Thaumatology 05 - Disturbia

by Teasdale, Niall

  ‘And you brought guests,’ Twill added as Tawni and Lia came in, each dragging a much larger suitcase. ‘Where are we going to put them?’

  ‘The spare… oh.’ Ceri stopped as she spotted Carter, Cheryl, and Alec walking down the stairs from the lounge.

  ‘They’ve been keeping me company,’ Twill said.

  ‘House sitting,’ Cheryl said, smiling. ‘Who are your friends?’

  ‘Right,’ Ceri said, feeling suddenly overwhelmed, ‘introductions. This is Tanya Cooper, she used to live down the road and now she’s a porn actress called Tawni. Lia van Daal, Dutch porn actress. And this is Cheryl Tennant, my boss at the university, Carter Fleming who is both mine and Lily’s boss, and Alec, he’s a werewolf. Oh, and Twill who stops the dust from building up to waist height.’

  Tawni was looking, wide eyed, at Carter. He took her offered hand and kissed the back of it, which resulted in Tawni melting slightly and Cheryl moving closer to Carter.

  Lia, on the other hand, was looking at Twill as though she was not sure whether to run or not. Twill smiled at her. ‘You’re Dutch, dear?’ the fairy asked. Lia nodded dumbly. ‘The Fae in Britain are generally not quite so dangerous as the ones you’ll be used to.’ She paused, looking thoughtful. ‘Not that you should assume any Fae is safe, but you can trust us more here.’

  ‘Okay,’ Lia said. She did not look entirely convinced.

  ‘Twill’s been looking after us for years,’ Lily said. ‘She’s gorgeous, and cute, and a wonderful cook…’ She lowered her voice to a stage whisper. ‘…and she fucks like a super-powered bunny.’

  A swirl of pink light flickered around the tiny woman. ‘I’ll make more coffee,’ she said and vanished off toward the kitchen in a ball of pink-stained white light.

  ‘How can you be afraid of that?’ Lily said, giggling.

  ‘I’m not entirely sure I should ask,’ Alec said, ‘but how do you know what she’s like in bed?’

  ‘Ceri shrank me,’ Lily said, grinning happily. ‘Seriously, she had me flaked out on the bed.’

  ‘You?’ Tawni asked, sounding disbelieving.

  ‘It’s possible,’ Ceri said. ‘I’ve had her practically collapsed.’ Tawni looked at her with what could only be described as new found respect. ‘All right,’ Ceri went on, ‘let’s get things settled and then we can catch up with John and Kate.’

  ‘That should be fun,’ Lily said, grabbing her suitcase and starting for the utility room at the back.

  ‘Oh yeah,’ Ceri said, ‘fun is the word.’

  Westminster

  ‘Well,’ Kate said, ‘we identified our victim-slash-killer.’

  John nodded. ‘From a missing person’s report filed September last year. Julia Holloway. She was a student at LMU actually, dance and dramatic arts. Her father reported her missing when he couldn’t contact her, but by then there was not even a trace. No body’s ever been found.’

  ‘Her father lives in some big house out by Camberley,’ Kate added. ‘No record of magical ability. He works in the City, stocks and shares, the usual, but he had a nervous breakdown after his daughter vanished. His wife died about ten years ago and Julia was all he had left. Again, the usual.’

  Ceri winced. ‘Has anyone told him she’s definitely dead?’

  ‘Technically,’ John replied, ‘we can’t do that without a body to identify or the certified testimony of her ghost.’

  ‘Sweet,’ Ceri said, the sarcasm thick in her voice. ‘What about Newton?’

  ‘Terrance John Newton,’ Kate said, picking up her notepad. ‘Yeah, no record of criminal activity, no record of magical ability.’

  ‘He’s got some,’ Lily said. ‘You saw it on film.’

  ‘I’m actually trying my best to forget I saw it,’ Kate stated with a grimace.

  ‘We went to his house,’ John said. ‘He’s bright enough not to have been back there, but we have it staked out. We’re checking known associates, but so far we’ve got nothing. And his body hasn’t turned up, whole or in pieces.’

  Kate looked at Lily. ‘Is there anyone you know who might give us a hint?’ she asked tentatively. ‘If he’s made illegal films, he may have underworld contacts he can use in the business…’

  Lily was staring at the wall, her eyes unfocussed. ‘I’ll see what I can do,’ she said and Ceri could feel the cold trepidation seeping through their link. Blinking, Lily turned to Ceri. ‘It looks like we’re getting dressed up again.’

