That Damn Imp

Though Malcolm generally presented himself as a straitlaced man with a collected manner, he had proven himself more than capable of enjoying the great outdoors. As good as he looked in one of his suits, there was an appeal to seeing him in a simple t-shirt and sweatpants, his muscles flexing under the material.

He'd suggested a camping trip, producing a pair of kayaks and all the gear they needed for reasonable comfort. They'd rowed up a river in the state park, going where visitors generally were not allowed... but that was the advantage to having magic. They pulled the boats ashore and set up camp at a spot he'd found while idly exploring this park earlier as Puck. They set up camp, and went for a hike.

Koshka was clad in a comfortable dark red sweatshirt and pants combo, with a black tank top underneath, the straps of a red sports bra peeking out. Her ass also looked great under the snug cotton, panty lines faintly visible when she lifted her leg.

There were several steep places along the trail, and she climbed up one, giving her lover another nice view of her rear end before she turned around to offer him a helping hand.

Even as Malcolm, the woods were home to Puck. He reveled at the opportunity to explore nature with his lover, and a chance to get out of the suits and ties that were practically Malcolm's uniform. He had selected a pair of comfortable blue jeans, a gray t-shirt, and a dark green sweatshirt that hugged his shoulders.

He regarded her with a smile as he took the proffered hand, allowing her to help hum up. His thumb rubbed against her hand, and it was a gesture he repeated whenever they assisted one another along the trail. When he went ahead of her briefly, he took the opportunity to hold her close for several moments after he'd helped her up the rock.

Finally, they came to their end point, which was the summit of the highest area in the park. Here they'd take a break and just relax for a while, before hiking back to camp. She looked around, taking a deep breath, feeling the burn of exertion as she stared out at the vista before her, seeing the river sparkle in the distance amidst the trees. She set down her backpack as she sat on a low, flat rock, pulling out water, packets of Propel powder, protein bars, and string cheese. A touch of her magic had kept the water and cheese cold.

She took off her sweatshirt and tied it around her middle, the day had started out chilly but her exercise had warmed her. She might not be human, but the human shell she'd formed around her demon form experienced the same thing as humans did.

"That certainly was invigorating," Malcolm said from behind her, and she turned to see him pouring the contents of a strawberry-kiwi flavor packet into his water.

"We really need to do this more often," Koshka replied lightly as she added some grape Propel to her water, taking a long swig. She looked up at Malcolm's handsome face. It'd been months since they'd met, and she found herself falling hard for him even now. But what would he say if he knew the truth about her? She looked away, a pensive expression on her face as she took a stick of cheese.

"Mhmm," he nodded, laying back on the rock, locking his hands behind his head. "It's peaceful out here. No one else for miles," Malcolm nudged her playfully, smiling.

"My, Malcolm!" Koshka said, with a mock gasp and flutter of her hands. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting? You, out in this place with the... dirt. And the bugs!"

"Well... as for the dirt and bugs," he adjusted his glasses, "it's not like I'll be focused on them anyway." His gaze moved along her body in open desire before looking up to make eye contact, and she felt a pleasant flutter in her stomach.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Malcolm?" Koshka asked in mock dismay, before laughing and leaning down to place a kiss on his lips. She slid her hand under his shirt, nails lightly scraping along his stomach.

"Is it that surprising?" he murmured, leaning into her nails. His arms slid around her, his own nails trailing down her back, his hands finding their way to her ass. He squeezed firmly, pulling her even tighter against him. She wiggled against him, nibbling his ear, knowing that never failed to get him going.

After coupling several times, they were finally done, tangled together in a jumble of limbs. Koshka's pants had come off all the way, and Malcolm was wearing nothing but his t-shirt. "Much fun as being in bed is, this was a lot of fun, too," Koshka said with a grin as she rumpled his shirt hair.

"Mmm... yeah it was," he murmured, playfully tossing a leaf onto Koshka's bare chest. "We'll have to do this more often too."

"I guess we got lucky that no one came up this way," Koshka teased.

