"Hey sugar. Just leaving a message to check in on you. Haven't really been able to talk with you much, you know, and I'm starting to worry. I thought I said we were good? Are you alright? Just call me back when you get a chance, okay? Take care."

Slowly, Cobalt pulled his phone away from his ear, frowning uncomfortably as he flipped it shut. That was his fifth time listening to that voicemail by his count, and yet he still couldn't pluck up the courage to just ring Karazelle back. Or even look her in the eyes. Every time he tried... He would think about what happened in the gymnasium. Not just what happened with the spell he cast, but what occurred just before that.

Shaking his head, the Incubus pushed the thought from his mind and returned his attention to the slices of bacon on the pan in front of him. Lifting them out with a spatula, he placed them next to the two fried eggs already on the plate by the oven. It sat upon a tray, next to a steaming cup of coffee and a small vase bearing a few flowers.

He could deal with his own problems at another time.

As he flicked the hob ring off and carried the pan over to the sink, he heard the sound of someone scoffing in the kitchen doorway.

"The fuck are you doing here so early?"

Frowning, Cobalt glanced back to see his sister Violet standing with her arms folded.

"It's Mother's Day. I figured I-"

"That you'd what? Pretend like you finally started giving a shit?" she growled, narrowing her eyes.

The Incubus swallowed hard and slowly lifted the tray into his arms.

"I- I always cared, Violet. It's just hard to be at home when..."

"Mom still cries when she thinks of you."

He stopped in his tracks.

"Ever stopped to think about how she felt about the whole fucking thing?! It took her weeks to come to terms with letting you go!" his sister hissed, narrowing her eyes.

"Violet, can we please talk about this another time...?"

"You were there, you dumb fuck! You saw how hard she was crying when the incantation failed! And what the fuck did you do?! You just fucked off right back to college like nothing happened! Like Mom was killing herself with fear for months over the thought of you-!"

"I just couldn't bear to wear those chains any longer! It wasn't exactly a cakewalk for me either, Violet! Do you think it was easy, facing the end like that!?" Cobalt suddenly snapped, his grip tightening on the tray.

That gave Violet pause. Her face softened for a moment, giving him the opportunity to push past her.

"If you wish I had gone Incupsychotic after all, Violet, just say so," he sighed, making his way up the stairs.

Behind him, Cobalt heart her sigh discontentedly and swear under her breath.

"Ain't fair that you got to just shake it off... Should have been..."

Climbing up to the house's second floor, the Incubus swallowed hard and tried to push all negative thoughts from his head. He had always been something of a proverbial punching-bag for Violet, but once his twenty-first birthday came and went, their relationship had just gone from bad to worse.

Shaking his head, he tried to move on from thinking such dour thoughts as he progressed down the hallway.

"Even if you cut my pay, even if you make this job torture for me, I will not stand to be fettered again!"

The words that he had spat in Viola's face so many weeks ago came back to him. Why did people keep insisting on bringing up memories that he had no desire to revisit? His sister, his employer... Even that damned cat in his head...

"Get it together, Trayer... Nothing good comes from this kind of thinking..." he sighed, coming to a stop outside his mother's bedroom.

Deigning to push it to the back of his mind, he raised a fist and rapped his knuckles against the bedroom door.

"Mom? You awake?" he called, quickly checking his watch.

It was coming close to midday, and she was still asleep?

Slowly, the Incubus pushed on the door handle and inched it open. Though sunlight was streaming through the gaps in Jezebel Trayer's curtains, the Succubus herself was still lying in bed, and rather haphazardly at that. Somehow, she had managed to completely flip her duvet off onto the floor, while a few of her many pillows lay scattered all over the room, amongst the discarded clothes likely left from the night before. Taking care not to trip on any of the empty wine bottles, Cobalt made his way to his mother's side and set her breakfast tray down on her bedside table. Her nose twitched as the enticing scent of coffee, eggs and bacon reached it, but she just mumbled in her sleep and rolled onto her side.

