeared in a broiling cloud of shadow. His screams were cut short, fading into clotted gurgles. When the darkness cleared, the sword was the only solid object that remained. That was enough; the remnants fled, bomb-bursting into the night. Maria stood for a moment, letting her breathing slow. The scent lingered, her senses suddenly so much more acute. Sweet and cloying, but mixed with something else, something dark and musky. Maria saw the spell as it flashed towards her. Her vision split between the physical and astral worlds, revealing her dual nature. She snarled, focussing energy into her defences. There was an instant when she could track the sorcery back to its source, then it crashed into her shield, obliterating everything in a blinding white flash. Damn but this one was a strong bastard. “But so are you my dear,” came Erzulie’s husky whisper, “If you’d just accept what you truly are.” She shouted out a denial, angry at this intrusion. But she found herself wondering why the suggestion angered her so. Could it be that she saw some truth behind it? She had been down this route before, mistaking expediency for necessity. The ends very rarely justified the means, and once you started to think like that, well, it became the slipperiest of slopes. She tried to relocate her attacker, but they seemed to have used the distraction to make their escape. Maria tried to ignore Erzulie, instead taking on Shark’s senses once more. Blood almost choked her, overwhelming everything else. Off to the right she felt something, but the sensation was confused and unhelpful. She forced everything into defence, shoring up her defences and going turtle. The other mage showed herself. Maria didn’t recognise her, but the style was familiar enough. She’d fought these vatgrown ninja bitches before … and nearly died, she reminded herself. The woman went high tech, her needler spitting a cloud of projectiles. Maria smiled grimly as they bounced harmlessly against the invisible barrier. Nice try, but close doesn’t count, not in this game. But the spell that followed wasn’t so easily dismissed. It ploughed through her defences, clawing at her will for a moment, before she could fight it off. Where was the woman getting this power from? Maria knew that if she had tried to toss that amount of magic around, she wouldn’t have survived the process intact. She squinted, searching out the telltale signs of foci. But there just wasn’t time, fast as she was, her opponent was no slouch either. “I can help you beat her.” Came the sweet promise, “Just let me help you.” Another spell battered aside her hastily restored shield. She screamed, but whether at the mage or Loa, she couldn’t be sure. Insidious tendrils squirmed into her mind, trying to hold her. She fought the paralysis, time slowing as she endured an hour-long battle in mere seconds. Stumbling, she backed away, somehow managing to purge the evil magic. The woman’s face was a mask of anger and lust. They stared into each other’s eyes and Maria realised that she was going to lose. “Trust me,” the Loa begged, “You have choice, but it’s me or her, and you really don’t want it to be her … do you?” She bit back her reply, waiting for the next hammer blow, knowing that she had nothing left. The mage knew it too, and she wanted Maria to share that understanding, before the end. The Mambo’s shoulders slumped, dejected and outmatched. It was a desperate ploy, but the ninja bought it. Her arrogance apparently so great that she accepted the deception without question. “Just so you know. After I fry your brain, the only thing that you’ll be fit for, is being my bedslut. You and your little friend, licking and sucking for all eternity.” The mage laughed. Maria jabbed her arm upwards, letting her eyes lose their focus. The atemi strike executed perfectly. Aimed at a point six inches behind the target, her fist still accelerating as it connected. The mage gagged, hands reaching up to cover her throat. Just a little something that a friend had taught her, but if felt really good to be able to share. “Okay,” she hissed, “Give me what you’ve got, I need to finish this right now and I don’t want her dead.” The Loa exulted, flowing forward, its anticipation almost too great. Maria took the new power, letting it fill her to the brim. She gasped at the raw sensation of it, mana crackling through her. She looked down as the other woman held her bruised neck, unable to do anything but cough. She pushed it, giving the spell everything that she could. Maria spared no thought as to what might happen. She had never channelled this amount of energy before. By rights it should kill her. But instead she just let it happen and it felt so good. “Absolute power”, she realised. “Corrupting absolutely?” she wondered after a moment. No more time for thought, the magic earthed into the mage’s aura. She was too preoccupied just trying to breath. She couldn’t even raise her defences. Her pitiful attempts at resistance didn’t even slow it down. The spell settled lightly into her thoughts, and she was lost. Maria grasped at the threads of power, quickening the influence spell to permanence, and it was done. “Bedslut?” she asked quietly, her eyes flashing to black. The ninja just gazed at her, not comprehending. Maria pressed into her, twisting carefully. The other woman’s