Crazy Seduction(erotica)

“New York,” she clarified.

“Shit!” Roy snarled quietly. He looked to Camila again. “Why did he hurt you?”

“I suspected he was looking to expand into our territory, and I tried to talk him out of it, appealing to his reason especially considering the heightened tension globally, but he was too far gone in his dreams of conquest.” She sighed as the next part was not going to go over well. “I told him he’d never take Manhattan as he wasn’t strong enough.”

“WHAT THE FUCK?!? You directly challenged a Were?” Are you suicidal?” Roy snapped.

Camila remained quiet as she held Roy’s eye.

He took deep, slow breaths to calm himself, eyes focused on the tabletop. Once he was collected again, he looked at her. “You obviously survived.”

She nodded. “I had to fight my way out, but Henry’s gift made that possible. I was tempted to kill Carl–” She raised a hand at Roy’s choking noise. “… but I wasn’t sure what that would do to his pack.”

“It wouldna be good!” Roy stressed. “They need a leader, and it has to be another Were. Carl’s territory is too big. Take him out without someone to take the position, and the pack dissolves with a bloodbath as they fight for dominance. Breaking down an oversized territory has only happened once in my lifetime. It wasn’t done lightly and took strong leaders working together to keep the peace while they subdivided the territory, choosing new leaders for each through managed dominance tournaments.”

“Did you participate?” Henry asked, his fascination plain on his face.

Roy looked at him and relaxed with a smile. “No, lad. I was a mere pup at the time. About your age.”

Henry nodded, then heard the gentle jab. “Hey!” he said in protest. He wanted to say more in his defense, but he had nothing to refute the words. He heard Roy’s chuckle and felt better.

“Carl now knows the kitten has claws,” Roy said, looking back to Camila.

She nodded, but she didn’t smile as she understood that she might have just confirmed for Carl the rumors of Roy’s enhancement. Not that she’d had any other choice. She sighed as she had more potentially bad news.

“When I arrived at the restaurant last night, I was riding a high from a feeding.” She didn’t bother mentioning from whom she’d fed as everyone knew. “I had a surplus, so I wasn’t able to suppress the effect. I’d tried to burn it off in the gym beforehand, but there was just too much. At the restaurant, I bumped into the head of the Succubi Association, Nuru Onwudiwe. She was senior to Marquise Oletha Thanemark by a century, at least. She was displeased that I was emitting more power than someone my age should. Her two attendants were also quite put off. There was nothing I could do. I paid my respects, but I was meeting Carl, who was watching. I couldn’t show weakness, and I wasn’t able to reduce my power levels. When I went to join Carl, Nuru left with her attendants. She was not happy.”

“Is she going to be a problem?” Sigrid asked. She knew Succubi didn’t really maintain an official organizational structure but power levels defined authority for those that cared. Oldest was typically the strongest, which gave them the authority to represent the group to ensure the rights of all Succubi were represented. When these same leaders were able to separate their longevity from their power, this made for better leaders. When they were obsessed with their power, this made for poor leadership. She didn’t know which category Nuru fell into.

Camila shook her head hesitantly. “It shouldn’t. I sent her a note apologizing for any perceived disrespect and explained as best I could without mentioning Henry or Wild Magic. Nuru has been a reasonably stable representative, but she may show up if she feels I’m making a play for her position.” She held Sigrid’s eye. “Her attendants are expert spear fighters.”

Sigrid just smiled.

“I believe Henry has something to tell us,” Roy said to the group, and all eyes turned to Henry.

He looked at Roy in surprise them looked to the others. “Uh, yes.” He cleared his throat and sat forward a little in his chair, suddenly nervous. He took a deep breath and began.

He described meeting Dayshia as he sat on the bench the night before and the subsequent encounter with Roger.

Roy leaned forward. “You say he was hiding in the shadows about to attack, and he appeared to have long claws?”

Henry nodded. “Dayshia said she felt his intent to attack. I saw his claws as he fled.”

Roy was frowning as he ran scenarios in his head. He looked at Henry at last. “I need you to try recalling something for me. Think back to the night of the first murder, which happened just steps from your place. You said you were sitting on the bench with Ikehorn. After the Fae left, did you pick up this sensation of being watched then?”

Henry blinked at him in surprise. He closed his eyes and took his mind back into his memories. He recalled being excited that he could connect to his daughter. That warmth spread across his chest again. He’d walked towards the building and-

His eyes snapped open. He had felt he was being watched! The tall, dark figure walking away, down the pathway towards the alley… moments before the murder.

“You remembered something,” Roy said. Henry just nodded with a stricken expression. “He was there, wasn’t he.” Henry nodded again.

