The
Witch and the Succubus

By Lillyanna Fuchsia

Copyright
© 2020 Lillyanna Fuchsia

Cover art © 2020 Yaya chan

This is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, businesses, places, events, and locales either are the products of
the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Table of Content

Chapter 01

Chapter 02

Chapter 03

Chapter 04

Chapter 05

Chapter 06

Chapter 07

Chapter 08

Chapter 09

Epilogue

Afterword

Preview

Chapter 01

“You won’t
believe what I just overheard!” a girl exclaimed. Despite keeping her voice
down, her excitement was obvious.

“What? What?” her friends asked,
interested.

“In here!” she said, entering the
bathroom.

“What is it, Sarah?” the girls
asked again, more curious now.

“Jason was talking to his friend
about slipping Melida a love potion today during lunch!” she exclaimed in a hushed
voice.

“What? No way!” one of them
shouted, her voice echoing in the bathroom.

“He knows it’s illegal! Everyone
does!” another girl whispered.

“Yeah. He’s stupid, but not that
much.”

“If he’s planning to do that in a
crowded place, he’s beyond stupid.”

“He could be arrested because of
that!”

“Does he think he can get away
just because his family is rich?”

“Remember that girl, Gerope?”

“Yeah. She’s still in jail for
giving that man a love potion.”

“It was to get pregnant, wasn’t
it? The guy was rich.”

“Jason doesn’t want anything like
that,” Sarah said. “From what I overheard, he said he just wants to humiliate
Melida a little.”

“Committing a crime just for
that…”

“Is this just because she exposed
he was cheating on his girlfriend to everyone?”

“I think so. I heard his family
got mad at him.”

“The girl was a noble, wasn’t
she?”

“Can’t believe he’s gonna do that.
It’s crazy.”

“Shouldn’t we do something?”

“Yeah. This is messed up.”

“We need to tell a teacher.”

“We won’t do anything,” Sarah
said.

“Are you serious?”

“Isn’t she your cousin?”

“Melida’s my cousin’s cousin, not
mine. But there’s no need to do anything because he said he won’t do anything
to her. Just to humiliate her. If he tries anything, I’ll stop him,” she
replied. Sarah pulled a wand from the pocket of her dark purple school coat and
pointed to her lips, which became a deeper shade of red. Then she pointed it to
her hair, which curled a bit. “Melida needs to be humiliated a little. Just
because she’s friends with a lot of guys, she thinks she’s better than the rest
of us.”

“She’s a succubus, isn’t she?”

“I heard that too, but I don’t
know if it’s true.”

“That would explain a lot. I mean,
there’s no way she could be friends with so many guys without being a demon of
lust.”

“I bet she’s sleeping with them
all. I’ve heard she used to go out with anyone who asked her before coming to
school.”

“I heard that too.”

“If she really is a succubus, she
needs a lot of semen, right?” Sarah asked.

The others laughed. “You still
suck in demonology. How many times did you take that class?”

“Shut up! I’m not good at
remembering boring stuff like that!”

“Don’t get angry. You know if you
don’t study, you’ll flunk again and won’t get your mage license.”

“I know that. But Melida needs to
be humiliated a little. This way she won’t act like she owns the place just
because she’s friends with the principal,” Sarah said. She finished redoing her
makeup and hair and pocketed her wand. “Let’s go watch. Can’t wait to see what
he’ll make her do.”

The girls left the bathroom, their
voices growing distant as they walked away. When everything was quiet, Jennifer
left the stall furthest from the door.

When she heard them outside the
bathroom, she hid without thinking. Because of that, she had heard something
unbelievable.

I can’t believe they’re talking
about love potions like it’s nothing! They’re illegal! Slipping it to someone
is a serious crime, even if it’s diluted! I need to report this to the
teachers. But if he’s planning to slip it to her now, the teachers won’t make
it in time, Jen thought, biting her lips. If I
had a familiar I could send them to get a teacher in time…

After hesitating for a moment, Jen
left the bathroom and looked in both directions. On her left, almost turning
around the corner, she saw one of the girls who were in the bathroom seconds
ago and ran after them as fast as she could.

By the time she reached them, they
were already in the cafeteria. Despite panting and sweating, and her legs
throbbing, Jen looked around, looking for Melida among the hundreds of students
in the huge place.

Though they weren’t friends, nor
had they ever talked, Jen knew who she was. There was no way she wouldn’t know.
Even among the thousands of full-time and part-time students, Melida was
famous. Not only was she smart and talented, who the teachers loved, with her
long and lustrous red hair and dark skin, she was one of the most beautiful
girls in school. Because of that, it took Jen only a second to find the mage.

She was eating lunch with many
people. They were all talking and laughing, but when Melida looked away for a
second, Jason, who was sitting on her right, quickly pulled a small glass vial
from his pocket, took the cork with the thumb, and poured the almost
transparent pink liquid in her goblet.

The girls who were in the bathroom
exchanged worried looks. Only Sarah watched with interest. Despite her
throbbing and the difficulty to breathe, Jen moved as fast as she could. Even
so, when Melida laughed and grabbed her goblet, Jen knew she wouldn’t be able
to stop her from ingesting the love potion in time.

“Don’t drink that!” she exclaimed.
Almost no one heard her, and the few who had barely paid attention to her. “He
put a love potion in it!” Jen shouted at the top of her lungs.

More people heard her now. As the
words love potion spread around, the cafeteria grew quiet and people
looked at her. A few seconds later, the whole place was quiet.

“Don’t… drink that…” Jen said as
she tried to catch her breath.

Jason glared at her. Melida looked
at her with a surprised expression. Then she looked down at her goblet and
brought it to her nose, sniffing it. “I don’t smell anything strange. But…”

Before Jason could do anything,
she reached out and fondled the inner pocket of his school coat.

“Hey!” Jason cried out. He tried
to get rid of her, but she pulled her hand back before he could.

“What’s this?” Melida asked,
shaking the small glass vial. Though it was empty, there were still a few drops
of the almost transparent pink liquid.

“A pick me up,” Jason answered
right away. Though his voice was calm, his eyes were the opposite. He stared at
the vial as if waiting for the chance to grab and get rid of it.

“Just a pick me up, huh?” Melida
repeated, shaking the vial, keeping it out of his reach. “Did you put this in
my drink?”

“No.”

“He’s… lying…” Jen reached the
table. She placed her hands on her knees to recover her breath. “I saw him
putting that… in your goblet… when you… weren’t looking…”

“That’s a lie!” he exclaimed.

“I saw it too,” a guy at Melida’s
table said.

“Me too.”

“Me too…”

I knew Jason wasn’t smart, but doing
something illegal in front of so many people, Jen
thought, still having trouble to breathe. Each breath she took hurt her lungs.

“I-it’s not a love potion! It’s
just a pick me up! I swear on the Hero Demon King’s name!” he exclaimed, more
and more nervous as he looked around, his face paler. “If you don’t want it,
I’ll drink it!” He tried to get Melida’s goblet, but she took it out of his
reach.

“It’s okay. Thanks for the pick me
up,” she said, turning it over her mouth.

“Don’t!” Jen yelled. She reached
out for the goblet, but it was too late.

Melida swallowed the whole drink
in one gulp, licking her lips to make sure she hadn’t wasted a single drop. She
had a confident expression, but then her features relaxed and she closed her
eyes.

“Yeah, it’s a love potion alright.
I can tell,” she said calmly, breathing deep.

“Now you’re gonna pay for what you
did to me!” Jason shouted in triumph. “Because of you, my betrothed broke our
engagement!”

“I refuse.”

Still with her eyes closed, Melida
reached out over the table, grabbed Jen’s coat, and brought her closer. Only
then she opened her eyes. They were so close the witch was the only thing in
her vision.

“Eh?” was all Jen could say,
blinking in confusion.

“You tried to help me, didn’t
you?” Melida said in a lovey-dovey voice, touching Jen’s nose with her own as
two big hearts appeared on her eyes. “Thanks.”

“What!?” both Jason and Jen
exclaimed.

Before either could do anything,
Melida took Jen’s round glasses and kissed her.

“Eh!?”

Everyone was watching in silence,
either too curious or shocked to say anything. Then the murmurs began to spread
across the cafeteria.

“It really was a love potion…”

“Can’t believe he did that…”

“It’s illegal…”

“Even if his family is rich, he’s
screwed.”

“What a moron.”

Jason looked around, his face
paler and paler. Before he could run away, the deputy headmistress, along with
a few teachers, showed up.

“What’s going on here?”

With Melida hugging her from
behind as if they were lovers who had met after a long time, Jen explained the
situation. One of the teachers took Jason to the faculty lounge while the
others tried to disperse the crowd.

“I can’t believe he used something
so dangerous as a love potion,” said Leila, the dark skin elf deputy
headmistress, shaking her head with a heavy expression. Then she looked at the
girls with a mysterious, almost amused expression. No matter how much Jen tried
to get rid of her, Melida refused, hugging her even tighter. “The potion’s
teacher is absent at the moment, but she’ll be back before nightfall. Can you
take care of her until then?”

“I-I can brew an antidote if I
have the ingredients,” Jen said, tired. She had given up and simply let Melida
hug and rest her head on top of hers. There was no way she could handle all
that lovey-dovey behavior for the rest of the afternoon.

“That’s great. We can always count
on you, Jennifer. Tell me the ingredients and I’ll get them to you.”

After Jen told him, she left in a
hurry and they were alone. She sighed and turned to Melida, who smiled at her,
her eyes still with the big hearts in them. She couldn’t help but blush and
look away.

I’ve never talked to her, but she’s really beautiful, Jen thought. The next second, she
blushed even more. Now that I think about it, I just had my first kiss… and
it was with another girl. I never expected neither to happen.

“L-let’s go to my room so I can
start the preparations for the antidote,” she said.

“No need,” Melida said. In a
heartbeat, her hearty eyes became normal and her lovey-dovey expression
vanished.

“Eh!?” Jen exclaimed, blinking.
“That wasn’t a love potion!?”

“It was. It’s just that those
things don’t have any effect on me.”

“You weren’t affected by it?” she
asked. Despite her surprise, Jen soon understood why. “Ah! Succubi aren’t
affected by love magic since they’re demons of love!”

Melida smiled and nodded. “Yep.”

“So the rumors are true.”

“You’re just as smart as everyone
says. But you got something wrong. Despite what the rumors say, I’m not a
succubus. My Grandma was. My demon blood is too weak. I’m mostly human, though
I have a few succubus perks,” she explained. Then her face lost some of its
color. “Please, don’t tell people about this. There are already too many rumors
about me. If they find out I’m part succubus, I’ll be blamed for every breakup
in school and I’m not in the mood to deal with that. Not to mention all the
guys that’ll come after me, hoping to sleep with me.”

“I see… Well, don’t worry. I won’t
tell anyone.”

“Thanks.” Melida breathed out in
relief.

“But if you weren’t affected by
the love potion, why did you…” Jen blushed and averted her eyes, touching her
lips lightly, “k-kiss me?” she whispered the last words

“Sorry about that. I had to
pretend to fall in love with you. If I didn’t, people could’ve found out about
my succubus side. Or worse, Jason could’ve escaped saying it wasn’t a love
potion.”

“The teachers could’ve analyzed
the potion in the goblet or the drops in the vial. There was no reason to drink
it and k-kiss me…”

“Oh… I didn’t think of that. As
expected of the smartest witch in the school!” Melinda exclaimed with a smile.

Jen blushed again, looking away.

And that was how their friendship
started.

Chapter 02

“Jason is
suspended for the time being. His family has contacted the school saying
they’ll pay compensation to you to avoid any more complications,” the deputy
headmistress explained to Melida.

“They’re paying me to not take
this further?”

“Yes.”

“Why wasn’t he arrested for what
he did?” Though there wasn’t any harm, there could have been grave consequences
if he had used the love potion on someone other than she.

“Normally, he would have, but he
allowed us to read his mind. Despite using an illegal substance, he didn’t want
to take advantage of you.”

“What did he plan to do to me?”

Leila took a deep breath, shaking
her head and pressing her eyes. Despite trying to control her anger, the tips
of her pointy ears quivered slightly. “He wanted to make you fall in love with
him so he could reject you in front of everyone and humiliate you.”

“He committed a serious crime just
for that?” Melida couldn’t help but snort. I knew he was a moron but to that
level…

“Yes. That’s the only reason he
wasn’t arrested. He made a terrible mistake that could’ve ended badly, but our
policy is to teach and guide instead of simply putting the criminal away,
especially since he’s young.”

“I see. Well, at least nothing bad
happened this time.”

“You don’t consider kissing
Jennifer a bad thing?” Leila had the same mysterious and amused smile from
yesterday. “She was caught in this whole thing trying to help you.”

“Oh yeah. I forgot about that,”
Melida mumbled. Since they knew each other before she came to the magic school,
the deputy headmistress knew the potion had no effects on her. “Why didn’t you
say anything?”

“I know you don’t want people
knowing about your nature. Besides,” Leila chuckled and smiled, “I saw
something in your future.”

“Mine and that witch?”

Though the deputy headmistress
wasn’t as strong as the principal in terms of strength, she knew a lot about
magic, and her specialty was divination. She’s seen something but she won’t
say anything even if I ask just because it’s more interesting to her this way.
Grandpa, Grandma, and Grandma Elena always complained about her personality
when they went to school, Melida thought.

“I need to go,” Leila said
suddenly. “I have a class to give in a few minutes.”

Melida was about to follow her and
leave the teacher’s lounge when Jennifer entered through the other door. The deputy
headmistress turned her head, flashing her teasing smile as she looked between
Melida and the witch.

“Bye, Mel.”

“See ya, Leila…”

Tsk, she’s always like this
when she finds something amusing… As Melida
considered what to do, she watched Jennifer apologize and bow to the summoning
teacher, who shook his head with a paternal smile. I wonder what they’re
talking about…

Even with her twisted
personality, if Leila says she saw something in our future, it’s not something
small…

“Excuse me,” Jennifer said a
couple minutes later as she left the teacher’s lounge.

“Hey.”

“Ah!” When Melida talked to her,
Jennifer had her head down and was so surprised she jumped back a little. As
she fixed her round glasses, she looked up. “H-hello.”

“I was just talking to Leila.
Jason was suspended, but he won’t be arrested.”

“Eh!? Even after using a love potion!?”
Jennifer’s surprise became shocked.

“I was as surprised as you.
Apparently, he let the teachers read his mind. He planned to humiliate me, but
nothing else.”

“Even so, taking control of
someone’s mind and heart like that,” she said in a low voice. “I knew he wasn’t
the brightest, but to think he was a dumbass.”

Melida couldn’t help but laugh. “I
never thought I’d hear one of the smartest witches in school say that,” she
said. “Putting that aside. I’d like to treat you to something. You know, as a thank
you for helping me.”