  ‘Oh joy, another night dressed as a slut.’

  Kennington

  Lily looked Ceri over with a professional eye, even if there was a hint of lust in her professionalism. The teddy Lily had picked out for Ceri had been bought for the bedroom. Admittedly “the bedroom” had become “the house,” occasionally including the roof, but Ceri had never thought she would be wearing it outside. Basically two strips of lacy mesh which fell from a halter neck to join over her crotch, the rest of it was thin satin ribbon to brace it together and a thong at the back. Her nipples were hidden by two embroidered roses, but she still felt naked and the skirt did not really help since it barely covered her behind and was low enough on the hip to show the top half of her tattoo.

  Nodding, the half-succubus pulled a pair of heels out of the cupboard. They had been bought as a joke; six-inch spike heels with two inches of transparent plastic platform, and an ankle strap. Wincing, Ceri took them and sat down on the bed to put them on.

  It was not like Lily had dressed Ceri up as a girl planning to get laid and gone for something more subtle herself; her dress was strapless, a little shorter than Ceri’s skirt, and made entirely of lace and mesh. Her shoes had five-inch heels, a little bow over the toes, and chord straps which laced up her legs to mid-calf.

  Ceri stood up, checking her balance on the insane shoes before walking over and wrapping an arm around Lily. They looked at each other in the mirror. Lily was having a lot of trouble keeping the smirk off her face; Ceri was not sure why she was trying.

  ‘We don’t look like hookers,’ Ceri commented.

  ‘No,’ Lily agreed, ‘we look like we’re gagging for it.’ Her smirk faltered. ‘We… we’ll need to do more than look like a couple of sluts.’

  Ceri looked at Lily in the mirror, her nipples visible through the lace, and even more private areas barely concealed. ‘I think I can do that.’

  ‘Not just with me.’

  ‘Oh…’ She would have to play the party girl with random people she had never met before while her pet and others watched… Something fluttered between her legs and rose into her stomach. It was at least partially the silver chain around her ankle; the fae-silver chain which upped her libido and could not be removed while she loved Lily. Without it, she was moderately sure that her inhibitions would have overcome the excitement factor. Moderately sure. She was a fairly common sense sort of girl… Fairly sure anyway. ‘Now I’m horny,’ Ceri whined.

  Millwall

  ‘This is Dog Boys territory,’ Ceri said quietly. They were on East India Dock Road, walking from Westferry station. Ceri’s gaze swept the area looking for anyone paying them too much attention, but with the way they were dressed that was a little hard to determine.

  ‘Not quite,’ Lily replied. ‘They don’t really come north of Aspen Way. Well, as a pack.’ She shrugged slightly, the action bouncing her breasts in the wired cups of her dress. ‘It’s not far. There, in fact.’ She pointed ahead of them and Ceri looked ahead at the building she had to be indicating.

  ‘That’s a factory.’

  ‘A disused factory,’ Lily said, as though that made all the difference. ‘It’s a little different inside.’

  She took them in through a gate which looked like it was accidentally left ajar and down the side of the building toward what looked like a fire door, except that there was a group of people hanging around outside, kept back by two bouncers. Ceri suspected werewolves, but was not sure until they got closer and saw one of them flash fangs at a man who was trying a little too hard to g
et in. Lily headed straight for the door and fixed the nearest bouncer with a look, cocking her hip and raising an eyebrow questioningly. Taking Lily’s lead, Ceri looped an arm around Lily’s waist and smiled at the bouncer. He opened the door for them and they walked in, Lily blowing him a kiss.

  ‘How come they get in and I don’t?!’ It was the man the other bouncer had turned away.

  Ceri heard the answer just before the door closed. ‘Because they’re sex on legs and you’re asking to not have balls…’

  As the door closed the corridor they had walked into became pitch black. Ceri could hear Lily’s heals clicking on the concrete floor and with no other way to go she followed the sound. ‘Left turn ahead,’ Lily whispered. Ceri glanced to her side, seeing light in the distance to the left and turning that way. She narrowed her eyes, trying to work out what she was feeling until, after another couple of yards, she realised it was the throbbing bass frequencies of some music she could barely hear. It was getting louder though. The closer they got to the light, the more her chest pulsed to the beat. Lily pushed open a pair of doors with a split, round window in them and the wave of sound slammed into Ceri like a bag of hammers.

