Studies in Demonolgy: the complete series

by Nichols, TJ

  “I’ll let the underground know.”

  “They already know. All mages with a warlock are saying the same thing—not all warlocks are listening. We would rather have volunteers.” There was the pointed reminder that humans tended to treat demons as slaves without freewill.

  If the underground succeeded, that would change. But as Saka had said, they were running out of time to make that change. Angus glanced at the clock; he was running out of time if he wanted to get back to college. He didn’t want to spend the night out since someone would be paying attention to his absences. Too many and there would be questions.

  He pulled his shirt off. “I’m volunteering now. Don’t make me regret it.”

  “Never. I want you to summon me on a regular basis.” Saka kissed him. His mouth was hot and demanding. His tongue pushed in to Angus’s mouth, and his hand roamed over Angus’s skin as though it had been months since they had seen each other.

  Saka’s hunger fed Angus. Lust heated his blood, and he ground his hips against Saka’s, pleased to feel the hardness and length of the demon’s erection.

  Clothes came off, and Saka pulled the covers on the bed back. In the soft light, Saka’s skin was dark. It didn’t shimmer the way it did across the void. Angus lay down and brought Saka with him. He was sure that the demon could’ve resisted, but he didn’t. Angus stroked Saka’s length. He was hot and hard as he rocked his hips, thrusting into Angus’s hand.

  Angus needed to feel his touch. When it was clear that Saka wasn’t going to give it, Angus moved a little and then wrapped his hand around both of their cocks.

  Saka gave a low laugh. “Desperate, are you?”

  Not desperate, but he wanted Saka in a way that he couldn’t quite voice. It was more than magic and rebalancing.

  “Just fuck me or whatever you have planned.” Whatever it was, Angus knew he’d enjoy it. That was what Saka wanted. It was the magic he liked to use.

  “I don’t plan. I go with what is happening. But if you’re bored.” Saka pulled away and turned around, so his cock was close to Angus’s face.

  Angus didn’t need a further invitation. He licked along the length of the demon’s shaft before taking him in his mouth. Each time he took a little more. He almost preferred it when Saka was over him, thrusting into his mouth so that his whole world became nothing but breathing and sucking. He moaned as Saka’s tongue swept over the head of his cock, then as the demon took him into his mouth.

  It felt incredible to be sucked deep. Then Saka’s hand was cupping his balls, caressing and squeezing. A moment later a finger circled his ass. Angus didn’t know if he should thrust up or push back.

  In the end it didn’t matter as Saka penetrated him as he took him deep, the head of Angus’s cock brushing the demon’s throat. For a moment Angus was sure he was about to come. He couldn’t move. His balls were tight, and then the unexpected climax receded a little. Saka wasn’t unaffected. The burnt honey taste of his precome was on Angus’s tongue.

  Saka released him. “Make me come. Then you will get your release.” His finger pushed a little deeper.

  It sounded easy, but Angus knew how good Saka’s control was.

  Saka rolled onto his back and stretched out, giving Angus the appearance of free rein.

  Angus moved too, straddling Saka’s head, then he went back to licking and sucking the demon’s thick, ridged cock. He fisted the length and tongued the head, and was rewarded with a bead of precome that he hungrily lapped up. Saka’s hands caressed Angus’s thighs, his lips brushed his dick, but only to tease… or was that taste? Angus glanced down his body to watch as Saka lapped away another single drop of white precome. Angus shuddered and had to fight the urge to lower his hips and thrust into the demon’s mouth.

  He drew in a couple of deep breaths, then refocused on the cock in front of him. Sucking him as deep as he could and then drawing back slowly, his tongue lashing the hot skin of Saka’s shaft. Then repeating as Saka lifted his hips, thrusting up.

  Saka was close now. Angus prayed that he wouldn’t hold back. Saka’s tail brushed the back of his neck, his tongue teased the throbbing head of Angus’s cock. He would come before Saka if he kept going. But Saka pressed his fingers behind the head, and Angus found himself left wanting to climax but not being able to.