“T-there’s no need. Anyone
would’ve done the same. And it’s not like I helped. The potion didn’t work on
you… and yet you did that to me,” she mumbled the last part, her cheeks
reddening slightly as she touched her lips.

“I also need to apologize for
that.” When Leila said that, I thought she was joking. A kiss isn’t a big
deal for me, but it’s important for others. “Either way, please let me do
something for you.”

Before Jennifer said anything, the
summoning teacher left through the other door. She watched in silence as he
walked away before turning back to Melida. “Thank you for the offer, but I
don’t have time right now.”

“Is it something to do with his
class?”

“Yes,” Jennifer muttered, the
frustration clear in her voice as she lowered her head.

“Are you having trouble with
something?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “I’m having
difficulty summoning a familiar.”

“Really? You?” Melida couldn’t
hide her surprise. Even she, who was in the Mage’s course despite already
having a license, had heard about Jennifer. “Aren’t you one of the smartest in
the witch and wizard course? I thought your grades were among the best!”

“In academic subjects. I’m not
good with practical classes. I’m not good at controlling my Celestemagical energy…” As she
spoke, she clenched her small fist. Even so, it wasn’t enough to stop it from
trembling.

She’s brimming with
frustration. More than she lets on, Melida
realized. She’s smart, but not being able to use that knowledge would make
anyone frustrated… Maybe I can do something. She hummed and leaned forward,
observing the witch from up close.

“I-is there something wrong?”
Jennifer blushed and averted her eyes.

I think I sense something wrong
with her Celeste flow, but I need to check to be sure.

“I might be able to help you with
that,” Melida said, smiling and straightening her back. “It’ll be my way of
saying thanks!”

“Eh?” Jennifer’s embarrassment was
gone. “Can you really help me?”

“I think so. If you want.”

“Please, help me!” she said and
bowed her head.

They looked for an empty
classroom. It was easy to find one since, at this time, most classes took place
outside. Though it was only a short sprint, Jennifer was already panting.

“Take off your coat and raise your
shirt,” Melida said.

The witch blinked a couple times,
not sure she heard right. “What?”

“I said, take off your coat and
raise your shirt,” Melida repeated, getting closer.

Jennifer blushed and took a step
back. “W-why?” she mumbled, pulling her school coat closer.

When Melida realized the witch
misunderstood, she couldn’t help but flash a teasing smile. That’s cute.

“Don’t worry. I won’t do anything
to make you uncomfortable,” she whispered in a tempting and sweet voice.

Wait, what the hell am I doing?
A second later, Melida knew. Her weak and almost
non-existing succubus blood was edging her to tease Jennifer. My demon side
is stirring. This never happened before. Because of it, she couldn’t, nor
wanted, to stop.

“It’s to help you. Trust me,” she
said in the same voice.

“I-it’s not that I don’t trust
you. There’s no reason for you to trick me,” Jennifer mumbled. “I’m asking why
should I do those things.”

“It’s so I can check your Celeste
flow.” The witch didn’t look convinced. “When I kissed you yesterday, I felt
something strange in your spiritual veins. I need to find what it is to pick
the best way to help you.”

“Y-you can sense spiritual veins?”

“It’s one of the other perks I
have from being part succubus. Even if I don’t have the powers, I’m still half
a demon. With our high sensitivity to Celeste, I can sense it inside you.”

Jennifer blushed slightly. “W-why
raise my shirt?”

“Because I felt something strange
here.” Melida pointed to the witch’s stomach.

Jennifer said nothing else. With
her hands trembling, she grabbed her coat and opened. Then she unbuttoned her
shirt enough to reveal her bellybutton. Even with her determination, and even
though they were both girls, her face was an alarming shade of red.

Melida’s succubus blood stirred
even more, edging her to tease the witch again. This time she fought it,
suppressing her demonic voice whispering in her ear as she bent forward so she
could sense it from up close. “Hm…”

As she observed, Jennifer’s belly
quivered slightly whenever Melida breathed out through her nose. Does it
tickle? Her succubus blood begged her to tease the witch, but she fought
her demonic desires. I need to focus!

“There’s something here,” she said
after a while, straightening her back. “I think it’s a small blockage that
disrupts the Celeste flow, but I can’t be sure…”

“Is there a way to be sure?”
Jennifer asked, lowering her shirt. There was a tinge of desperation on her
voice.

“There is, but I don’t think you’ll like.”

Jennifer’s cheeks became a shade
of pink. “Is it k-kissing me again?”

“Yes. And unlike yesterday, it
needs to be more intense.”

“E-even more than that?” She
became an alarming shade of red. “I-I don’t know about you, but t-that was a
lot for me…”

“Kisses might mean different
things to us, but it’s not like I go around kissing anyone just because I’m
part succubus,” Melida said. Out of all of her family members who inherited
their Grandma’s blood, she and her cousin Mikael were the only ones who had
trouble with it. The rest could control that demonic side of them. “The kiss
needs to be more intense because I’m a weak and unawakened succubus.”

Jennifer touched her lips and
looked away. After a moment, she looked back at Melida. “I understand. I trust
you.”

“You trust me?” Melida blinked,
taken by surprise. She didn’t expect to hear that from someone she had talked
to the first time yesterday.

“Yes. I can tell if you wanted to
make fun of me, you’ve done that already.”

Melida couldn’t help but blush and
look away. It’s the first time a girl who’s not family says she trusts me…
Most I’ve hung out with never trusted me, even though they said we were
friends. That’s why I’m hiding my succubus heritage in school.

I can’t believe a girl like her is my first ‘I
trust you’…

After hearing those words, even
though it was supposed to be only a kiss, Melida was overly aware of the
situation. To make matters worse, her heart was pounding faster.

What’s wrong with me? I’m just
gonna kiss a girl. It’s not a big deal. It’s like I’m not even part demon of
love. I doubt Grandma ever had this kind of reaction because of a kiss.

Jennifer hadn’t noticed her
embarrassment. She was too busy, apparently, preparing herself for the kiss.
With a last glance at Melida, she closed her eyes and puckered up her lips.

By the name of the Hero Demon
King! This is too cute! Just look at how nervous she is!

That made her blush even more.
With her demonic blood stirring, Melida shut out the voice in her head, leaned
closer, and touched the witch’s lips with hers.

At first, it was a simple kiss.
She was too nervous for anything more right now.

But then something happened. As
she searched for the blockage in Jennifer’s spiritual veins, her succubus blood
boiled stronger than it ever had.

The kiss became more intense.

Overtaken by her instinct, Melida
used her tongue. Instead of sensing Jennifer’s Celeste, her own Celeste was
flowing faster. Her succubus side was taking over.

The feeling was exhilarating, and
she wanted more.

The kiss grew even more intense.

As they made out, she could feel
Jennifer’s whole body, she could sense every bit of that small human. It was as
if the witch was showing her entire self to her. It was as if they were one.

Melida wanted more. To enjoy that
thrilling sensation even more.

That was awakening her succubus
blood, something no boy could do. Without thinking, she brought Jennifer
closer. She placed a hand behind the witch’s head and the other on her back.

As Melida overindulged on that
feeling, Jennifer suddenly broke their kiss.

“W-what?” She blinked as the
exhilarating sensation grew weaker and her succubus blood calmed down.

When Melida came to herself, she
realized the classroom in disarray. They were both sweating and panting and
weren’t standing anymore. In the middle of the kiss, they moved around, pushing
desks and chairs, and somehow ended on the floor. She hadn’t realized anything,
too intoxicated by the sensation.

I lost my head for a moment, she thought, blushing and looking away until her heart stopped
pounding so fast and her breathing returned to normal.

Jennifer too was trying to recover
her breath and hadn’t noticed anything strange, only touching her lips. Her
hair was messed up and her clothes all wrinkled. It looked as if she had slept
with someone and hastily put on her clothes.

I can’t believe I did something
like this without even noticing. I barely have any succubus blood! If I was a
full demon… Grandma never said it was like this.

“What did you find out?” Jennifer
asked in a low voice after a while, not meeting her eyes.

Melida blinked. Despite the
intoxicating kiss, she had managed to sense the witch’s spiritual veins.

“There are two problems,” she
said, still trying to calm down her heart.

One of them was a blockage on her
spiritual veins located around two fingers below the bellybutton. That region
was most influenced by sexual desires.

I just met her, but it doesn’t
look like she cares much about such things. In fact, she doesn’t seem
interested in anything other than her books. I doubt the reason is related to
that. If so, then I can help with it, though it might come back later.

But the other problem… Her
spiritual veins are okay, but they seem to contract whenever Celeste flows… She
can do magic, but if she needs something more powerful…

“What’s wrong?” Jennifer asked,
her face a mix of anxiety and curiosity.

“I can do something about one
right now, but…”

“What?”

“You haven’t eaten or exercised
properly in a long time, have you?”

“H-how do you know that?”

“My grandparents taught me about
the human body. Most people don’t bother to learn about Celeste flow other than
how to channel it. But the flow tells a lot about the person and how they
live.”

“Amazing,” Jennifer said. Then she
blushed. “Y-you can tell all that from a k-kiss…”

“Y-yeah, well,” Melida mumbled,
blushing. “I-If you exercise and eat properly, you’ll get better at controlling
your Celeste…”

“It’ll take time, right? I don’t
know how long will it take me to summon a familiar…” Jennifer seemed dejected.

“I-I can do something about that!”
Melida added in a hurry. She didn’t want to see the witch making that
expression. “I think it’ll be enough to help you with summoning a familiar.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Thank the Hero Demon King!”
Jennifer beamed.

Melida blushed. To hide it, she
raised the index finger and channeled her Celeste on the tip.

“I need to do three things.”

She murmured a magic incantation
and the Celeste turned yellow. With the witch’s bellybutton in the center, she
drew a big yellow circle. Where her finger passed, it left a trail of yellow
glowing magic, as if an untouchable fluid was sticking to her skin. That was
basic magic to draw circles and symbols with energy.

Jennifer let out a cute moan.

“D-don’t make weird sounds,”
Melida complained. Touching her is already stirring my succubus blood.

“Sorry. It’s just that… it
tickles,” Jennifer mumbled in an embarrassed voice, her legs squirming.

Melida blushed again. To hide it,
she quickly murmured another incantation and the Celeste became red. She drew a
triangle pointing downwards inside the circle. “That was the second part.”

“W-what’s the third?”

Melida became a wild shade of red,
and there was nothing she could do to hide it. She raised another finger and
murmured another incantation. A small flame that didn’t burn nor emitted any
heat popped at the tip of her fingers. She brought it to her lips and circled
it as if she was putting on lipstick made of fire.

She bent again, her face inches
from Jennifer’s belly. She closed her eyes and kissed inside the inverted
triangle, pouring the flame magic into the symbols.

Jennifer let out another cute
moan, louder this time. She bit her lips to shut herself, squirming again.
“W-what’s… this?” she asked, panting and sweating.

“I-it’s to forcefully unclog the
blockage. D-don’t talk to me or I’ll lose concentration,” Melida lied.

All she had to do was touch the
symbols she drew. They would take care of forcing the magic against the
blockage and get rid of it. However, she was too embarrassed and didn’t want
Jennifer to find out.

She tried to keep her head clear,
but as her lips touched Jennifer’s belly, she felt the same exhilarating
sensation from before. It was as if her blood was awakening with full force.
Just like before, she lost herself to that feeling only this girl ever gave to
her.

“Ah!” Jennifer moaned louder than
ever, pressing her knees together.

Melida stopped the kiss and looked
at her. Did I just make her… No… no way… Not with only this. Ignoring
the embarrassment, she straightened her back, looking away as she cleared the
traces of the fire magic on her lips with the back of her hand.

I can still feel her warmth, she thought, glancing at the witch through the corner of her eyes.

Jennifer was panting as if she had
run a couple of laps around the school. Her face was flushed and there was a
strange, almost hazed expression on her face. Once she recovered, she flashed a
weak smile at the mage. “Did it work?”

“I think so!” Melida exclaimed
much louder than necessary. “W-why don’t you try summoning a familiar? I’ll get
the spell and the symbol.”

“No need.”

Almost as if switching a gear,
Jennifer ran to the blackboard, pulled a wand from the inside of her school
coat, and whispered an incantation, drawing a magic symbol the same way Melida
had drawn on her, though hers was white.

“I did it much faster than usual,”
she said, astonished with her own work.

“I’m more impressed you can draw
this without looking at a reference,” Melida said, truly impressed.

Most students could draw most of
the symbols they used a lot without any trouble. Melida herself could use
complex magic circles at the top of her head. However, there were probably less
than twenty students in the school who could draw a symbol they only used a few
times in their lives without looking at a reference.

I know she’s smart and
dedicated, but this must be because she has failed this exam before. I wonder
how many times she tried summoning a familiar.

“Drawing is easy. The problem
comes after,” Jennifer mumbled. Despite her excitement, there was a shadow of
doubt and hesitation on her face.

Melida gently touched her shin and
made her look in her eyes. “It’s okay. You can do this. If you don’t believe in
yourself, believe in me who believes in you.”

“Thanks.”

Jennifer took a deep breath, stood
before the symbol, and stretched her arm, touching the blackboard with the tip
of her wand. Then she spoke the incantation without mispronouncing nor stopping
to remember any line.

The magical symbol glowed
brightly, but only for a moment. The next second, it was back to being white,
almost as if the Celeste was cut from it.

“It didn’t work,” Jennifer
mumbled, lowering her head.

Melida smiled, stood behind her,
and touched both her shoulders. “Hold out your hand.”

Still looking down, Jennifer
obeyed. A small pink spider appeared out of thin air, landing on her palm.

“My familiar?” she seemed as if
she couldn’t believe as she looked at the animal.

As if she understood her words,
the spider moved her entire body up and down as if nodding, her mouth curling
into a smile.

“So cute!” Jennifer exclaimed,
almost crying in joy as she brought the spider closer, rubbing the abdomen
against her cheek. “I can’t believe I did it! It’s all thanks to you, Melida!”

Melida was truly happy. But she
couldn’t say anything. She could only stare at the familiar on the witch’s
palm.

“What’s wrong?” Jennifer noticed.

Melida blushed and held out her
palm. “I can’t believe we have the same type of familiar…”

The moment she spoke, another
spider popped out of thin air and landed on her hand. It was much bigger than
Jennifer’s, and instead of pink, it was black with red marks all over her body.
Despite the menacing fangs, it seemed friendly instead of scary.

“You have a spider familiar too?”
Jennifer seemed surprised. Then she smiled. “We’re a match!”

“Y-yeah…”

Melida’s familiar jumped to the
floor. Jennifer’s did the same, landing by her side. They looked at each other
and then began fighting.

“No! Our spiders are fighting!”
Jennifer said without any idea what to do.

Melida blushed a little. She
doesn’t know what that means…

“I-it’s okay. That’s how they
greet each other. It’s like rough playing.”

“It is?”

