Demon Coil Ch 03

CHAPTER THREE

The sun was setting over the city, shafts of orange light breaking through the omnipresent smog that had only worsened with Ospoxun's anger. It smelled of burnt wood and hot tar. The cracks in the sidewalk bubbled with lava as he approached the warren, but Arno ignored them. Sygny had assured him that whatever protection he had put in his boyfriend's boots could withstand the Earth's core, if it had to. Arno would have preferred to be in the Earth's core if it meant that he did not have to go tithe for some asshole demon. He kicked a rock, watching as it rolled into the street and fell into a grate.

He had only been to the warren a few times, but even if he hadn't known its location the rising lava would have shown the way. Lesser demons slithered around corners or lay out on the sidewalk, their reptilian bodies basking in the heat. It was very rare that one came across any of them that couldn't stand it. He didn't see any humanoid part demons, and assumed they were all in their homes or in the warren.

When the warehouse Ospoxun had decided to call home came into sight Arno felt the cold steel of a gun against his back. He raised his arms, looking over his shoulder to see a buxom, redheaded part demon. She was smiling, revealing pointed teeth behind her blood red lips. Her demonic attributes continued with scaly red patches all over her body and black horns and tail that he could see as he craned his neck. In truth, she looked quite stereotypical.

"Are you a tithe?" she asked with a hiss, grinding the gun into his kidney and licking her lips, revealing that her tongue was forked.

"Yes," Arno answered, forcing himself to remain still.

"Excellent," she said, nudging him so he turned and allowed her black eyes to travel down his body, pausing at his crotch. "Ospoxun will be pleased." She holstered the gun and gripped Arno's muscular bicep with a clawed hand, attempting to drag him to a nearby door while he did his best to walk under his own power.

The warren was hot and reeked of sulfur. Heavily armed part demons and their lesser demon companions stared at him as he passed, but his escort must have announced his purpose by her presence, as no one gave them trouble. By the time they reached Ospoxun's main court Arno's dark shirt was stuck to his body with sweat, showing off his toned physique. He caught his companion looking at him more than necessary, and she whispered her name was Belrona with a wink. Arno thought she was very optimistic that he would have the energy to seek her out later.

Ospoxun announced his presence with a roar that might have been a laugh. For all Lacuna's description he was more humanoid than most, though completely unappealing to Arno. He also dressed like he was in a rock band: from his black leather pants to his long, head-banging hair. Belrona forced Arno to his knees, which struck the concrete floor with enough force to leave bruises.

"A tithe?" Ospoxun asked, his voice echoing through the chamber and inspiring thoughts of an erupting volcano. He didn't wait for an answer but walked up to Arno and lifted his chin with a searing hot finger.

"A willing tithe," Arno replied, forcing the words out of his mouth, reminding himself not to shrink away from the demon's touch. It was important to the demon that the tithe was willing, or at least that he not fight the demon's draw on his energy. It would take a dozen unwilling tithes to match one given freely. It lowered the incidence of demon rape, at least, and Arno hoped Ospoxun believed him and didn't throw him out to look for someone more amenable. The great demon narrowed his eyes, but seemed to accept his response after a moment of contemplation.

"Take off your shirt," Ospoxun commanded, stepping away to give himself a full view. He paced around as Arno did as he was told, revealing a torso covered with traditional tattoo designs in bold colors and thick lines, including a slithering dragon across his whole chest. His red tail, which he usually wrapped around his body under his shirt, uncurled with a twitch. Arno didn't find the great demon's expression comforting as he returned to face him.

Ospoxun took the shirt and threw it to Belrona, who caught it easily, before refocusing on Arno. He ran his hot hands down Arno's chest, taking time to tweak his nipples and feel the curvature of his muscles under the tattoos. Sharp claws dug into his skin, leaving marks on Arno's shoulders. Ospoxun's red-orange eyes glowed and Arno locked his hands behind his back, his knuckles turning white.

"Relax," he boomed, ripping Arno's arms forward. The command made Arno want to slide to the floor, but he resisted. Instead, he slowly uncurled his fingers, making a show of resting them on his thighs. Ospoxun licked his lips as his gaze followed them. He pinched Arno's nipple, hard enough to bruise, his claws digging into the areola and threatening to draw blood. The part demon gasped, drawing Ospoxun's eyes to his mouth.

Arno felt a compulsion, the will he had given over, lifting his arms as Ospoxun met his eyes. He watched as he unzipped the great demon's tight leather pants and revealed his hardening cock. Ospoxun grabbed Arno's chin, forcing his face closer, though with the compulsion his brutality was unnecessary. Arno took the demon in his mouth, running his tongue along his cockhead. Ospoxun groaned, bending his knees and forcing himself further into Arno's mouth. He choked as it hit the back of his throat, his lips still not at the base, but Ospoxun only thrust harder.

The demon's flesh was searing, and Arno felt as if blisters were forming on his lips. Hot hands tangled in his short black hair, grabbing the small red horns on his head to pull his face closer as Ospoxun enjoyed himself with roaring vocalizations. The floor quaked, and Arno felt himself stir. He tried to force his arousal away, but he and the demon were linked by the tithe and he could not control it.

