by Erin R Flynn
I shrugged. I couldn’t keep up with it all. “Yeah, so it’s real. I’m just bringing it from the vault. I’ve never stolen or counterfeited anything in my life no matter how many have threatened me to do just that. And lots have. Lots have over my centuries.”
It was sort of a sensitive topic like magic was all about stealing and shit. Yeah, that was how it worked of course.
“We need to move along,” Makoto said after one of his guys came over. “Word’s out a large group of enchanters are here and your name was mentioned specifically.”
I let out a whistle and pulsed magic so all supes would feel it. “We’re heading out. Finish and head to the next location. Tommy, scout it. Helen and I will stay until we’re all out.”
He shot me a worried look, nodding before teleporting away with his team.
“Why are you so worried?” Hunt and Makoto asked at the same time.
“I’ve pissed a lot of people off this week and month and year, and past few centuries, so when there’s a sudden shift in the area, it normally isn’t for a good reason,” I explained.
Sure enough, just as the last group teleported away, a group of hawks—which I would guess was the local kettle—showed up.
“You run and we will punish the humans,” one of them warned as they locked on me.
I snorted. “You will for witnessing whatever you’re planning to do. You know the punishment for trying to interfere with an elder tribunal is death, yes?” I nodded when I heard the answer from their minds. “It’s been a long day, kids, so as much as you might want to play, I’m tired. Let me help you get that energy out though.” I flicked my wrist and teleported them all away, scanning the area to make sure I got all the hawks.
“Where did you send them?” the human asked.
“Middle of the ocean. It’s a long swim back to land for them to calm down since they can’t fly with wet wings.” I winked at him. “They won’t hurt you. There’s too many cameras all around. They want me, not more problems.”
“Why do they want you?”
I didn’t want to give a random human too much information, so I kept my answer vague. “I don’t deal well with bullshit or bad people. That tends to piss off some.”
He gave a slow nod. “I will help you with your event and auction. Thank you for saving my life, Enchantress.”
I smiled at him before we popped away. Well, that was some good karma after all.
13
Harajuku—which is a subsection of Tokyo known for sweets and shops—was better than I’d remembered it. There were new stores open, and Makoto took over being my date practically as he showed me what was best at the crepe place. He left some of his guys to stay with the enchanters who came to get more food now that most were off work and ready for treats too.
Then we went to the cotton candy place, and I laughed when he bought me a nine dollar rainbow cone of just craziness. Even I couldn’t finish that much sugar in one treat. We bought out all the cream puffs, and I ducked us into a side area to give him a kiss to thank him for being so sweet after a rough day.
Two of his guys hit another cream puff place and cleared it out while we headed to a bouchee shop. Basically they were cake sandwiches with all sorts of frosting. Finally we cleaned out a cheesecake shop that had… Everything. I mean big ones and fruit tarts and little ones and just so, so much variety it was crazy.
The kids who made it that far were exhausted and didn’t even try to eat anything at the last couple of places, getting snacks for their parents or people who didn’t come instead. Most everyone left after that, and we sent most of the wolves home besides a select few who went with Tommy and his team to check out the coven and talk working together more.
“We’re fine,” I had assured Tommy since it was just Haru, Helen, Keegan, Jerome, Hunt, half a dozen of the wolves, Makoto, and I. I brought us to the place Haru had thought about, and the kid didn’t disappoint. It was by far the best soba I’d ever had in my many, many years.
“Anyone else feel like that scene after Avengers where they’re just all so fucking exhausted and they’re sitting at that shawarma place and simply eating?” Keegan asked. “And that food looked good. Is that Greek? No, Middle Eastern, right?”
“Yes, and it is delicious,” I answered. “I don’t know that place in New York, but I love shawarma. I love Greek food too.” I chuckled as Helen smirked at me. “Yes, fine, there isn’t much I don’t like. Brussel sprouts and peas.”