Though they seemed to fight, they
weren’t hurting each other. After the struggle, despite the size, Jenifer’s
spider was on top of Melida’s.

“I see. That’s good. I want our
spiders to get along!” she said beaming.

“Y-yeah, me too,” Melida replied and
looked away. She has no idea what that means!

Chapter 03

Melida
stood before the sink in the bathroom, checking her makeup in the mirror. Normally,
she didn’t use any. She didn’t need nor liked wasting her time; she preferred
to sleep in a bit more.

However, today she had put it
before her first class. She wanted to look prettier than usual, though she had
no idea why. It wasn’t anything flashy. Just a simple lipstick and
eyeshadow.  That was enough for her to
receive more attention. From the boys, lustful gazes, something she was used
to. From the girls, envious glares, which she was also used to. She wasn’t
bothered by it either.

I have no idea why I did this. As she considered taking the makeup off, she sensed someone running
in the corridor. A few seconds later, the door burst open and Jennifer entered
the bathroom. Though she was out of breath, there was a huge smile on her lips.

“I passed! The familiar summoning
exam! I passed!” she exclaimed, having trouble breathing and smiling at the
same time. “The teacher said that even though I couldn’t participate in the
lessons, if I can show a strong bond with my familiar, he’ll pass me in the
class!”

“Congrats, Jen.” Melida smiled
from the bottom of her heart.

“It was all because of you! Thank
you so much!”

The mage blushed before that pure
smile. “I-I only helped a little. The rest was all you. You studied hard and
deserved to pass.”

“I couldn’t haven’t done it
without your help. I mean it,” Jen replied as she looked up at her. Then she
looked surprised.

“W-what?” Is there something
wrong with my makeup? Melida resisted the urge to look at her reflection in
the mirror.

“Did you do something to your
face? You look… more beautiful.”

“I-I just put on some makeup…”
Melida blushed and couldn’t stop smiling. She heard that many times today
alone, but hearing it from Jen made her too happy. To hide her embarrassment,
she changed the subject. “How did you know I was here?”

“It was Ara.”

“Who?”

“My familiar,” she answered. A
small pink spider appeared on Jen’s shoulder. “Since she’s an arachnid, I named
her Aranha. Ara to shorten it.”

A black spider materialized on top
of Melida’s head. Both spiders jumped and landed on the sink. At once they
started their rough play. She opened the faucet and her familiar closed the
drain with a web, creating a small pool for them.

“Ara knew where your familiar was
and led me here,” Jen explained, watching them. “Our spiders became friends so
fast.”

Melida couldn’t help but flash an
embarrassed grin. I feel like I have to teach her the other meaning of those
words. But she’s so pure I don’t wanna taint her with that kind of stuff… No
more than I already have.

As she remembered their kiss the
other day, her demon blood stirred. No… Stop that…

“T-that’s great. I always wanted a
friend for Tara. There aren’t many spider familiars. Most people don’t like
them.”

“Thanks to that, we’ll know where
the other is right away,” Jenifer said smiling.

Melida had no idea why the idea
made her heart thump faster. “A-are you free right now? We should do something
to celebrate.”

“About that…” she began saying,
fidgeting and looking at Melida through the corner of her eyes. “I was hoping
you could help me again… I-If possible…”

“I’ll help you anytime you need.”
Melida flashed a huge smile.

“I-I don’t know if I can repay
you…”

“Don’t worry about that,” she
dismissed the idea. “What kind of help you need?”

***

“A-are you sure this place is
safe?” the witch asked, looking around. Though she was trying to hide, she was
too nervous to be this close to the Demon Forest.

That’s cute, Melida thought, chuckling in her head.

“Yes, it’s safe. And in case
something comes out, I’ll protect you,” she said with a confident grin. The
next second, she felt a light pinch on her neck. It was Tara. “Sorry. I mean,
we’ll protect you two.”

Her familiar moved up and down, a
sign she approved.

Jen relaxed a little. “I’m
counting with you two then,” she said. Her familiar appeared from her hair and
circled her head. “Ara is happy too.”

Melida extended her arm and her
familiar climbed down to her palm. Ara jumped from Jen’s shoulder and landed
next Tara. At once they began their rough play on Melida’s hand, and just like
the other day, Ara ended up on top.

“Even though she’s small, she’s
strong,” Melida said. “That’s good, but it also means you’ll have to work extra
hard to use all her powers.”

“Yes, I’m ready to give my all!”
Jen exclaimed, her enthusiasm almost palpable and pushing away her fear of
training near the forest.

Melida couldn’t help but smile. When
it’s about learning and training, she changes completely. I bet she wanted to
train with a familiar for a long time.

“Let’s not waste any more time.”

“Again, thanks for helping me with
this. I know it’s sudden, but I wanna learn as fast as I can,” Jen mumbled
almost apologetic.

Though the teacher passed her on
the summoning exam, she still had to pass the bond test. That was even more
important than summoning a familiar. Without that, she couldn’t participate in
the more advanced classes, since a few of their abilities were necessary.

You learned that during the
semester after you summoned your familiar, but since Jen only passed it in the
end, she would have to retake the class next semester. The other solution was
to train with someone who had passed.

Melida was the perfect person for
that because not only had she passed that class a long time ago, they also had
the same type of familiar.

“There’s no need to apologize. I
wanna help you. Now let’s start!” she said with enthusiasm.

“Yes!”

“The first thing to create a bond
is to flow Celeste between you two and then to share senses. You already made
the pact with her, haven’t you?”

“Yes!” Jen exclaimed, nodding
vigorously. Ara did the same, all her eyes widen with enthusiasm.

Like master, like familiar.
Cute, Melida thought.

“Good. Now focus on the pact and
channel a bit of energy into it.”

The witch closed her eyes and
focused. Ara did the same, closing her eight eyes.

With beads of sweat coming down
her brow, Jen flowed the Celeste to her arm. When it reached her hand, her palm
glowed, and a magic circle appeared on it. The same symbol appeared on the back
of Ara’s abdomen.

“Good. Keep it steady for as long
as you can,” Melida said.

“I-it’s a bit hard,” Jen grunted,
her face straining a bit more.

Melida hummed as she watched. She’s
just pouring Celeste to the pact. It’s not like she’s activating a magic… Is
this because of her lack of control? I thought I had gotten rid of the clog. Is
it the other problem in her spiritual veins?

“Can I check your Celeste?”

“Eh?” Jen’s surprise was such she
lost her concentration and the symbols faded until they vanished from both
master and familiar. She fidgeted as her cheeks reddened. “You mean… l-like
that?”

“Y-yes. It’s the easiest and most
efficient way for me.” Though it was true, Melida’s succubus blood, sleeping
until now, stirred with the idea. “But if you feel uncomfortable, I
won’t do it.”

“No, that’s not it… It’s just
that…” Jen became even redder. “It’s hard to concentrate with you kis—checking
my Celeste.”

She’s so cute embarrassed like
this, Melida thought, her demonic even more
agitated.

“I-it’s actually good training.
Outside school, there will be times when you won’t be able to fully concentrate
but you still have to channel Celeste.”

“I know, but…” Jen took a deep
breath and let it out. Though she was still embarrassed, her eyes were
determined. “If you don’t mind kis—doing that with me again…”

“I don’t mind at all. I’ll help
whenever you need.” Despite Melida’s smile, on the inside, her succubus blood
was beginning to whisper in her ear. “C-channel Celeste into the pact and keep
the link steady.”

Just like before, Jen closed her
eyes and her face strained as she concentrated. The symbols on her palm and
Ara’s abdomen glowed.

“Now I’m gonna check the flow.”

She gulped but kept concentrating,
though the symbol wavered a bit.

The moment Melida’s lips touched
Jen’s, she could feel the witch’s Celeste flowing in her spiritual veins the
same way blood flowed in her veins. As they kissed, the flow became out of
control.

“Don’t lose focus.”

“I-it’s not easy…”

“This will help you, so ignore me
and focus on yourself,” Melida said and kissed her again.

It was supposed to be a light kiss
just so she could check the flow. But the exhilarating sensation she felt the
other day was back. It wasn’t only Jen’s Celeste that was getting wilder. I
was hoping this wouldn’t again. I said she was affected by the kiss, but I’m
the same. Why does she stir my demonic blood?

Despite the sensation, she did her
best to quell down her demonic side and focus on the witch. I’m doing this
for her. Focus on her, on my friend!

“Melida!” Jen exclaimed, stopping
the kiss suddenly.

She blinked a couple times. When
she saw the witch panting, Melida understood what happened. Just like before,
she had lost control of herself. That feeling is too intoxicating…

“Sorry. I-I was just making sure,”
she lied, ignoring the lingering sensation of Jen’s soft lips on hers. “B-but
thanks to that, I can tell you’re flowing too much Celeste to Ara. That’s not
good. Look.”

Melida raised her hand. Though the
pink spider familiar didn’t seem hurt, when they looked closer, she was
straining her face.

“You’re right…”  Jen took Ara gently and petted her abdomen.
“B-but familiars need Celeste constantly. I read it in a book!”

“They do, but they aren’t drains.
During the first days, you need to strengthen the pact, but after that, there’s
no need. It becomes passive magic as the familiar becomes part of you. Just
like the Celeste flows inside you, it’ll flow between you and Ara as if you two
are one.”

“I see. The books didn’t explain
like that. Thanks for teaching me!” Jen beamed as she caressed Ara.

Melida blushed slightly. “N-now,
try again, but after you flow Celeste to the symbol, don’t channel anymore.”

“Yes!”

Jen closed her eyes and focused.
Once the magic on her palm was glowing, she relaxed a little and her expression
became less strained. The pact faded a little, but it was still active.

“Can you feel the connection with
Ara?” Melida asked.

“Y-yes.”

“Good. Let the Celeste circling
inside you, leaving the symbol active. In time, it’ll become part of you.”

“Yes.”

“Now let’s try sharing your
senses. Focus on your familiar. She knows how to do that instinctively.”

“Really?”

“When a spirit becomes a familiar,
it gains a body and that kind of knowledge.”

“I didn’t know that!” Jen
exclaimed, happy she learned something new.

The next moment, her face strained
as she focused. Ara was standing still as if to not disturb her master. After a
couple of minutes, she winced and fell backward, landing on her butt.

“Ouch…”

“What happened?” Melida helped her
up.

“I connected with Ara’s sight, but
when I saw through her eyes, my head hurt…”

“Sorry, I should’ve warned you.
Despite having eight eyes, most spiders don’t have good eyesight. It’s more for
detecting movement, light and dark, and stuff. But since most Hominidae races
aren’t used to that kind of eyesight, sharing that sense first can be
overwhelming. Try sharing the touch.”

“Okay.” Jen took a deep breath and
focused again. A couple of seconds later, she let out a strange squeal. “I-I
can feel the blood flowing in my hand!”

“Familiar spiders have a great
sense of touch. They can sense vibration on the surface they’re standing on.
Look,” Melida said as she held Jen’s wrist. Even though it was gentle, the
witch squealed again when she touched her palm.

“B-be gentle,” Jen murmured, her
face reddening.

Melida widened her eyes, her
succubus blood edging her to tease more. “S-sorry. Is it too sensitive?”

“I-it’s just that I’m not used to
this…”

“Best if you get used to it. Most
people think spider familiars are only good for lying traps with webs, but
they’re good for hunting too. Ara is small, but she seems to have sharp senses.
As expected of one of the smartest students,” as she explained, she touched
Jen’s arm with two fingers and moved up the limb.

Jen pressed her lips and closed
her eyes. She looked happy with the compliment, but the enhanced sense of touch
was preventing her from enjoying it. As the fingers moved up her arm, her face
reddened even more. Then she let out a moan. “I-it’s too much!”

Melida let go at once. “Sorry!
I-just…” Got carried away, she thought, but couldn’t voice it. This
keeps happening when I’m with her. Guess I’m not used to being around
girls. “K-keep sharing your senses every night before bed. It’s a good
practice. But don’t overdo it.”

“Y-yes,” Jen nodded. Then her face
became tense. “Do you think it’ll take long until I can go hunting alone?”

“Hunting? Aren’t you in the Witch
Course?”

“Yes, but I need money.”

Since the magic school had
connections with the local guild of adventurers, the students could accept
quests without being officially registered. If they had one of the school’s
licenses, it was good enough.

However, students in the Witch and
Wizard courses weren’t allowed to go hunting in the demon forest on their own.
They could go with a group, but that would mean less money. Mages, like Melida,
could go alone, though few did. The forest wasn’t a place to be taken lightly.

“Don’t you make money selling
potions?” Melida asked. She had heard she sold tonics and stimulants to the
students, especially near exams.

“My profit isn’t that much.”

“But you’re one of the best
potion-brewers in school!”

“Thanks.” Jen was both embarrassed
and happy with the compliment. “I make most of my money at the end of the
semester. But I can earn much more if I go hunting. Normally I need to put a
quest for the ingredients and it’s expensive. I can make the client acquire the
ingredients themselves, but then I need to charge less for the potion or it’ll
be too expensive for most students.”

“Why not set a shop? If you sold
in the town, you’d make a lot of money.” From what I heard, she can pretty
much brew complex potions.

“People have suggested that. But
if I set a shop, it’ll consume a lot of time…”

“And you prefer to spend that time
studying,” Melida completed the sentence.

“Yeah… If I wanted to, I could
make a living out of selling potions, but there’s still so much I wanna learn…”

Melida hummed, thinking. Even
with Ara, it’ll take a lot of time until she can get the qualifications to be a
Mage. And even with a strong familiar, if she’s never gone hunting by herself,
it could be dangerous…

“I don’t know how long will take,
but if you want to become a Mage, there’s something you need to do first.”

“What is it?”

“Exercise and improve your Celeste
control.”

“B-but I’m much better at
controlling my energy after… you know…”

“I just forced some Celeste to get
rid of the clog, but it might come back. I said it was a temporary fix. Not to
mention the other problem. That might be your biggest obstacle to become a Mage.”

“No way…”

“I can help you, but… but I’ll
have to check your body many times to make sure there’s an improvement,” Melida
mumbled, embarrassed.

Jen blushed when she understood
what that meant. “I-I’m ready!”

“Y-you seem eager to kiss another
girl… Are you really okay with that?”

“I wanna improve. I love learning
about magic, but I have trouble using it. I don’t like that. I wanna be able to
do lots of spells.”

“Your determination is amazing.”
Melida couldn’t help but smile. “Most students here only care about learning
what they can use to earn money as adventurers. But you really love magic,
don’t you?”

“Yes! Ever since I was a kid. I
loved watching Dad work for hours in his shop,” she said in a low voice with a
nostalgic expression.

“I see. Then let me check your
flow again.”

Melida took a deep breath and
leaned closer. After hearing that, she truly wanted to help her friend and
thought she was ready, but she was still nervous as she kissed Jen.

