Arcana's Path

"Lord Rasputin and a guest have arrived to see you." A nurse said gently as she floated in the air, suspended in a sea of glittering sparkles in the middle of the white room.

Arcana sneered weakly, "Raz... Can go fuck himself."

"You can't go in there!" A voice yelled, and the doors were thrown open. She smiled tiredly as she saw Kitty striding by as a doctor tried desperately to stop her.

"Kitty."

The woman paused, flicking her hair to one side and looking her up and down, "You got fucked up."

"Miss, you will have to leave!" The doctor stepped in front of her, producing his wand as a threat.

Kitty glared at him like he was an insect, "Huh?"

"She stays." Arcana managed to gasp out, causing the man to turn in surprise. "As you wish, m'lady. Lord -"

"Raz can fuck... Off." Arcana struggled to breathe, to say what she wanted to say. She didn't care that everyone thought that Kitty was the unimportant one, she was the only important one. Rasputin was irrelevant.

The health professionals left, and Kitty pulled up a seat and relaxed into it, slumping and slouching as she looked up at her. Arcana smiled nervously, "Its worse... Than it looks."

"Heard. Raz thinks ya gonna die." Her girlfriend replied, "He also blamed me. So I nutted him. Again. Some day that bastard is going to realise why he can't have kids."

Arcana laughed, before spluttering off into coughing and wheezing. "It wasn't you. Not... Really."

"My demons. Your body." Kitty shrugged, "Suppose it'll be a while before I can make you scream. Was looking forward ta that. Ya done got fucked up."

So, even she was shaken.

Arcana hadn't expected an entire demon army to be hiding inside her girlfriend. She had been more than a little rattled when she found herself in the middle of a bloody warzone. Pieces of her soul being ripped away by ravenous spirits of bad luck.

All of them intent on impregnating her.

If Rasputin hadn't been sent in, none of them would have survived.

"Me too." Arcana managed painfully, "I missed you."

Kitty nodded, "Mmm. Woke up to an apartment with just a dragon in it. Was weird. Thought you were pissed at me. I didn't, did I? Piss you off?"

"Dragon...?"

Her girlfriend shrugged, "Green, small? Tried sitting in my lap. Figured it was another of your strays."

Arcana laughed weakly, quite certain that Kitty had no idea what had happened. "Gold spikes?"

"Sure."

She rolled her eyes, "That wasn't... Mine. You attracted it... Jormungandr. Poison dragon. Protect... Protective."

"Cool." Kitty replied and yawned, "This place is weird. Why the floating? Isn't that uncomfortable? Woulda thought they'd put you to sleep or sometin'."

Arcana smiled at her unflappable girlfriend, seeing the fear in her eyes. The worry that Kitty was never going to admit to having. "Because I just had a... Demonic abortion. And they're scared of... Me. I'm bad... Because... The demons sort of... Fed on my... Curse."

"Right." Kitty popped her cheeks, "Ya curse infectious?"

"No." Arcana smiled.

The girl stood up and walked over, grabbing Arcana's ankle to drag her down to equal height and put her arms around her shoulders, "Ya got a problem wit this?"

"... No."

Kitty kissed her deeply, passionately. Arcana felt it through her entire body, and only broke it to gasp painfully for air. She wanted more, wanted it to last forever.

The woman smiled at her, "Arcana..."

"... Yeah?"

"I love you." Kitty said and smiled, "Need ta get used to sayin' that. Don't say it enough. But I do. I love you. Ya not just hot. This isn't just fun. This is what I want. You and nothin' else."

Arcana bit her lip as she burst into tears. "Really? After... Mum... Raz... Curses... The faeries..."

"Not sayin' that shit ain't shitty. We all got baggage." Kitty laughed softly, "And that fairy shit was weird as fuck. We gotta talk about that. I ain't nobody's fuckin' bride. But when you aren't chokin' on air."

She stared at her, "We... Barely..."

"Maybe it only has been a few days. But they've been crazy." Kitty laughed, "First date, huntin' a flamin' dragon. Second date, classic. We just got back from the weekend away, even if ya were workin'. I love ya. Ya stuck wit me."

"Good." Arcana smiled tearfully, "I love you. Too much. Scared... You don't... Feel the same."

Kitty rolled her eyes, "If ya told me to sell my bike, I probably would. Ya could do all sorts to me. Hurt me bad. Still don't think I'd leave ya. Scares me bad."

"That's a... Responsibility..." Arcana said, surprised by the admission. She really had thought that Kitty would be able to walk away from her, that she very nearly had, when they were away. "I... Will hurt you... And... That makes me... Hate... Me..."