He sighed. Though the general public tended to view his mother as an elegant and dignified woman, behind closed doors, Jezebel Trayer could be quite the slovenly layabout. Given her status as a retired actress, perhaps she earned the right live how she pleased, but honestly; it wouldn't hurt to at least try and keep her own room in order.

Well, to be fair, she had gotten a little better over the past few years. She no longer slept naked, which was a substantial plus in Cobalt's book. He had enough traumatic memories regarding Jezebel's "free and easy" lifestyle as it was.

"Mom...? I made you breakfast..." the Incubus whispered, gently shaking her shoulder.

Eyes still shut, she smiled dreamily in her sleep.

"You did...? Oh darling, you shouldn't have..." she babbled, rolling a little closer to the edge of the bed.

He raised an eyebrow. While he had no great love for his usual pet name, he had never heard his mother refer to him like that before.

"Mom...?"

"Mm... I told you to call me Jezzy, honey... Come here..."

Before Cobalt could react, the Succubus reached out and grappled him around the waist, pulling him onto her bed before he could react. Crying out, he tried to free himself, but Jezebel's hugs were the stuff of legends.

"Agh...! Mom...! I- I can't breathe...!" choked the Incubus, kicking and squirming with all his might.

Slowly, one lazy eye lolled open. Blinking a few times, Jezebel tried to focus her vision on him.

"Hunh...? Is that you, Br-?"

Both of her eyes snapped open.

"Snookums?! What are you doing in my bed?!" she gasped, recoiling a little.

Gulping down lungfuls of air that had been so cruelly denied to him, the Incubus quickly rolled out of the bed and back onto his feet.

"I- I came to visit! I made you breakfast!" he gasped, gesturing to the spread he had prepared for her.

Shaking her head, the Succubus propped herself up on one elbow and looked down at the food.

"Huh? You... made me breakfast? Whatever for?" she asked, yawning as she stretched languidly.

Turning his gaze away, Cobalt marched over to the other side of the room and pulled the curtains open, causing Jezebel to cry out with surprise.

"It's Mother's Day, isn't it? I- I haven't really been around much this past while, but now that I'm working in Brimstone, I figured... we could spend the day together?" he suggested, scratching the back of his head.

Halfway through going for the mug of coffee, Jezebel suddenly froze. Her eyes widened. She broke out into a wide grin. She was... crying?

"Really...?" she breathed.

"Um... yes?"

Without warning, she leaped at him with unfounded vigour, tackling her sun in an effort to pulling into another constricting hug.

"Oh snookums, you're so thoughtful! Come on, give Mommy a kiss~!"

"Gah! M- Mom! Y- You're gonna break my bloody ribs...!"

 

-----

 

The plan was to make Jezebel some breakfast, spend the day in town with her, then eat out before taking her home.

But sons make plans and their mother laughs, figured Cobalt, as he stared into the cup of tea before him.

Once she ate her breakfast and got dressed, Jezebel was raring to go, barely listening to him as he explained his itinerary to him. As soon as they were out the door, she immediately set about dragging Cobalt all over Brimstone. One moment, she'd take him to the high street shopping centre to browse their clothing and hobby stores. Before their receipts had even been printed, she then brought him to the local theatre to view a reproduction of one of the first plays Jezebel had ever performed in, back when she was a theatre actress. Once the show was over, he was barely able to catch his breath before his mother pulled him along on an excited jaunt through the Brimstone Nature Park. He thought that they could perhaps slow down once they found a nice bench or something to rest on, but unfortunately, his mother had other ideas. Of they went again as evening fell, with the Succubus leading the charge straight for one of the town's fancier cafés.

Normally, Cobalt would admonish his mother's short attention span and disruptive pinballing from one establishment to another, but after taking a few deep breaths, he decided to let it slide. It was her day, after all, and he couldn't remember the last time they had spent some proper quality time together.

As unwarranted as Violet's accusations were, she was right about one thing; Cobalt had been far too distant with his family.