“I don’t like those either,” Jerome agreed, bobbing his head. “And yeah, it’s like that except we’re all at the counter and the place isn’t half destroyed. I’m so ready for today to be over and bed. The soba is making me sleepy from its comfort food goodness.”
I opened my mouth to compliment the owner on how wonderful his food was and instead cursed under my breath. “Day’s not over. He’s being hassled by Yakuza.”
“Soraya, gods, enough,” Hunt argued when I went to stand. “You’ve done so, so much today. Just let this one go.”
The enchanters snorted, knowing my answer. “So I just ignore it because I’m tired? Everyone else got help today, but this poor guy is SOL since I’m exhausted? Not bloody likely. That would wear on my conscious and not let me sleep.” I turned to the owner and was about to ask him what was going on, but since I’d brought it up, it was at the front of his mind and I got it all since he was upset. “Got it. They won’t bother you again.”
“They bother many on this street,” he said, the warning in his eyes that they were powerful.
“Do you cater?” Helen asked him, always in business mode. “What other shops are on this street? We could use some help too.”
I leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Have fun working on cleaning up my crap and making it work. I’m off to kick some Yakuza ass. Damn, I wanted to finish that. It’s the best soba I’ve ever had, and I’ve had it for almost a thousand years.”
“I will make you more,” the owner promised, getting I could really be someone to help.
I winked at him and popped away to the men that had hassled him, the images in his mind clear enough for me to track them like I would on a picture. Unfortunately, it brought me into a huge group of humans at what I could only guess was their home base or whatever Japanese mob called it. I was pretty sure Yakuza were groups.
I was pretty sure I was too tired to care if I was wrong.
I snickered when Hunt held up his hands in surrender when a few dozen men pulled their guns on us. “You’re bulletproof, remember?”
“Instinct,” he grumbled, lowering his arms.
Waving my wrist, I used my power to bring all the weapons to me, raising an eyebrow when there was a huge, huge pile. “I’m out of patience, as it’s late where I’m from. Now, I could be a bitch and send all these lovely weapons with all their fingerprints on them to the police, or we can have a conversation like adults. Who’s the boss here?”
He didn’t identify himself when I looked around and spotted him, but he wasn’t hiding either, so yeah, he was the fearless leader or whatever.
“Some of your guys have been hassling a soba shop and a few near it to pay protection. It stops. No more being cliché bullies.” I smirked at him when I heard in his mind that he had no knowledge of it and didn’t like that shit either. I flicked my wrist and brought the three who were doing it to me and bound them. “These are your trouble makers. I assume you’d like to handle this internally.”
“Yes, but we still have the problem of the insults you have made. I do not take kindly to that.”
“I’m the Enchantress, so it’s not insulting when it’s me,” I purred, smirking at him but then flinching when I caught a stray thought. I swallowed my revulsion and adjusted my neck. “I will burn this place to the ground if you are one of those shit groups that nab teenagers off the street and tape the rape for porn.”
His aura flashed serious shock but never flinched. “We are not, and I punish severely, as we might not be always the best men, b
ut there are lines we never cross.”
I let out a slow breath as the rest of the pieces were filled in for me. “And what do you feel about those who have been raped? Are they sullen goods? Would you help them after your men have done them such wrong, or am I dooming them to a cleanup?”
“I would personally help them recover their lives and pay reparations. They would not be harmed.”
“And if you knew them?” I pushed, glad at what I heard immediately in his mind. I looked at his son who was standing slightly behind him and now shaking as he figured out what I’d learned. “You will not shame him. He doesn’t feel that way. It is the failing of the parent to not protect the child, not the child’s fault when they are hurt.”
“Is this the truth?” he whispered, finally showing emotion.
“I am sorry, Father,” the teenager rasped, hanging his head in shame.
“The woman is right. The shame is not on you, my son, but on me as having failed you as your father.” He leaned in and kissed his son’s hair and met my gaze. “Who?”