  The dance floor was full of men and women in clothes no less revealing than Ceri and Lily were wearing, and made of everything from lace and Lycra to leather and rubber. At the sides of the room were couches, and tables surrounded by chairs. The tables were sparsely occupied, mostly by single men with drinks watching the couches. The reason for that became obvious when Ceri realised what the couples and threesomes were doing on the sofas.

  Lily touched her arm and waved at her to follow; talking was not an option. Somehow Lily managed to communicate what she wanted to the barman when they got there. The bar was a light oak affair in the corner of the room. It was dim there so you could not see how they were short changing you on the measures, but at least the spotlights of various colours sweeping across the dancers left you alone; Ceri had felt like she was on candid camera on the walk over. Lily handed her a tumbler of some sort of liquid and then started off across the floor again, Ceri tottering along behind and feeling like a lost lamb following a half-naked Mary.

  Then Ceri began to notice the looks they were getting, particularly from the singles at the tables. As they passed one table a woman walked up to one of the men, smiling. He smiled back and, taking her hand, went over to one of the couches with her. The system started to make sense; men, and a few women, would sit at a table and wait to be picked up. Ceri wondered what they would be doing since Lily did not seem to be making for a table. Of course, they were not there to pick up guys…

  Pushing through another set of doors which deadened the sound as they closed behind them, Lily led the way down another dark corridor. By half-way, the music volume was just about low enough that speaking worked. ‘They call this place the Fun Factory,’ Lily said loudly, though Ceri doubted anyone more than a couple of yards away would understand a word. ‘If you can get in, it’s a great place for casual sex and exhibitionism.’ She glanced at Ceri. ‘And picking up snacks.’

  The next set of doors diminished the music further, but it was replaced by a different, slower beat; a low, intense, cool jazz-style tune which still seemed to vibrate through the body. Ceri’s Sight kicked in as she felt a tension in the back of her skull. The place was thrumming with low level enchantment. Ceri was not entirely sure what it was for until she felt the throb of the music settling into her groin.

  ‘The music’s specifically designed to make women horny,’ Lily said, confirming Ceri’s suspicion.

  ‘It’s working,’ Ceri replied. ‘Like I needed more encouragement.’ She looked around. There were tables, but the occupants were more mixed, and there were huge piles of cushions placed around the room, most of them occupied by people doing things to each other which Ceri was fairly sure were not legally allowed in public. ‘What are we doing here?’ she asked.

  ‘We’re looking for Belvedere,’ Lily replied, ‘and there he is.’ She started toward a table where an incredibly handsome man was sitting, surrounded by half a dozen women. He was dark, black hair, eyes as dark as Lily’s, and a shadowy look to his delicate yet masculine features. The black silk shirt he was wearing was open almost to his navel showing the dusky skin and muscle beneath. And he was, without a doubt, Unseelie Fae; Ceri could see the magic flowing around him. He was a powerful one too.

  Lily walked straight up to the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down. Following her lead, Ceri did the same to the last of the free chairs at the table. The Sidhe named Belvedere smiled, light flaring in his pupils, and when he spoke his voice was like dark silk. ‘Lily, lovely Lily, it’s been too long. Who is your equally lovely companion?’ As his attention and words turned to Ceri she felt her nipples harden as a wave of sensation seemed to wash up from her groin.

  ‘Ceri Brent, meet Belvedere,’ Lily said, ‘probably the most dangerous fuck you’d ever have.’

  He did not seem in the least offended; his smile broadened showing teeth which were too white, and the glow in his eyes flickered brighter. ‘Ah, Ceridwyn Brent,’ and her name on his lips was like someone stroking her softly down the spine, ‘I’ve heard so much about you. The Lady of the Black Pool grants you favours without price. Your name is heard in the halls of the Court and on the tongues of dragons. Goddesses owe you their freedom and the rumour is that Gloriandel Wintergreen has vowed to slay any Fae who harms you.’

  ‘We’re looking for a human, Belvedere,’ Lily said, saving Ceri from having to reply. ‘Terry Newton, goes by “Master Black.”’

