Her Incubus Master (The Children of Lilith)

by Bliss Devlin

  "If not regrets, then what?" Andras sounded curious rather than accusatory.

  He took a sip of coffee and waited for her answer.

  "Mostly what it would mean, really mean, if I do end up living forever. Or at least a really long time, like you," Katie said, cradling her own half-empty cup in her hands. "I've been wondering if I should have majored in something else in college, or if I should have gone on to get my MFA, student debt be damned. And now, if this works, I'll have time to have this career, then go back to university and study something else, and get a totally different degree. Hell, I can have all the degrees—and jobs-- I was ever even remotely interested in, and maybe even some that haven't been invented yet!" She grinned at him. "And we could travel! I could take a whole year off to just travel, maybe go all the way around the world, and not worry about falling behind with 401ks and stuff like that."

  Andras smiled back her warmly. "I'm glad to hear that you're already making plans, love. And your attitude makes it likely that you'll rarely be bored as an immortal."

  "That would be horrible," said Katie. "But I can't imagine being bored."

  "Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon," Andras quoted.

  "What?" Katie looked at him blankly. "But there are so many cool things to do. I could totally catch up with my reading! Learn to knit! Learn to fix cars!"

  Katie's mind was in high gear. Even the prospect of having to do the group-sex rite didn't seem quite so bad anymore, she told herself. And maybe it wouldn't even be necessary by the time Halloween rolled around.

  Andras chuckled. "That's the spirit! Why not make your next project deciding what you'd like to keep here? I was serious about wanting to sleep with you every night from now on."

  "I'd like that," Katie said.

  "I'm willing to switch off between our two places, if you want to keep your apartment," he continued. "Or you could move here, into the loft..."

  "Um," she said, suddenly uncertain.

  "Or, if you think we'll need more space, we could look for a bigger place, maybe a house." Andras was clearly on a roll.

  Katie felt sudden panic at all of the prospective changes. She loved him, she wanted to be with him, but for now at least, she liked having her own place to retreat to, if things got too intense.

  And her incubus lover was an intense person, there was no mistake about that.

  "Why don't we take this one step at a time?" she suggested, shyly, not wanting to hurt his feelings. "Let's start with toothbrushes and shampoo and a change of clothes, and see where it goes from there."

  Andras swept her bow from his seat at the table. "Whatever my lady desires."

  12. Katie Gets Her Happy Ending

  "You look pensive," said Andras, looking up at her from the loft's main living area.

  It was the fateful day—October 31, the day that Andras and the other Children of Lilith referred to as "Samhain" rather than Halloween. And Katie was getting ready—or trying to—for her commitment ceremony.

  "I don't know what to wear," she confessed, leaning over the bedroom railing. "Jeans? Or I dress up? Should I put on my nice lingerie?"

  "Definitely wear your nice lingerie. As for the rest--wear something dressy for the ceremony. All of the local Children of Lilith, plus a Washington State contingent, will be there." Andras advised. "And there will be absolutely no Halloween costumes at the gathering," he added, in a teasing tone.

  "Okay, no clown wigs or angel wings. Got it," she replied, rolling her eyes at him. She couldn't help teasing him a little. "Are you sure you don't me to dress up as a sexy nurse, though?"

  He snorted and turned back to his laptop.

  Katie turned to the closet she shared with Andras, and began examining her "meeting with clients" work clothes. Those would probably be appropriate for anything short of a cocktail party.

  Katy still had mixed feelings about tonight's ceremony.

  On the one hand, she was still totally in love with Andras and wanted to be with him forever--literally.

  She had finally taken the plunge, free-cycled her grandmother's ugly hand-me-down furniture, and moved into Andras' loft at the end of the summer. Despite her initial worries, she had settled in nicely, and she couldn’t imagine living apart from him now.

  The huge living room had plenty of space for her to set up a workstation with dual monitors for her graphics art work, and she no longer had to drive or take the bus into the office—it was now within easy walking distance. Her battered Toyota stayed parked in the loft's underground garage most of the time, though it was nice to have a second car for when Andras was gone on business trips, or if they had a schedule conflict after work.