Taking a sip of his tea, he glanced over at Jezebel, who was holding a mug of artisanal coffee in one hand as she stabbed a fork at a collection of small cakes with the other. Seated outside the café on a small terrace, they were afforded a lovely view of the town as a cool breeze washed over them both.

"Ah... This is nice, isn't it snookums?" sighed Jezebel, beaming at her son.

He returned a weary smile.

"I suppose it is."

"You haven't had much time to rest recently, have you?"

His eyes widened. Was it that obvious?

Noticing the look in his eyes, she chuckled and took a sip of her coffee.

"I know you like the back of my hand, and I can see that those girlies of yours have you rushed off your feet. Really, snookums, you ought to set aside at least a little time for yourself, you know? Lust demons may have impressive stamina, but it's not infinite," she sighed, resting her cheek on her hand.

"Th- That's-! You can't say that!"

She burst out laughing.

"I'm joking, snookums, I'm joking!"

Her smile fading, she raised an eyebrow.

"... As much as I wish I wasn't. I would still like to have at least a few grandkids, after all," sighed Jezebel, dipping her fork into a slice of black forest gateau.

"Mom!"

"Ah, can you imagine me as a Grandma? Oh, or maybe a Nana! Though I've always liked the sound of Gran-Gran too..."

As she continued to embarrass her son further, Cobalt barely registered the approach of a young Glutton until he was standing right next to the table, clutching a small notebook to his chest. The two Trayers turned to face him with differing smiles; one welcoming, the other forced.

"M- M- Miss Trayer?" he asked in a quiet voice, his tail wagging nervously behind him.

For a split second, Cobalt saw his mother tense up, before she released a gentle sigh and smiled warmly at the newcomer.

"It's Mrs. Trayer, sweetie," she corrected in a soft voice.

"O- Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"No worries at all. Now, what can I do for you?"

Unable to meet the Succubus' gaze, the Glutton held the notebook out in front of him.

"I- I'm a huge fan of yours, Mrs. Trayer. I- I- I've watched all of your movies, a- and the recordings of your stage performances, too. C- Could I maybe, um... Could I get a..." he stuttered, barely able to piece a sentence together in front of his idol.

Laughing gently, Jezebel reached over and took the notebook from his hands before gently tousling the boy's hair. His green cheeks went bright red.

"An autograph, is it? Of course, sweetie, of course... Let me just..." she murmured, reaching into her purse.

She rummaged around for something to write with, but all Jezebel was able to turn up was an empty lipstick tube, a few expired salon coupons and an instruction manual for an electric vib-

Cobalt tore his gaze away.

Dammit, Mom!

"Ah, hm... Snookums, would you have a pen I could borrow?" she asked, glancing up at her son.

"Oh, yes, of course," he replied, reaching into his shirt pocket.

Though his job generally demanded he keep numerous pens on him at all times, Cobalt found himself caught a little short lately, as all he had on him was a red biro he used for correcting assignments. He was long overdue for a stationary run, but as ever, money was a little tight.

"This is all I have, I'm afraid," sighed the Incubus, handing it to Jezebel.

"No worries, this'll do nicely."

Signing her name in loopy, cursive script, the Succubus leaned forward and kissed the front page of the notebook, leaving a sizable lipstick stain just below her signature. She handed it back to the flustered Glutton, who just thanked her profusely before scuttling off with a noticeable spring in his step.

"I had no idea I still had fans... Really makes me consider coming out of retirement sometimes," she laughed with a smile, twirling the pen between her fingers.

Before Cobalt could stop her, she tugged open the front of her dress and dropped it straight into her cleavage, much to his alarm.

She raised an eyebrow at his horrified face.

"Th- That was the only pen I have...!"

Her own eyes widened as she glanced down at her chest.

"Oh, sorry snookums! Agh, me and my old habits; I'll get it for you now, one second," apologised Jezebel, fiddling the the buttons on the front of her top.