pupils dilated, cheeks reddening, as Maria made the mage want her. Erzulie goaded her on, but in truth she needed little encouragement. Whatever they had drugged her with, still flowed through her system. She was so hot right now, teetering on that brink. Just like Sylvia, only she lacked the good grace to just lie back and take it. The thought of her friend was almost enough, but she was just too far gone. The animal in her took over, and she fought not to shift. Anger boiled and her skin crawled, rippling into dark fur. The growl was quiet, threatening, but it drew her back. Senses focused back onto the physical world, as the astral faded into the background. She had felt what was about to happen and managed to stop it. Sex or death, eat or be eaten? She chose life and somewhere the Loa howled. She wasn’t gentle with the other woman, just riding the wave of power as she entered the mage’s mind. The probe went deep, searching for answers. The ninja was only a foot soldier, but she knew enough. Curiosity was something you’d have thought they would have bred out of them, but perhaps it was a survival trait. Maria saw part of the grand scheme laid out before her, and she was appalled by the ruthless complexity of it. Those bastards. Too stupid in their own arrogance to stop and ponder the consequences. They dabbled in things best left untouched. Their driving force was profit, mixed with a good helping of revenge, at least in her case. Using all the tools at their disposal, heading into territory from where nothing good ever came. Magic and tech did not mix, at least they weren’t supposed to. But the woman had no more secrets to hide and she gave the lie to that statement. This was why the toxin had felt ‘off’ somehow. Its very existence was a stain on reality. A rumour, a legend, something to scare small children, but it was real. Cybermancy, in all its hideous glory, and now pulsing beneath her skin. She felt unclean, tainted and no amount of washing would ever rid her of that sensation. The toxin itself was overly complicated, but she could understand the thinking behind it, even though it chilled her to the marrow. They wanted something that would change people. But standard psychological processes were too labour-intensive and still remained unreliable. Magic was better, but to be made permanent it required an investment of power that precluded large-scale application. This toxic was supposed to give the best of both worlds. She thought back to Sylvia, lying at home, trapped in her permanent state of arousal. The same thing was happening to her right now. Only the magic was holding it back. But she had merely slowed its progress, not stemmed the tide completely. Trapped, incapable of achieving orgasm, but so desperate. Leaving them open and susceptible, ready and eager to do what ever they were told, if only they would be granted that release. Maria plundered the woman’s memories, searching for a way to escape that fate. But it was no good. The mage knew that there was a way to unlock this mystic anorgasmia, but she had never been told the details. Her role was to be the collector, to capture the test subjects and transport them to the drop off point. Maria latched onto that, tracing the directions in the woman’s mind. That was where she would find her answers, and that was where she had to go. Erzulie’s presence became sharper. The spirit wondered aloud. Just what undertaking would Maria require before she freed her friend? She shushed the Loa to silence, but couldn’t stop her thoughts from heading down the track she had opened. Delightful ruminations that served only to worsen the longing she felt. She was tempted to launch her assault immediately, but a mixture of common sense and expediency prevailed. She couldn’t just leave the mage here, and even magically controlled, she would be a liability as the search for answers continued. But, perhaps more importantly, she had no idea what to do with Ice. Blades had a special scabbard, designed to hold the impossibly sharp weapon, but there was no sign of it here. Maria knew full well that she had more chance of injury herself, rather than anyone else, with the blade. In short, she couldn’t take it where she needed to go. But the idea of just leaving it there, for some other thug to find, just didn’t bear thinking about. There was nothing else for it, she had to go back home. “To Sylvia”, the soft voice whispered quietly. * * * It was worse that she had expected. Her own desire had built slowly, growing in imperceptible steps, until it was almost strong enough to overwhelm her again. Perhaps Erzulie wasn’t helping as much, or maybe it just really was that strong. Never the less, she turned to the Loa once more, asking for the help that she needed. The spirit feigned reluctance, but Maria could see through that. They both knew that she wanted something, and the Mambo decided to cut to the chase. The response shouldn’t have been a surprise. As soon as the spirit said it, she knew that it was what she had been expecting. But still, it seemed too much to give. “Take the mage”, came the seductive suggestion, “Coat her in the poison. Break her even more totally. I will give you the power that you require, but only if you show me the strength that we both know you already possess.” Maria considered it. On