The Last Incubus Ch. 16

The Last Incubus: Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Operation Gossip Part 2: The rumor mill.

"The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts." ~ Proverbs 18 v. 8.

*****

I was in my room, still naked, trying to read my Economics textbook when I heard Leslie leave. My mind kept drifting back to Leslie and her sapphic lifestyle. She clearly enjoyed her first encounter with vaginal sex while firmly maintaining her identity as a lesbian. That entire experience with her felt so much more satisfying and meaningful compared with poor April Menard, and how she felt about herself after I pushed her into losing her virginity.

It was an epiphany. Reading Leslie's aura and using it to guide my actions and demonic power not only produced more carnal energy, but it made her feel good about herself at the same time. With April on the other hand, I only read the parts of her aura I wanted to see--or rather, the parts that my inner demon wanted me to see. When I allowed myself to be guided by my demon's selfish desires, I had tricked both myself and April.

Maybe that's the nature of demons. Deception. Isn't that what I've been doing these past few days, deceiving people? I lied to the lady with the cat's-eye eyeglasses at the thrift store. I lied to April, by taking on Miss Goodman's appearance and telling her that the demon she saw was a hoax. And now I'm counting on the last phase of "Operation Gossip," another deception on a grander scale, to lessen the psychological scarring I inflicted on her.

More importantly, I learned how easy it was to deceive myself. I was back in my normal human body but was that still who I was? Maybe I'm more of a demon than I imagined. What if my demon body was the more accurate depiction, and my human form was the illusion--and just another deception meant to make me feel good about myself. Or was I both? Maybe the mark of being possessed was the inability to tell the difference between right and wrong or knowing who--or what I really was.

Going forward, I'd have to be more careful and truly follow the auras of others and not be deceived by my own inward desires. I never want to hurt another person the way I hurt April.

I was still thinking about that when I heard someone clearing her throat.

"Ahem. I hope you weren't planning on studying in your room this evening."

Tina stood in the doorway, wearing only her pink bathrobe. It was open in the front, revealing her cleavage and shaved pussy. She had her arm leaning against the doorframe, and her smile was more like an invitation.

As stunningly beautiful as she looked standing there, it was her unusual aura that grabbed my attention. It was glaringly bright, and its message was as plain as day. It radiated so widely that it extended outside her body, giving her the appearance of having her own personal solar corona. Its patchouli and cumin flavored radiance screamed "fuck me" to my most salacious demonic desires, drawing a low growl bubbling up from my groin. Nothing could be easier to read, it was the equivalent of a college graduate reading a first-grade primer.

But that's also what made it unusual. In the past, Tina's aura was complex and full of intricate variations. All auras were. But now, hers seemed almost too simple. Flat. One dimensional. Highly intense, despite lacking depth. Possibly the perfect carnal energy for a sex demon--maybe too perfect, because I could already feel my inner demon's urge to take over.

"Um, my room seemed like the most logical location to study. Why? Is there a problem?" Replying to her question as calmly as I could. I really needed to study, but the rapacious pull towards that alluring aura was hard to resist. My words were more of a tease than a redirection. It wouldn't take much for Tina to draw me in, and I suspected she sensed it.

"Of course there's a problem, you overgrown bat. Lezzie told me about how the two of you teased me, trying to make me jealous. It worked, because now I'm horny as hell--but you already knew that didn't you?" she said provocatively as she stepped into the room.

She let her bathrobe slip over her shoulders and it landed in a pile on the floor behind her. Her body seemed to dance seductively as she walked towards me. Not even the most stoic man could have resisted the temptation of those gently swaying breasts, the pink puffiness of her shaved pussy, or the intoxicating smell of her sex and aura. And for a sex demon, resistance wasn't even an option. As she drew closer, my head was clouded with lustful thoughts as my sense of self-control began slipping away.

I latched onto her aura and sucked in its deliciousness as she leaned in and turned my chair towards her. Her beautiful face was just above me, and she parted her lips suggestively. But my eyes were drawn to her breasts hanging below her, just inches away at eye level. Her nipples stood out from their areolas, further proof of her arousal.