Ospoxun pulled himself from Arno's mouth, pushing his face down to his heavy balls. Arno ran his tongue around the sac, feeling himself shiver with foreign arousal as the hot skin pressed against his lips. He lifted a hand to the demon's shaft, twisting as he stroked, catching the searing precum in his fingers.

Arno felt a tug on his chin, forcing him up and back as Ospoxun enjoyed his hand. The demon met his tithe's brown eyes, a small smile twisting his mouth before his gaze fell to the hard cock straining behind Arno's zipper. Even through the compulsion Arno shook, trying to force away his fear at the thought of being fucked.

With a gasp Arno lifted his other hand to the flesh before him, using the moisture that remained from his mouth to slick it as he created a longer channel for the thrusting demon to enjoy. Though his actions hadn't been in the compulsion's script, Ospoxun seemed to enjoy it enough that it distracted him from other pursuits. He roughly gripped Arno's head and pulled his mouth back in an instant. Arno began licking the entire length of the demon's hard cock as it passed through his lips and stole his air. The demon pulled out and thrust deeply, his claws driving sharp points of pain into Arno's skull as the tithe gave in to a punishing rhythm that resonated through his body until the front of his jeans were soaked.

Their audience watched with hungry eyes, and the fiery scale patches on Ospoxun's exposed skin glowed with heat. Arno felt his body orgasm and all strength leave him as Ospoxun roared and ripped at his hair, spilling himself into his spasming throat before everything went dark.

* * *

"—next one is here," Arno heard a hissing voice say, and he did his best to pretend he was still passed out. Wherever he was, it seemed to be softer than the concrete floor, and he was grateful. He was tired in a bone deep way that felt like he may never recover. A door shut, and he forced himself not to flinch. He could still hear the hissing voice, but the door in his way meant he could not understand the words.

Cracking an eyelid, he took in his surroundings. The room was small and spare with poor light filtering through the only window. It seemed like it might be early evening, meaning Arno had been passed out all afternoon. The only furniture was the cot he lay on and a vacant, wooden chair. He sat up, noting that he was wearing his shirt again. He shivered despite the heat. The door cracked again, and he froze.

"Hey!" another voice yelled, before the door opened further.

"Go away Trir," the hissing voice said.

"I just want to—"

"Shut up!"

There was the sound of a struggle, and before Arno could lie back down a young part demon tumbled into the room, followed by Belrona. The youth's gold eyes met his brown ones and he said, "Oops," in a small voice.

"Get out!" Belrona yelled, and grabbed the back of his shirt before throwing him into the hallway and slamming the door. Her gaze flicked to Arno, and turned predatory. "I'll escort you out."

Arno stood, trying to make sense of the situation, but he was too tired. Trir was sitting against the wall in the hallway, and the female shooed him away when he tried to grab Arno's arm, a quick movement that he may not have noticed if not for the female's response. He reached again, grabbing Arno's boot, and his target's weakened knees almost crumpled.

Belrona stopped, pushing Arno out of the way and facing the boy. "Isn't your mommy looking for you?" she hissed, aiming a kick at his shin, but he scurried away. With a satisfied noise she began to usher Arno forward again.

When they reached the front door she said, "Ask for me next month," with a wink, and turned him loose. Arno made the trek home in the failing light without falling in a gutter, and Sygny grabbed him into a tight hug as soon as he passed through the barrier.

"Ow," Arno said, but with no venom behind it. His body molded to Sygny's and he allowed the smaller man to drag him to their room and lay him on their comfortable bed.

"Do you want anything?" Sygny asked, his gray eyes concerned. Arno shook his head, rolling over and pressing his face into the pillows. He felt Sygny's weight shift the mattress as he sat on the bed and started to knead his fingers into the tense muscles of Arno's back. He worked carefully until he felt the stress melting away and a groan escaped Arno's lips, muffled by the pillow.

"Shh..." Sygny whispered, and pressed his lips to the back of Arno's neck as he fell asleep.

* * *

Lacuna emerged from the girls' room, noting that Sygny had disappeared from the living room. "Arno's back?" she asked.

"I told you there was nothing to worry about," Rex said, flipping through channels on the holoscreen but not really paying attention to what was on. "He looked fine, but tired of course. Just the same as you always did when you came back," he added, looking over his shoulder as he spoke to her. He had stopped channel surfing on a documentary, but it was not the program or Lacuna that truly won his attention.

"What's that?" he muttered, standing up and walking over to the hallway that led to Arno and Sygny's room as well as his own. Lacuna could see something on the carpet, but it was hard to identify from a distance. Rex picked it up, turning it over and raising his eyebrows.

"What are you looking at?" Tali asked, wandering into the living area from the kitchen, a power bar in her hand. She took a bite as she leaned around his shoulder to look at it.

"Nothing," Rex said, tucking it into his pocket.