Unlike before, she focused on the
entire body, so there was no need to kiss for too long and focus on one place.
Because of that, there was a tinge of regret after a quick but intense kiss. I
wanted to feel that exhilarating sensation again…

Both Melida and Jen had strange
expressions, not looking at each other.

“W-what did you find out?” Jen
asked.

“You better get ready. I’m not a
gentle teacher,” Melida forced a smile to hide her embarrassment.

Chapter 04

“I-is this
really necessary?” Jen asked, panting as Melida pushed her back forward.

“Yes. Now stop complaining.”

They were in the open area behind
the school. The place was used for practical magic classes that needed ample
space, like the ones involving magical beast, and physical activities. Right
now, they were the only two people there.

“Ouch!” Jen yelled.

“You’re too stiff. It’s like you
have zero flexibility,” Melida commented, smiling as she applied a bit more
strength. Her original goal was to make Jen touch her own toes. Now she was
satisfied if the witch reached her knees. “Remember, Mages need a strong mind
and body. You have one, but you lack the other.”

“I know,” Jen grunted as Melida
pressed harder. She stretched her arms, her fingers barely grazing her knees.

“You say that, but I can tell
you’ve never exercised. Did you skip those chapters in the books?”

Despite the pain, Jen flashed a
wry smile. “I don’t have a lot of time…”

“That’s just an excuse.”

“It’s not—ouch!”

Melida applied more strength. Her
body is so rigid it’s like she never stretched in her life. Even Tetsuko isn’t
this stiff. And she’s a sword.

After they finished stretching,
Jen was already panting and tired. “Are we done for today?” she asked, fixing
her glasses.

“We haven’t even started. Warming
up and stretching don’t count as exercise.” Melida offered her the hand. “Don’t
worry. Today we’re only jogging.”

“Eh?” Jen winced as she accepted
it and stood up. “Jogging? For how long?”

“For as long as you can,” Melida
said and grinned at the witch’s expression of disbelief.

After half-hour, Jen was at her
limit. While the mage was pretty much taking a leisure walk, she was dragging
her body for a while now. Then she couldn’t take another step and collapsed.

“Good work,” Melida cast a water
spell, making a small rain fall on her.

“Thanks…”

The water mixed with her sweat and
drenched her shirt, making it transparent. Melida couldn’t help but smile and
blush when she saw Jen’s pink bra with a cute winged dog. So childish.
Because she’s smaller than me, I tend to forget she’s my age.

“Did this help a little?” Jen
asked when she had recovered her breath. Though she managed to sit, she was
unable to stand; her legs were too shaky for that.

She’s joking, right? Melida looked at her with a straight face. The witch was serious.
When she realized that, she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Why are you laughing?” Jen asked,
half mad, half embarrassed.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to. It’s
just that there’s no way you’d see a change after one time. You’ll have to do
this for a while to see any improvement. Actually, you shouldn’t stop even
then. Exercising every day will help you as a Mage.”

“It makes sense,” she said
grudgingly, groaning as she tried to stand.

Melida offered the hand. Though
jogging didn’t tire her even a bit, she was doing one of her grandfather’s
Celeste control exercises and ended up tiring herself. When she helped Jen, she
lost her balance and fell backward, bringing them both down.

“Sorry,” she apologized. “Are you
hurt?”

“I’m okay…”

Jen was on top. They looked into
each other’s eyes and grew quiet. Without thinking, Melida put a lock of her
short brown hair behind her ear. The witch blushed but didn’t look away.

“I-I know this is a long-term
thing and all, and there should be no immediate effect, but can you check?” Jen
asked in a low voice.

Melida’s heart thumped faster and
her succubus blood woke. Without thinking, without fighting it, she closed her
eyes, wrapped her arms around Jen, and brought the witch, and her lips, closer.
Even though it was a brief kiss, she felt the same exhilarating sensation. Amazing…

“It hasn’t changed, but I can tell
we’re on the right path,” she said when the sensation faded, leaving only the
regret for how brief it was.

“But what?” Jen asked when she
sensed the mage’s hesitation. She too was embarrassed, but that was more
important.

“The clog I took care the other
day…”

“What about it?”

“I think it might grow again.”

“What? No way! Is there something
I can do?”

That region is most influenced
by pleasure, sense of oneself, relationships, sensuality. It contains
unconscious desires, especially sexual, and guilt,
Melida thought, trying to remember everything she had learned with her mother
and grandparents.

To a full-fledged succubus or
incubus, that part quickly develops at a young age, and stimulating it in
others is nothing. But for me, whose region is only a bit more developed than
most Hominidae…

“If you keep exercising every day,
you’ll see improvement in no time and that might stop the clog from coming
back. If it does come back, then we can think of something.”

“Okay,” Jen mumbled, slightly
dejected.

“You wanna go hunting that badly?”
Melida asked in a low voice. “If you need money, then I can—”

“That’s not it. I mean, it is, but
it’s not like I’m desperate for money. To pay my school fees, I spend more time
working than studying at the end of semester. If I can hunt alone, I can get
the key ingredients myself and earn more money.”

“And be able to focus more time
studying magic,” Melida finished the sentence.

“Yeah. I know some people think
I’m an idiot and should just quit school and open a shop or something. But I
don’t want that. There’s still so much I can learn.”

Without thinking, Melida hugged
her, caressing that small back. She has a pure interest in magic. She just
wants to learn more and more. She’s just like Mom.

“Even if you work hard every day,
it’ll take some time until you can go hunt on your own.”

“I see…”

“So how about if I take you?”

“Eh? You’ll take me to get ingredients?”

“Yeah. I’ll keep you safe. Sorry,
Tara and I will keep you and Ara safe,” Melida said with a smile when she felt
a light pinch on her neck.

“Thanks!” Jen beamed. Then her
smile faded as she restrained herself. “B-but you’re doing so much for me already.
I don’t know if I can repay you…”

That smile is more than enough, Melida thought, feeling her cheeks flushing and her blood
stirring. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll help my friend any time. How about we
go in two weeks?”

“B-but the ingredient I need is
deep in the demon forest…”

“It might not look like it, but
I’ve gone there many times. In fact, it’s been a while since the last time.
It’ll be good practice for me.”

“A-are you sure? I’m a complete
and unreliable beginner…”

“Don’t worry! Leave it to us!”
Melida exclaimed with a confident grin. Tara did the same.

“Thanks,” Jen mumbled. Then she
flashed a bashful smile. “It’s like you’re my knight.”

Melida’s heart thumped faster. Why
is she getting cuter and cuter?

Chapter 05

“Are you ready? Got everything?” Melida asked.
They stood before the school gate that led directly to the demon forest.

“Y-yes!”
Jen looked both excited and nervous at the same time.

That’s
cute, Melida
thought. “Are you sure? Better check now than regret later. Even if something
happens, we’ll protect you. But better be safe than sorry.”

Melida
had a one-hand double edge sword on her waist. Though simple, it was enough for
her. Under her school coat, she wore a light leather armor that offered some
protection without hindering her speed.

Unlike
her, Jen wasn’t wearing any kind of armor under her school coat. Besides that,
she had light clothes she usually wore to classes and the school pointy purple
hat that Melida also wore. The only difference from her usual self was the pair
of leather boots and gloves, the long staff with a jewel on top, and the
shoulder bag.

“I
think so,” she said, murmuring to herself, feeling the potions on the bag. A
breeze passed and lifted Melida’s coat. “Ah! I don’t have any armor or
anything! I-is it bad?”

“It
means we’ll be extra careful.” Melida smiled to reassure her. “Speaking of
which, that staff looks powerful.”

“It
belonged to my Dad,” Jen said, holding it with great care. There was a tinge of
melancholy in her eyes, but when she blinked, it was gone, and her expression
was back to the mix of excitement and nervousness. “W-with this I can cast
magic much faster!”

That
type of jewel served as Celeste conductor. Since Jen had trouble controlling
her flow, it would act if sucking the energy, making it easier to use spells
she usually had trouble with. However, if you weren’t used to it, you could end
up sending too much Celeste. Not only was it a waste and got in the way of the
magic, but you also could get depleted quickly. A lot of magic users preferred to
use a staff or a wand so they don’t have to channel and focus on something
else.

“Excellent.
I wanna see what spells you have up your sleeve,” Melida said, her mood
growing. Even though they were going to the forest, it was the first time she
spent time with Jen outside the school. “I think we’re ready. Let’s go!”

After
they passed through the gates, they were in the demon forest. Unlike the same
suggested, there weren’t any dangerous demons here. Not in the past couple
hundred years, before the school was built. During the time of Armed Peace,
when the Hominidae races and the demons were at peace but prepared in secrecy
for another conflict, this whole region was left alone by both sides.

There
were demonic beasts, leftovers from the war, but what populated the forest were
mostly magical beasts, also known as monsters. Not only were they a source of
money for the students and adventurers in the area, but thanks to them and
their overflowing Celeste bodies, the demon forest was the best place to gather
ingredients for potions and materials for clothes, weapons, and other stuff.

While
it could be dangerous, if you were careful, there shouldn’t be any trouble.
Unless you were unlucky and met a strong demonic or magical beast that managed
to escape the school’s regular patrols done by the Mage’s course students.

“What
ingredients are you looking for?” Melida asked after they couldn’t see the
gates anymore. She was so excited for today she forgot to ask. When Jen told
her, she pressed her lips, humming. “I think we’ll find those in the north
area…”

“Is
that area dangerous?” Jen asked, nervous once again.

“A
little. But if we’re careful, there shouldn’t be any trouble. Just in case,
call Ara.”

The
small and pink familiar spider appeared on top of Jen’s head at once, moving
around excitedly, messing her master’s hair a little.

“Hi,
Ara.” Melida patted the spider with a finger. “I can tell you two have been
practicing a lot. I can sense your Celeste in her.”

“We’ve
been doing it every night! And also sharing senses!”

“Excellent.
Then let’s put it to practice now.” Her familiar also appeared without a word.
“Tara can keep an eye on the ground and Ara can watch us from above.”

Though
there was no need for that, since she had sharper senses than her familiar,
Melida was still careful. If she was alone, she could take care of most
creatures in the forest. But with Jen, she wasn’t as confident she could fight
and protect her at the same time.

I
should’ve trained like Grandpa insisted, she thought, remembering how she used to sneak
out or train half-assed when her grandfather taught her and her cousins.

“Better
make them half corporeal,” Melida suggested. “Their colors stand out in the
middle of the forest.”

“O-okay!”

The
spiders vanished. Since familiars were spirits that gain a physical body, they
could be summoned only in their spiritual form. That half summoned state had
its disadvantage; they consumed a bit more Celeste, they couldn’t attack, and
some of their abilities were lost, such as sharing senses. However, for surveillance,
it was a good idea, since only creatures with high sensitivity would notice.

As
they went deeper into the forest, whenever Melida or Tara felt something, she
raised her hand to make Jen stop. They remained still and quiet and only
continued when whatever it was moved away. Because of that pace, it took much
longer than it should to reach the north area of the demon forest.

“Do
you know where the adventurers usually get the flower?” Melida asked in a low
voice. Though she, Tara nor Ara hadn’t sensed any danger in the vicinity, she
was still careful.

“I’m
not sure. Since I put the quests through the guild, I don’t have direct contact
with the adventurers. But I remember reading in a book that they grow in high
places,” Jen said after thinking for a moment.

“High
places…” Melida tried to remember the geography of the region. “I think the
best place might be the Wall.”

“The
Wall?”

“It’s
how we call this hill that was cut in half by Grandp—by someone around a
hundred years ago. Whoever did, obliterated half the hill and what’s left was a
vertical rocky wall of eighty meters.”

“That
might be the place!” Jen exclaimed. Then she covered her mouth, looking around.
Everything seemed the same, but before she breathed out in relief, she noticed
Melida’s concern. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s
nothing on the foot of the Wall side. It’s too exposed. A lot of predators hang
around there. And the hillside isn’t safe…”

If we use Ara and Tara, we can set traps on
the ground and above until we get the flowers, though I’m not sure Ara can pull
off making a web big enough. She’s still young. If something shows up, I’ll
have to protect them…

“We
need to be extra careful from now on.”

Jen
nodded, gulping and clutching the staff with both hands.

The
way to the Wall was harder. The trees grew closer and the few existent paths
were narrower. They had to duck and jump over many curved and twisted trunks
and they had to stop many times when their familiars felt something strong
nearby.

Even
though it wasn’t midday yet, it was getting dark, thanks to the treetops and
the clouds blocking the sun. Jen said nothing, but she walked closer to Melida,
and when they heard a deep groan nearby, she clung to the mage’s coat. As they
moved deeper and deeper into the demon forest, the groans didn’t cease.

Melida
offered her hand, and Jen held it tightly, not letting go even when they
arrived at the wall.

“Can
you see the flowers?” she asked in a low voice.

Jen
looked up at the huge rocky wall. Though they were far from the base, she could
see, thanks to the magic in her glasses. “There, up on the left side.”

Melida
narrowed her eyes. She could see a few blue and pink flowers, though she
couldn’t identify them from this distance. “Is it enough for you?”

“Yes.
I’ll have enough for lots of tonics and stimulants. With any luck, I can earn
enough money for all my expenses next semester.”

“Then
let’s get it.” Melida summoned Tara fully. She couldn’t waste Celeste keeping
her in that half-summoned state. “Can you spread your web in a 200 meters
radius on the ground-level?”

The
spider nodded once, and jumped on the closest tree, already spreading a thin,
almost transparent web. Unless you paid close attention, it was practically
impossible to see. Though the base of the Wall was an open space, the trees
around it formed a circle and were perfect for the webs.

“I-I’ll
do that too!” Jen exclaimed in a hushed voice, closing her eyes and focusing.
Ara appeared on the top of her head.

“Can
you do the same but higher? This way, you two can cover all directions,” Melida
asked.

The
spider made a strange noise. “S-she’s asking how big,” Jen interpreted.

“The
biggest you can.” In a few minutes, both familiars spread their webs and were
back.

“Can
I cast a spell on Tara?” Jen asked.

“Sure.
What is it?”

Jen
pulled a wand from her pocket and drew a magic symbol on Tara’s back. “It’s to
share senses and thoughts between familiars.”

Familiars
couldn’t do that with someone other than their master. They could, however,
share senses between themselves if they were of the same type and had a bond.
Though their respective masters couldn’t access that directly, it was helpful
to transmit information.

“That’s
amazing,” Melida said. “Teach me later, please.”

“Sure.”
Jen beamed.

“What?”

“We’re
connected by our spiders.”

Melida
blushed and suppressed her grin. I need to teach her the other meaning of
those words. If someone overhears… I’m used to having stupid rumors about me,
but I’d hate if she went through something like that.

“D-do
you have a plan to climb up there?” she asked to hide her embarrassment. “If
you want, I can jump with wind magic and get it.”

“No
need. I’ll use this!” Jen exclaimed.