My throat went dry, and I swallowed, hoping to bring some moisture to my mouth. "I really should study," I croaked, in a last desperate attempt to hold back my demon.

"A girl has needs," she said, removing the textbook from my lap and tossing it on the bed behind her. She straddled my lap, arching her back and pushing her chest into my face. My cock twitched against her stomach.

She was overwhelming desire. Her scent. Her breasts. Her aura. Everything.

"Oh, fuck," I moaned as I grabbed her ass and pulled her in tighter.

"Can you feel how horny I am?" she asked as she held my face between her breasts.

"Yes," I replied, my voice muffled in her cleavage. I didn't just feel it; I devoured it from her aura.

I lapped at her skin, leaving a wet trail of saliva across her soft mound, until my lips found her hard nipple. Latching on, I suckled, licked, and lightly nibbled while she moaned appreciably. She held my head against her breast with one hand while the other slipped down and wrapped around my hardness and started pumping.

"You're so hard. I want to feel you inside me. It feels so good. So. Fucking. Good." She squeezed harder, stroking my length with every word. It was as if she was speaking directly to my inner demon.

And the demon responded.

"ARGHH!" I growled, releasing her tit from my mouth.

"My room," she gasped.

I stood up, holding her by her luscious ass as she wrapped her legs around my upper thighs while continuing to stroke my cock. She never missed a beat as I carried her down the hall and into her room. She was still working my cock as I climbed onto her bed. She only stopped when I dropped her onto her back in front of me.

I knelt between her legs as she looked up at me. Her dazzling white aura was just as intensely radiant as it was when she first entered my room, despite my having been feeding on it this whole time. She reached for my erection with both hands as I leaned over her. I could hardly contain myself; I was so horny.

"Are you ready for this filthy, vulgar cock?" I teased as I pressed into her moisture, echoing the words I had said to Leslie earlier.

Her aura flared even brighter, and she gave me a devilish smile as she squeezed my cock in her hands. Her level of arousal was far beyond anyone or anything I had experienced before.

"This cock isn't filthy or vulgar enough. I want something bigger. Filthier. Nastier. I want something that will make me cum so hard I will crush this fucking cock."

The beast inside me erupted. My body exploded in a shower of sparks, and I emerged in my demon form. I was so obsessed that if the sharp knife-flaying sensation occurred, I hardly felt it.

"Is this big and nasty enough for you?" I growled as I pushed against her entrance. My wings were poised partially open behind me, and I whipped my tail back and forth, ready to pounce.

"Yesss!" she hissed, sliding her hands along my length, then tugging at the base, urging my penetration. She struggled to unclench to enable our union. It seems I wasn't the only one to have lost control of my body in this lustful frenzy.

I held back long enough for her to stop clenching, absorbing enough aura to be barely cognizant enough to remember to remove my claws. Seconds later, I felt her core relax, signaling her readiness. She looked up at me with pure lust in her eyes.

"Fuck me hard, demon. I want to feel your seed burning inside me." It was a guttural voice that I barely recognized.

I growled in response. I had never felt so feral as I did at that moment, as I pushed into her tightness with the help of her slippery juices, burying myself in one swift, smooth motion. She arched her back and screamed, either in pain or in ecstasy. I couldn't tell the difference, and wouldn't have cared, even if I could. She crushed on my cock, her climax flooding its carnal energy into me at such a high rate that I nearly choked on it.

My body tingled all over, but I kept going, determined to pound her into the mattress. She clawed at my shoulders, trying to hold onto me, reality, consciousness, or anything as her body was wracked with wave upon wave of orgasmic spasms in rapid succession.

"Ah. Ah. Ah." She moaned with every thrust. Each one hitting home in all the right places.

I was getting close. The pressure was building in my balls as they swept below me against the mattress and slapped against her ass. Somehow, Tina seemed to sense how close I was and found enough breath to coax me over the edge.

"Cum inside me, demon. Fill my cunt with your seed," she gasped. Her voice seemed to come from deep within.

The signal from her aura was equally clear and overwhelming: "Give me your sperm. Inseminate me and make me yours." And the beast within responded. Crazed with its own lust for her seemingly endless supply of aura, I felt the tug on my ball sack and an overwhelming desire to completely "own her." But just before my release, a second smaller message appeared in the background of her aura, cowering in fear of fertility.