The woman laughed and kissed her nose, "Ya a sweet girl. With a fucked up life, sure. But sweet. What say you and I run away, once ya get out of here?"

Arcana stared at her in surprise.

Kitty shrugged, "Ya dyin'. My life is borin' and pointless. But, if compensation for one managuise was a year's income, what's this goin' be? Nation bankruptin'? We could get by. Me on my bike, you on a dragon. Enjoy things whilst the cats fight behind us."

"Yes. Want." Arcana broke into a wide grin as she tried not to burst into tears, "But... When I get close... It won't be... Easy. We'll end up... Back here..."

"Sure." Kitty shrugged, "But that's then. I'm a talkin' about runnin' away from responsibility. We got time 'fore."

"What are you doing!?"

Arcana sighed as the nurse entered. Kitty rolled her eyes and stuck a hand in Arcana's panties, "Swordfightin'. What does it look like?"

"No touching the patient." The nurse pulled on some gloves, "Now you have to go through the disinfecting -"

"Nope." Kitty yawned, kissed her gently again and turned, "Y'all worried about the demons pulled outta me. Isn't there like some immune thing?"

Kitty wasn't half as dumb as she tried to look.

---

"You're not supposed to be smoking on the grounds."

Kitty glanced over at the strange witch and shrugged. "Shouldn't be at all. Bad habit, and Arcana hates the taste."

"You've quit before?" Lilith asked her in surprise, and she shrugged. The woman rolled her eyes, "So the stress is eating at you. What a shock. Addiction is sort of my thing, if you want to get clean, sugar. Magic makes it easier."

"So does anger."

The woman took a step backwards, "Chill. I just came to see a friend, not to try and screw you."

"Ya walked over here to offer me a pity fuck." Kitty blew out a stream of smoke, "It was annoying."

Lilith laughed nervously, "You really are... Different. You say what you think, even when you're surrounded by people who can literally rip you limb from limb. Arcana must be one of the luckiest women in the world."

"So lucky her mum cursed her to die."

"Oh." The woman cringed, "She got around to telling you that, then?"

"Mmm."

Lilith sighed, and leaned on the wall beside her, producing a cigarette that burned pink and smelled like roses out of thin air that was somehow already lit. "That's a tough one, sugarcake. I don't know all the details, but I don't think anyone does. Not even the Doom Squad. She doesn't have to die, though."

"Consent to being her mum's heir, and the curse'll fuck off?"

The woman shook her head, "She doesn't even have to do that. Just has to get married. To an abusive crapsack with incredible hearing and more incredible magic who is probably listening to us."

"And won't show up unless he wants his nuts crushed again." Kitty sneered.

Lilith giggled and shook her head, "Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The most powerful sorcerer in all the world, brought to his knees. Repeatedly. By one angry mundane and perfect aim."

"He really all that?"

The woman smiled at her, "You really don't know, do you? Okay. I had to sleep with a devil to get my immortality. A lot. Rasputin... No one quite knows how he got his. But for his birthday one year he had the guests try and kill him. He was poisoned, shot, stabbed, literally gutted, shot again, and then beheaded. Five minutes later, he was toasting his own prowess. Only time he's up and dying is when he finally gets arrogant enough to hit a god."

"I hit Arcana's mother. Wish I'd hit her harder. I hadn't known, yet." Kitty said as her jaw cracked from clenching.

Lilith stared at her, "You what now?"

"Shoved her off the back of a jeep." Kitty shrugged, "Do all gods bleed? I don't really have a handle on this divine thing. She seemed normal ta me. I mean, a witch, but as normal as the rest of you lot."

The witch shook her head in wonder, "You absolute fucking psycho. Gods bleed, yeah. Their blood is the most potent source of mana in the universe. But usually when a god bleeds, they commit genocide in revenge. Entire cultures have disappeared from this world. Ever wonder why? Don't fuck with divinity."

"She fucked with Arcana."

Lilith shivered, "By Astraea... I don't think I've ever been as scared by a mundane as I am by you. Knowing you have no magic isn't actually as comforting as I thought it would be. You sure those demons weren't hiding inside you because that's the only fucking place they could hide from you?"

Kitty glared at her.

The woman winced, "Too soon?"

"Aha."

Lilith shrugged, and waved the remnants of her cigarette in the air, somehow drawing a pink heart with the light. "Sorry about that. You make me nervous, mundane. Like you're about to hit me."

"Considering it." Kitty replied and shook her head, "How exactly are you and Arcana friends?"

"Her mother introduced us because I'm one of the most powerful women sorcerers of all time. Thought I could be an inspiration without being an influence. Oops." Lilith chuckled softly, "I slept my way to the top. Which technically makes me a warlock, rather than a sorceress, but that is also a slur these days. Basically like calling someone a slut, whilst also insulting their magical ability."

