Prologue: A Room of Mirrors
Black entered the tiny room and fell to his knees in awe.
It was a sweltering day in the smog filled city of Bangkok. A travel journalist, Black had been trying to find inspiration to write a positive article about the seedy shit-hole. Tourism was the city's main source of income and officials had given him quite the 'gift' to help him appreciate the area. He clutched the case holding his laptop tightly. He had barely come off the plane when someone had snatched one of his bags and made of on a growling scooter, leaving him choking in its fumes.
Thank Christ it was the last day. He was sick of being offered drugs, whores and, well, that was basically it really.
Then he stopped, regardless of the people bustling around him, and found himself gazing at a shabby looking building across the road. There was nothing special about it, as drab as the other buildings around it. For no reason he could give, he felt his member rise stronger than it had done in months.
He did not know why he walked to the building, why he had opened the door without knocking, stepped in without invitation. He just felt compelled to do so. It were as though a siren had called him without using a melody. The closer he went the stronger his erection became. When he entered it was so painful he felt one of his hands lower in an effort to relieve the pressure.
Then he saw the silent siren that had called him, lounging naked on a mat at the other side of the room. She looked human but Black knew she was not. She was beautiful, but not in any supermodel way. There was some subtle manner to her movements, a carefully set expression on her face that had him utterly wanting her. "Hello." It was a simple word, but said so perfectly, toned in just the right manner, that Black thought he was going to swoon with lust.
Briefly, Black noted that, save the wall the siren was against, everywhere else was full of all manner of mirrors. From small hand mirrors to large dressing mirrors. The room was so crowded with them he was sure that if one was sent toppling the rest would follow like dominoes. Countless visions of his pathetic self returned his desperate gaze, he returned his eyes to the beauty before him. "Please." He whined, "I'm going to die." The pain and desire was excruciating. He was certain she was the cause of it. He badly needed release, he badly wanted her.
"Do not be silly." she chided, "I have been watching you. You are a writer, are you not?" Black could only give more pleas in response. The woman Black thought must be a siren took it as a yes, "Good. Open that contraption will you and begin typing. My time draws near and I wish to do justice to a story those clouts Juvenal and Pliny failed to achieve."
Compelled, Black unzipped the case, brought out his state of the art instrument and booted it up. He sat cross-legged and rested it on his lap as it ran. Without further encouragement he logged in and opened a new document. "Please..."
"Type what I say word for word. It is going to be hard, your language is incredibly bland and unfit for the likes of her, so some of my tongue will be necessary. I will do my best to keep it legible." Black felt his erection ease of slightly, the pain fade. It did not matter, Black wanted her still and would do whatever he could to please her. She was his queen now, as far as he was concerned. "Type." she commanded, and Black found himself laying his fingers upon the familiar keyboard eagerly.
1: My Awakening
I am not like the others you know. To your kind this profession is a mere job, you work the hours, earn the money and go home. For Lilitu such as I it is a way of life. It is who we are, what we are. As such, I, Scylla, feel it best to give a brief account of what I call my 'awakening' before I detail my most remarkable experiences with the empress.
My father was a soldier, rarely did I see him for he was oft stationed in some far away land. So I lived with my mother tending to the household as I grew up. Often my parents had tried for a son but I remained an only child. Like most young people my greatest love was for the stories of myth and legend that so many told. When my father did return I would make him tell all he knew of wherever he had been. Little did I know one such story would set me on the path I travel now.
As I trailed my mother in the marketplace I overheard a filthy looking man preaching against the depravity of the empire, how if we did not change our ways soon the end would come. He seemed to notice me and mother and pointed at us, screaming that vanity is sinful, that mirrors are in fact portals to a realm of depravity. My mother, of course, ignored him. But the idea of mirrors as portals stuck with me. I believed in the mystical, you see, and so wanted to see something a such.
My mother owned a lovely copper mirror, crude compared to the mirrors of today but for the time very good. When noone was around I would neglect my chores, sneak into her room and stare into it until my eyes hurt, hoping to see that other world. I did this countless times, but to no avail.
It happened when I was at the baths. I rose out after cleansing myself and saw my reflection upon the waters, more clear than the beaten and polished metal that were mirrors back then. I admired my naked body and, for an instant, I let my mind wander to darker thoughts. I imagined the wonderful things men might do to me and how beautiful I would look as they did it. I was indeed vain, but only because I had the right to be.
It happened for a second, yet that second will remain with me forever. The waters turned dark and something else looked back out at me. It was a woman, so voluptuous and perfect that I nearly dove back into the baths after her. Naked and shameless, arms wide to embrace me she seemed to beckon. She was smiling at me lovingly, then she was gone. I tried to conjure back that image, I thought of what I had done to bring it and repeated it. But no matter what I did the image never returned. I was desperate to be with this woman, to be as shameless and perfect as her. I wanted to be her and be with her, yet that glorious vision did not return.