With barely a second to think or react, I came on the next thrust.

"ARRGGH!" my demon-self roared in triumph, releasing my warm, liquid pleasure deep inside her.

But in that last second, I found enough control over the demon to hold back his potent demon seed. So, despite having "claimed" my voluptuous cousin, my demon's attempt to "own her" was narrowly averted.

Tina's body appeared to seize up as she arched her back and clenched even harder, screaming a crowning "YAAAH!"

We both came in waves, synchronized with the beating of our hearts. I didn't think anyone could cum so long and spew so much as I did at that moment.

Her eyes were closed as she matched me ounce per ounce, thrust per thrust until our combined juices leaked onto the bed, overflowing her capacity to hold it all inside her. We were still holding onto each other long after the last wave had passed, trading tremors of the aftershocks from its intensity.

I was still sucking in her blindingly abundant aura when it suddenly emptied, leaving the equivalent of dim "pilot light." The sudden change from copiously radiant to barely existent was profound and startling. Sated, my inner demon slowly receded into the depths of my groin as I retook control of my body.

"W-what just happened? Tina, are you okay?"

She opened her eyes, and a tear appeared as a shadow seemed to briefly cross her face. She clenched and a squishing sound was heard as a small stream of our combined juices leaked between my balls and her butt. Her whole demeanor changed as she smiled, "Yes! I can feel it inside me!" she gasped to herself.

"Tina? Are you okay?" I repeated.

She looked in my eyes as if she realized for the first time since her orgasm that I was still there.

"Oh, my God. That was intense. It felt incredible. Thank you," she panted.

To underscore her gratitude, she grabbed my horns and pulled my head down and gave me a quick kiss, shoving her tongue in my mouth for just a few quick seconds before releasing me and taking a breath.

"Everything happened so fast, I lost control. Are you sure you're alright?" I asked for the third time.

"I fine, Ross. More than fine. I'm great really," she smiled, combing my hair with her fingers.

"But I don't understand. First your aura was bigger and brighter than anything I had ever seen. It seemed endless. Then, after we both came, it suddenly disappeared."

She held my head in her hands. "What's to understand? I told you I was really horny from watching you and Lezzie."

"I mean at the end, after we came. Your aura seemed to vanish into almost nothing."

Before answering, she started to squirm uncomfortably beneath me. So, I folded my wings and separated. We were two again.

"You're the incubus. You must have absorbed it all," she said, sitting up.

That's when we became aware of the wet spot beneath her. It was more like a puddle.

"Oh, wow," she remarked, looking at the sheets.

"I can help with that," I offered, getting out of bed.

"I've got to pee first," she yawned again, holding her crotch as she got out of bed.

"Wait, before you go. Tell me about what happened after you came. I couldn't have absorbed all that aura so quickly," I called to her back as she fled the room holding her crotch.

"I can't wait!" she called back from the hallway.

I knew where she kept her sheets and had the bed changed by the time she got back. Ten minutes later, we were cuddled together under a blanket, and she was fast asleep without answering my question. I sighed and put a protective arm around her.

I was falling asleep as well, but as I drifted off, remembered Bailie and why I hadn't heard from her. Then I recalled Gil and wondered what he meant when he said, "I've already taken care of Mousey." Was Bailie alright?

***

I found myself sitting alone in the Blue Ox Diner; in the very same booth and wearing the same clothes I wore on my first night in Bangor. But the rest of the diner was a mess. Tables and chairs were overturned, broken glass was everywhere. Sugar, mustard, catsup, French fries, and other bits of food scattered on the floor.

Bailie was at the back of the diner where two men wearing bookstore hockey jerseys and ski masks were holding her. One with his arm around her waist and the other trying to grab her legs and keep her from kicking.

"Leave her alone!" I shouted, getting up from my seat.

The two thugs ignored me and tried to tear off her uniform. The thug behind her with one arm around her waist succeeded in ripping the top of her outfit, exposing her bra while the other only managed to remove one of her shoes and rip her stockings.