the surface there would be no real difference between that and what she had already done. But that didn’t tell the whole story. At the moment, she could drop the spell whenever she chose (admittedly at the cost of a certain amount of accumulated power). This toxin was permanent, however, a one-way deal from which there could be no escape. Besides which, it was wrong. The magic was twisted and corrupt. She wanted nothing to do with it. “Or,” the voice whispered, syrupy sweet and laced with suggestion, “you could finish what you started with Sylvia. Look at her, really look at her and remember what it was like. I know that you want her. I want her. We could both have her. You’ve already been dosed with the toxin, what difference would having her really make?” Her skin shuddered at the thought and once more, she had to fight the urge to shift. She could just give into her desires, but that was not really what the Loa wanted. It wanted her to enslave the mage. It wanted her to dance to its tune. The perfect double-bind, two unpalatable options, leaving her forced to choose the lesser of two evils. She pulled on her bond with Shark, hoping that the spirit might help her. But it was already giving all that it could. “If I take her,” she asked breathlessly, “You’ll keep me strong enough to finish this?” “Yes,” the voice insisted, “It does not serve my purpose to see you beholden to another. Although, the prospect of taking you for my own, does hold a certain appeal. You keep yourself under too tight a rein. I would have you let loose, unleashed, at least until such time as the leash seemed more appropriate.” Maria swallowed hard, still unable to trust herself even to gaze in Sylvia’s direction. The heat was building again and it required every ounce of self-control to keep from touching herself. Not for the first time in her life, she faced the Devil’s bargain. But she was not the naďve mystic that she once was. “I choose neither!” she shouted defiantly, forcing herself to rise. She practically ran out of her apartment, not sparing at backward glance at the two women that she left inside. The Loa’s mocking laughter followed her, but at least for the moment she had something else to focus on. It wasn’t over, and she knew that. Soon the poison would begin to affect her more deeply and that would be when the spirit would return, when she began to weaken. * * * There was only one thing left to do, and the cell phone conversation lasted all of 30 seconds. Then she climbed astride her bike, feeling the soft purr between her legs as the Rapier’s methanol engine ticked over. She gunned the throttle, letting the rear wheel spin dramatically, before launching herself onto the street. Erzulie wisely kept quiet as Maria threaded her way through the traffic. The Mambo pressed herself down against the seat, thrilling to the vibrations. The directions in the mage’s mind had been explicit and it did not take her long to find the drop off point. Parking up a block away, Maria began to ready herself. Whoever was behind this, they weren’t the only ones who could use a mix of magic and technology. She turned up her collar, almost covering her face, and pressed the recessed button which activated her camouflage. Immediately the duster changed, its surface like a chameleon, taking on the colour of its background. She concentrated for a moment, letting the magic fill her. Then she cast her spell. Her outline flickered and faded as she became invisible. Her aura masked, the mage headed out towards her target. She forced herself not to hurry, despite the approaching deadline. Maria didn’t know how much longer she had, but given how the arousal was building inside her, it would not be long. When she moved closer, it became clear that the building was a private clinic. Maria had never been adept with electronics and so dared not risk setting off any alarms. Instead she trusted to her magic and waltzed in through the main entrance. By following the “no admittance” signs, and keeping close to the staff, as they milled around, she slowly made her way deeper into the building. It required only a small part of her attention to maintain the spell, but she was well used to this by now, and hardly noticed it. Only a few relatively weak spirits prowled the corridors, and they seem completely oblivious to her presence. She had just begun to wonder at how sparsely defended the building was, and then she discovered the barrier. Normally mystical barriers were totally invisible, but this one was so potent that it was actually manifesting into physical space. The air crackled with energy, and Maria could feel something akin to static electricity. Whatever was beyond this wall, someone was very serious about keeping people out. Unfortunately, power alone wasn’t sufficient; sometimes subtle could work even better. She used a variant of masking, attuning her aura so that it could pass unnoticed through another mage’s ward. Maria trusted that the two spirits would be able to find their own way through and stepped into the wall. The air gave, just a little. It was like pushing against a membrane. Then, suddenly, it just parted before her and she was through to the other side. No alarms sounded and no spirits came to investigate. Maria relaxed, just a little, although she knew that this was far from