Chapter 6 Iris

I didn’t sleep well.  I wasn’t tired.  The opposite was true.  I was wired from my first sexual experience and gaining my first life essence.  I felt bad for Lydia.  The situation she was in, her bruises, and the fact I almost killed her from the ecstasy of my saliva.

Didn’t the succubus Queen I contracted to say my actions actually helped people?  How did that work?  I planned to go check on Lydia to see if there was a difference. I ended up getting dressed early for school and going online at my computer.  I decided to do some research on incubi and succubi.  

It was all mythology and cults of demon worshippers.  Maybe I could start my own cult?  No that would just make me a target.  The mythology also had huge variance.  One site said incubus fucked sleeping women and impregnated them.  Another site said incubus stole semen from men and used it to impregnate women with demonic children.  A third site said the incubus was the male form of a succubus and drained humans of their life force.  The theme throughout the sites was that an incubus was evil, taking advantage of women.

I reclined in my chair at the computer.  Well if they could write about vampires with sparkly skin being good people why couldn’t I be an incubus with morals?  I needed to catch the bus in fifteen minutes. I packed up my school books, checked myself in the mirror, and went down the street to meet Rob at the bus stop.  I had been driving us to school in my sister’s Jeep.  All the cool and rich kids drove cars to school so this was a downgrade.

Rob and his younger sister, Sofia, were at the bus stop.  His sister was a freshman and a bit of a gossip.  If you wanted to know about something going on at the school you just had to ask her.  “Sorry Rob,” I said as we moved to the side to talk and wait.

“It’s all good.  Are you ready for your algebra test today?” He asked.  Shit.  Rob tutored a lot of kids in my class for extra money so he knew when I had tests.  I had only done part of my homework last night and didn’t get to the math.  There was probably a note about a test in there.  Rob was in more advanced classes than me.  He was a bit of a nerd due to his mother pressuring him to get into college.

“Damn it.  No, I didn’t study.  I will just muddle through.”  He shook his head at me not taking school seriously.  “You going to try out with me for the hockey team?”  Rob shook his head.  Rob had good stick skills but terrible skating skills.  “Tryouts are Saturday so I will be heading to the rink all day.” He nodded, an affirmation we were not going to hang out on Saturday.

The bus arrived and we boarded.  I had my abyssal sight active and checked out the other kids as I walked toward the back of the bus.  Everyone had a brighter aether core than Lydia had demonstrated last night.  I sat with Rob near the back as we continued our conversation.  I was tempted to brooch the topic of demons and incubi but held back.  Rob was a devout catholic, well he went to church with his mother and sister every Sunday anyway. I didn’t want him freaking out.

At school, Rob left me to head to a different wing of the school. He was a junior as he hadn’t been held back a year like me so his homeroom was far from mine.  As I walked through the entrance I noticed two things.  First, the aether cores were bright in all the teenagers, and second not everyone was human!

Based on the pictures in my incubus handbook, the football quarterback was a troll…the tight end was an orc…and the captain of the hockey team was a cat man.  Two of the girls in the lobby had stronger-than-normal aether auras and seemed to be masking their identities. So my abyssal eyes could see through minor illusions and see a person’s aether strength.  

I thought back to the goblin girl on the city bus last night, her aether core wasn’t any stronger than the human teen auras.  But I was sure her illusion was coming from the ring on her finger.  In the school lobby, I didn’t identify any objects on the nonhumans creating or masking their true forms.  

It made me question if my human body was my true form.  Two of my abilities allowed me to transform into a succubus and incubus.  I was still reluctant to assume those forms.  What if I couldn’t switch back?  Unfortunately, my Incubus handbook just detailed the improvements from the forms and not any possible negative side effects or the difficulty in reveriting back to my human form. 

During the day I found three more nonhumans at the school.  Two females and a male.  It was a little disconcerting knowing that these sapient beings had been living among us.  I was walking behind a blue-skinned girl.  I was trying to remember if I had seen her race in my handbook.  I was on my way to lunch when a girl came around the corner with earbuds in.  My eyes were focused forward on the blue-skinned girl and I walked right into the girl with the earbuds, both of us had been distracted. 