"Didn't realize you were thinking so much about that," Malcolm teased back, running a hand sensually down her body. "The risk of getting caught get you all hot and bothered?"

"No, it's just that I prefer you be the only one to see all this." She gestured to her body, wiggling at him

"Not into being watched, hmm?" he asked, running his hand back up her, nipping, kissing and groping playfully.

"Admit it, you want this all to yourself," she said with a playful growl

"I certainly don't want to share," he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing tightly.

She smiled gently at that, thinking of her concerns for their future together. She could always just keep her demon form a secret, and settle into an ordinary life with Malcolm. But then he would grow old and die, eventually. A soft sigh escaped her lips. "You know I care about you very much, right?" Koshka whispered

"I know," he murmured, loosening his grip just slightly. One of his hands worked its way up, toying with her hair. "The feeling's mutual," he offered, a soft smile on his lips.

"What do you think of our future together?" she asked gently, trailing a finger along his jaw

He paused to consider that for a moment. "I think it'll certainly be interesting," he offered, teasingly nipping in the direction of her finger. "So far, I've just been letting things go wherever they go. Seems to be working out alright, don't you think?"

She smiled and nodded. "It certainly has." This was the first time they'd veered into this important subject. "I've been having a lot of fun, but I also don't want to lose you."

"I don't want that either," he replied, giving her another squeeze. "For what it's worth, no matter what happens, I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."

She gave out a small laugh at that. "Good to know." She spooned up to him, wrapping an arm around his middle.

o0o

Puck lay beside her, content to simply listen to her breathing as she dozed, snuggled next to him within the safety of the tent. Shopping for this trip made him wish that he could use his magic, but that would destroy the illusion. Fortunately, playing at being human was nothing new to him, so he'd been able to procure various items with relative ease. A tent, the kayaks and sleeping bags, food items, a couple of games, fuel and other emergency supplies, and so on.

He'd looked to several sources for information on what the modern-day human was supposed to take on a camping trip, and Malcolm's proclivity for thoroughness and organization had ensured that he was well-prepared for the various needs that they came across.

Still, it could be a pain in the ass hauling it around. He'd been all too tempted to simply wave things to and fro as he climbed the terrain from riverbank to campsite with a heavy pack strapped to his back.

The sleeping form next to him had made all that effort worthwhile, as Puck would readily admit. The night before, cooking marshmallows over the fire and making S'mores had led to another lovemaking session. No other woman had ever held his undivided attention. Puck was not a cruel lover, but his attentions were generally fleeting. He'd never found that special someone.

Until now, he mused. He could easily see himself settling down with her as Malcolm, and playing house with her... but then questions would come up. He could pretend to grow old, or reveal his true nature. It'd been nearly half a year, and their bond had only deepened. He knew that she deserved to know the truth. Yet, that truth could bring their relationship to an end.

Carefully, he crept outside, starting the fire and starting a pot of coffee. Boiling water was one of the few things Puck could do in the mundane way. Despite his efforts, he simply was unable to master anything more than a basic level of cooking and food preparation. Good thing Koshka was an accomplished cook. Still, he took pride in the small things he could do, like making sandwiches, or boiling water, or sticking popcorn in the microwave. As he waited for the water to come to a boil, he reclined in one of the two camp chairs he'd brought. Settling down on the configuration of canvas and rods, he stretched out his long legs and watched the sun come over the hills across the river.

His name met his ears, and Puck came out of his reverie, his exposed skin sun-warmed. He blinked and languorously turned his head as he heard Koshka calling out his name again, gently.

"Out here. I thought I'd start us off with some coffee," he responded.

The flaps rustled before Koshka opened them, tying them to the sides to admit fresh air into the tent. Her hair was slightly rumpled, and like him, she was clad in a shirt and sweatpants. She approached him from behind, draping herself across the back of his chair and nuzzling the side of his face as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

He basked in the friendly affection as he felt her hand run along his short-cropped blonde hair. He had considered growing it out longer, but she seemed to enjoy running her palm along the clipped locks, so he maintained the hairstyle for his human aspect.