She
placed her staff on her back like a huge two-handed sword and, with a confident
smug, slammed her palms together, channeling a bit of Celeste on her gloves.
When she tried to pull her hands apart, there was strong resistance, as if they
were glued together.

“Is
that magnetism?” Melida asked, not hiding her surprise.

“Yes.
I enchanted these gloves myself!” she said with pride, panting slightly due the
effort of channeling her Celeste.

“Amazing.”

Though
electricity magic was common—non-magic users enjoyed its benefits thanks to the
school—few people without aptitude dared to use it, since at a low level wasn’t
much useful in fights and at a high level was dangerous. Magnetism was
different. You needed a high level of control of electricity to make it strong
enough to be useful. It was rare for students to train to use it at such level,
let alone make a magical tool with it.

Because
we’ve been hanging out every day for a while now, I tend to forget she’s one of
the smartest witches in our school. In fact, she’s at the level she can teach
some classes already. If it wasn’t her problem controlling Celeste, she’d have
the potential to be a strong mage.

“If
anything happens, or if Tara or Ara sense anything, jump down immediately. I’ll
catch you and we’ll get out of here.”

“Okay!”

“You’re
not gonna say anything?”

“What
do you mean?” Jen tilted her head.

“I
told you to jump down. Most people wouldn’t agree to that right away.”

“But
I trust you.” She smiled at her.

“T-thanks…”
Melida blushed. I’m so weak against those words… “C-c’mon, better not
give chance for anything to show up.”

Jen
nodded, turned to the Wall, and took a deep breath. As quick as she could, she
left the trees and ran towards the base of the rocky formation. Melida expended
her awareness again, also paying attention to even the wind touching the web
made by her familiar.

When
Jen reached the base, she touched the Wall and looked for a hole to place her
foot. When she found it, she climbed over twenty meters with ease.

With
those gloves and boots, there’s no danger of slipping, but she might get tired
quickly. Especially considering she’s weak physically, Melida thought, still paying
attention to the surroundings.

Though
much slower than when she started, Jen finally reached the flowers. Stopping
for a few seconds to catch her breath, with her feet and one hand fixed on the
wall, she carefully stored all the flowers she could in her bag.

At
that moment, Melida felt a heavy vibration on the ground through Tara’s senses.
Though it was still far, it was coming towards them. Crap. Whatever’s coming
must’ve seen Jen climbing. She’s an easy target up there. C’mon, Jen. Hurry up.

Tara,
tell Ara that something is coming. But don’t tell her to jump yet, she asked her familiar mentally.
At once, the spider transmitted her thoughts.

With
sweat coming down her pale face, Jen pressed her lips and started climbing
down. When she was thirty meters from the ground, whatever was coming towards
them touched Tara’s web.

Melida
grew cold. She knew it was big, but it was much bigger than she thought. Crap…
That size… It must be a liger…

The
cross between a magical lion and a magical tiger was a powerful magical beast
and one of the most ferocious and territorial in the demon forest. It was a
high-level threat even to experienced adventurers’ groups.

Crap,
crap, crap! Why is that thing here? I thought they lived in the west, closer to
the demon realm, where the Celeste particles are more abundant!

She
wasn’t the only one who had noticed what the magical beast was. Jen froze on
the spot. She’s paralyzed, Melida realized, running towards the Wall.

“Jump!”

Her
voice woke Jen, who looked down. Despite the paralyzing fear, when she met
Melida’s gaze, she nodded a couple times. With her eyes closed, she cut the
Celeste flow to her gear and let go of the wall.

I
can’t believe she really did that! Melida murmured a wind spell, slowing down her fall and catching her in
her arms like a princess.

“Thanks…”
Jen was still pale and scared. She tried to get down but Melida didn’t let her.

“Hold
on. We’re getting out of here now.”

Jen
obeyed, placing her arms around the mage’s neck. Once she was secured, Melida
murmured another wind magic while strengthening her legs with Celeste. When she
felt the wind, she dashed at top speed, the magic making her much faster than
most magical beasts in the demon forest.

However,
she wasn’t as fast as the beast liger, who chased after them.

“Damn
it,” Melida muttered under her breath. If she was alone, she could fight and
injure the beast enough for her to escape. But with Jen on her arms, she
couldn’t stop to attack.

The
liger was getting closer. When it roared, the trees shook, the ground
reverberating with each of its massive steps.

It
was right behind them now.

“Crap!
I’ll have to attack.”

Melida
dug her boot into the ground and spun and swung the other leg without stopping.
The flying attack hit the liger on the face. Though the beast seemed hurt, it
wasn’t enough to stop it.

“Damn
it!”

“Leave
it to me.” Jen took one hand from Melida’s neck and grabbed her staff, flowing
her Celeste. With her lack of control, the jewel sucked most of it. Despite the
strain, she shouted, “Explosion!”

A
huge explosion hit right where the liger was. The heat engulfed them, the hot
wind pushing them even further. When the dust settled, the liger was alive, but
one of its legs was injured, and it was scorched all over its body. It growled,
but it had no strength to follow them.

“Nice,
Jen! Now let’s get out of here!” Melida shouted, the wind both carrying her
voice and pushing her faster and faster.

She
only stopped when they were at the school gates.

“What
happened, Melida?”

When
she raised her head, she saw her cousin Mikael, a dark skin part succubus,
standing before her. “Hey, Mika. It was a liger.”

“A
liger? I’ll take care of it,” he said and then left.

Melida
had no strength to even greet him properly. Instead, she focused on recovering
their breaths. She looked at Jen and then they both laughed.

“I
wasn’t expecting something like that,” she said once she stopped laughing.

“It
was a bit surprising,” Jen added, getting another laugh from the mage.

“Yeah,
let’s say that.” Melida grinned. “At least we got what you needed. It’d be
worse if we went through all that for nothing.”

“You’re
right. Thanks to the flowers, I might be able to focus only on studying next
semester.” Jen beamed as she thought of it. The next moment, she stopped. “O-of
course I’ll give your cut!”

“No
need. I didn’t do it because of money. I did it because I wanted to help you.”

“B-but
if it wasn’t for you, I couldn’t get the ingredients. If I could control my
Celeste better…” Jen trailed off, her shoulders dropping.

She’s
so earnest about magic. I wanna help her as much as I can. If I could find a
way to help faster…

As
Melida thought, she suddenly had an idea. “How about if we go out to celebrate
our success next weekend?”

“Celebrate?
Like a… a date?” Jen mumbled, blushing and fidgeting.

“I-I
guess… T-there’s something I wanna buy and I’d love to go with a friend. Think
of this as your way to pay for my help.”

It
was true, but Melida knew the words she blurted out had an ulterior motive. What
the hell is wrong with me?

“Ah,
I see… Yes, I’d love to go on a date with you.” Jen flashed a shy smile.

“Great!”
Melida exclaimed to hide her embarrassment. She couldn’t help but blush at Jen’s
smile. Despite her guilt about the ulterior motive, she was happy. “L-let’s get
those flowers stored properly. We don’t want to lose them!”

“There’s
a problem…”

“What?”

“I
can’t walk. I used too much Celeste,” she muttered.

Melida
blinked and then smiled. Without even thinking, she once again carried Jen as a
princess. However, unlike before, she was overly conscious as her heart pounded
faster.

Chapter 06

Melida had gone on many dates in her life, and
even though this would be her first date with another girl, she didn’t remember
feeling this nervous. She certainly didn’t spend so much time choosing what to
wear.

No.
No. Urgh, not this one, she thought as she stood before the mirror, waving her hand. Whenever
she did, her reflection changed clothes thanks to the illusion magic she had
cast. That was useful when she needed to see how she looked in different
outfits quickly. It was supposed to save time, but she was spending as much
time as if she were trying them on.

Everything
looks plain! Why can’t I decide on an outfit? We’re just gonna celebrate! It’s
not even a real date,
Melida shouted in her head, groaning in frustration as she threw herself on the
bed, burying her face in the pillow.

I’m
just buying a swimsuit with Jen and then we’ll eat something… Why am I this
nervous? It must be my succubus blood. Even though it’s weak, it’s been acting
all weird ever since I kissed Jen for the second time… Ever since Leila said
she saw something in our future…

But
why is my blood reacting to a girl? It never reacted anywhere near like this with a boy.

She
thought for a moment but then shook her head. I don’t have time to think
about that now. I need to pick an outfit and then do my makeup.

After
struggling for longer than she ever had, Melida finally picked her clothes; a
deep blue skirt with a black blouse, long boots with heels, and a fedora hat.
She used magic to make her red hair flowy and then did her makeup.

I
look great. I bet Jen will love it, she thought, twirling before the mirror. When
she thought of the witch, she giggled and smiled. What will she wear? I’ve
only seen her with the school coat and that plain workout outfit. She only
cares about studying. I doubt she has many clothes. I bet she doesn’t even have
a swimsuit. Swimsuit…

Melida
felt guilty because of that.

After
their last kiss, she realized the reason behind Jen’s Celeste control problem.
Not only her spiritual veins were thinner than most Hominidae, the region where
the clog happened was underdeveloped. Exercising was helping, but it would take
time and there was a change the clog could grow back even if her spiritual
veins became stronger.

Since
that region was controlled by unconscious desires, especially sexual, the best
way to stop any clog from ever appearing was to develop it. In other words,
sexual stimulus. It didn’t have to be losing the virginity or anything close.
Simply doing things that stimulated those feelings was enough. The way to do it
was different from people to people.

Though
there was part of Melida, the succubus side that woke whenever they kissed,
wanted to stimulate Jen like that, she felt as if taking advantage of the
witch. She also doubted Jen would like to do those things.

Because
of that, she picked the other option to prevent the clog from growing back.
Since that region was also influenced by the water element, swimming would help
stimulate it too, though not as much as a sexual stimulus. Not only that,
swimming was also a good exercise and could substitute their daily jogging to
strengthen Jen’s spiritual veins.

I
don’t wanna make Jen uncomfortable. That’s why we’re gonna go buy swimsuits
today. But why do I feel this guilty? It’s not like I’m tricking her or
anything. I just didn’t tell her the easiest and fastest way to improve her
Celeste control. Knowing her, she might want to do that… With me…

Dismissing
those feelings, Melida checked her outfit once again before leaving her room.
Though she intended to be there ten minutes earlier than they had agreed, Jen
was already waiting for her at the school gates.

“Melida!”
she exclaimed, waving her arm.

The
mage blushed and waved back timidly. Though Jen was wearing the school coat
like usual, underneath it she wore a white sundress and flat sandals. She
looks so pure! There’s no way I can tell her the other way to develop the
region!

“Sorry
I’m late,” Melida said, trying to hide her embarrassment.

“You’re
not late. I got here early because I didn’t want to make you wait. And I was so
excited for today I couldn’t even sleep,” Jen mumbled the last part, blushing
and smiling.

She’s
too cute and too good for this world, Melida thought. I’m glad I didn’t tell her
the other way to stimulate the region. I will never taint someone so pure as
her. No more than I already have…

“S-shall
we?” Without thinking, she offered her hand.

Jen
didn’t hesitate, beaming as she took the hand. “I’m in your hands.”

Don’t
say something like that, Melida thought, blushing more as she squeezed that small hand and led
her through the school gates. Her fingers are warm.

When
the school was founded in this remote area between the Hominidae Kingdoms and
the Demon Realm, the commercial activities only revolved around it. In the
beginning, the few people living here sold things to the students, such as
clothes, weapons, food. But that had long changed, and now the shopping
district was one of the most prosperous in the continent, where both Hominidae
and demons came to shop.

Since
their first goal was to buy swimsuits, Melida wanted to do that as fast as
possible so they could have the rest of the day for themselves. However, when
they arrived at one of the most popular swimsuit stores, she knew it wouldn’t
be so fast.

Not
only was the place packed with customers, but most swimsuits displayed on the
front were too sexy. I’m an idiot. It’ll soon be summer. Of course this
would happen. But we’re not looking for sexy bikinis. We want cute ones we can use
for exercise, Melida thought as they entered the store.

“Let’s
look in the back,” she said, leading Jen away from the sexy bikinis. But the
witch didn’t move, observing the ones at the front. “Did something catch your
interest?”

“What?
Ah, no, nothing!” she exclaimed quickly, her face reddening. “I-in the back,
you said? L-let’s look!” She pulled Melida, but not fast enough to prevent her
from noticing what she was looking at.

Jen’s
interested in something like that!? Melida couldn’t help but widen her eyes.
Though the swimsuit wasn’t one of the sexiest in the store, the red and black
two-piece bikini had a lot of exposure, and the bottom had a string on each
side, making it seem more adult. She’s too young for something like that! I
mean, she’s my age and we’re both adults, but still!

Pressing
her lips and dismissing the images of Jen wearing it and her confused feelings,
Melida picked many cute swimsuits, both one-piece and two-pieces, for the
witch. However, even though she didn’t seem to dislike any, as she tried them,
Jen kept glancing back at the entrance, where the bikini she was looking at earlier
was.

“Are
you that interested in the bikini?” Melida asked after she caught her looking
at it again.

“What?
No, not at all,” Jen mumbled, fidgeting. “Yes…”

“Then
let’s get it.” Though she didn’t like the idea of Jen wearing something like
that, she hated seeing her friend like that even more.

“Better
not…”

“Why?
You want it, don’t you?”

“It
wouldn’t look good on me. I don’t have the body for it…” She dropped her
shoulders, holding her elbow with the other hand, looking at the ground.

“Are
you interested in that swimsuit?”

“Yes,”
she admitted in a low voice, still not looking at Melida. “I wanna look more
mature…”

“More
mature?”

Jen
became an alarming shade of red. Then, as if she needed all her courage, she
managed to nod a couple times. “Yes, but it’s not for me.”

She
wants to look mature for someone? Who? Who’s the guy!? Melida’s mind panicked and worked at
its fullest trying to find out who the person could be. She managed to keep her
face straight though. “F-for who?”

“You,”
Jen mumbled. “You’re gorgeous. I know it doesn’t matter, but I don’t like that
I look like a kid next to you. I hear people saying I’m not pretty enough to be
your friend, that you should have better-looking friends…”

Melida
felt the rage boiling her insides. “Who said something stupid like that!?”

“I
overhear things. People hardly notice me when I’m alone.”

“Jen,”
she said in a low voice, waiting until the witch looked her in the eyes, “don’t
let that bullshit get to you. We’re friends. There’s no such thing as
qualifications for that.”

“I
know, but still… I’d like to look a little more like you… You know, mature and
cool…”

Without
a word, Melida went to where the bikini was and came back with it, handing it
to Jen. “If you want, you wear it.”

“But—”

“No
buts. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says. Actually, if anyone dares to
make fun of you, I’ll take care of them.” Melida flashed a confident grin,
raising her fingers. A spark of electricity went from one to the other.

“Dear
customer, no magic inside the store, please,” said the closest employee.
Despite her smile, she didn’t look happy.