over. It took her a little while to notice, but even the pangs of arousal seemed to have diminished. As if in response to this realisation, the aching need started up again. But she busied herself, knowing that in that way, she could keep it at bay, at least for now. Beyond the warding, security was much more evident. Elementals prowled the corridors, and it did not take any expertise to recognise how twisted they had become. Understanding dawned; she had strayed into a toxic domain. There were worse things out there, in the awakened world. In fact she had spent time with many of them, but that gave her little comfort now. Still, the spirits were not particularly powerful and, as far as she was aware, none of them could see through her concealment. Two corridors later, Maria reached the door to a small ward. She peered through the small round window. Inside were rows of hospital gurneys, each occupied by a young woman. Two nurses monitored them, moving around them in a slow dance. But that was as far as the medical imagery would take her. The girl’s nudity was not the real issue, neither were their restraints. The truly shocking thing was the complexity and sheer variety of devices, which appeared to plumb their every orifice. Her beast fought against its restraints, trying to come to surface, riding her rage. Her perceptions split again, the astral superimposing itself on the physical world. The room filled with dark shadows, the cybermancy altering the fabric of reality around it. Maria shuddered, and she felt both Loa and Shark respond in the same way. This was a crime against nature, and it had to be stopped. It was at that point that the doctor arrived. The darkness coiled around her, leaving no doubt that she was its conduit. Maria forced herself to remain still. She still didn’t know enough about what was happening. Every fibre of her being wanted to finish this, but she had to be strong. As the door opened, the scent of arousal flooded into the corridor. Her enhanced senses leapt at it, once again bringing the unnatural lust to the surface. The girls were still, paralysed at the brink of orgasm, just like Sylvia. But adding to their despair, they were being relentlessly pleasured, pushed past breaking point. Maria cringed at the thought of what they must be going through. How long would it take before they would agree to anything, so long as they were finally pushed over the edge? She forced herself to remain calm and to listen, but it was damnably difficult. Erzulie wisely kept silent, but Maria could feel her presence shifting inside her. The Loa was responding to her arousal and that couldn’t be a good thing. She pushed such thoughts aside, instead concentration on what the small oriental scientist was saying. “Good, they are nearly ready.” She told the nurses, “Get ready to bring the first one out of it and we can proceed to the subjugation.” The two women busied themselves around the first bed. She didn’t know what all of the equipment did, but it was clear that the woman’s paralysis was lifting. Her heartfelt moans could be heard, even through the heavy gag and Maria had to fight to remain in control. There was something about gag talk, the reinforcement of helplessness that came from being unable to communicate, which seemed to speak to her. It took another couple of minutes for the captive to recover to the doctor’s satisfaction. She moved closer to the restrained woman and produced a small syringe. One of the nurses loaded it for her, filling the needle with clear green liquid. It fitted neatly into the base of the probes, which even now continued to pulse inside her, plugging the woman front and back. “Listen to me”, the doctor spoke clearly, her voice imperious. The woman’s eyes flickered up to stare at the doctor. In that instant she was trapped, unable to look away. She moaned even more loudly, her weak struggles only sufficient to make her body slowly undulate. “All you have to do, is surrender. If you do that for me, then I will give you what you need.” Her cries increased yet further, as she thrashed impotently. The doctor just waited, not letting her captive look away. Once the protests had subsided, she spoke again. Her tone brooking no dissention. “When you are ready to surrender to me, Naomi, just nod. I’ll know if you mean it.” Maria found that she was frozen, forced to watch as the tableaux played out before her eyes. She could hardly breathe, and even though she tried to break the spell, it seemed no use. Very slowly, almost imperceptibly, the woman nodded. The doctor cocked her head to one side, frowning slightly. But then her expression changed and she smiled happily. “Oh Good Girl” she enthused and depressed the plunger. Naomi’s weak struggles became wild and uncontrolled. She strained against the bonds, her body bucking and fighting. She screamed, muffled slightly, but still loud enough to penetrate. Then, just as she seemed to be quieting, another wave crashed over her. Over and again the young woman climaxed, dashing away her thoughts and crashing her down into unconsciousness. The spell broke, leaving Maria stunned. The display had certainly been impressive, shocking in its intensity. It took an instant for the Mambo to realise that in the excitement, she had stopped maintaining her invisibility spell. Several