Even though I had rolled back my age I still retained my mass and I knocked her to the ground hard.  Something weird happened with her aura…it shimmered and briefly flashed brighter.  Then it resumed a normal human’s intensity.

I stared at the girl.  She was tan, tall, and thin with dark black hair pulled back into a ponytail.  She had thin black-rimmed glasses on and a very cute oval face.  She wasn’t very athletic looking but had nice legs and my eyes caught a flash of her underwear as she had hit the floor awkwardly and her dress rode up to her hips. 

She stood up with anger on her face, “You stupid oaf!  Watch…” she stopped in her admonishing me.  Her pale blue eyes were locked on mine.  Her anger faded to interest then puzzlement and then fear.  She quickly gathered her things and rushed away without saying anything else.  I saw one of her earbuds on the floor and scooped it up.  I was too stunned to respond myself.  

She must have seen through my disguise.  That was troubling.  I didn’t know who she was either.  I made my way to the cafeteria and sat with Rob and his sister after getting lunch.  Two of Rob’s sister's friends were also at the table. They were all freshmen and as usual, we tuned out their conversation.  

The girl who ran into me entered the cafeteria and sat on the far side but I noticed she located me and kept looking at me.  She pretended not to be looking at me but it was obvious she was.  “Hey Rob do you know who the girl is over by the window is? The one with the blue skirt and black and white top.”

Rob took a second to find her, “Yeah Iris Cartwright.  She is in my AP History and AP Calculus classes. She is probably going to be the valedictorian next year.” Rob looked at me, “Out of your league Caleb.  She is probably going to Harvard, Yale or some other ivy. Her parents are out of town though.  At least that is what she keeps telling our teachers when they ask to set up parent-teacher meetings.”  

Rob’s sister butted in, “She is single Caleb.  At least she is not dating anyone at our school.  Don’t listen to Rob either.  You are cute and should go for it if you are interested.”  Rob's sister was a nerd and gossip.  I didn’t understand how she could know little tidbits about every one of the 1500 or so students that attended our high school.  

“I’m not interested in her.  I just knocked her down by accident in the hallway and was curious.” I pretended not to look in Iris’ direction again for the rest of lunch.

I had my algebra test after lunch and I think I did much better than I expected.  My thoughts and mental skills seemed sharper.  It was easier to recall things and I think my dyslexia was muted or gone altogether.  I had worked hard at correcting and dealing with my dyslexia.   Everything suddenly seemed effortless in reading the problems.  I actually was the first one to finish in class.  It gave me time to think and prepare.  I needed to confront Iris and use my melodic voice to charm her. 

My last class of the day was study hall.  Usually, only seniors or athletes got study hall for the last period because it let you leave school early.  But since my sister was Paige, my advisor Ms Henderson let me take study in my last period.  Ms Henderson was old, in her 70s, but as sharp as a tack.  She remembered every student that passed through her office over the past 30 years and being the brother of the darling Paige got me some breaks; an easy class schedule, preferred lunch block, and last-period study hall.

I stopped into the admin offices as the last period begin and went to Ms Henderson’s office.  Of course, she wasn’t human.  I masked my shock at seeing an older dwarf woman behind her desk.  Her aether was very bright and when she looked at me her eyes scrunched. “New contacts,” I said instinctively pointing to my eyes.  She nodded as if that made sense.

I took a depth breath and used my melodic voice, “Ms Henderson I was supposed to drop off some things at Iris Cartwright’s house but I lost her address.  Can you look it up for me?”

Ms Henderson smiled and I felt my charm take effect, “Of course!” She taped a few keys and wrote an address on a piece of paper.  “Have you started to look at colleges, Caleb?  I sent you an email with prospective colleges.  Did you look at it?”

I had in fact opened the email.  I wanted to attend UVA but didn’t have the grades.  So Virginia Tech or Appalachian State were my best options after that.  “No I didn’t but I am going to apply to UVA, Virginia Tech and App State.” She nodded.

“Good!  We can meet to discuss those schools during your free study period soon.”  She was all smiles and I nodded.  College was something I would have to do to appease my parents but I really had no idea what I wanted to study.  I left her office and checked off campus with the school security guard.  I needed to get to Iris’ house before she got home.