“Ah,
sorry,” Melida apologized, stopping the magic and bowing a couple times. Once
the employee looked away, she met Jen’s eyes and they both laughed.

“Thanks,”
Jen mumbled as she accepted the bikini with a timid smile and went back to the
changing room.

Melida
waited, but even after a few minutes, she hadn’t come out. “Is everything
okay?”

“Yeah…”

“How
does it look?” There was no answer, only silence. “Come out and let me see.”

“Better
not…”

Even
if she was interested in the bikini, seeing how it looks on you is different. Especially with people around. Even
though most of the customers and employees were busy, she had noticed some
glances directed at her. She was used to it, but Jen was different.

“Can
I come in?”

There
was another moment of silence.

“Yes,”
Jen murmured barely above a whisper.

Melida’s
heart thumped faster. She took a deep breath to calm herself and entered the
changing room.

Jen
stood on the corner, facing the wall and covering her body with the school
coat. Her face was red and her eyes were fixed at the ground.

“It’s
okay, Jen.” Melida flashed a kind smile. “I believe every woman, Hominidae or
not, thinks an outfit doesn’t look good on her at least once in her life.”

“I
doubt you ever thought that,” she muttered, pulling the coat closer.

Melida
hugged her from behind. “I had many days like that too. When I was younger, I
always considered myself inferior to my sisters and cousins. Even though I’m
one of the few who inherited Grandma’s succubus blood, I wasn’t as pretty as
them. But after I came to this school, I changed.”

“Really…?”

“Yes.
I got more confident and became the person you see before you now, though I’m
not as mature as you think. I can be pretty childish sometimes.”

“Do
you think I can change?”

“I
know you can.” She hugged her tighter. “Even if you think it doesn’t look good,
will you at least let me see it?”

Jen
closed her eyes and let go of her coat.

Melida
gently took it off and then thanked the Hero Demon King the witch had her eyes
closed. Her face was a wild shade of red when she saw Jen wearing the bikini. I
thought she’d look childish, but her figure isn’t bad! I can’t believe the
school coat and the loose workout shirt hides all that!

“It
looks good,” she managed to say once she calmed down.

“I
know it doesn’t,” Jen replied, her eyes still closed. “You’re just saying so because
we’re friends.”

“I
admit I thought it wouldn’t look good, but it’s better than I imagined. Much
better, in fact. See for yourself.”

Jen
finally opened her eyes and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She had no
expression as she observed herself, then she smiled. “I look good?” she asked,
surprised.

“Yes.”

She
turned around and hugged Melida.

Though
it was faint, Melida felt Jen’s Celeste. Just because she got more
confidence with her appearance… “Jen, let me check you.”

“What?
Here?” she blushed and fidgeted. Then she closed her eyes and raised her head.

Melida’s heart pounded faster. It’s because
of the mood. Jen’s in a bikini and all. That’s why my blood is reacting to her,
she told herself as she kissed her.

The
spiritual veins in that region are stronger, and all she did was put on this
bikini. It must’ve helped her self-esteem. She’s never considered herself as
sexy and that is stimulating it.

Even
though she had already confirmed, she didn’t stop kissing Jen. The exhilarating
feeling was back stronger than ever. Her succubus side was taking over.

“Melida!”
Jen exclaimed as she broke the kiss, panting.

“Sorry!”
Melida too was panting, the lingering sensation of Jen’s lips still on hers. “I
was… I was making sure,” she mumbled, her face an alarming shade of red. I
lost control for a moment.

“H-how
is it? Any change?”

“Y-yes!
T-the bikini helped!”

“Really?”

“Y-yeah.
Let’s buy it.”

Jen’s
joy vanished when she saw the price tag. “It’s too expensive for me…”

“I’ll
pay,” Melida exclaimed. “I still haven’t used the money I got from Jason’s
family.”

“I
can’t accept that…”

“You
will. I only got it because of the whole thing with the love potion. If it
wasn’t for you helping me, we wouldn’t become friends.”

“But—”

“I’m
buying,” Melida said as if ending the argument.

Jen
looked unsure of what to do. Then she flashed a shy smile.

“Thanks,”
she mumbled. “And thanks for giving me the courage to do this.”

“N-no
problem…”

I
feel so guilty for lying to her, Melida thought. Her succubus blood didn’t share the feeling. In fact, it
only wanted more.

Chapter 07

“Hey, Jen.” Melida smiled when the witch opened
the door. Even in her room, she wears the school’s coat. Cute.

“Thanks
for coming.” Jen stepped aside so she could enter the room.

Despite
just visiting her friend, Melida was nervous. She had spent a good amount of
time picking her clothes and doing her makeup that morning, though not as much
as yesterday. But when she saw the room, she couldn’t help but chuckle. It was
as expected; messy, filled with books, notebooks, and potion bottles
everywhere.

“Sorry
about the mess. I was working… and I’m not used to having people over,” Jen
mumbled.

“No
need to worry about me. My room’s a mess too. Besides, it’s as I imagined.”

“I
don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing.” She flashed a wry smile, her
cheeks a slight shade of pink.

“It’s
a Jen thing.” Melida smiled. “What did you want to show me?”

Jen
grew quiet, looking at everywhere but her friend. She blushed more as she
fiddled with the clasp of her school coat, taking it off slowly. “I wanted to
show you this…”

Underneath
the coat, she was wearing the bikini they had bought yesterday.

“W-why
are you showing it to me now? Aren’t we swimming in a couple days!?” Melida
exclaimed, her face an alarming shade of red as her succubus blood became
agitated.

“I
want your real opinion. You said it looked good, but I know the stores have
illusions spells to make you look better and sell more,” Jen said, getting
closer.

“I-I
was being honest. It’s better than I imagined! I swear on the Hero Demon King’s
name!”

“Then
why are you not looking at me?”

Though
Melida had recovered from the surprise of seeing Jen in the sexy bikini, she
couldn’t look at the witch. I have a bad feeling my succubus blood will go
wild and take over!

“Please,
look at me,” Jen whispered.

Melida
could feel the insecurity in her voice. Just because I’m afraid of my demon
side, I shouldn’t do this to my best friend. It might even undo her
development…

With
a deep breath, she turned her head. The exhilarating sensation coursed
throughout her body the moment she looked at the witch. What’s going on? Why
is this happening? We’re not even kissing!

“You
look good,” she managed to say in her usual tone.

“Thanks.”
Jen flashed a timid smile. “To be honest, ever since you said that, I felt
something changing inside me.”

It was the region being stimulated, Melida thought. She still hadn’t
explained the other method.

“Could
you please check my body again?”

“I-I
know it’s strange to ask at this point, but are you sure you’re okay with this?
I mean, even if I’m just checking, it’s still kissing another girl. Most don’t
enjoy that.”

“If
it’s you, I don’t mind,” Jen muttered, her cheeks red as she played with her
fingers.

Melida
gulped, her heart pounding faster. She’s getting cuter by the day! How’s
this even possible?

While
she tried to quell down her succubus blood, Jen grew impatient and took the
initiative, kissing her.

Eh!? T-this is the first time she
kisses me! Melida thought. Then the exhilarating sensation kicked in, strong than
ever. This gets stronger each time I check her body. But there’s
something different…

I’m
part succubus, even if I haven’t awakened as one. Being kissed is much more
stimulating for me.

“Jen,
wait!” Melida exclaimed. She was on the verge of losing her mind completely.
Not even when she had her first kiss something close to that happened.

When
their lips broke apart, her legs lost strength and she fell on the floor.

“Sorry.
I got carried away,” Jen said, though she didn’t look sorry at all. In fact,
despite blushing, she looked eager. “How is it? Is there any change?”

“I-It
was so suddenly I couldn’t check,” Melida lied. There’s no way I can tell
her I couldn’t check because I almost lost my mind. She tried to stand, but
her legs were still weak.

“Sorry.
I just wanted to see if there was any change, but that’s wrong. I shouldn’t
rush things.”

Jen
offered a hand and Melida accepted it. But instead of helping, the witch lifted
and carried her to the bed.

“Eh?”

“Just
relax,” she whispered in a sweet voice, placing a lock of the mage’s red hair
behind her hear.

“W-what’s
gotten into you?” Melida failed to hide her surprise and nervousness. Despite
the situation, she didn’t want Jen to let her go. Her succubus blood was going
wild with a simple touch.

“I
wanna see what changed with something so simple as buying a swimsuit,” Jen
said, looking her in the eyes. “I want to improve my Celeste control, but I
know it’s a lot to ask of you, so I have to at least make sure you’re
comfortable.”

Melida
widened her eyes. “W-why do you think it has anything to do with the swimsuit?”

“Because
I’m smart,” Jen whispered, unbuttoning Melida’s shirt. “When you explained
about the region and my spiritual veins, I studied about it. And I found out
the best way to stimulate it. Besides, even if I hadn’t studied, whenever you
checked my Celeste, I felt something inside me. I know I’m asking too much, but
you’re the only one I can ask. No. You’re the only one I want to ask.”

Melida
gulped, her blood rushing as Jen ran a hand over her belly. She could feel her
entire face burning. Of course she’d
figure it out. But if she only wants to do this with me, does that mean…

“You
don’t want?” Jen asked in a low voice, looking her in the eyes. Her hand
stopped, trembling slightly.

“I-I
don’t mind at all!” she exclaimed much louder than necessary, holding that
trembling hand.

Jen
looked surprised, but only for a moment. She let out a cute chuckle as she
entwined their fingers. “You’re so cute, Mel. Everyone knows you’re sexy, but
I’m the only one who knows how cute you are. I doubt anyone else knows how
easily you blush or how your face light up when you smile,” she whispered in a
sweet voice, kissing her fingers.

“W-wait!”
Melida exclaimed. Her succubus blood was stirring more than ever, but her mouth
seemed to have a will of its own. “A-are you sure you wanna do this with me?”

“Only
with you.” Jen gently lay her on the bed and moved to be on the top. “Please,
check my body. Please, make me a woman.”

Easier said than done! Melida exclaimed in her head as Jen
kissed her. She managed to keep some of her reasoning, but when the witch’s
tongue went inside her mouth, she knew it was just a matter of time until her
succubus blood went berserk. How can I
check her body when she’s making me go crazy?

Jen
moved one hand, massaging Melida’s breast. The exhilarating sensation increased
tenfold.

Despite
being on the edge of losing her mind, Melida managed to sense the flow of
Celeste within Jen’s body. The region is
being stimulated. If we crossed the line…

While
images of what crossing the line meant filled her head, Jen stopped kissing her
on the lips and moved down to her neck. Melida couldn’t help but moan. She bit
her lips but it was too late; the witch had heard.

“That
was cute, Mel. Too cute,” Jen whispered in the same sweet voice from before,
looking her in the eyes. “And I’m the only one who knows this side of you.”

Melida
pressed her lips even tighter. She couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t even open
her mouth, or she would let out another moan of pleasure. Where did this
assertive and sexy Jen come from? And why do I like it so much? Is it because a
succubus is made to be ‘loved’?

“Keeping
your silence? I don’t mind. I bet I can hear you moaning again. Maybe even
louder,” Jen whispering, moving from the neck to the breast, kissing and
sucking one and massaging the other.

Amazing… This is too stimulating, Melida managed to think. She was
reaching the limit of her reasoning though. It was only a matter of time until
her succubus side went out of control and took over.

She
was panting and sweating. She was losing strength and couldn’t press her lips
anymore. A restrained moan came out from deep within her.

Jen
looked at her with a sly smile. “I won. And as reward…”

The
witch moved down Melida’s belly, stopping just above her womanhood.

“W-wait,
Jen!” she managed to shout despite her pleasure. “I-I don’t mind doing this
with you, but aren’t we going to fast!?”

Jen
stopped for a moment, surprised. Then she flashed the sly smile again. “That’s
strange coming from a succubus. I know you haven’t awakened as one, but you’re
still a demon of love. Let’s make love, Mel. Make me a woman and help me become
a mage.”

Melida’s
head froze. She had no idea what to do. Even though she was part succubus, she
had never slept with a guy. She believed she would want to do that as soon as
she awoke her demon side, but since that never happened, she was still waiting
for someone who would stir her demonic blood.

Jen’s
doing this. Even if she doesn’t know, she’s the only one who has…

With
her face completely red, Melida closed her eyes and nodded, relaxing her legs.

The
next moment, Jen’s tongue inside her, though not in the mouth this time. As the
pleasure filled her and made her lose her mind, everything stopped and she felt
as if she was falling.

Confused
and alarmed, Melida sat up and looked around. The witch was nowhere to be
found. In fact, she wasn’t even in Jen’s room anymore. She was in her own
bedroom. What the…? What happened?

Panting
and sweating, she tried to think. As the memories of Jen kissing and pleasuring
her filled her head, she became an alarming shade of red. After her heart
stopped pounding so loud, she finally understood what happened.

A
dream. It was a dream… But it wasn’t a normal one. It was a vivid dream, Melida thought, smiling as she
relived it. I thought I wouldn’t ever have one of those since it’s a
succubus power…

She
shook her head to stop the memories. What
the hell am I dreaming? Jen’s not like that. But if she was, I wouldn’t mind…

A-anyway, I can’t let her find out about this. I doubt she’d like to know I’m
having this kind of dream with her. B-besides, it doesn’t mean anything. I only
had it because we went to buy swimsuits. It doesn’t have any deeper meaning…

When I see Jen tomorrow, everything will be
like always. I’m probably having these feelings because of the thrilling
sensation of kissing her. I never felt that with a boy. That must be it.

Guess
I’m really a failure as a succubus. Female succubae aren’t supposed to react
like this to girls. Is this how Mika feels? He’s a male succubus and hates that
he’s attracted to guys. He does everything he can to suppress his needs.

If
I was a female incubus, it’d be okay…

As
she tried to reason with herself, she remembered how Jen made her feel. Even if
it was only in a dream, the sensation was real and her blood rushed.

I
need to keep it together. I don’t want to make Jen uncomfortable. She’s my
first female friend.

Yeah.
It was just a dream. Everything will be fine when I see her.

That
is what Melida told herself. However, after a restless night where she was
afraid to sleep and dream again, as she headed to her first class the next day,
she saw Jen walking down the hallway.

She
was about to call her—she had been doing that ever since they had become
friends—but she remembered the dream. To make matters worse, she remembered
every detail of it as if it had happened in real life. She became an alarming
shade of red at once, but before she could pick between hiding or face the
witch, Jen noticed her.

“G-good
morning,” Jen greeted her in a low voice, averting her eyes and blushing.

“M-morning.”
Melida tried to speak like always, but her voice came out high pitched and
weird. I’m as nervous as the guys who
come to talk to me for the first time, she thought, hoping her face wasn’t
revealing her embarrassment too much.
“I-is something wrong, Jen? You look a little red.”