Again, I waved my wrist, and this time there were six men who were kneeling and restrained. “They have many recordings that they threatened to release and shame you with should he not behave. They wanted it for when he takes over, as you are trying to be more legitimate and they thought they could convince your heir to stay on the path of blood, violence, jail, and death.”
“I will make them suffer the worst punishment possible,” he swore to his son.
“She’s got a better one,” Hunt chuckled. He shrugged when I shot him a look. “They touched a kid. Fucking gut them. That’s a bitch of a punishment and a painful one. Let them suffer and use them to help the environment.”
I used my power to cut off his voice, unhappy he was sharing so much. I would have thought a cop was tighter lipped than that. Instead, I offered a different option. “Don’t you guys have a rat problem or something?”
“We do.” The leader studied me carefully. “What does that have to do with this?”
“If you’ve got a place that won’t draw attention, I can bespell them to draw every rat around to them. They’d become rat poison basically, but I wouldn’t let them just chow down fast. Think of it like a waiting line. They take a bite and go die in the corner, drawing out the punishment. It’s a painful way to go, but if you just dump them in rats, they die too fast.”
Again, his aura flashed shock without even flinching. “You speak from experience?”
“Yes.” I left it at that. We weren’t friends. He didn’t need to know I’d done it to some humans centuries ago after I’d found them raping the women of the village. “They go for the groin first. I make sure of it.”
“And you would ask for?”
“Leave the soba guy and the other shops alone,” I grumbled, rubbing my aching shoulder. “Go buy their stuff. They’re your people, for fuck’s sake. Fuck up the bad ones, but leave the nice ones alone or all there will be is evil and more evil.” He gave me a curious look, and I sighed. “It’s been a very long mother fucking day, and hearing the thoughts also gave me images I will now live with.
“That is not shit I want to live with, so my patience is gone. I don’t want to see or hear anything else that will forever stay with me. I just wanted some fucking soba and to bloody enjoy it before having some dirty sex before I crash, as tomorrow will be just as long and crazy. There will be another murder I’m called in on or more problems or people to save. I’m tired. So I am apologizing for being so rude now, and can you think of the place to do this?”
He did, and to their shock, I brought everyone there. It wasn’t far, and they could make their way back when my part was over since I’d started this. I brought the six to the middle of the empty building and muttered under my breath to put the spell on them.
I turned to the head guy. “I assume you can ask them what you need to in between bites. I do not want the information or any more of their evil staining me.”
“Yes, thank you.” He studied me with an appraising look, and I snorted.
“Don’t even think about it.”
He shrugged. “You can’t blame a man for thinking it.”
Hunt snarled and wrapped his arm around me protectively. “I can. She’s spoken for.”
“That wasn’t what he was thinking,” I drawled. “He was thinking it might be smart to have a powerful woman in his group, and my looks would make others jealous. He’s married and faithful.” I narrowed my eyes at the human. “But if I ever hear you did more than think about making some enchanter join you, I will burn everything of yours to the ground because those are who I protect.”
“I understand.” He looked over my shoulder. “You are a very lucky man.”
I snorted. “He’s just my dog. I belong to no one.” I pulled away from Hunt and went over to the son, studying him for a moment. I made several roll-on potions appear and handed them to him. “These will help you sleep without the nightmares. Have your father put a secure door on your room, and that will help with the worry any will come for you again in the middle of the night. You are not the only one who has lived with that fear.”
“What did you do when it happened?” he asked quietly as he took the potions from me.
I licked my lips, unsure of how to answer. “I was not violated as you were, but it was family who hurt me and often. I became stronger, more powerful, and none can hurt me, but one day I will have to face my demons and you will too. These men will die, but those aren’t the demons. It’s healing. I am free and healed, but someday I will have to finish it.” I winked at him. “But you don’t have centuries like I do, so deal with it and be happy.”
He bowed deeply. “Thank you, Enchantress.”
I winked at him again and popped us on top of the building, turning on Hunt the moment we were alone.