  On the other hand, she hadn't quite reconciled herself to the thought that being with Andras forever meant she needed to submit to a gang-bang with a bunch of strangers. But it looked like it was going to be necessary.

  Despite giving it his enthusiastic best—she smiled at the sensual memories—he had not succeeded in infecting her with whatever it was that would make her immortal.

  So, she had agreed to undergo the Sharing Rite at tonight's ceremony.

  Now that the day had finally arrived, the thought of it was terrifying and exciting at the same time.

  As she pulled an elegant silk blouse out of the closet, Katie told herself that she was going to be a good sport and give it her best shot tonight.

  She wanted to live forever, especially if it meant sparing Andras the grief and pain he had experienced when Yoshiko failed to become immortal.

  * * *

  Katie swallowed nervously as Andras turned off the main road, and began driving up a narrow dirt road. The late afternoon sun slanted through the tall trees that lined the road, and Andras' car trailed a long dust cloud.

  The ceremony was being held at the secluded home of one of the Children of Lilith, located in a wealthy neighborhood nestled in the wooded hills about a half-hour south of the city.

  This is it. But am I ready?

  Sensing her jitters, Andras reached over and put a large, warm hand on her knee. He stopped the car. "Do you want to go home? We can always try this again next year."

  She looked at him, and saw nothing but concern in his beautiful green eyes. No annoyance, no frustration.

  Katie let out a breath. "No. Don't let me chicken out now." She put her hand over his. "I want this. I want to be with you. I'm just a little nervous, that's all."

  He turned his hand palm up, and laced his fingers through hers. "I'll be with you every step of the way. And if you're in any distress, use your safe word. Please."

  She nodded. "Okay. And thank you." She leaned over and kissed him. "I love you."

  That made him smile, as it always did. "I love you, too."

  He put the car back in gear and continued driving.

  * * *

  The house was impressive, a huge, sprawling brick building with gables and mullioned windows that looked like it had been transported from some duke's estate in England. It was surrounded by a vast lawn, punctuated with flowerbeds and several ornamental fountains.

  Holding hands, Katie and Andras walked to the front door, where Amanda opened the door.

  She was still dating Drake Whitelaw, albeit in a stormy on-again, off-again way, and she was looking much better these days. She gave both of them enthusiastic hugs and kissed their cheeks, and said, "Come on through to the back yard. They decided to hold the exchange of vows out there because the weather's been so nice."

  It all sounded so normal that the sick tension in Katie's stomach began to ease.

  They followed Amanda through a huge foyer done in dark wood, with a cranberry-colored carpet and a table holding the biggest flower arrangement that Katie had ever seen.

  Then past more wood-paneled rooms crowded with expensive antique furniture, and finally, out through a set of French doors to a garden that descended a hill in a series of shallow terraces overflowing with roses and colorful flowers.


  A crowd of people stood on the top terrace, which boasted a large, fancy wooden gazebo. As they drew closer, Katie saw two couples standing inside the gazebo. One consisted of a young, nervous-looking black man, wearing white, accompanied by a male Child of Lilith wearing a too-gorgeous-to-be-true glamour with a mane of dreadlocks.

  Andras came to a sudden halt, staring at the other couple. The woman was a beautiful redhead in her twenties, and her companion was a strikingly-handsome man with tousled, dark brown hair and piercing dark blue eyes.

  The woman looked really familiar, somehow, and Katie frowned, trying to remember where she had seen her before.

  Both of them smiled with genuine pleasure as they spotted Andras and Katie.

  "Andras, sweetheart!" called the woman, coming forward. "You look so surprised—you didn't think we'd miss such an important occasion, did you?"

  Katie turned to look at her lover. Did he actually look nervous?

  "Hello, Mother," he said.

  And then Katie remembered where she had seen these people before: in the old painting hanging over their bed in the loft.