Her house was amazing.  A seven-foot-tall stone wall surrounded the grounds and the gate was cast iron.  I walked the road a little way and when I was sure no cars were coming I ran and tried to jump the wall.  I was shocked when I reached nearly six feet in my leap and tripped over the wall.  I crashed down into some bushes on the other side of the wall, impaling my hand on a sharp rock on the ground.  Swearing I stood and pulled the rock out.  The blood oozed out and I was trying to think how to wrap it when the blood ceased flowing.  I watched in fascination as over the next ten minutes the wound closed and healed.  The blood dried and flaked away.  No mark remained on my hand.  Ok, no time to think about this.  Iris would be home soon.

I moved toward the house and stopped.  The doors and windows had aether around them as they glowed.  I thought it better not to enter the house.  I moved to some tall bushes next to the entry and crouched down.  What if she didn’t come home right after school?  What if she had a maid?  The house was definitely big enough.  What if she brought friends home?  Paige always said I did a poor job thinking things through before acting. 

I was about to leave when the gates swung open and a gray Silverado pickup drove through.  My eyesight could see it was just Iris in the pickup.  Not going to lie, seeing Iris driving the HD1500 large pickup was kind of hot.  Since Rob had said Iris’ parents were out of town I thought maybe I could approach her safely.  She had obviously seen through my guise and I wanted to ask her some questions and possibly use my melodic voice on her to charm her to keep my secret.

She parked and started walking up to her front door.  I stood up and said, “Hi Iris. Can I…” I don’t know where it came from but a ball of fire struck me in my chest and knocked me off my feet.  My clothes were on fire!  I dropped to the ground and tried to put out the flames because that is what they taught you in school.

The flames just spread so I ripped my shirt off and dropped my jeans.  Well, it is hard to get jeans off over sneakers and I was kicking, swearing, and doing my best.  Finally, I managed it.  I was now in my socks and underwear and my clothes smoldered nearby.  Iris was on the steps with her mouth agape and a ball of fire cycling in her palm. I stood and checked out my body and no burns.  While I was looking down another ball of fire splashed across my chest.  Iris was preparing a third so I rushed her and knocked her to the ground and straddled her chest and held her wrists above her head. 

She struggled really hard and I could see tears forming as she knew she was helpless.  Fuck.  Think!  I used my melodic voice, “Relax!  I am not going to hurt you.  Just relax already.  I just want to talk!”  She was heaving air and I realized my body weight was making it difficult for her to breathe.  I slowly eased the weight on her and she seemed to visibly relax. 

Continuing with my voice I said, “I am going to let you up.  Don’t attack me.”  Something felt off but Iris seemed to comply.  “Open the front door and let me into your house.”  She hesitated for a brief moment but complied.  Her front porch was visible through the gate and I didn’t want anyone seeing me in this state.

Iris unlocked the door and I studied it as I followed her inside.  The aether around the door made runes like abyssal but not abyssal.  I tentatively entered, ready to run if something happened.  Nothing.  Ok bullet dodged.  Iris was already walking to the next room so I used my voice again, “Stop!  Come back here.” She paused and slowly returned to face me.

Her hair was a mess but it just made her look cute. “Tell me why you were afraid of me today when you ran into me in the hallway?”

“You ran into me!” She blurted out but then calmed quickly. “I didn’t recognize you.  I know all the demi-humans at the school and it was my first time seeing you,” she said in a low tone.  So she knew everyone who wasn’t a human?  That would be good information.

“How did you know that I was a demi-human?” I asked and her face changed to puzzlement.

“Your eyes.  They were alight with aethersight.” Her face was looking at me like I was an idiot now.  Oh, god fucking damn it!  I was using my abyssal eyes constantly.  I turned off my ability.

“Are they alight now?” I asked nicely.

“No,” she said.  I turned away from her.  Did I reveal myself to anyone else?  I heard a scoff on the floor and turned.  Iris was running into the next room.

“Stop!” I said using my voice. A light clicked in my head…that weird feeling I had was when my melodic voice wasn’t working!  Shit! I ran after the girl.  She had a head start but I was faster.  She ran through the kitchen and I followed.  She ran down to the cellar and I was confused but followed anyway.  Maybe a safe room was down here or something.  At the bottom of the stairs she turned left and I crashed into the wall at the bottom and turned to see her in a larger room.  I would easily catch her before she reached the door on the other side. 