I rapidly made my way around the broken glass and overturned tables and chairs and grabbed the guy with his back towards me. I yanked him away, punching him in the stomach, and he doubled over.

The other man produced a knife and held it to Bailie's neck, holding her in front of him as a human shield.

"Don't come any closer, or I'll slit her throat," he threatened. I recognized Gil's voice despite the muffling from the ski mask.

But I was close enough to reach out with demonic, lightning speed and grab the wrist holding the knife. I forcefully wrenched his wrist, twisting the knife away from Bailie's neck. An audible crack was heard as his wrist dislocated.

"Fuck!" he cried in pain as he dropped the knife and released Bailie.

I grabbed the front of his shirt and lifted him up until his feet left the floor. I punched him in the face with my free hand and he fell in a crumpled heap.

When I turned to finish the first thug, I found him running for the front door. As I helped Bailie to her feet, the second guy ran screaming for the back door, holding his wrist.

She buried her face in my shoulder and started crying.

"Where were you? You said you'd be here this weekend, but you never showed."

"I--I'm sorry. Something came up and I couldn't," I tried to explain, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"Look at this place! None of this would have happened if you had been here!" she wept.

"Bailie, I'm sorry. I couldn't. I'll make it up to you. You'll see."

"What will I do now? How can I pay for school? What will my stepfather do to me?"

"Come with me, Bailie. We'll figure this out, but it's time you left this place for good," I replied.

"I can't. I must support my stepfather and pay for tuition," she replied.

"I don't know the answer, but we won't find it here. It's time to leave," I replied.

*****

Wednesday, December 6

Tina slid out from under my arm. I watched her get out of bed before she turned and smiled and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek.

"What time is it?" I asked sleepily.

"A little before six-thirty. I've already turned off the alarm so you can sleep a little more. I'm going to take my shower," she replied as she turned to leave.

"Wait. I'll join you," I said as I threw off the blanket to get out of bed.

"Stay there. I won't be long, and I promise not to use up all the hot water," she replied from the hallway.

By the time I got out of bed, I heard the bathroom door close.

I sat down on the edge of the bed. Normally, she'd practically beg to have me shower with her. And this was only the second time she closed the bathroom door while showering.

Looking down, I noticed my morning erection for the first time. My ten-and-a-half-inch black, demonic cock seemed to look back at me.

"Don't look at me like that. I don't know what's going on, either." Great, now I was talking to my penis.

I had an itch in my shoulder blades, a recurring problem during the winter months from dry skin. I casually scratched between my wings with my tail, only then realizing I was in my demonic form from last night.

I focused on my appearance and after the sharp-knives-flaying sensation, I was back in my human body shape. That momentary 'being flayed alive' feeling was becoming so routine during these transformations that I hardly flinched. And to think that as a kid I used to hate having a bandage ripped off.

I made Tina's bed before returning to my own room. When I passed the bathroom door, I heard Tina singing in the shower. Singing? In the ten days I had been living with Tina, this was the first time I ever heard her sing in the shower! Shaking my head, I continued to my room, and I passed the time by doing some reading from my Economics textbook. But I didn't get very far along when I heard a rap on the door jamb. Tina poked her head inside the room. She wore her pink terrycloth bathrobe, and her hair was wrapped in a towel around her head.

"The bathroom is all yours," she said cheerily, before she disappeared back into the hallway.

"Are you okay?" I asked, getting up.

She turned back and smiled.

"Fine. Never better. Why do you ask?" There was a definite lilt to her voice.

"No reason. It's just that I've never seen you look happier, that's all."

"Oh, Ross, I am happy! It's a beautiful day and I feel wonderful! I don't have a care in the world!" she gushed, and she turned and went back to her room.

I looked out the window, but even with my demonic night vision, I could see the day was dark and cloudy. Hardly what I would call "a beautiful day."

By the time I got out of the bathroom and got dressed, the aromas of eggs, toast and fresh coffee could be smelled throughout the house. Tina was just setting the plate down on the table when I walked into the kitchen.

"Perfect timing!" she said smiling, as she sat down.

I took my seat and looked at the eggs and toast on my plate.