Her other hand slid along his chest, rubbing his solar plexus and abs through his dark green shirt.

"I can think of another excellent pick-me-up in the morning." Her breath was hot against his ear.

"Oh?" he asked in feigned innocence, though he was already experiencing stirrings of lust, the heat in his core tightened upon her first touch. The morning sun, the fresh air, the scent of the woods and flowers... it invigorated the Puck. He was a creature of nature, and could pose well enough as Malcolm, but it was out in the wild that he was in his element. Away from structures of steel, glass, and concrete, from circulated air and artificial smells and electronic devices and gas-powered vehicles, it was hard for the imp to not find his human shell confining.

Out in these woods, he wanted to frolic and zip about and play. But he was Malcolm. And lovemaking did provide an excellent outlet for his pent-up energy...

"But if we're going to have energy for the day, we should have coffee. And a proper breakfast, of course," Malcolm teased, his voice dry as he feigned ignorance of his lover's tactics.

"Would you rather have a granola bar... or this?" She pressed her lips to the side of his neck.

"But if we use up all our energy now, we won't have any left for the hike, or kayaking further upstream," he pointed out, though he did not hold back a pleased shudder. And if she cared to look downward, she would see the clear evidence of desire within his sweatpants. The tent they had just been sleeping in was not the only one that was pitched here in the clearing...

"I'm sure we'll find a way to do it all," she purred as she nibbled just below his ear. He groaned softly and tilted his head to the side, offering her further access.

The crush that he had been nursing for the demoness for many centuries was blossoming into love, of that Puck had no doubt. Restricted to admiring her from afar for so long, getting to know her up and close only deepened his affection and respect for her. He chose to push aside the thought of potential consequences, and simply live in the moment as he surrendered to Koshka's attentions.

o0o

Constantinople, Eastern Roman Empire, mid-5th century CE

A century ago, Constantine, the emperor of Rome at that time, moved the capitol of the Roman Empire to Constantinople, and though considered foolish by some, history would prove the wisdom of this decision. The Western Roman Empire was fragmenting ushering the West into its Dark Ages. The glory of the Western Roman Empire was no more, eclipsed by the Eastern Roman Empire, which would become known as the Byzantine Empire.

In the year 453 CE, it would be nearly a century before the rule of Emperor Justinian and his honored wife, Empress Theodora Augusta. Over two hundred years before Mohammed spread the message of Islam through the Middle East, which comprised a good part of Byzantium. Three and a half centuries would pass before Irene of Athens had her son blinded so that she could rule Byzantium under her own right, leading to the rise of Karolus Magnus in the West and further the divide between Western and Eastern Europe, setting the continent into diverse paths through the Middle Ages and onward.

Constantinople would remain the jewel of the Empire until its conquest by the Ottomans one thousand years later. Even under the succession of governments that would hold this city, eventually renaming it Istanbul, this famed metropolis remained integral to the course of history.

Seated between two seas - the Marmara and Black - and straddling Europe and Asia, Constantinople served a political and economical need for a region of considerable size, and it was for that reason that after the decline of the West, many fae and demons would migrate east for power and territory. In due time, Greek would replace Latin as the official language of this empire, but in the fifth century CE, Latin remained the most popular language, giving the magical beings of the Isles the surrounding lands a common ground with many of their Eastern counterparts.

A friend of one of Emperor's Marcian's peers was having a grand party, with many important members of the high society, among businessmen and the like as guests. There was also a relatively decent amount of fae and demon, all in human guise as they attended the party. Koshka - known as Ekdisiki at that time and place - was among their numbers. It was whispered among the nobility that she granted the wounded a means for vengeance, but Ekdisiki was a woman shrouded in mystery. Her wealth was considerable if her attire was any indication, and her gaze promised either pleasure or violence.

She did not openly move within political circles and she was not known to be affiliated with any of the Emperor's favorites, but those who tried to cross her found her a force to be reckoned with. Even demons and fae gave her a wide berth, for she was ancient, her primal power only having increased through the ages, unaffected by the advent of the way of the Christ.