  Andras gave her a wry look. "Sorry about the ambush," he whispered, before saying in his normal voice, "Mother, Father, this is my pledged philtata, Katie Gunnarson. Katie, these are my parents, Psyche and Aphrodisios Vélos."

  "Call me Amor," said Andras' father, who looked no older than his son. "And I'm very pleased to meet you at last."

  "Don't tell me you're the one officiating at the ceremony?" Andras asked.

  Before his father could answer, Andras glared at his sister. "You knew, didn't you?" Amanda smirked, and he let out a noisy sigh. "Hell, you probably arranged the whole thing."

  Despite his bluster, Katie sensed that he wasn't really angry or upset.

  "Possibly," said Amanda, pushing a lock of red hair—the same shade as Psyche's—behind her ear. "Because I can't believe you didn't invite them. In fact, I can't believe you've never even introduced Katie to them, and she's about to become your philtata. Really, Andras. What were you thinking?"

  He smiled pleasantly at his sister. "I was thinking that Katie is the best thing to happen to me in a long time, and I didn't want to send her running and screaming before she was well and truly bonded to me."

  "I probably wouldn't have screamed," Katie said, thoughtfully. "Can't comment on the running part, though." She stuck out her hand. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Vélos."

  She held her breath. Andras' parents...wow. What must they be thinking, meeting her for the first time on what was effectively her wedding day?

  Katie needn't have worried. Psyche bypassed the handshake and gave her a warm hug, instead. "Please, call me Psyche. Welcome to our family, dear girl. We're so happy to meet you."

  Amor hugged her as well, and Katie felt the phantom brush of wings against her arms as she returned the embrace.

  "Well, now that you're both here, I suppose we can get started," Amor said.

  "Wait," said Amanda, with a mischievous expression. "She hasn't met Korinna yet."

  "Korinna is here, too? With him?" Andras growled.

  Katie looked inquiringly at him, but no explanations were forthcoming.

  "Of course," Amanda said, cheerfully. "He's her philtatos, after all. I like him just fine."

  Andras sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Family," he said philosophically. "There are always going to be one or two obnoxious in-laws."

  "That's funny," someone said, acidly, behind them. "Mark says the same thing about you, little brother."

  Katie turned to look at the new arrival. Despite being on the short side, she looked intimidating and kind of disapproving. She was really pretty, though, with Amor's thick, tousled chocolate-brown hair and dark blue eyes.

  Right. I'm marrying into a family of supermodels, Katie thought, wilting a little under the newcomer's long, assessing look.

  Holding her arm was a stocky, powerfully-built man with scarred hands and forearms, and graying blond hair in a buzz cut.

  Katie's first impression of him was that he looked like a Marine. There was just something about the way he held himself.

  "Hi," he said, smiling, his gray eyes crinkling at the corners. His handshake was warm and firm. "I’m Mark. Mark Aquila," he said in a raspy voice.

  Katie noticed an old white scar tracing a ragged line across his throat, and wondered if his voicebox had been injured in whatever had happened to him.

  "And this," Mark said, turning to his companion with a courtly half-bow, "is my lady Korinna, elder sister of that loser you're about to hitch yourself to."

  Katie thought she heard Andras growl, very quietly. But then Korinna was hugging her with stiff formality.

  "I'm so happy to meet you at last," she said, coolly. "We were all so worried about Andras for a while."

  "I wasn't," Mark said, still smiling pleasantly.

  "Marcus Aquila Julianus," Korinna said, with a reproving tap on his cheek. "Behave." She leaned over and kissed Andras on the cheek. "We wish you every joy, of course."

  "Thank you, sister," Andras said, his tone formal but sincere. "I do appreciate you coming all this way—"

  "Nonsense," said Korinna. "You hide your philtata away as if you're ashamed of her. What did you think would happen? We've all been dying of curiosity about this mystery woman." She gave Katie another penetrating look that swept her from head-to-toe, as if looking for flaws.

  Katie gritted her teeth under the scrutiny. "Don't worry about your little brother," she said, sweetly. "I have all my fingers, toes, and teeth. I have a car and a good job and no debt beyond a student loan. No police record, either."