“W-what? Ah, no, it’s nothing!” Jen exclaimed. Though she didn’t
shout, her voice echoed in the corridor, and a few students looked at her. She
flushed a bit more.

Melida
had to suppress a smile. She’s too cute. “D-did something happen? You
know you can count on me with anything, right?”

“I
know, but…” She looked around. Though no one was paying attention to them
anymore, there were more and more students in the corridor. “I had a… strange
dream, that’s all,” she mumbled barely above a whisper.

Melida
froze.

“A-a
dream?” Despite the casual voice, her mind was in full panic mode. A dream!?
No way! It can’t be the same dream I had, right! It’s got to be a coincidence!
“W-what kind of dream?”

Jen
became an alarming shade of red. “I-I can’t say those embarrassing things
aloud!” she exclaimed in a hushed voice.

“I-It
wasn’t about me and checking your swimsuit in your room, was it?” Why the
hell am I asking? What good will do knowing this!?

Jen
was both embarrassed and awestruck at the same time. “H-how did you know?”

“I…
ah… I just guessed. W-we’re swimming tomorrow and using the swimsuits for the
first time,” Melida lied.

“A-ah,
I see…” They hadn’t noticed, but they were attracting more and more attention
now. When Jen realized, she grabbed Melida’s hand and led her to the classroom.
“Class is starting. Let’s go, M-Mel.”

Melida
widened her eyes when she heard that last word. It’s just like she called me
in the dream. She became redder. It’s not a coincidence. That dream
wasn’t a vivid dream, but a shared one!

That’s
an advanced succubus power…

As
her head filled with the implications of that, she squeezed the witch’s hand.
When Jen squeezed back, she felt her heart pounding faster.

Chapter 08

Melida laid
on her bed, tossing around, choking her pillow so hard the feathers threatened
to spill out. I’m in love with a girl. I’m in love with Jennifer…

It wasn’t the first time she
admitted it to herself that day. Even so, it still had the same effect from the
first time; she blushed, giggled and buried her face in the pillow to let out a
girly squeal.

She couldn’t help it; it was the
first time in her life that she fell in love. Just thinking about Jen was
enough to make her heart pound faster and her blood to grow agitated.

After calming down, she tried to
rationalize her feelings. Again.

This doesn’t make sense. How
did I fall in love with a girl? My grandmother’s a powerful demon of lust. I
have her blood inside me. Even if I haven’t awakened my demon side, I still
inherited part of her. If I was a female incubus, falling in love with a girl
would be one thing, but I know I’m not.

And yet I fell for another
girl… This just confirms that I’m a failed
succubus…

Melida shook her head and pushed
that out of her head. No. Succubi are demons of lust and love. Even
if most female succubi need male lovers, it doesn’t mean I’m a failure. They
get that exhilarating sensation with guys. I just happen to get that with
girls.

No, not girls. A single girl. A
single and cute witch… As she thought of Jen,
Melida blushed, grinned, and giggled again. Okay, I’m in love with her. What
should I do now?

She also thought a lot about that.
However, she hadn’t come up with a plan or anything. She ended up remembering
the dream and couldn’t do anything else other than reliving and enjoying the
sensation again.

I’m part succubus. I won’t deny
my love or run away from it. Even if that side of me hasn’t awakened, if I do
that, I can get weak. In the worst case, I’d have to seal half of me like Mika.

Then what can I do? It’s not
like I have any powers to seduce her. I don’t even think they work on girls.
Even if I had, I wouldn’t use them anyway. I want Jen to fall for me, not
become my love slave. I’m not like Great Grandma, who seduced powerful demons
and Hominidae just to increase her power and influence.

But I have no idea how to flirt
with a girl. People said the way I talk to guys is flirting, but I don’t even
notice. I never gave much thought about it. I never got nervous around them.

Melida groaned. I can’t believe
I’m thinking about this. What kind of half-assed half-succubus am I? It’s like
I’m a 100% human girl who fell in love for the first time!

Guess that’s what’s happening… She let out a bitter laugh before shaking her head. I need to
find a way to flirt with Jen without jeopardizing our friendship. That’s the
last thing I want. Apart from my family, she’s my first girl friend. If she’s
uncomfortable, I’ll stop. I can’t go all out from the beginning anyway. I need
to take it slowly.

That was what Melida told herself
before finally falling asleep. However, when they met for their first swimming
session at the lake the next morning, she knew at once there was no way she
would be able to control herself or her feelings for much longer.

“Hi!” Jen exclaimed, smiling. She
stopped stretching and waved at her.

“H-hey, Jen,” she called back. Melida’s
heart pounded faster as she waved back awkwardly. She wears the school coat
even before swimming.

“Is something wrong, Mel?”

“N-no, nothing. W-why?”

She couldn’t look directly at Jen
without blushing. It’s probably because I’m in love with her, but when did
she get so cute? And that bikini looks too sexy now! When did that happen? It
wasn’t like that in my dream! Anyone will fall for her if they realize how cute
and sexy she is!

“You look a little red,” Jen said,
as she drew closer. “Maybe we shouldn’t swim today…”

“I-I’m okay! D-don’t worry. I just
warmed up too much before coming, that’s all!” Melida spewed the lie the
instant it came to her mind.

“If you say so.” Jen still seemed
suspicious.

“I am! Now let’s go swim!” Melida
grabbed her hand without thinking. Her blood stirred as she felt the warmth
from those delicate fingers and she had to press her lips to hide her smile. Holding
her hand is enough to make me this happy.

“I can’t wait to use the bikini
for the first time. The dream doesn’t count,” Jen said.

Melida became an alarming shade of
red. Why did she have to mention the dream? I know she doesn’t know it was a
succubus induced shared dream, but she does remember what she did to me… That
assertive Jen is somewhere inside her…

Even though they swam for an hour,
Melida couldn’t focus at all. Moving her body should have cleared her mind, but
all she could think was Jen, which stirred her blood.

Melida was afraid to sleep at
night. She didn’t want to risk another shared dream and influence Jen’s
feelings. However, there was no magic that could make her live without sleep,
so she ended up sleeping during classes. In the morning, she wasn’t afraid of
using her powers unconsciously since Jen was awake.

She thought it was safe, but in
the middle of the mineralogy class, the teacher woke her with a sudden shout.
“What are you two doing?”

Melida looked around, startled.
Three couples were making out in the middle of class. The teacher made three
water balls appear out of thin air and fall on top of the couples, cooling them
down. They blinked as if they were waking up from a trance.

“What in the name of the Hero
Demon King are you doing?”

“Sorry, teacher. We just suddenly…
felt the need to kiss,” one of the guys said.

“Yeah, us too,” a girl said.

The teacher sighed and shook his
head. “You’re all adults now. If you wanna do that, do it after class. There’s
time and place for that and my classroom isn’t it.”

“Sorry,” the couples apologized in
unison.

Though class resumed, Melida did
her best to stay awake, not because she rested enough and wanted to pay
attention. She was still tired but refused to sleep. Was that my fault?
Succubi have the powers to increase libido…

As she wondered, she glanced at
Jen. The witch was looking at her, but when their eyes met, she turned and
stared at the blackboard.

However, Melida had seen her face.
She was blushing… Was it because of the libido increase? But I don’t have
that power! I’m a failed and weak half succubus…

That was what she told herself, but
she couldn’t deny the truth. It was the second time she had used a succubus. I’m
awakening as a succubus… Because I’m in love.

Chapter 09

“Morning,
Jen,” Melida said and smiled when she saw the witch.

“Hi, Mel!” Jen greeted with her
usual joy.

“You’re all hyped today. Are you
starting to enjoy swimming?”

“Ever since we started, I feel
less sluggish when I wake up and I have more energy during the day. But the
best thing is that I’ve been getting better at controlling my Celeste. Even the
teachers can tell I’m not having trouble with simple magic!” Jen finished then
took off her school coat and began her usual warmup exercises; she was already
wearing the bikini underneath.

“I know. Everyone’s talking.”

Though Melida didn’t let it show
on her face, she was having a gay panic. She keeps getting cuter and sexier
every day! It’s just a matter of time until someone notices her! What if guys
start confessing to her!?

All that was happening inside her
head. She believed things would get better as she grew used to her feelings,
but it only got worse. Seeing Jen in the bikini stirred her blood every time.

It wasn’t only Jen’s Celeste
control that was improving. As her feelings for the witch grew, so did her
succubus power. Melida was at the point of using them unconsciously.

When she fell asleep during class,
only the people who were in a relationship were affected; her powers only
increased the libido they already felt. However, as the days passed, even
people with slight interest were affected. Though no one knew, thanks to her,
there were several new couples at school.

I’m
happy people are finding love. Succubi get stronger in such environments… But
what about me? I don’t wanna use my powers on Jen, but why aren’t they helping
me? I’m growing tired of rejecting guys confessing to me. I wanna be her
girlfriend, Melida shouted in her head. If this
keeps going, someone who has a crush on her will appear before I can find a way
to flirt with her!

To
make matters worse, we haven’t kissed in so long because she doesn’t need me to
check her improvement anymore!

“Mel, are you okay?” Jen asked,
bringing Melida’s mind back to the lake.

“W-what? Yeah, I’m fine. W-why do
you ask?”

“You look a little pale.” Jen drew
closer, placing a hand on her cheek. “Are you getting enough sleep?”

Melida did her best to stop her
squeal of joy for being touched by the girl she loved and also suppress
touching that hand. “I-I’m fine,” she said, forcing a wry smile.

“I can tell you’re not. Not with
these dark circles under your eyes,” she said. “I know I’m not reliable, but
you know you can count on me, right?”

Those words made Melida happy.
But, at the same time, they cut her like an enchanted sword. Don’t make such
a face! You’re more than reliable!

“To be honest, I’ve been having
trouble sleeping lately…” She couldn’t lie to Jen. Not when the witch looked so
worried.

Melida had many restless nights
lately. Since she couldn’t sleep during class anymore, she turned to the only
solution she found; a no dream potion. Thanks to that, she could sleep
without worrying about using her powers on Jen unconsciously.

However, every book said the
potion shouldn’t be used more than three times in a row. And it explicitly said
it shouldn’t be used every night, just like she had been doing. While it
stopped every type of dream, you didn’t get a proper rest, which your brain,
body, and soul needed. The potion was like fainting and opening your eyes hours
later.

After many nights like that,
Melida was beginning to suffer the toll.

“Did something happen?” Jen asked.

Melida wanted to both kiss and get
away from the witch. “I’ve been using no dream potions,” she admitted in
a low voice, her eyes fixed at the ground.

“For how long? How many times?”

“Every night for the last couple
weeks…”

“What!? You know you can’t do
that! It’s for two, three nights in a row at most! After that, your body will
suffer the effects! And that’s for any pure Hominidae! It’s even worse for you
because you’re part succubus!” Jen exclaimed. “Even if you haven’t awakened as
one, you must know suppressing dreams is the same as suppressing part of you!”

“I know but—”

“If you know, why are you still
taking it? Are you having nightmares?”

“Sort of…” It’s the opposite!
I’m afraid the dream will be so good it’ll affect our relationship! But I don’t
want you falling for me because of my powers! “B-but don’t worry. I’m sure
it’ll all work out!”

“Mel…”

“Don’t worry, Jen,” Melida forced
a reassuring smile. “If it doesn’t, I’ll ask for your help.”

“You promise?”

“Yes.”

“Okay then. Do you still wanna
swim today? If you want, we can skip.”

“No way. Let’s get in the water.”

Though still worried, Jen dropped
the matter and did her warmup exercises, glancing at Melida from time to time.

The mage warmed up as well and a
few minutes later they jumped in the lake, swimming until the yellow ball of
light they had created—it was their mark—and coming back to the bank where they
started.

After a couple of times, however,
Melida had no strength to move her arms and legs anymore. Ah, crap… I can’t
move anymore…

“Mel!”

Jen’s worried voice was the last
thing she heard before losing consciousness.

***

Melida’s head throbbed and her body
was cold and heavy when she came to herself. She tried to open her eyes, but
she had no strength. She tried to remember, but all she recalled was Jen
conjuring some magic. After that, everything was a confused blur as she came in
and out of consciousness.

There was one thing she knew
though; Jen had saved her. And she says she’s not reliable. Melida
smiled as she thought of the witch she loved. That alone was enough to make her
feel good enough to open her eyes.

She looked around and realized she
was in her room. However, there was something strange. A second later, she knew
what it was; her succubus’ instincts told her it was a dream. It’s a vivid
dream, and not a shared dream, right? Jen’s not here…

A moment later, the door opened
and the witch entered. When she saw Melida awake, she ran and wrapped her arms
around her neck. “Mel, you’re up! Thank the Hero Demon King! I was so worried!”

Melida couldn’t believe how happy
that tight hug made her. She was about to hug Jen back but hesitated. She
can’t be sleeping right now… This is my dream, not a shared one, she
thought, hugging the witch, feeling the warmth from that small body filling her
and driving away the coldness.

“I’m sorry I worried you.”

“If you weren’t feeling well, you
should’ve told me!” Jen complained. There were tears on the corner of her eyes.

“You’re right,” Melida agreed and
hugged her tighter. I can’t believe a hug feels this good.

“Stop using the potion. It’s not
good for your body.”

“But I need it.”

“Why?”

“Because I like you,” Melida said,
smiling as she finally admitted her feelings aloud, even if it wasn’t real. In
my dreams, I can be honest. “I fell in love with you and that woke my
succubus powers. If I dream, I’ll go to your dream, but I don’t wanna
manipulate you or your feelings. Even if it’s normal for a succubus, I’m part
human. I don’t wanna make you like me this way.”

“You fell for me?” Jen asked,
looking her in the eyes. She had stopped crying.

“Yes.” Melida placed a lock of the
witch’s short brown hair behind her hear. “There’s no way I wouldn’t fall for
someone so wonderful.”

“I fell for you too.” Jen kissed
her.

Though it was brief, Melida felt
the exhilarating sensation coursing through her. Her succubus blood was
reacting, making it tenfold. Even if it was a dream, the sensation was real and
just as intoxicating.

I never thought I’d be so
happy, she thought, her heart about to burst with
joy.

Jen rested her head on Melida’s
chest.

“I never thought I’d fall in love.
I only thought about learning magic ever since Dad taught me my first spell.
But after we got to know each other, I’ve been thinking more and more about
you. Whenever I cast magic, I couldn’t before, I wanted to tell you right away.
I’m bad at waking up early, but when I remembered I’d see you, I got out of bed
right away. My days are more fun thanks to you.”

“You have no idea how happy that
makes me, even if it’s only a dream,” Melida confessed as she hugged Jen’s
head, sniffing her hair and basking in her scent. “Hope I can hear that while
I’m awake one day. Hope this becomes reality.”

“Then confess to me!” Jen
exclaimed suddenly.

“What?” Melida blinked a couple
times.

“Why can you say you fell in love
with me in a dream but not in real life?”