  He shuddered and moaned but kept giving head, wanting more than just a taste of come. He wanted it all.

  Saka growled, his hands gripping Angus’s thighs hard. Angus pumped his hand and worked the head of the demon’s cock, sucking and licking, his mouth starting to ache. Then the come was flooding his mouth. He moaned as he swallowed and sucked, knowing that there would be more. When he was sure that Saka was done, he released the demon.

  Angus’s body was quivering with need. He expected Saka to drag his hips down and return the favor, but he didn’t, the demon rolled Angus onto his back. Angus drew in several deep breaths, trying to steady himself.

  “Take yourself in hand.” Saka drew a knife and placed the flat of the blade against Angus’s outer thigh.

  Angus’s heart stopped, and his breath caught. Saka planned on actually using them. He wasn’t ready for that.

  Saka caressed Angus’s balls. “You will like it.”

  Angus wasn’t so sure. He held Saka’s gaze. He had known this wouldn’t be just sex when he’d summoned him, but he’d hoped that it would be. But Saka needed more to take home. The more was his blood, made all magical by lust. This wouldn’t be a gift for Miniti, though. This was a gift for the whole of Demonside.

  He was paying for his magic and for other people too, and it still wouldn’t be enough. This was the price, and he had to pay… he didn’t need to like it. Without blinking he took himself in hand and stared into Saka’s black eyes. It was like falling into the void.

  Saka didn’t look away either. “For every drop of come you spill; I will spill blood. But you will keep stroking yourself because I want to watch. You will come when I tell you.”

  Angus managed a half-choked laugh. “Yeah… I don’t like my chances of holding out.” Even as he spoke, a bead of precome formed and rolled over the head. Angus was acutely aware of the tiny sensation as it slid down his shaft.

  The blade bit into the skin of his thigh.

  He gasped, and his hand stilled. The sting spread through him, and the lust dampened.

  Saka smiled. His tail reached out and grabbed the vial. This one was bigger. The length of a hand, wider too. Angus watched as Saka’s tail moved the vial into place.

  “Don’t stop, now.” Saka’s hand traced up Angus’s inner thigh, teasing, caressing, but not giving him what he wanted.

  Slowly Angus gave himself another stroke, now torn between wanting to come and fearing being cut. But even the uncertain movement of his hand was enough to wind the lust higher. Saka’s touch on his balls only added to the need.

  He tried to tamp it down and think about something else, but he couldn’t fight his body. Another drop formed. Angus’s stomach tightened in anticipation, and he flinched at the cut.

  “Each drop brings you closer to release.” Saka’s voice had lowered.

  A little part of Angus’s brain—the five brain cells that weren’t thinking about coming, the knife, the demon between his legs, or even how the hell he’d ended up a demon’s sex toy and why was he enjoying it so much—realized this was true. Instead of fighting out of fear of getting cut, he could give in. It didn’t hurt that much. He already knew that. It wasn’t going to get any worse.

  His stroke became firmer. The bite of the blade more regular, but now he welcomed it. His eyes closed as he sought release. Every so often Saka would place his finger near the head of Angus’s cock and squeeze, pulling Angus back from the edge. He knew he had to wait, but it was torture.

  He couldn’t keep going. His hips lifted with each stroke, and then Saka’s hand wrapped around his. For a moment Angus thought it was to stop him from coming, and he growled in protest, but Saka increased the pace.
<
br />   “Yes. I want to see you come.”

  Angus groaned. It was raw and didn’t sound like him. But the release was worth every moment of the wait. He shuddered as he came. His body bucking. No come hit his skin as expected, though. He opened his eyes. Their linked hands were still stroking, and every drop of come had been caught in the vial. The vial that also contained glistening ruby blood. His blood.

  His heart was still pounding, and a sheen of sweat covered him. Saka put the stopper in and inclined his head.

  “It is a pity we can’t see the magic here. I’m sure it would be beautiful.”