Tears began to slowly drip down Henry’s cheek as he suddenly realized Roger had been there, had been watching him, and based on his actions last night, most likely killed those two kids. What had he turned Roger into? Did that make him responsible for those murders!?! Suddenly, there wasn’t enough air in the room. He began to hyperventilate.

Roy and Sigrid rose out of their chairs and pulled him up to wrap their arms about him. He clung to them as the terror, remorse, and grief rocked him.

“What’s wrong?” Mahati quietly asked Camila as she struggled not to rush over to Henry’s side as well. She noted Camila was settling back into her chair. She’d obviously been about to go to the distraught man herself. The CEO just shook her head as she watched Henry with a sad expression.

His friends holding him didn’t speak until his gasping subsided, and the tears slowed. They just held him.

Finally, they stood back to give him a little space. Sigrid took Henry’s chin in her fingers and lifted it until she could see his eyes. The pain in them almost made her want to cry, as well.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“Get the idea that you’re responsible for this out of your head. That’s not true. You weren’t even aware that Roger was in Tish’s hospital room until you saw him on the floor. You said yourself, Kesini was the one who dosed him. You also didn’t make him into what he’s become. You know it’s random.

Most importantly, the change doesn’t steal your free will. You’re still the same person inside. Dayshia protested her change the most, but she’s not only accepted it, she’s using her abilities for the betterment of all,” she insisted.

Roy took over. “Seeing Roger the night of the first event doesn’t mean anything as you couldn’t have known what he’d be capable of doing. The boy sounded like he was a little touched in the head to begin with. His obsession with conspiracy is a prime example of that.”

“I-I’m the source of the wild magic!” Henry forced out of his tight throat.

“Aye, courtesy of the witch! She gave you no say in that!” Roy spat, his distaste for Baba Yaga clear in his tone.

Sigrid picked up the conversation. “Henry, you aren’t a source of Wild Magic. You just have a lot in you. You seem to collect and attract it.”

He shook his head. He recalled Siobhan’s words from the night before. “I have a rift to the Wild Magic dimension inside me. That’s why I’m so charged with the damn stuff!” he muttered angrily.

Roy shared a shocked look with the others, then held Henry’s eyes. “Who told you something crazy like that? Was it the witch?”

Henry realized he couldn’t divulge the source. He’d promised he wouldn’t, so he just shook his head and stared at the table surface. His mind spun with his realization that Roger was the serial killer, the product of the magic within him.

He knew he hadn’t chosen what Roger became, and he knew Sandy, Dayshia, and Tish hadn’t become evil. They were still beautiful people. Roger’s obsession with conspiracies must have taken a seriously dark turn when he changed. He just couldn’t shake the feeling of being somehow responsible, or at least involved.

The others just shared another concerned look between them as Henry went silent.

“Are you responsible for the sunrise? For the cycles of the moon?” Mahati asked Henry sternly.

He jolted slightly as he stared at her. “N-no!”

“You built a brand new network for VRL. Are you responsible for how the users use it every day?” Mahati continued with her interrogation.

He shook his head, but she gestured to her ear. “No, I’m not,” he agreed.

“Have you control over the intentions and will of others? Are we all puppets to your whims?” she pushed.

“No! Of course not!” he gasped.

Mahati crossed her arms as she continued to hold Henry’s eyes with hers. “So, we agree that there are things far beyond your control. Even those things you were directly involved in?”

Henry jolted again. “Y-yes…”

“Was that a question, Mr. Gable?” the lawyer snapped.

“No, I mean, yes! W-we agree,” Henry stammered.

“So, there is no need for so much… navel-gazing?” the dark beauty asked finally as she hunted for the words.

Henry couldn’t keep the small smile from his face at her awkward wording. “You are correct. Thank you.” Mahati nodded firmly at him. He felt…. better! “Would it be okay if I gave you a hug too?”

“You may not,” Mahati insisted as her dark skin tone deepened.

“Oh, sorry,” he said with a blush.

“Perhaps you have work to do today?” Mahati blustered.

Henry nodded and smiled at the others as he made his way to the door and out.

Once the door closed again, Camila looked at the lawyer in outrage. “All he asked was to show his appreciation with a hug.”

Mahati’s eyes flashed at the CEO. “You three are too soft on the young man!”

Roy snorted and hid his smile as Sigrid’s eyebrows went up. “What?” the tall blond gasped.

“You heard me! Henry is too kind-hearted and gentle. You three keep him this way by handling him like fine china. He needs a firmer hand to help him become stronger.”

Roy nodded firmly. “Yes. You’re right. We have treated the lad a little too gently. It’s excellent you brought this to our attention, and I’m glad you’re taking his best interests to heart. It’s a load off my mind, to be sure, that you’ll be with him on the trip to Washington, DC.”