  Mark burst out laughing. "I like her," he told Andras.

  "She's better than I deserve," Andras replied.

  "Got that right," Mark agreed, cheerfully.

  Korinna looked dismayed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you. Truly," she said to Katie, sounding sincere. "It's just—I'm so glad that Andras has found someone again—and I was curious." She looked so repentant that Katie decided that Andras' older sister wasn't a bitch, after all, just socially awkward.

  * * *

  The ceremony was held in the gazebo.

  Amor and Psyche stood side by side, with Andras and Katie and the two others facing them. Psyche held a large silver tray with two wine glasses, a pitcher, and a ripe pomegranate.

  She smiled warmly at Katie before shifting her smile to the young black man who was the other philtatos-candidate.

  "We are gathered here today," said Amor, pitching his voice to carry to the crowd of guests gathered around the gazebo, "to witness the vows taken by Katie and Andras, Philip and Delion. Katie and Philip, do you come here of your own free will?"

  "I do," Katie said in unison with the man standing next to her.

  "Katie and Philip, do you understand what it means to become one of the philtatoi, the beloved companions of the Children of Lilith?"

  "I do."

  "Then drink," said Psyche. "This is the sacred ambrosia of the Children of Lilith. It will open your soul to the Divine Ancestress Lilith, and allow Amor to work the spell that will bind you."

  Amor lifted the pitcher and poured a thick dark-gold liquid into each of the wine glasses, filling them.

  Andras released Katie's hand, and stepped forward to take one of the glasses, followed by Delion.

  She took the glass Andras handed her, and sniffed at it. The stuff smelled like honey, with an astringent herbal note. But she did not sip, not yet.

  Andras had told her to wait until the third request to drink.

  Standing next to her, Philip raised his glass, but did not taste it.

  "Drink," Amor said, quietly. "It will open your spirit to your partner, and allow them to divine your deepest needs, your deepest desires."

  Psyche spoke again. "The Children of Lilith offer a sacred partnership to mortals such as ourselves. From this day forward, all that you feel, your partner shall feel also, and they will
be nourished and uplifted by what you give them in love and friendship."

  Andras moved behind Katie and put his hands on her shoulders. "Will you drink, Katie, and bind yourself to me as my philtata?"

  This was third request, so Katie lifted the glass to her lips and took a mouthful.

  It was really sickeningly sweet and strong and herbal. Kind of like honey-flavored Jӓgermeister.

  She coughed a little at that first swallow, then chugged the rest as fast as she could. Andras hadn't been kidding when he warned her that it wasn’t a sipping beverage, and that the best way to deal with it was to drink it as fast as possible.

  The ambrosia hit her stomach and expanded in a hot pool, like really strong booze. It made her feel sleepy and relaxed, but also hyper-aware of every noise and sensation.

  At least she wasn't feeling nervous anymore.

  Andras raised her left arm, and she felt a tickling sensation as he slid a bracelet made of elaborately-knotted red string over her hand.

  Amor took the pomegranate from the tray and tore it open with a swift twist of his hands.

  "Kneel," Andras whispered.

  Katie sank to her knees, feeling tipsy. Amor held out one half of the pomegranate, the white pith studded with shiny, bright-red seeds.

  "Do you freely give yourself to my son Andras, Katie Gunnarson, and swear to love him well and to keep his honor as your own?" Amor asked.

  "I do."

  "In return," Amor continued, "Andras Vélos, do you accept the service of this mortal woman, to protect, cherish, and use her in Lilitû's name and worship?"

  "I do," he answered, seriously. "Katie, I swear by the Sacred Handmaiden Lilitû, you shall never want for anything, and I will do my utmost to please you in our goddess's honor."

  "Open your mouth, Katie," Amor commanded.

  She obeyed, and felt him place a bunch of pomegranate seeds on her tongue, their tartness cutting through the lingering haze of sweet booze on her tongue.

  "Twelve seeds," Psyche said. "Symbolizing your commitment as a constant companion to a Child of Lilith."