  He stared at the vial. As the euphoria left, he became aware of the throbbing of his thigh. His leg would be a mess. He wanted to know how much damage had been done. He went to sit up.

  Saka put his hand on Angus’s chest and made him lie still. “Rest a moment. I will tend the wounds.”

  Angus remained lying down, but he didn’t relax. Saka went into the bathroom and came back with a wet face cloth. He wiped Angus’s thigh. Without the sexual distraction, his skin was starting to burn, but with each wipe, it lessened.

  “You may look now.” Saka drew back. “And judge me accordingly. But I have enjoyed what I did to you and much more during my training.”

  Angus waited a moment. He didn’t feel lightheaded. His heartbeat had slowed. He felt okay. Tired. Drained. But he propped himself up and glanced down at his leg. There were only six cuts. Each one the length of a finger and exactly a finger width apart. None looked deep. Certainly not deep enough to bleed.

  “You partially healed them.”

  “It isn’t good form to leave a lover with open wounds that could get infected.”

  “You didn’t heal them completely.” Why leave them at all?

  Saka pulled a knife out of his collection. It didn’t match the others. “So you can claim to have been practicing should the college ask.”

  “Blood magic isn’t allowed.” Or at least using blood magic on others… on himself, though, surely that wouldn’t count, and it would get him in less trouble than summoning his demon.

  “I wonder why that is?” Saka tilted his head. His horns gleamed black in the light. “Those in power don’t like making sacrifices for magic? However, the greater the sacrifice, the greater the magic.”

  Angus frowned. “So they could be more powerful if they gave blood?”

  “I’ll let you ponder that on your way back home.” Saka leaned over and kissed him. “I look forward to our next meeting.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  They would arrive at Lifeblood tomorrow. But before they left the temporary camp, Saka went to what had been an oasis. It was once again a small puddle. He had lifted it last night, but it had sunk while they slept. There were a couple of trees grimly hanging on to life.

  The orbs hanging from his hand burned like stars. They were hot to touch. Every time he held one, it was like he was holding Angus again and feeling the desire run through him. Saka should have slept well last night, but he hadn’t.

  There was no joy for him in returning to Lifeblood like there should be. He wanted to see old friends, but he no longer knew which side of the argument they had picked. He didn’t like the side he had to pick. Taking human slaves was wrong.

  But without them Demonside was doomed.

  So was the human world.

  They might not be acting so rashly if the warlocks knew how bad things were getting.

  He sat down on the edge of the oasis and reached his mind out to feel the water below. There was plenty there; it was just out of reach.

  What he was about to do would bring the oasis back for several days. He’d carve his mark and let every other tribe who followed know that he had done this. Miniti would appreciate the show of power since it would reflect well on her. Her mage had a warlock on tap.

  Saka shivered, remembering the few hours he’d spent with Angus.

  He drew up a circle and released the magic held in the orbs. The air smelled like rain for a moment. He missed rain. The rains should come soon, but for the last ten years, the rainy season had been too light and too short to do little more than dampen the sand. They needed a heavy rain this year. Perhaps having human slaves would bring it. He wished it didn’t take death to bring life.

  Saka felt the bubbles before he heard them. The magic drawing the water up. He didn’t know why it had sunk. Perhaps the water was attracted to magic on the surface. He opened his eyes and smiled at the sight of the oasis shimmering in the dawn light. He wanted to be able to show Angus the changes that such a small act could bring about. He got up and walked around to the trees. In his pocket he had a few seeds that he’d scavenged from the dead trees while on the trek. The seeds would be fine once planted.

  So that’s what he did. Six small holes. Each one got a seed, and a piece of Angus. Much like Angus had done, Saka placed his hand over each one and got it going. The delicate blue leaves breaking through the sand, taller until they reached his knees. He gave the rest of the blood and magic mix to the existing trees feeding them. For a moment he bathed in the energy of new growth. Of life. He wanted his world to be like this again, to be vibrant. Alive.