The red-haired woman, her pale eyes ringed with a tasteful amount of kohl, mingled with the guests, taking measure of the people she saw, overhearing conversations. She took an almond pastry from the passing tray of a serving maid, nibbling on it until she took notice of a young man with flowing dark hair and an impish look, move among the guests.

At first she would have dismissed him as the son of one of the guests, or perhaps a lover, but she paused as she sensed magic. Old and powerful, on par with her own, if not more, and she paused as she studied the handsome young man move among the guests. His attire was simple, yet elegant, with the sparkle of a ring on his pinky, and the goldwork of his belt. His frame was lithe, and he did not appear any taller than herself. For someone she was certain was ancient, he looked so young.

Was he here for power or territory? With the fragmentation of civilization in the West, some magical beings, often referred to as gods or spirits among fae and demons - migrated East, looking for a new life among the diverse people of Eurasia. But those were beings of considerably lesser power, whose lifespans would come to an end, eventually. Not one such as this, she was certain.

's not going to like this, she mused. The powerful demon had taken a firm foothold here in Constantinople, establishing himself as the leader of the magical underworld around these parts. He tolerated lesser magic beings here as long as they followed his laws and did not cause undue discord among the human population.

As she studied him, she hovered around the periphery, watching as he slipped in and out of conversations with glib comments, leaving either delighted laughter or bemused glances in his wake. His hair was long and glossy, black like a raven's wing, and his eyes, when she managed to catch sight of them, were a bright hazel, amber interspersed with gold and green. A wisp of a mustache clung to his upper lip.

Upon ordinary glance, he was simply a good-looking teenager or young man who apparently had the gift of charm and charisma. The colors he'd attired himself in were festive but not ostentatious, green, red, and dark orange with accents of gold threading and buttons.

After several minutes, the young man - or old spirit - plucked a honeyed date from a tray and turned around, his gaze meeting hers.

o0o

Puck was known for his lighthearted ways, but he was an ancient creature of great wisdom... even if he might not always choose to utilize said wisdom. In taking his human guise, he had hidden most of his magical aura, something a being of his power found easy to accomplish. He left just enough 'visible' to the right eyes so that other magical beings would be able to sense him here when coming in close enough proximity.

How they chose to respond to that glimmer of magic would give him a sense of the kind of beings they were, and how they could best be dealt with.

Puck had heard that this was where many magical folk flocked to, either to find a new place to roost, or as a resting point before going further east. He'd come here out of curiosity. He did not fear the loss of power, or people taking up a religion based off a Jewish man dying after being crucified. Gods came and went, as did societies and cultures. He was not concerned about the number of followers, for he drew his power from other sources.

Constantinople was truly a fine city, and so far, he had been having fun. There were plenty of entertainments to be had in a diverse population, and it did not take long for him to realize that civilization had not really ended for Europe, as some said. It had merely shifted, flourishing where conditions were best for it. One day in the future, the West would become powerful again, but Puck would have no hand in the success, or demise of Byzantium, or other empires that had come before and would come after.

He was almost instantly aware of the scrutiny he was under as he moved about, listening to conversations, conversing with human and nonhuman alike. He did not reveal his true nature, preferring to be regarded as a human by everybody else.

It seemed though, that there was one person who detected his nature. And no wonder, as even though she was under guise like him, he could still sense the aura of her power. Did she see him as a potential threat? He certainly hoped not, because he could think of better things to do with her than fight...

Their eyes met, and he regarded her with a sly smile, raising his eyebrow. He noticed the paleness of her eyes, the green-blue barely visible, giving her a stare that could be unnerving when she had a mind to. Her long dark red hair was plaited with jewels, and deep teal silk hugged her curves. Her mantle was sewn with silver thread and inlaid with fine plum-colored velvet.

He bit into his date as he kept her gaze. A small smile graced her lips as her eyes remained fixed on him, as if she was assessing him. He ate the rest of the date and licked his finger.