"N- No! No, it's fine! You can keep it, I'll find another one I'm sure!"

"Tch, don't be such a martyr, just let me-"

"Mom, for the love of all that burns, you're in public!"

His ears suddenly pricked up at the sound of a familiar clacking noise. High heels on stone.

"Jezebel? Is that you I hear?" called a commanding voice from below.

Glancing at each other, the two Trayers got out of their seats and peered over the railings at the edge of the terrace at the footpath by the road. There, none other than Karazelle and Viola stood peering up at them, each dressed in casualwear. The younger Succubus waved at her teacher, but he just swallowed hard and looked away.

"I didn't imagine I'd run into you today. How are you?" asked Viola, somehow managing to still sound vaguely threatening even when she was being friendly.

Jezebel, however, was completely unperturbed by the headmistress' cold demeanour.

"Oh, I'm doing just wonderful! Gosh, it's been so long since we've talked, hasn't it?"

"Well, I don't see why we can't go and catch up some. Karazelle and I were just headed out for a drink; what say you and Cobalt join us?"

Jezebel looked over at her son with wide, excited eyes. As much of a bad idea as it was to mix his mother with any amount of alcohol, once again, it was her day. With a resigned sigh, Cobalt just nodded, silently hoping that he could find a quiet spot to hide from Karazelle once they get there.

"Sure, I- I suppose."

 

-----

 

Bloody Hell was one of Brimstone's more renowned establishments. Supposedly it had started off as a little-known whiskey bar tucked away on one of the town's vehicularly-inaccessible backstreets, but over the years, it had grown into a full-fledged nightclub, complete with dancefloor, a rotating roster of DJs and groups of shifty-looking individuals selling stimulants in the alley beside it. Currently, the whole establishment was ablaze with pink and red lights as mothers from all over the town danced and celebrated to popular songs from twenty-years ago, to the delight of their spouses and the admonishment of their kids. It was a good place to go for one to let their hair down.

But Cobalt was doing anything but. While his own mother talked the night away with the Ternas and threw back glass after glass of merlot, the Incubus sat at the bar, nervously fiddling with his tie. He saw Karazelle glance over at him a few times with questioning and plaintive looks, but he just couldn't bring himself to talk to her. Every time the thought crossed his mind, he thought about the kiss. How her tongue drew his in. How her lips felt so soft. How her saliva tasted so swee-

"Agh! Get it together, Trayer...!" Cobalt hissed to himself, scarcely able to hear his voice over the pounding music.

"Is your mom embarrassing you out there, kid?" asked a deep voice from behind the bar, startling him.

He looked up at the bartender. She was a Succubus, but was much taller and more muscular than most Lust demons he knew. Dressed in a smart shirt and waistcoat, she was cleaning a glass with a rag as she smiled knowingly at Cobalt, her left eye glinting in the flashing lights. The other was hidden by an eyepatch.

"I- I suppose she is..." he murmured, gazing at the thick scars peeking out from behind the patch.

"You can ask about it. I won't mind," the barkeep said casually, shrugging her shoulders.

Cobalt quickly snapped his gaze away.

"S- Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."

"Don't worry about it. It's a scar I'm proud to have. Used to work as a thorn for a commune of rosegirls up in Slagole. Lost an eye in a scrap with some unruly dockers, but I kept my rosies safe."

A thorn... That was a kind of bodyguard tasked with protecting Succubus sex workers known as rosegirls. It was the kind of job you had to be tough as nails for, and this barwoman certainly looked like she could throw a punch or three.

"Dassie Dals. I'm guessing you're a Trayer? Jezzy's kid?"

He cocked his head.

"How'd you know?"

"I owe a lot to your family, and besides; you're becoming something of a local legend, if half of what the shit I hear about you is true. Your name is Colter, right?"

"Um... Cobalt, actually."

"Heh... Fancy that."

Another person who owed Cobalt's family?