  The smile fell away from his eyes and he stood, picking up his drink. ‘You’ll have to excuse me for a few moments, ladies. I have business to discuss.’ Lily was already standing and Ceri tried her best to look just as smooth as she climbed to her feet. His trousers were as black as his shirt and apparently shrink-wrapped on showing a conspicuous bulge at the front. Black leather riding boots came up to his knees.

  Turning on his heel, the Sidhe started off toward a darker region of the black-painted wall. Lily moved closer to Ceri as they followed. ‘When he sits down, sit in his lap. Don’t object to anything he does. Just let him do what he wants.’

  ‘I thought you said he was dangerous,’ Ceri said, the worry apparent in her voice.

  ‘He is,’ Lily replied. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe if the threat of Gloriandel Wintergreen doesn’t.’

  ‘Who the hell is that?’ Ceri’s nerves were not helped by them walking into another dark corridor. This one had rooms off it, each with a futon and a few chairs; several had couples openly having sex in them.

  ‘Never heard of her, but if he mentioned her then the threat must be real.’

  Belvedere turned into one of the rooms on seeing it empty. ‘Not entirely private,’ he commented, ‘but no one will disturb us.’ He walked up to one of the armchairs, sprawling into it. Looking a little surprised, he brought his knees together as Ceri followed him and sat down balanced on his muscled thighs. Leaning back, she draped an arm around his neck and glanced at Lily. The half-succubus gave a subtle nod of approval as she settled onto a chair facing them, crossing her legs.

  ‘What do you want him for?’ the Sidhe asked flatly. He seemed all business even as his hand settled on Ceri’s thigh.

  ‘We want to lock him in a dark, dark hole,’ Lily replied. ‘Murder by demon.’

  His hand slid to Ceri’s inner thigh and applied gentle pressure to part her legs; trusting her pet, Ceri did not resist, even as his other hand slipped around her waist, gently stroking over her lower stomach. ‘You’re working for the police, little Lily?’

  ‘Does it matter?’ Lily replied. ‘You know I’ll say nothing about your dealings.’

  Ceri’s breast was cupped, fingers sliding across the sensitive skin. Her breathing quickened and the familiar butterflies began to flutter between her legs. ‘And what of Ceridwyn?’

  ‘She won’t say anything either,’ Lily told him. His
hand slid up Ceri’s thigh, and she found herself horrified by her anticipation and desire for what would come. ‘Do you know where he is or not?’ Lily said.

  His fingers slid under fabric, one set teasing at Ceri’s nipple, the other sliding over her labia. She let out a soft, whimpering moan; she could be seen by anyone walking past the room and Lily could see exactly what was happening. She could feel Lily’s arousal at the display, tempered only by her concentration on the task at hand. Ceri felt ashamed, mostly because she could not contain her desire to have this happen.

  ‘What do you have to offer?’ Belvedere asked, his smile returning.

  ‘Don’t fuck me about,’ Lily snapped. ‘You’re getting what you want right now.’ As if in response, Ceri gasped as two of his fingers entered her. ‘You don’t want Newton out there any more than we do either. He’s bad for business. We’re doing you a favour taking him out of the game.’

  Ceri gasped as the Sidhe squeezed her nipple, moaned as his fingers slid out and then in again. She looked imploringly at Lily; how far was she going to let this go? His thumb flicked over her clitoris sending a shock through her body as though he had struck her.

  ‘I don’t know where he is,’ Belvedere said, ‘but I know who you need to talk to to find out.’ His hands drew away from Ceri, leaving her gasping, teetering on the edge. Reaching into a breast pocket he produced a business card which he slid into Ceri’s teddy over her breast. ‘Walton Pith,’ the Sidhe said. ‘I got him an invite to Bethany’s for tonight. You can catch him there.’

  Lily stood, offering a hand to pull Ceri to her feet. ‘Thank you, Belvedere.’

  The Sidhe’s hand slapped Ceri’s arse sending a shock through her lower body which almost tipped her over the edge. ‘Bought and paid for, my dear,’ he said. ‘Come back any time, Ceridwyn. I’ll be happy to finish what I started.’

  Ceri said nothing as Lily led her from the room; she could barely breath, never mind speak.

  Hammersmith

  ‘That wasn’t me,’ Ceri said as they climbed out of the taxi Lily had said was necessary to get them to where they were going.