"A hot breakfast, and it smells wonderful. This certainly is a treat. Thank you!" I tried to match her cheery tone, but I was so puzzled by the sudden change in Tina's character that I don't think I was very convincing. Fortunately, she appeared not to notice.

"Thank you for making my bed. That was so thoughtful of you," she said.

"Oh, no problem. It was the least I could do," I replied, digging into the eggs.

"Still, it was a sweet thing to do," she said.

The rest of the breakfast conversation was just as light and airy, and completely devoid of the usual sarcasm and teasing. Was this the same Tina that called me an 'overgrown bat' just last night? I weirdly found myself missing those subtle jabs and inuendoes. By the time breakfast was over, I couldn't wait to leave the house and get back to campus. Although, I did manage to beat her to the kitchen sink and wash the dishes before I left.

My haste to leave the house meant I was over an hour early for my 9 o'clock Economics class. I sat alone in my usual front row seat in the classroom and did some more reading, although I was mildly distracted with my own thoughts.

Today was a big day. It was the last and most important part of my "Operation Gossip" plan. Of course, I would have to wait until lunchtime to see some signs of it in action and it wouldn't be until tomorrow at the earliest to know if it worked. But the suspense was killing me.

It was almost 9 when the crowd of students shuffled in, Tripp among them. I removed my books from the chair next to me and motioned him over. After a brief hesitation, he sat down.

"Did you hear what happened at the Blue Ox Diner?"

"Heard what?" I asked.

"Over the weekend. A couple of guys wearing ski masks came in and started tearing up the place. They knocked over tables and chairs and started smashing things. By the time they left there was glass and stuff all over the floor. The place is a total wreck," he explained.

"Oh my God. Was anybody hurt?"

"I heard they roughed up the waitress that worked there a little, but nothing serious. They took a few dollars from the cash register, but apparently, they didn't get away with very much," Tripp replied.

"Do they know who did it? And why am I only hearing about this now?" I asked.

"The police think--" Tripp began.

"Okay everybody, settle down. Let's begin!" Professor Cutler announced.

I whipped out my phone to text Bailie, but before I could start texting, I saw Professor Cutler looking directly at me. I sheepishly smiled and put the phone away. It would have to wait until after class.

Economics class couldn't end fast enough. I had to know what happened. I remembered Bailie's dreams from the last two nights and understood that it must have been based upon that horrible experience. She must have been terrified.

Finally, the bell rang, and students began flocking to the exits. Tripp jumped out of his seat as if it was on fire. I grabbed his arm.

"Wait! Tell me more about the diner! Do they know who did it?" I asked, standing up.

"No, but the police think it might have been a couple of students from here. The suspects were wearing college hockey shirts," he replied.

"You mean team shirts, like uniforms?" I asked.

"No, regular jerseys, the kind they sell at the bookstore."

"Well, that could be anybody. Half the city wears those jerseys," I noted.

"Yeah, but from the description the police received from eyewitnesses, the suspects seemed to be college aged," he explained.

"But if that happened over the weekend, why am I only hearing about it now?" I asked.

Tripp looked at me like I had two heads.

"You don't watch much TV, do you? It's been all over the local station for the past two days. Police Chief Dubois has taken a personal interest in the case and is leading the investigation. There are policemen all over the campus this morning. You must have seen them when you came in."

"No. I didn't see any when I came in," I replied.

"You didn't? What time did you get in here?" he asked.

"I don't know. It was early. Maybe a quarter to eight."

"Shit. I got stopped three times, probably because I'm Black."

"I'll walk out with you. What day did you say this happened?"

"Sunday. Sunday evening, just before closing time," he replied as we left the building.

Tripp was right. There was police presence everywhere. So far, the information Tripp gave me seemed to match my invasion of Bailie's dream, right down to the ski masks and hockey jerseys. But if the detail in the dream about Gil Dubois' muffled voice beneath the ski mask was accurate, I doubted there would be any definitive resolution soon, given the fact that his father was the chief of police heading the investigation.

I walked with Tripp to the cafeteria where he was going to have breakfast. Along the way, I shared my suspicions about Gil without telling him about the dream.

"Funny you should mention him. That asshole's been particularly nasty to me these past couple of days," Tripp recalled.