"Doesn't sound like nothing," she said around her snack, voicing Lacuna's thoughts. Rex ignored them and knocked on Arno and Sygny's door, letting himself in immediately.

Tali joined Lacuna on the couch, maintaining the careful distance they had kept for the past two days. "It had your name on it," she said without looking up, and Lacuna almost jumped out of her seat.

"My name?" she asked, her eyes flicking over her shoulder as Rex left Arno and Sygny's room. He went to Joss' suite and knocked, waiting patiently to be admitted. Once he was out of the living room Lacuna got up and crossed it, quietly knocking on Arno and Sygny's door.

Sygny stepped out of the room, closing it behind him.

"Arno's still sleeping," Sygny said. "I don't want to wake him up."

"This is important, though," Lacuna said. "I need to know what's in that note."

"No," Sygny said, and put his hands on his hips as he glared at Lacuna, blocking the door to his room with his body. He couldn't physically stop her if she forced him out of the way, but he was hoping it wouldn't come to that. He didn't want to tie her up in a spell.

"Give me the note then," Lacuna said, using her superior height to look down on the small mage.

"No. It's his," Sygny argued, his back pressed into the door.

"It sounded like it was mine," she said, and held out her hand. Sygny shook his head, biting his bottom lip as he glared at her. She leaned forward and was about to say something else, but a strong hand gripped her arm and pulled her back.

"Joss wants to see you," Rex said, letting go of her arm as soon as she was no longer in Sygny's face. She spared both of them a glare before she went off toward Joss' suite.

Lacuna knocked, but rocked from foot to foot as she waited for Joss to answer. Tali was in the living room, but she didn't say anything to Lacuna, though Lacuna could feel the eyes on her back. After an agonizing few moments, the door opened, though Joss did not seem to be there. That was not unusual, so Lacuna walked in and sat in one of the chairs in front of their imposing desk, crossing and uncrossing her ankles while she continued to wait. The door closed under its own power, blocking out the noise of the holoscreen.

"Excellent," Joss' voice came from behind her, and Lacuna jumped. They glided across the room, their dark robe slithering across the carpet, and pooled into their chair on the other side of the desk. Joss handed a piece of paper across the polished surface, their skeletal hand cold as their fingers brushed Lacuna's. "I believe this is what you seek." Lacuna nodded, examining the folded paper with her name scrawled on one side.

"Um, thanks," she said, not meeting Joss' crystal eyes.

"Next time, it may not be necessary to threaten your comrades," Joss said, but their tone made it into a command. Lacuna knew that she shouldn't have pushed Sygny, and she felt like slime when Joss reminded her of that. "Open it," they said, and Lacuna pulled herself from her self-loathing thoughts to unfold the note.

It wasn't so much a note as a summons. A date and a time were written above an address. "Where did it come from?" she asked.

"Arno's boot," Joss replied without a trace of humor. "He has yet to awaken, so we do not know more than that."

"This is tonight," Lacuna said. She pulled out her phone, which showed the time as slightly before noon, and unlocked it to search for the address. It turned out to be only two blocks from Ospoxun's warren.

"Do you remember when you came here?" Joss asked, and Lacuna's head snapped up.

"You know just as well as I do what I remember," she said, frowning.

"Of course," they said, raising their hands. "And nothing before that."

"No."

"And there were no missing person's reports, nothing to suggest that anyone cared for you." Lacuna could not tell if Joss intended to be cruel, as their tone did not change, but she gripped the arm of her chair in at the words nonetheless, stopping herself from reaching across the desk and shaking them.

"No."

"But that does not mean no one was looking for you," Joss said, and Lacuna was mesmerized by their gaze. "Someone who wants you dead wouldn't look for you openly. It might take them a while to find you, but when they did they'd put a tracking compound in the ice of your drink, hiding it as a roofie. They drug your friend too, because she's pretty, and figure you'd both pass out and be easy to track. But, they don't know you very well. You drink it too fast for the ice to melt and they just get your friend. No loss, because they can just use her to find you. Thankfully, you have a powerful mage at your disposal, who keeps them away." Joss broke their gaze, and used a small remote to turn on a holoscreen, showing her security footage from outside the club.

Lacuna watched, enraptured, as the electric blue-eyed bouncer followed them out of the club, watching as they got into Arno's van with Rex and drove away. He made a phone call, his face turned away from the camera, and walked back inside.

"You don't recognize him at all?"

"No," Lacuna said. She swayed in her chair, her grip on its arms holding her up.

"A pity, really." Joss flicked off the holoscreen, dropping the remote onto the desk. "You can't go to this rendezvous," they said, looking at the note Lacuna clutched. "Someone means you ill, and with our lack of knowledge about who that might be it's not safe."

"But we have to find out what they want," Lacuna said.

"I will go," Joss said, standing up.

"Are you—"

"Hush. Go make up with Tali," they said, and the door opened for Lacuna to leave. "I will see you tomorrow morning." With that Joss disappeared through the door into the next room in their suite, where Lacuna had never been. She stood up and, after setting the note on Joss' desk, left the room as she had been told.