"Here, lemme get you something to drink. Jezzy's a good friend, so we'll say it's on the house. What's your poison, kid?" asked Dassie, hooking her thumb over her shoulder at the impressive collection of bottles on the shelf behind her.

"I- I'm afraid I'm not much of a drinker..." apologised the Incubus, completely out of his depth.

"Hm... lemme set you up with a Bloody Hell original, then. One sec."

As quick as a flash, the broad-shouldered barwoman began pulling bottles and glass off the shelf, pouring and mixing different drinks faster than Cobalt could keep track off. She'd add a little pinch of something spicy, before adding something dark and thick, whereupon she'd pour the whole thing into a shaker. Rattling it back and forth vigorously, Dassie gave Cobalt a toothy smile and poured the concoction into a glass on the bartop.

"Here we are; A Dustop Divekick. Couldn't use ashviper venom for obvious reasons, so I had to substitute it for some seriously strong tequila," she explained, sliding the glass over to the Incubus.

He stared at it with bulging eyes. It was a toxic orange colour, and even at an arm's length it stung his nostrils.

"Dustop... Divekick...?" he murmured, blinking as his eyes watered from the smell.

"Yup. One of the bouncers I had brought the recipe over from his hometown in the West Country. This is the kinda stuff cowboys would drink to keep themselves awake on range rides. Or so he told me, anyway."

The bartender sighed wistfully as she swung her hand towel over her shoulder.

"That kid was half my age and he could throw back about six of those like they were nothing, and still keep an eye on the door," she laughed as Cobalt took a very, very tentative sip.

It was the most revolting and acidic thing that the Incubus had ever tasted. Sucking in his cheeks, he forced a single drop of the acrid fluid down as he listened to Dassie's ramblings.

"Wish he hung around, if I'm being honest. Was the only guy who could get even the Sulfur Bloods to pay their tabs."

Cobalt's back straightened.

"Sulfur Bloods...?"

"Aye. Used to frequent the place before I branched out. Fuck, the fights we used to get into... Then this kid - blue skin, like yours - would knock them for six without breaking a sweat!"

He froze.

"This bouncer of yours was an Incubus?!"

"Oh yeah, that he was. Sorry, memory's going."

From across the bar, Cobalt heard someone call Dassie's name.

"Ah shit, I gotta take these orders. Hey, it was good talking to you, Cobalt," she said before slipping off to the other end of the bar, leaving him alone with his putrid drink.

He set it down on the bar, far too embroiled in thought to think. If the bouncer that Dassie was talking about was indeed an Incubus that bore no fear of the Sulfur Bloods, then that had to be the Hellhound, right? She also said that she was good friends with his mother, so...

Did Jezebel know the Hellhound...?

"Hey, sugar."

Flinching, the Incubus nearly spilled his toxic cocktail all over the bar as Karazelle sat on the stool beside him, giggling at his reaction.

"M- Miss Terna!" he squeaked, involuntarily pulling away from her.

With a smile, she scooted her seat closer to his.

"You've been avoiding me. I thought we already hashed this all out, or are you really that desperate for me to sit on you again~?"

"N- No, I just...!"

He couldn't mention the kiss. He just couldn't. Somehow he was able to speak with her about using forbidden magic on a whim, but openly admitting to himself that he had kissed a student? No, not going to happen. He was already so close to forgetting what happened with Izzbelle, and he didn't need this compounding that problem.

Cobalt squeezed his eyes shut painfully. Great, now he just remembered the Izzbelle thing as well.

"You okay? You're looking kinda pale," Karazelle said, lightly touching his arm.

He flinched. Dammit, why was he being so conscious of her now? What was wrong with him?

"I- I might just be tired, that's all. Mom has me run ragged," sighed the Incubus, gesturing to the dancefloor.

There, Jezebel was wildly swinging a very alarmed Viola around by the arms, having the absolute time of her life. Karazelle laughed at the sight.

"My my, I've never seen Momma get so overwhelmed so quick! It's hard to imagine them being such good friends."