things happened simultaneously. The nurses suddenly became aware of her indistinct form, surprise marring their perfect features. The doctor began to whirl, responding to some kind of sixth sense and Maria belatedly began to react. The camouflage still shrouded her, leaving only a blurred outline. The women recognised that something wasn’t right, but only the doctor seemed to see through the technology. Maria took two quick steps forward, grabbing one nurse’s arm and sweeping it back until the shoulder joint locked. There was a moment of tension and then she completed the kaitennage technique, throwing the nurse to one side. The woman crashed into the side of a bed, slumping to the ground and lying still. The Mambo didn’t stop moving, instead making a knife-hand strike to the side of the second nurse’s face. The yokomen'uchi attack stopped the other woman short. Maria pressed her advantage, dropping low to flip the nurse over her hip and send her crashing to the floor with a near-perfect koshinage. It was all over in seconds, the mage’s magically augmented reflexes allowing her to move with lightning precision. Then it was just the two of them. If the slight woman was at all surprised, she gave no hint of it in her expression. Instead she regarded Maria with almost clinical detachment. “My,” she breathed, “you are a little toughie aren’t you? How much effort is it costing you, just to keep from falling to your knees and trying to satisfy that itch?” Maria tried to ignore her. The key was whatever the nurse had loaded into that syringe. But she still didn’t know enough to risk just taking it. It seemed unlikely that the doctor would volunteer the information, and that only left the hard way. She grinned to herself. Actually, that way was her favorite. “One chance”, she told her, “You tell me how to fix this and I leave you the use of your arms.” The doctor’s only response was to hurl a spell. Maria was again surprised by the sheer potency of the attack. Where were these people getting that much power from? She recognised the energy as it disepated against her defences. A simple stundart, but more than enough to take her out of the fight if it connected. But she had learnt from her earlier battle and her counterattack was devastating. Mystical combat was a delicate balancing act and the tactical opportunities were many and varied. But, focus too much on attack and your defence would suffer. Maria had guessed that both mages had been throwing everything they had into their spells. That left precious little with which to protect themselves. Her illusion slipped easily past the woman’s flimsy shield, rooting itself deeply within her mind. The doctor looked down in horror, as angry wounds began to open all over her body, blood staining the expensive material of her suit. She screamed, horror and fear clouding her judgement for a moment. Maria stepped close, ready to administer the coup de grace and that was when Erzulie stopped helping. The gnawing desire which had been her constant companion and which at times seemed almost unbearable, suddenly became an inferno that threatened to consume her. Maria gasped, unable to do anything for a moment, except feel. She had no idea, couldn’t possibly have imagined what this was like. Was this what the girls were feeling, was this what Sylvia was feeling, right now? “Now it is time to talk about our relationship.” The Loa’s soft voice seemed to fill her mind. Nothing intelligable came from her lips, she just sank slowly to the floor. Some small part of her tried to maintain her spell, but it was just one of too many distractions. She reached out to Shark, but knew instantly that it had no more to give her. Dimly she realised that could take what she needed, but it was only a thought, she couldn’t bring herself to destroy an ally even to save herself. Grimly she held on to that thought, it was what made her strong. She might skirt a dangerous course, but she would never allow herself to fall. “Open yourself to me. Give yourself to me,” the Loa promised, “and I will give back what I have withdrawn.” Maria cursed the spirit, finding strength in that anger. She could feel the power slipping out of her grasp as her spell began to unravel. But the burning passion was just too much; it overwhelmed everything, leaving nothing else. She realised that at some point she must have unzipped her suit but couldn’t remember when. One hand had already delved inside and was engaged in a futile attempt to reach the crescendo she so craved. “Choose quickly,” the spirit demanded, “or the decision will be taken out of your hands.” The Mambo winced at the pun, but couldn’t ignore the fact that the doctor was about to escape. She harboured no illusion that she would be able to fend off the mage, and a distant part of her mind actual welcomed the fact. At least if the doctor took her, she would be allowed that release. “Now!” Erzulie demanded, “Do you yield?” The spell failed, releasing the doctor from its grip. The other woman looked at herself for a split second, seeing the wounds disappear and suddenly understanding what had happened. Then she turned her attention back to Maria, her smile turning predatory as she saw how the other woman had fallen to her knees, just as she had predicted. Maria fought her own internal battle, somehow still