I started running after her but suddenly my body felt like it was in molasses.  I activated my abyssal eyes and I was in a strongly glowing runic circle.  Iris had stopped running and turned around with a massive grin on her face.  God fucking damn it!  It took her a few minutes to catch her breath before she approached me.

“Now it is my turn to ask the questions.  Don’t struggle.  This is a tier 4 containment circle.  You are captured.”  I struggled anyway and she just stood back and watched me.  My muscles strained and I could barely move.  Maybe if I was an older version of myself I would be stronger?  I pushed my age forward to its max, 26.  My underwear tightened around my hips and looked more like spandex.  My muscles strained anew and a brief look of concern on Iris’ face faded as I still wasn’t able to break free.

Iris looked happy to let me wear myself out.  She took off her black vest and only had on her white blouse.  It was about fifteen minutes later when I conceded my defeat and focused my gaze on her.  Wait, were her nipples hard?

“Are you done?” She asked.  Her face was slightly flushed and I could hear her heartbeat, it was at a fast tempo.  Had my resistance turned her on?  “Ok, tell me what you are?  A shapechanger?  Did you consume the boy and replace him?”   I stared at her and decided not to answer.  I forced myself to a standing position and glared.

“Guess this is going to be the hard way then,” she said with a sigh.  She went to a shelf and pulled a rod with more runic markings on it and pointed it at me.  I was confused for just a second as my body suddenly convulsed in pain and I screamed.

“Oh shit,” she yelled. “Wrong setting.”  She frantically manipulated the rod and the pain receded.  “Sorry about that, I thought that was the lowest setting…it was the highest.”  She looked a little guilty, “My parents don’t usually let me use the arcane devices.”  She then realized her mistake of giving too much information and steeled herself.

“So what are you?  Show me your true form.”  She said while brandishing the rod in a warning. 

So I had come here to charm a young teenage girl into not revealing me and instead I was trapped in her house's dungeon and being tortured.  I could see why Andromeda said that she didn’t have much luck with the males in my realm.  I remained quiet and about fifteen minutes later she pulled up a chair and sat down staring at me, waiting.  “What are you?” I asked.

Her eyebrows shot up surprised.  She seemed to be measuring her response before speaking.  “I will reveal to you what I am if you reveal your true form to me.  I have true sight crystal in my glasses so I will know if you are trying to deceive me.” 

“Well I had read descriptions of all the demis in my incubus handbook so more information about what my opponent was would only help.  “Agreed,” I said.

Her massive grin made me think I had erred, “I am just a human.  Slightly talented in the aether arts but learning quickly.” My mind raced…so there were humans who could cast magic?  She waited patiently for me.  Ok, I guess I was building trust here.

“I am an incubus.  Well, I became an incubus two days ago.”  She looked on in disbelief before muttering something I couldn’t hear. 

“A demon?” she was talking to herself and seemed unsettled.  She went to a shelf and seemed to be deciding what to do before turning back to me, “Prove it!  Show me your true form!”  Her heart was thudding in her chest and she was afraid.

“I don’t know how,” I said weakly.  “I just became an incubus two days ago.” The look on her face said she didn’t believe me. “I will try to change,” I said.

I retreated to my mind space and it was hard to even move in here.  I went to one of the banners and willed a twister spin device onto the banner with three settings; Human, Incubus, Succubus.  The pointer was on ‘human’.  I touched the pointer and moved it to Incubus.  This should work, right?  I exited my mind space and felt my body heating up and changing.  My skin darkened to caramel and two horns tickled out of my head.  They were about 3 inches each and silvery black in color.  My black hair grew longer and my teeth grew slightly to canines.  My eyes glowed a light green.  My muscles expanded just slightly in the mirror I was looking at across the room.  The biggest change was my penis though.  My tight underwear couldn’t contain its growth and it burst out of them tearing them. Although my penis was flaccid it was massive, probably 14 inches.

I said with all the humor I could summon, “See I am an incubus.”  Iris' eyes were wide and she was staring directly at my form.  The form between my legs.