"You mean the racist taunting?"

"Yeah, that, but also the little pushes and shoves here and there. Like he's trying to start something and just daring me to do something back," he replied.

"You're not going to take the bait, I hope," I said, cautiously.

"From that piece of shit? I'm too smart for that. I have an idea that might work, though," Tripp said with a faraway look in his eye.

"I don't think I like the sound of that. Maybe you should just let it go," I warned.

I left Tripp at the entrance to the cafeteria and headed for the library. There was plenty of time before my next class and there was a remote chance I could find April there or pick up some gossip, although it was probably too early for both.

Before settling down to study, I took a quick sweep of the library cubicles. No April. Miss Goodman was there, of course, but we cautiously avoided each other.

By noontime, I couldn't wait to get to the cafeteria. I had texted Bailie five times since Economics class, but she still wasn't answering. I was worried and frustrated as hell, but there was nothing I could do for now.

Waiting in line, I began to hear what I was listening for. The girls were talking amongst themselves about the Phi Upsilon fraternity and the nasty prank they pull on unsuspecting virgins. Tales of the fraternity's "devil doll" were flying about more than the doll itself. Dozens of girls and a couple of guys were swearing that they saw it too.

By the time I finished lunch, some of the guys were admitting they knew about the prank for years, hearing it from their girlfriends and former partners. The BI girls did a great job spreading the rumor about the "devil doll prank." As I expected, if enough people spread the rumor, others would believe it was real. I just didn't suspect they would go as far as telling others they actually saw it themselves. "Operation Gossip" was working better than I could have imagined.

Before leaving the cafeteria, I spotted Todd, the president of the fraternity, sitting with some of his frat brothers at a corner table. I moved closer to listen in on what they were saying.

"Why didn't someone tell me about the 'flying devil prank'?" he demanded angrily.

"I didn't know about it, either," one of the frat brothers replied. I recognized his aura as one of the two guys with Gina in the threesome.

"Well, somebody knew about it. Do you know how much trouble I'm in with the Greek Council?" Todd replied.

"I swear, Todd, none of us knew anything about it!" another brother argued.

"Maybe it was someone from outside the fraternity," a third brother suggested.

"Yeah, the Alpha Mu's are still trying to get back at us from what we did to them at their Halloween Party," the first guy said.

"Well, we must do something. Now the police are wondering if it's related to that thing that happened at the diner on Sunday," Todd replied.

I had to leave. Maybe I had done too good a job with "Operation Gossip." Todd and the Phi Upsilon fraternity should be fine if I was right about Gil and maybe Derrick being responsible for the vandalism at the diner. But on the other hand, Gil's father was conducting the investigation, and he might target the fraternity as a scapegoat to protect his son.

With almost 2 hours before Professor Bartoli's Business Systems class, I headed back to the library. Leslie was behind the front desk. She smiled and waved at me when I walked in. I made another sweep of the cubicles but didn't see April.

I arrived early for Professor Bartoli's class as usual and took my third-row seat. The rest of the class filtered in a few minutes before 3 PM, minus the hockey players, who were nowhere to be seen. The Professor started the class on time, only to be interrupted when the hockey players noisily sauntered in.

"Gentlemen, by now you are all aware of when this class begins. You will be here, on time, and in your seats by 3 o'clock or you will not be allowed in. Is that understood?" she remanded in her Italian accent.

"We were-a late-a because-a we had to-a answer-a questions from the police-a," Gil called out from the front row mocking her with a fake Italian accent.

Several guffaws were heard from the first two rows, either because of the accent or perhaps the excuse was not quite as forthright as Gil wanted her to believe. In either case, Professor Bartoli did her best to hide her anger.

"That is no excuse for being so disruptive when you walk in here. And if I hear you making fun of my accent again Mr. Dubois, I will throw you out of this class," she announced before regaining her composure and continuing with her lesson.

But the hockey players were clearly agitated about something. They whispered noisily amongst themselves throughout most of the hour and Professor Bartoli did her best to pretend she didn't hear them. But with 20 minutes left to go, her tolerance had reached its limit.