aware of everything going on around her. She ground herself into her hand, fingers rubbing with an urgency born of total desperation. She could feel, but it just wasn’t enough, it would never be enough. She was almost there; just a single step and she would no longer have the energy to care. One more step and she would agree to anything, if only she was allowed to cross that final threshold. Frustration filled her but it was unfocussed. She couldn’t tell who she was most angry with, herself, the mage, Erzulie? All of these and more. She needed a miracle, but that just wasn’t going to happen. The doctor drew the energy into herself, another stundart, ready to dash away her consciousness. Maria knew that she would wake up restrained, just like the other woman, and pleasured beyond endurance until she only lived to do as she was told. The Loa kept her stubborn silence, waiting for Maria to choose, and then, suddenly, she did. “Sylvia!” she screamed, finally giving in to her anger. The Loa felt what was coming, but was unable to flee. There were three powers, which could have sustained Maria against the poison. Erzulie’s betrayal had reduced those to only two. While the Mambo was happy to accept what Shark offered, there was another well, one from which she chose not to drink. But the cornered prey was the most dangerous of all and when there were no other options, even forbidden fruit could suddenly seem more palatable. Maria tapped into ‘the beast’ and for the first time she just let herself change. Normally she tried to retain control, but there was no strength to spare. The only pain was from the pressure as she literally ripped out of her clothing. The rest was pure pleasure, ripples of delight running over her body as it warped and shifted. She cried out, the cry becoming a snarl as her teeth elongated and muscles rippled under velvet fur. The doctor could only stare as her victim abruptly changed from defeated girl to very angry leopard, in the blink of an eye. Yellow eyes regarded their victim, lust burning into something far darker. The dart of energy leapt from the mage’s outstretched hand, only to be torn to pieces as the leopard’s astral form launched forward to intercept it. Hunger burnt in the creature’s eyes, showing no hint of human understanding. There was nothing here to mate with, but the scent of fear was almost overpowering. The doctor waved a container at the animal, screaming out in fear and horror. But the words had no meaning, becoming just another annoyance. She tensed, settling onto her haunches, prepared to spring. She could feel the warm blood pulsing just beneath the surface of the all too soft skin and longed to taste it. The woman’s terror was driving her crazy, she smelt like prey and no other thought seemed to be able to penetrate. But this time it was Erzulie who acted, exerting the full force of her personality. The Loa seemed to expand, forcing ‘the beast’ down, although she was unable to make it withdraw completely. Maria’s awareness returned, slowly at first but accelerating with each moment that passed. She could still smell the fear, but it was no longer all that drove her. “The good doctor wants to trade her drug for her life” Erzulie informed her, “It’s not a bad deal, but I think we could get something better out of her.” Maria realised that the need had receded again, back under at least a degree of control. There was no time to berate the spirit for what happened; she had wasted enough time here already. The Mambo grabbed the box from the young woman’s hands, knowing that it contained the strange green liquid. A shadow crossed Maria’s face as she felt Erzulie trying to worm her way into her thoughts. “She’s cute”, the Loa whispered plaintively, “We should take her, add her to our harem.” “Back off”, she hissed, “We’re just taking the drug, nothing and no one else.” She jabbed out with her thumb, stabbing it hard into the pressure point behind the doctor’s ear. The woman moaned slightly before collapsing unconscious, into a heap. The Mambo paused, in silent communication with the spirit, then, grinning evilly and suddenly no longer caring about how long it took, Maria went to work. Sometime later, resheathed in her invisibility, but now lacking the benefits of technology, Maria slipped quietly out of the clinic. As she stepped onto the street, a car roared up, the passenger door sliding opening even before it had stopped. The naked woman slipped silently inside, waiting until the door had closed and they were back in motion, before she spoke. “Thanks Gimbol”, she yelled, trying to make herself heard over the thumping base track, “And you even brought a change of clothes, how sweet.” The rigger didn’t respond, but Maria knew that he had heard her. The trip home was mercifully quick, but the poison was still gnawing away at her resolve. There was no way she could have tolerated the bike ride home, not in her current condition. But she was relieved to see that the rigger had been as good as his word, packing the Rapier into the rear of his car. She and the spirit seemed to have reached some sort of uneasy truce, but she wasn’t sure how long that would last. It was time to reverse the process. Then she could dismiss the spirit and see about helping Sylvia. She opened the window a crack and dropped a cheap cell