  There would be hard choices ahead to get there without all-out war across the void.

  Saka opened his eyes and carved his sign in a tree, healing it so the tree wouldn’t be vulnerable to insects that would burrow in and eat its center. Then he dropped the circle. Magic rippled away. The work he had done would spread a little. He hoped that the tribe would appreciate what he’d done and realize that power wasn’t always big actions.

  As he stood there, he watched the leaves growing. He smiled and sighed, then turned around to head back to the camp. Usi stood there, watching him. He couldn’t avoid her, but he didn’t want to talk to her either.

  She would vote for the short-term solution.

  He knew that. Miniti had picked her mages so they wouldn’t hold the same beliefs, so they wouldn’t only give her one viewpoint back from the mage council. She was smart, and she knew how quickly sentiments could change. If the level approach fell from favor, then he would be gone.

  “You must have had a productive trip across the void.”

  Saka gave her a single nod. The now-empty orbs and vial in his hands. It was obvious what he’d been doing. Usi considered him weak for even having a warlock, but he was doing more than she was to rebalance the magic.

  “I don’t think even you can have enough sex to heal the damage the warlocks have done.”

  Saka glanced back at the oasis. No, he couldn’t on his own… what had Angus said about the class coming here and seeing the magic, learning how it really worked? It was something he would need to think about, before he spoke to Angus again. The Warlock College would never send a class, but what about the underground? Most of them were wizards who had no demon.

  But if they got demons… mages… then the underground would grow in power. How far should demons trust warlocks, even those who came from the underground?

  “Maybe not, but you would need the blood of a lot of humans. A lot of death. Sex never runs out. And if you do it well, they always want more.” Saka smiled. “But you wouldn’t know, would you, as you don’t have a warlock.”

  “You love humans too much,” she sneered.

  “I understand the different factions at play on both sides. I volunteered to get a warlock despite the danger. I am working for the good of the tribe and Demonside. What are you doing, aside from stirring up dissent and worry?”

  “One pretty oasis does nothing. Proves nothing.”

  “You would be surprised what one oasis can do. Not every battle needs a winner, and not all battles are fought with weapons.” Saka walked past her.

  Angus had better summon him again soon because Usi was right. One oasis wasn’t enough.

  The closer they got to Lifeblood, the more signs of life Saka saw. There was a river that flowed between the rocks before disappearing into sand. Trees and other shrubs we
re growing wild, not magically cultivated. Some of the tension he’d been feeling melted away.

  He’d been worried that Lifeblood would be dry or little more than a trickle.

  This year it wasn’t… but would it be next year if they did nothing?

  He might not like the course of action, but it was better than letting his world dry up. While his heart was pained, Saka would not vote in a way that harmed Demonside. He would, however, do everything he could to ensure that there was no rush to bloodshed either. He was the embodiment of the level approach to finding a solution.

  Tribes were still arriving and finding places to camp near the mountain. No one was allowed to camp on its slopes because the mountain and the springs that flowed from it were sacred. The mages would meet at the top and make offerings. New mages who had been training would be tested and either accepted or sent with a different tribe for more training with a different mage—having an apprentice fail was a strike against that master, not the student.

  Tribe leaders would meet, and children who were old enough would be given a place in their mother’s tribe, where they would become youths of the whole tribe. Loved by all. Pregnant women would remain here, safe and protected. Leaving Lifeblood after the month of celebration and trading and talk was always sad. Some people moved tribes because of new partners. Some would spend the month trying to get pregnant and return next year in preparation for birth.

  There had been fewer pregnancies and babies in recent years.

  Everyone had noticed.

  Miniti directed her tribe to set up near the river, but not so close that they would block other tribes’ use of the water. A surface river was something his tribe hadn’t seen since the last gathering. Saka left following those rivers, if indeed they still existed, for the tribes without strong mages.

  With no need to help until his tent had been unpacked and erected, Saka went to see who was nearby and make greetings. While he spoke to many with the telestones, he wasn’t friends with all.