"'Kay. Warlock." Kitty teased with a flat tone.

Lilith laughed, a strangely sexy sound that felt like it was crawling into her head. Kitty didn't like the feeling. The witch shook their head, "Oh, you're precious, mundane. You hear that I am powerful enough to catch the attention and respect of a god, and you enjoy flirting with your own destruction."

"Never much believed in gods." Kitty blew a puff, "I give about as much of a shit now, as I did then. Respect is earned."

The witch laughed some more and shook her head, "It isn't stupidity. That's the most terrifying thing about you. You don't act fearless because you're ignorant. There's just nothing we can do to you apart from kill you, and you simply don't fear that. The magic community should be afraid of you. You're a true monster."

Kitty grunted wordlessly.

Lilith stubbed out her cigarette on the air, "So damn sexy. I'll be around, Kitty. Don't do anything to make Arcana cry."

"Always do. Never mean it."

The witch sighed, "I'm trying to leave on an enigmatic line, damn it. Don't spoil it by getting in the last word all the time, mundane. It's not sexy."

Kitty shrugged, "You're never getting in my pants. Move on, witch."

"Arcana is so proud of your will." Lilith said angrily, "The will that cannot bend will be broken. That's the way of the world."

"Day I snap, is the day y'all regret crossin' me." Kitty replied and put out her own cigarette before glaring at the witch, "Ya wanna see it?"

"I... Think I'd rather have Rasputin kill me a half dozen times." Lilith laughed, "See you around, sugarcake."

"Fuck off, warlock." She smiled back at them. Maybe Lilith wasn't so bad.

---

"You spent too much mana. The curse began to devour you. You won't last much longer if you keep ignoring it, Arcana." Astraea chided her, "I am sorry for what I have done, but there is only one way to undo it. It would be a marriage only in name. I wouldn't let him control you."

"Get out." Arcana said tiredly, glaring at her mother. She didn't have the strength or energy to explain it. She'd rather die than be tied to that man, even if it was just a symbol.

He was everything that she despised.

She would never acknowledge him, allow anyone to think even for a moment that she was okay with who he was and what he had done to her. She would carve out her own heart before she allowed that to happen.

"I would undo it if I could."

Arcana glared, "You managed one thing. With your rant... You taught me that words... Matter... So... Listen."

Her mother looked up at her, pain in her ancient eyes.

"Fuck off."

Astraea turned away from her and tried to cover up a heart-wrenching sob. Arcana didn't care if her mother really was in that much pain. Everything was her fault. She'd never asked for any of this. Never asked to be the heir of a deranged goddess.

"You are determined, daughter. To spit upon everything I ever gave you, everything I ever taught you." Astraea managed to sound haughty, even in distress. "To offer up the gifts of the heavens to this... Mundane nothing. To make her the Bride."

"That prophecy..." Arcana growled, "What does... It mean?"

"You are forbidden to know it." Astraea replied stiffly, "Yet, you will. You will. You have chosen it. I tried so hard to give you the path... To show you a destiny without pain... Without loss... And you fight it at every turn!"

The goddess broke down, openly weeping.

"I love her." Arcana panted.

Astraea shrugged, "I know. I know, daughter. I know it all. The past. The future. The spells that bind, and the curses that free. I am truly sorry, but I have failed you. I won't stand in your way... But I will never approve."

"I don't need it." Arcana coughed weakly, "I don't want you to... I don't need... You!"

Her mother finally left.

She even managed to do it without turning around and cursing Arcana to some even worse fate.

She collapsed against the mana field, letting it push gently against her exhaustion. The magic slowly flowing into her and attempting to fill her cracked and leaking reserves.

Her mother was right. Every time Arcana attempted to use magic, it shortened her lifespan. At least she now had a definite set of dates before she'd end up dead. No more than a month to get out of here, pretend everything was fine, and show Kitty a beautiful world full of wonder.

She focused on her breathing, on ensuring magic flowed smoothly in and out whilst she burned from the inside out. She was not going to be here long, she knew what she needed to do to recover.

---

Kitty was unloading some groceries into the fridge when the entire building shook violently. She half-expected the windows to crack or shatter.

Kitty rolled her eyes and continued to sort things into where she thought they should go. She did roughly pause to make one adjustment to the room, and then waited patiently to hear the elevator.

"Ooh. You are a cute little jormungandr, aren't you? Yes, you are! Oh... Oh, you're a little shit. Fuck off. Don't swear at me." She heard from the other room, as she finished putting the drinks away in the fridge. She began folding the bags, expecting that Arcana would take her time to play with a new friend.