phone out, onto the street. It really wouldn’t do if someone were able to trace the prepaid phone back to her. If she had gotten her timing right, the Feds wouldn’t be raiding the clinic for some time. She grinned evilly, feeling Erzulie’s laughter mingle with her own, as they thought about how the doctor and her crones had been left. * * * Doctor Nanami recovered last. Her first reaction was to curse the Mambo as loudly as she could manage, which under the circumstances wasn’t very loud at all. Maria had eased three of the captives out of their restraints, but had used the now empty beds to house the doctor and her two assistants. The strange heat that burned into each of them, was the only clue that they had actually been poisoned. But Maria had seen fit to make sure that none of them would be raising the alarm. Probes buzz away inside them, robbing them of their ability to speak and slowly, over time, of their ability to move or even think. The remaining captives couldn’t help them; they were all too far gone. Their only hope was that someone would notice their absence. But deep down, the doctor knew that she had been beaten. Her last thought, which was focussed on anything save her building arousal, was to wonder what use would be made of them, when they were finally discovered. * * * Maria thanked Gimbol profusely but as rapidly as possible. She had to get inside quickly, while there was still time. Her body was stiffening more with each passing moment, and it would not be long before she too was frozen. The two girls waited for her, just as she had left them. Both beautiful in their own way, it was a struggle to ignore them as her heat continued to build. The Mambo fumbled with the box, finally managing to open it on her third attempt. Inside there were six vials, three containing green liquid and another three amber. She wasted no time loading her syringe, but paused, with the needle hovering over her arm. She hadn’t trusted Erzulie enough not to check the spirit’s story. It had been easy enough to sift through the doctor’s memories while she lay unconscious. But even though their stories tallied, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had forgotten something. They both agreed that the magic merely consolidated whatever agreement had been made before the orgasm hit. So, were she to swear undying loyalty to someone and then receive the second injection, that oath would bind her absolutely. Just taking the injection on its own, however, shouldn’t do anything other than break the cycle of arousal. Her body was becoming even stiffer; she could not afford to wait. She stabbed down, piercing the vein and then depressed the plunger. A line of fire burnt up her arm. The muscles trembled and then suddenly that sensation rolled up over her shoulder and into her neck. Maria’s body went taut, back bowing, muscles tonic. She cried out, a great exhalation of air. Her hips pumped, muscles clenching, looking for something to grasp. She rocked her pelvis and wave after wave hit her. Time lost all meaning, the moment seemed to stretch into eternity and still the pleasure hadn’t reached its peak. She began to move more vigorously, the rocking becoming thrusting and then grinding. Maria panted, sobbing as the orgasm continued, until finally, blissfully, it reached its pinnacle and she was allowed to descend. Coming back down in tiny shivering stages. Finally spent, muscles quivering in sweaty exhaustion. “Well, that was nice”, came the Loa’s soft laugh, “We should try that again.” “Time for me to send you back”, Maria muttered groggily. She lacked the strength to do anything about it, but the spirit had definitely outstayed its welcome. She was somewhat surprised when the spirit made its next suggestion. “I have a bargain for you”, it whispered, “Hear me out before you say no. But Maria wasn’t playing. She was still smarting from the earlier betrayal, fool me once … and she wasn’t going to let it try again. She muttered the rote, sending the spirit back to its own realm, or at least she tried. The spirit’s sad chuckle was infuriating. “That’s what I was going to mention, if you’d have let me”, it told her, “I’ve been trying to leave since just before you let that beast have sway. It doesn’t play well with others, and by that point it was pretty clear that you didn’t like my ideas anyway.” The Mambo shook her head in confusion. Spirits only stayed beyond their summoning if they somehow managed to break free. But if Erzulie was trying to flee, and found that she couldn’t, that didn’t sound like any kind of freedom that Maria recognised. She gritted her teeth, trying to remain calm. “Ok”, she sighed, lethargy mixing with frustration, “What are you offering?” “You want rid of me,” it began, “and no offence, but I want out as well. You’re mind is a scary place, and where I’m coming from that’s quite something to admit.” Maria waited for the spirit to continue, unwilling to prompt it. She just wanted to help Sylvia and then get some sleep. In a selfish moment, maybe even just to sleep first. If Erzulie was being honest (a dangerous assumption), then she would want to continue. “I can’t go back where I came from. But you do have a perfectly good body going spare.” Maria considered that for a moment. Several things bothered her about the idea, not least the