“I’m—” he tried to say, his jaw twitching when he couldn’t say what he wanted. “I should have kept my mouth shut. You used all this magic today, and every other second my head is spinning and it never stops. You never stop, and I’m exhausted and exhausted for you!”
“Glad you understand you fucked up,” I accepted, making my phone appear. I shot Helen a text that it was handled and they wouldn’t bug any of the shops again, but Hunt and I were going to do our own thing, but that I wanted another duck soba left for me at the front desk. Then I looked at Hunt. “You want to see why I’m not a miracle or the good guy? You want your treat and to taste the darkness?”
“Yes, show me everything,” he murmured, coming closer.
I rolled my eyes at him, knowing it would make most men run screaming from me, but ignorance was bliss and all of that. I ‘ported us to Hui Yin, glad when I saw he and his people were working diligently on the interrogations.
“Take lunch, Hui Yin, and let us speak in private.”
He spun around and dipped his head. “Enchantress, you honor my nest with your presence. I would love to join you for a meal, but you seem distressed. Have we offended?”
“No, bad day. I’m very happy with you and your work ethic,” I assured him, gesturing behind him to the monitors showing the interrogations going on. “This is another matter.”
“Of course, whatever you wish, Enchantress.” His eyes filled with understanding and lots of heat when I brought us to his private rooms.
I flicked my wrist and bound his hands over his head from chains I made appear. I stripped Hui Yin naked, and his fangs came out. Then I made the metal cuff for his dick and balls that had spikes in it and would dig into him if he got excited. I locked it on, and he moaned in pleasure. A chain flogger appeared in Hunt’s hand, and he gave me a shocked look.
“You wanted to know, and you’ll find out.” I nodded to Hui Yin. “Hit him. Anywhere. Everywhere. Hit him and hit him again. This is just the beginning.”
“Yes, please, please hit me,” Hui Yin begged.
To my shock, Hunt did it without hesitation. Either it wasn’t his first time playing with a flogger, ev
en if it was a scary one, or I’d corrupted him.
Or some combo of both.
We spent the next twenty minutes abusing Hui Yin way past what a human could endure, the blood and pain turning him on even more. I waved away our clothes and brushed my lips over his.
“He’s going to fuck me on your bed so it smells like us but you can’t play,” I taunted. The second I finished the sentence, Hunt picked me up and brought me to the bed, putting me on my hands and knees facing Hui Yin. He screwed me silly, way more into it than I would ever have guessed.
“What is my punishment?” Hunt panted in my ear when we were done. “I know this isn’t just about letting the darkness out on him. What about me?”
I smirked, glad he’d figured that out. I used my power to move us, him sitting on a chair in the middle of the room and me straddling him. He moaned as I rocked my hips, his hands moving to my ass. I fisted his hair and pulled his head to the side. “Ever had a vampire sink their fangs into you?” I chuckled when I saw the fear in his aura. I figured that was something he’d not done.
“No, never,” he admitted, sounding nervous.
I let Hui Yin go, leaving him to take off everything we’d put on him as I started bouncing on Hunt’s lap. “Don’t be gentle about it. Make him feel it again and again. Take the limit and push the line.”
“I miss you,” Hui Yin moaned as he hurried to join us. His hand replaced mine on Hunt’s hair, and it allowed me to put my hands on his shoulders for better leverage. “Has he been with a man? I love virgin ass.”
Hunt’s aura flashed several things at once, but he said nothing. I stopped moving and stared into the wolf’s eyes. “Would you seriously do that? If I wanted you to, would you let a strange vampire screw you?”
He swallowed loudly and closed his eyes as he took in a slow breath before looking at me. “Yes.”
“You are seriously fucked in the head,” I whispered. I shook my head. “No. No, your aura is very clear you don’t want any part of that. Doing it because of the collar is too far. A toy would be one thing, playing with a man like this is one thing, but that is a whole other line. You’re very straight, and I’m not okay with being that evil.”