"Hey, you."

Kitty shrugged as she turned around, flicking her hair, "Ya ran out of food."

"Aha..." Arcana said, staring at her, and clearly appreciating what she was seeing. "So... Your shirt just happened to be thrown in the corner?"

Kitty shrugged, non-committal.

"I got the heraclaide out of impound. But I suppose you might have noticed that." Arcana said slowly, "So... What about taking him for a flight, later?"

"You are really bad at this." Kitty rolled her eyes and looked at her girlfriend with a hand on her hip, "If all I'm wearing is a bra... Ya supposed to take it off. Not go and be talkin'."

Arcana scratched at her cheek, "I was trying to work out how to tell you that I'm not really allowed to... Do stuff, yet. Doctor's advice."

"Right."

The woman glared at her, "Oh... Fuck it."

"That's the idea." Kitty smiled. "Couch?"

Arcana grinned and half-skipped over to it, sitting down and smiling over at her girlfriend, "Just so you know, I'm not normally like this. I... I'm not a slut. But... You're incredible, Kitty."

The woman rolled her eyes, "I ain't judgin'. If ya want me tongue, ya just gotsa ask."

"I want your tongue." Arcana blushed furiously.

Kitty knelt in front of her, and then yanked her legs, tossing them over her shoulders. Kissing fiercely at Arcana through her pants. Just as determined and forceful as if she were already eating her out.

Arcana gave a tiny ragged gasp, "Well, fuck. If I knew that... This was going to be my welcome, I -"

"Never shut up, do ya?" Kitty scoffed, letting her legs drop and reaching for her pants, "I'm half nekked and ya still be tryin' ta romance me. Shit, girl."

Then, with her usual lack of warning, her girlfriend dove into her. Arcana let out a whimper as Kitty's head bobbed up and down, tossing her hair into waves.

Her nose was rocking back and forth into Arcana's clit, as her miraculous tongue stroked the inside of the dragon trainer. Long and fast licks, soothing the exhausted muscles, drenching her with Kitty's saliva.

Arcana tightly gripped the edge of her couch, feeling uncomfortably lightheaded, "Whoah, fuck. Ooh, fuck... Dizzy. Easy with me, Kitty."

The woman leaned back, looking at Arcana with a hurt in her eyes that made her heart snap in two. Kitty frowned, "Yeah. Makin' ya cum right off, that's a bad idea, ain't it? Wanna swap places?"

"Kitty..." Arcana breathed unsteadily, and the woman stood up. Shedding the rest of her clothing quickly. "I love you... But if I'm dizzy, doing all the work... And you're not easy."

The biker laughed loudly, "That's the issue? Lie back. We can make out whilst I fingerfuck ya."

"Why do I find you so romantic?" Arcana complained, but complied.

Kitty jumped onto the couch, straddling her roughly and flicking out her long tail of her before leaning down and kissing her. It was firm and forceful, as Kitty tried to snag Arcana's tongue. Hungry and passionate, lying to her.

Arcana pushed her up a bit, "You're overcompensating. I'm fine. You don't have to pretend that you are."

"We don't haveta have sex, if ya don't want." Kitty replied, sitting back on her waist, "I don't really cook. 'Cos I eat like shit. Just thought this'd be a fun way to welcome you home."

She shook her head, "No, no it's good. I have the stress to burn. But... You're not okay, Kitty. I don't know why I can tell, but I can tell."

"Ya me girlfriend." Kitty smiled at her and cupped her cheek, "Jus' 'cos we're quick at stuff don't mean ya don't know me. But... I do kinda hate that ya noticed."

Arcana sighed heavily, dropping her head, "You know what... Changed my mind. If my wonderful, perfect, girlfriend is still willing..."

"Ya got it." Kitty grinned at her excitedly and slid down her. Arcana couldn't help but notice the woman leaving a streak of clear liquid on her leg at the same time, or that it was on purpose.

Arcana's hands grabbed the couch and she grunted as her girlfriend was as gentle as a rampaging rhino. Tongue flicking in and out with precision and ferocity, playing up and down her faster than her spinning head could keep up with.

She collapsed onto the couch weakly, "Fuck. Oh, fuck, Kitty. Just... Fuck."

"Feed me, slave." Her cat miaowed from the kitchen doorway, loudly yelling at the both of them.

Without slowing or breaking her rhythm, Kitty picked up her pants, wadded them into a ball and tossed them with perfect aim. The cat launched into the air with a cussing scream.

Arcana laughed and moaned at the same time, feeling Kitty smirk in-between her legs as she did. The biker still didn't slow down, pushing the dragon-handler right back into full-on moaning, but she felt lighter for it.