fact that the spirit almost seemed to be asking her permission. “If you can do that”, she asked quietly, “Why haven’t you already possessed her?” The Loa’s laughter filled her mind, setting her nerves jangling. The amusement was not entirely feigned, although there was a hint of something darker mixed with it. “Because at the moment, my dear Maria, in case you have forgotten, this body is under your thrall.” The Mambo filed away that piece of information, at the same time feeling her cheeks redden as she realised that she had indeed forgotten that fact. She had no idea that her magic might affect a possessing spirit. But in truth there was so much that she didn’t know about metamagic. She certainly didn’t want the Loa to be stuck in her head, and on the surface at least, there was little difference between enslaving someone with magic and letting a spirit possess them. If she stopped to think about it, Maria was sure that she would see flaws in that argument. But some form of resolution was necessary, and sooner rather than later. “Okay”, she said quietly, “I’ll dispel my magic on the count of three.” She felt the spirit nod and began the slow count. On three the ninja was allowed a split second of shocked awareness before the Loa ruthlessly smashed into her. The young mage’s eyes flared, and her body stiffened. Maria watched the hopelessly one-sided war, preparing to step in should things not go Erzulie’s way. But in the end, the mage had been too badly weakened already. She put up a stiff fight, but it was never going to be sufficient. The smile that the woman suddenly gave her was deeply disturbing. She spoke, her voice silky and almost irredeemably lewd. “That is so much better, no scary monsters in here”, the woman told her, tapping her index finger against her temple. Maria ignored her, pointed turning her back on the spirit as she began to ready the syringe. Erzulie seemed happy to try out her new body, delighting in its perfection. The Mambo carefully tapped out the bubbles, knowing that it wasn’t really necessary but carrying out the small task anyway, using it to help her to regain some focus. “You don’t mind if I stick around here for a bit?” the Loa asked after a moment, “Just until I find my own place to stay.” Maria’s face went white and she practically shook with rage, she stepped up to the woman, pressing her face close. Her hissed response was almost pure venom. “I mind very much”, she told her, “The only way you are staying is if we agree to some ground rules.” Erzulie laughed in her face, an explosion of mirth, which was calculated to cause maximum offence. Maria half turned, hands held tightly against her sides. Then she whirled back round to face her. There was a blur of motion, the Mambo moving almost faster than the eye could see. Erzulie staggered back, clutching one hand to her throat. “You, you”, she stammered as a small trickle of blood ran between her fingers, “You Bitch! What the hell do you think you are doing?” Now it was Maria’s turn to laugh. She waved the empty syringe in front of the other woman’s face, letting her see the yellow droplets left within. “I think that I’m drugging you”, she told her simply, “and when you’ve had long enough to marinade, we’ll have that chat about ground rules.” The Mambo turned her back on the other woman, confident that she was now too far gone to be any kind of threat. Instead she turned her attention back to Sylvia. A second syringe, this one filled with the correct chemical, ready in her hand. She stopped; it would be so easy to place some sort of conditions on her right now. Shock filled her; she couldn’t believe that she was even thinking such a thing. This was her friend, not some vat-grown ninja possessed by the spirit who had sought to betray her. Maria jabbed the needle home, forcing the mixture into Sylvia’s bloodstream. The reaction was, if anything, even more impressive than her own. Sylvia fought through her paralysis, screaming and crying with each new climax. The shocked Mambo could only watch, with a mixture of surprise and awe. It was too much, she was still too wired from her own experiences and the display helped to push her over the edge yet again. Her own response was far less intense, nowhere near as loud or uncontrolled. But they still climaxed together, mutual release, which seem to feed into each other’s desire. Eventually they stopped, Sylvia lapsing almost immediately back into unconsciousness, drained by her ordeal. The two women clung to each other briefly, basking in the post orgasmic glow. Sylvia’s body continued to shudder, still rocked by small aftershocks, even as her eyes drifted closed again. Maria restrained her own shudder, unable to believe how much she had needed that. The sticky residue still clung to them both, but it seemed that it had lost its power. Very carefully she allowed her friend to slump back to the floor. Sylvia was already asleep, and she had no intention of waking her. Now was the time for sleep, and when they woke, there would be Erzulie to talk with. She briefly considered how risky a game she was playing, but then dismissed it. She was Maria de Lousan, the Witch Queen of New Orleans. She wasn’t scared of the monsters, not anymore. Now she knew that more terrifying things lurked in the shadows. Things like her! </body> </html>