That was true. Whereas Viola was all sharp angles and cutting tones, Jezebel was warm, soft and caring to everybody around her. They were almost opposites, in a way, and yet they got on like a house on fire.

"They seem to be having fun, though. Unlike a certain someone I could mention," she added, pinching the tip of Cobalt's nose.

He smiled humourlessly.

"I'm sorry, I've just had a lot on my mind lately."

"Yeah, I'll say. I've been trying to get some of the others in the class to take it easy on you, but so far, no dice."

Shaking his head, the Incubus leaned against the bar.

"No, it's not because of you lot. It's just... something I'm trying to figure out."

Karazelle followed suit, raising an eyebrow as she did so.

"What is it?" she queried.

"It's... hard to explain."

"Well at least try. You're my teacher, you're supposed to explain things."

He took a deep breath.

"... I feel like there's someone that this town doesn't want me to know about. He's long gone, and yet I'm finding traces of him all over the place. Your mother knows, Izzbelle's father knows, my own mother might know... And yet from everything I've gathered, I just can't place who it is. It's like... Everything was just wiped, and only firsthand accounts remain. Or something like that."

Karazelle nodded slowly at his words, chewing them over silently for a couple of moments.

"That sounds like a lot, sugar, and I honestly don't really know how to help you. But I'll still try. Who was this guy?"

Cobalt shook his head dismissively.

"Oh, just some Incubus from years ago. I- It's probably nothing important, but... I've never met someone else like me, you know? It would just be nice to know how he lived knowing that..."

He trailed off, leaving Karazelle in suspense.

"Knowing what, sugar?"

"... Nothing. A- Anyway, I can't seem to find any records of this guy anywhere. Not even in the school, and I know for a fact he attended; your mother confirmed as much."

"Well, how much do you know in total?"

"Just some stuff I noted down back home. Ah, that reminds me, I need to pick up some pens before tomorrow..."

Reaching into her pocket, the Succubus smiled and nudged his ribs.

"Ah, now that I can help you with!"

She produced a small box and placed it in front of him. Raising an eyebrow, he gingerly teased it open and pulled out a stainless steel ink pen. But not just any ink pen. It was one of the top of the range models; the kind that ran off cartridges, and had a textured grip and a reinforced nib.

"Karazelle...? Is this for me...?" he breathed, holding it up to the light.

"Of course it is, sugar! I was thinking of holding out until your birthday, but I just couldn't wait that long!" she cried excitedly, jogging his arm.

Cobalt kept staring at it, eyes wide.

"This... You didn't have to do this. I- It looks expensive..."

"I mean, it was a little dear, but that's how you know it's good, right? I checked with the guy in the store, and he said these things can last years! Plus, when I saw it I immediately thought of you, so I just had to grab it!"

"B- But-!"

She suddenly silenced him by planting a soft finger on his lips. The Succubus leaned in close, and for a split second, he felt his heart almost stop.

"Shh... You deserve it, okay? You're allowed treats every now and again, right?"

Pulling back, she gave him a heart-meltingly sweet smile and tapped her chest, just above her heart.

"I'll always be in your corner, sugar. So learn to relax a little, okay?" Karazelle said, winking at him.

Try as he might, Cobalt just couldn't form a response. By the time he got to stammering out something resembling a sentence, the pair heard an almighty crash from the dancefloor. Wheeling around, they were met with the spectacle that resulted from Jezebel's egregious dancing; the sight of the matronly Succubus lying sprawled out on the floor, having just toppled right on top of Viola, who was struggling to push her off.

"Ah... Help me, shnookums...!" burbled Jezebel drunkenly, making no effort to stand back up.

"Whoops, looks like duty calls. Feel like escorting two drunken MILFs back home, sugar?" quipped Karazelle, grinning at her teacher.

Though a little startled by her choice in terminology, Cobalt couldn't suppress his smile. Setting his drink aside, he nodded and got to his feet.

Maybe she was right. He was overthinking things a little too much.