"That's it. I have had enough. I want everyone to write an essay giving me two examples of failed business practices and effective strategies that would have saved the company and turn it in to me by Friday. There will be no excuses and no exceptions!" she announced sternly.

A collective groan was heard from the room, loudest in the front two rows.

"But we have a game on Friday," one of the hockey players grumbled.

"Your game doesn't start until 7 o'clock, plenty of time to turn your assignment in. You may even turn it in earlier. But there will be no exceptions. Anyone who doesn't submit their essay will get a zero. Capisci? Class dismissed!" she replied angrily.

I headed for the gym and spent the extra time working out while waiting for Tripp to join me at 4. With hardly anyone in the weight room, I decided to check to see exactly how strong my demonic body was. To my amazement, I found I could easily push the maximum weight on the leg press machine without so much as a strain. I then loaded up the barbell with 450 pounds on either end, easily raising the bar over my head. I quickly placed the weights back down on the mat when I heard voices outside the door.

"Hey, Ross! You're here early!" Tripp greeted me when he walked in.

"Yeah, Business Systems class ended early, so I thought I'd come in and get started," I replied.

Tripp looked at the loaded barbell in front of me and his eyes widened.

"Whoa, I hope you weren't going to try and lift that!"

"Um, no. I found this like that. Maybe you can help me take some of these weights off," I lied.

The rest of the workout was fairly routine, although Tripp seemed more restless than usual, especially afterwards when we hit the showers. He was particularly protective of his locker, going out of his way in keeping it closed, as if there was something inside that he didn't want me to see. I didn't think much of it at the time.

Once again, I was early for my evening shift at the library. And again, I did another sweep of the library cubicles to look for April but didn't see her. I hoped that might be a good sign, but it was still too early to tell. I approached Miss Goodman at the front desk and offered to start my shift early. This was starting to become a routine of sorts, but this time Miss Goodman refused the offer--with one exception.

"I have some paperwork to catch up on, Mr. McPherson, but you may help me by emptying the book cart. Take over at seven, your usual time, but I shall be back in my office at least until nine," she whispered.

The cart was full! I was 40 minutes into my shift by the time I completed the task. Of course, by then, there were five more books that needed reshelving.

When I was finished, I parked myself behind the front desk and began working on my Business Systems essay, mindful from the light visible between the blinds that Miss Goodman was in her office right behind me.

While I was working, I received a text from Frankie.

Frankie: R U free 2nite?

Me: After 10. What's up?

Frankie: U I hope.

Me: (laughing emoji).

Frankie: Want u here 2 celebrate and 2 call in the favor u owe me.

I had forgotten about that favor.

Me: I'm coming @ 10.

Frankie: & when u get here 2! (laughing emoji).

I'd better text Tina and let her know I'll be late.

Professor Bartoli's assignment was generously easy. History is littered with businesses who failed to utilize basic accounting practices, or didn't protect themselves from dishonest accountants, or natural disasters, or simply didn't keep up with the technology of the time. I made sure to cite and cross-check multiple references before running the entire paper through spell check and submitting it electronically to her office email.

I had no sooner hit the "send" button when I realized it was 9:50 and my shift was over. Miss Goodman had left about an hour ago and there was no one sitting at the tables in the main room. I made another sweep of the back of the library and bathrooms and let security know they could lock up.

Frankie was waiting outside the Beta Iota House when I arrived. She wrapped one arm around my neck and pulled me in for a deep kiss, scraping the ball piercing on her tongue against my teeth. When she broke the kiss, she smiled and stepped back, hiding something behind her back with her other hand.

"Before you go in, I need you to do two things," she announced.

"What's that?"

"First, you must change into 'Zucchini Boy'," she insisted, indicating my 10-and-a-half-inch black, demon dick.

She looked down at my crotch expectantly. I hardly noticed the sharp cutting pain as a bulge appeared at the front of my pants.

"What else?" I asked.

"You have to wear this," she said, producing a wide, black strip of cloth from behind her back.

"What is that?"

"A blindfold," she replied.

"Why do I have to wear this?" I asked as she tied it around my head.

"You'll see... eventually."

********

Next Chapter: The prize and a new ability.