For a dreamed-up version, she’s
so assertive. I don’t mind, she thought, smiling.

“Because I’m a coward,” she
admitted, blushing. Everyone thinks I’m cool and mature, but Jen’s the only
one who knows the real me. “I’m half demon of love, but it’s the first time
I’ve fallen in love. I don’t know what to do…”

“That’s right. You don’t have any
experience, just like me,” Jen murmured more to herself than to Melida. With a
nod, she looked determined. “Let’s change that now!”

“What?”

“Let’s get experience!”

Melida had no idea what Jen meant.
A second later, she knew.

The witch kissed her, but unlike
before, it wasn’t a light kiss. She used her tongue.

Even surprised, Melida kissed her
back thanks to her succubus blood acting out of reflex.

“W-wait, Jen—”

“I’m not waiting. This is a dream,
right? You can wake up at any moment. Let’s get more experience so you can
confess to me in real life!”

She pulled Melida’s shirt open,
the buttons flying everywhere, and kissed her neck. A moment later, she undid
the front hook of the red lacy bra and kissed her way down.

Even though this Jen was much more
assertive than the real one she fell in love with, Melida liked that a lot.
Though she wanted to kiss Jen, being kissed felt even better. I know succubi
prefer this way but…

As the conflicted feelings crossed
her head, the witch wasted no time. As she played with Melida’s breast, she
kept kissing her way down.

“W-wait, Jen! Aren’t we moving too
fast?” her mouth spewed things she didn’t want. Why does it have a brain of
its own at the worst times!? Is it my maiden side fighting the succubus in me?

Jen flashed a sly smile. “A demon
of love saying that? That’s cute, Mel. Too cute. But remember, this is a dream.
Your dream. We can be as fast as we want.”

“I-I know, but still—!” Melida
became an alarming shade of red when Jen kissed her down there. “Jennifer!”

As the moan of pleasure left her
lips, she suddenly woke, panting and sweating. What? What!? No! Why did I
wake now!? We were just getting to the good part, Melida complained in her
head.

When she finally stopped mulling
over and her blood calmed down, she realized she was in the school infirmary.
She wasn’t alone though. Jen was sleeping next to her, sitting on a stool and
half lying over the bed.

Melida smiled and caressed her
head. This is the first time I see her sleeping.

Jen stirred and groaned. A second
later, she woke. Blinking, she cleaned the drool on the corner of her mouth and
fixed her glasses.

“Mel! Are you okay?” she asked,
her sleepiness gone, replaced by worry.

“I am. What happened?”

“You fainted and almost drowned. I
took you out of the water and levitated you to the infirmary.”

“Thanks for saving me.” Melida
smilde and realized the jewels on the ceiling were glowing. “What time is it?”

“It’s already night.”

“I was out for almost a whole
day…” I needed a good sleep. Actually, a good dream, she thought,
blushing. “Did you stay with me the whole time?”

“Of course. There’s no way I’d
leave you alone.”

“Thanks,” she mumbled, her heart
thumping faster. When she saw the witch’s hand free, she wanted to hold it.

Jen looked relieved. Then she
frowned and pouted. “Don’t thank me. I’m mad at you.”

She looks cute mad, Melida thought, trying to suppress a smile. “Why?”

“You said you were okay, but that
was a lie.”

“Yes, you’re right. I’m sorry. I
promise I won’t lie to you again,” she told her, but Jen still seemed angry.
“You don’t believe me?”

“I do.”

“Then why are you still mad?”

“Don’t you have something else to
say to me?”

Melida thought for a moment. “No,
I don’t think so.”

“I can’t believe this…”

“What?”

Jen’s face became red. “Why did
you wake up so fast?”

Melida didn’t understand, and that
was clear on her face.

“The dream!” Jen exclaimed. “Why
did you wake up right at that moment? Couldn’t you wait a few minutes?”

“Wait…” Melida took too long to
understand. “My dream!? You saw that!?”

“I did! Why can’t you confess to
me in real life?”

“No, wait, but—No way!” As her
mind worked at its fullest, she finally realized. Jen was sleeping right
next to me! It wasn’t my dream. It was hers!

“Are you really feeling better?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Good!” Jen exclaimed and jumped
on the bed, sitting on top. “Let’s continue the dream!”

She kissed her, and just like in
the dream, the exhilarating feeling overcame Melida.

No. This is much more intense!
My succubus blood will lose control! I’m gonna lose my mind!

“W-wait, Jen… L-let’s take things
slowly!”

“If that’s what you want, I won’t
pressure you. I’ll wait until you’re ready. But I’m at my limit. These feelings
in my chest are about to burst.”

“T-they aren’t your real
feelings,” Melida replied. Those words felt like a knife to her heart. Even so,
she had to suppress her demonic side. “It’s because of my succubus’ powers
influencing you.”

“You’re wrong. I’ve read a lot
about it. Succubus can create the illusion of love but that’s not real. It’s
just lust. I do lust for you,” Jen mumbled the last part, her cheeks reddening.
Despite that, she looked determined. “But that’s not all I feel. I have no
experience but I know this is love. I don’t just want to kiss you. I told you
in the dream. When something good happens, I want to tell you right away.
You’re the first person I think about when I wake up. I think about you all the
time. Are you saying it’s all because of your powers?”

Melida was an alarming shade of
red. “I feel the same,” she whispered, covering her face to hide her
embarrassment.

“Don’t hide it. Let me see you all
red.”

She opened her fingers just enough
to see the witch.

“So cute,” Jen whispered in that
sweet voice, pulling one hand gently and kissing it.

“When did you become like this!?” I
thought this assertive Jen was a dreamed-up version!

“I have no idea. I just feel like
doing this. Guess your succubus side woke something inside me.”

She moved her lips up her arm,
going all the way to the neck.

Melida pressed her lips together.
She was about to let out a moan.

“Do you want me to stop?” Jen
asked in a low voice, stopping. “I won’t force or pressure you to do anything
you don’t want just because you’re part succubus.”

Melida couldn’t say anything. She
knew she would embarrass herself if she opened her mouth. All she could do was
shake her head once. Please, continue, she wanted to say.

“Let’s become women together,
Mel.” Jen smiled and just like in the dreams, she moved from the neck to
Melida’s breasts. And then lower.

The mage squirmed, pressing her
knees against Jen’s body.

“Don’t worry. I promise I’ll be
gentle.”

Melida’s mind froze but she nodded
again.

The next moment, she awakened as a
succubus.

Epilogue

Dear Grandma, Melida wrote to the person who could relate to
her problems the most. I finally awakened as a succubus. My horns and my
tail finally appeared. I’ve been hiding with illusion until I learn to make
them invisible like you.

The
reason I hadn’t is because I’m a lesbian. I never felt attracted to boys
because I like girls. Actually, not girls. I’m in love with one girl. She’s the
cutest and the smartest witch I ever met. I told you about her before.

I
wish I could be a writer so I could explain how much I love her. It’s
embarrassing to admit, but as I grew aware of my feelings, I awoke and lost
control of my succubus powers. It’s just like what happened to you when you
were my age and fell in love with Grandpa.

I
know it’s a failure as a demon of love, but now that I’m dating the person I
love, I feel like I’ll lose control of my powers at any time. Is there a way to
suppress them until I can learn to control it? I don’t wanna be like Mika and
suppress myself, but I don’t wanna influence Jen’s feelings with my powers.

A
couple hours later, she received a reply.

I’m
so proud you finally awakened your succubus side, honey. I know you feared that
would never happen. I remember when I felt like that. I also remember how scary
it can be losing control of your powers. Your Grandpa caused me a lot of
embarrassment back then, though I didn’t mind.

To
be honest, there’s only one tip I can give you, honey. You need to use your
powers to learn how to control them. But not like your great grandmother,
please. Ask Jen to practice with her. Believe me, it’ll be fun testing your
powers together. It feels different using your powers on another woman.

Melida
read the reply with her eyes wide. She couldn’t stop smiling as she quickly
wrote back. You’ve been with women Grandma!? Why have I never heard of this?

It’s
not a big deal. Besides, it’s not like I’ve been with women. It was only one.
Elena and I fell in love with your Grandpa when we were young and the three of
us went through a lot together.

With
Grandma Elena!? Melida
was shocked. Her grandfather had married both her Grandma and Elena when they
were younger. Melida’s Mom and all her aunts and uncles grew up together, and
it didn’t matter they were half-siblings. It was the same with Melida and all
her cousins. They were one huge family.

With
her curiosity about to explode, she continued reading.

I
was never romantically in love with Elena, but I do love her. She’s a precious
friend I’d die to protect. It’s not like we did things without your Grandpa,
but we did have our share of fun here and then. Ah, don’t tell your cousins or
you aunts and uncles this. Elena gets mad. She was always embarrassed after I
used my powers on her and made me promise I wouldn’t tell anyone.

As
Melida read, she could easily imagine her grandmother grinning as she wrote
this.

Since
we’re talking about powers, let me explain to you one thing. Succubus are
demons who are laid while incubi are demons who lay. In a simple matter,
succubus get ‘love’ in them and incubus ‘spread’ their ‘love.’ While most are
attracted to the opposite gender, there are many cases of attraction to the
same gender.

You
were never a failure as a succubus. Just a late bloomer. Speaking of which, if
you wanna make your demon side stronger, get down on your girlfriend and drink
her juices, honey. I get the feeling you’re satisfied being bottom because of
your demonic side, but you’ll feel something even more amazing being top
sometimes.

Do
it, honey. Drink your girlfriend’s juices and make Grandma proud.

Melida
was an alarming shade of red when she finished. Even if she had no trouble
talking about love with her Grandma, reading all that was too embarrassing. I
had no idea she and Grandma Elena had done things. And how can Grandma say
stuff like getting down on Jen? I know she’s a pure succubus and all, but
still…

As
she tried to recover, someone knocked on her door.

“Come
in,” Melida said, putting the letter away.

“Mel!
I just finished all the potions the clients requested!” Jen announced with a
huge smile.

“That’s
awesome!”

“Now
that I’m free, I want some reward,” she said, her expression changing from joy
to sly. As she kissed her girlfriend, she led her to the bed.

Melida’s
mind already was a haze of pleasure with just that. Sorry, Grandma, but when
she kisses me, I lose my mind. But I don’t mind if I’m not top for now.

Afterword

Thanks for reading The Witch and
the Succubus.

Hope you enjoyed it. If you did,
could you please leave a review?

Even “I liked” helps me a lot and
also makes me want to work harder on the next stories.

I loved writing Jen and Mel
becoming friends and then more. I’ve read a lot of stories, but I don’t remember
seeing “friends” kissing this much before they actually started dating XD

I have more stories planned. Not
only a continuation but also more books in the same world. They’ll be
connected, but you won’t need to read everything to understand.

If you want to check my future
works, please like my page on facebook.
I still plan to write a lot more supernatural and fantasy stories with girls
and women falling in love with each other.

If you want to read something with a
similar vibe, check out My
Eyes Only. You can check the first chapter on the next page.

My eyes only 1 Preview

“Hey,
look,” someone whispered when Eliza entered the classroom.

“No way. I can’t believe she’s
back after all that.”

“She was in prison or something,
right?”

“It was a rehab clinic.”

“Oh, yeah. There was a rumor she
almost OD on New Year’s Eve.”

“It’s not a rumor. My dad works in
the hospital, and he told me about a girl our age almost dying back then.”

“I heard she stole from her
friends to get her drugs.”

“I heard she stole drugs from the
hospital.”

“Doesn’t her mom work there?”

“Yeah, I heard her parents had to
pay a lot of money so the hospital wouldn’t press charges.”

“Better watch your phone and your
wallet whenever she’s around.” They sniggered.

I’m surprised they bother to whisper,
Eliza thought as she walked to the last row of seats with her head down to
avoid meeting anyone’s gaze. When she sat in the desk next to the window, she
pulled her crappy earbuds that only one side worked, stuffed into her backpack,
closed her eyes, and rested her head on her arms.

The first class hadn’t begun, and
she was already wishing she could go home. All
this attention is too tiresome. I
knew my first day back in school would be like this. But it’s been two weeks
since I was discharged from the rehab clinic. I thought you guys would’ve
exhausted the topic by now. I’m not that interesting.

Half out of curiosity, half out of
boredom, Eliza covered her face with her arm. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed
and focused her eyes. After a few seconds, the skin shivered and became
transparent. An instant later, the muscles, veins, blood, and bone were gone as
well.

Looking through her arm, she
confirmed students were looking at her.

Holding the urge to groan, she
stopped using her strange powers. When her sight returned to normal, she closed
her eyelids. As usual, her eyes itched slightly, and she was glad it was only
that now.

Guys, I mean it. Apart from my eyes, I’m not interesting, Eliza thought, sighing and looking around without her powers. If you wanna gossip that much, why don’t
you pick someone with an interesting life?

At that moment, one of her classmates
entered the classroom and walked to her seat. She tied her long brown hair in a
ponytail as she sat. An instant later, two of her friends came to her to talk.

Yeah, you should talk about her. Trust me, she has a much more
interesting life than me. Eliza observed through
the corner of her eye. They giggled, played with their hairs, and redid their
makeups.

I know it looks like she can’t hold a conversation if it’s something
other than makeup, but that’s on the surface. She’s studying her ass off to go
to college abroad while taking care of the house since her mother left her
family.

Another classmate entered. He’s interesting too. Did you guys know his
dream is to be a painter, and he’s trying new experiences to deepen his work?
He even kissed a guy after taking some drugs. I’m not sure how it worked out
with the guy. She had closed her eyes and turned off her special sight
after they started undressing each other. I’m
not into that.

That girl’s interesting too. She goes to the cemetery and tries to
communicate with the dead. Maybe she’s just crazy, but that’s way more
interesting than the plain old me. Even—no, not her. I doubt she has an
interesting life.

Eliza rolled her eyes when she saw
Bianca. Yeah, I guess her life that looks
like it came out of an American TV show isn’t interesting. I bet the only
trouble going on in her life is what to wear the next day.

Bianca dos Santos Silva, whose
porcelain skin and smooth long red hair made Eliza doubt if she was actually
Brazilian, didn’t seem to have an interesting life that could get the school’s
gossipers fired up. With her father being the chief of police—and Eliza’s dad’s
boss; and her mother, a businesswoman owning one of the biggest fashion stores
in the metropolitan region, she hardly seemed to have any worry.

“Did you see who’s back? You
should ask your dad for some extra protection. She might steal again for, you
know.” Whoever spoke made a sniffing noise and then laughed.

So now I’m a cocaine addict. Eliza
sneered and rolled her eyes, not bothering to see who was talking about her. Trust me, if I had the money for it, I’d
rather spend it on something else. For starters, earbuds good enough to shut
out that cat-fighting-a-hobo voice of yours.

“Do
you know if that’s true? Yeah, if you don’t have any proof, better not say
anything.”

“Sorry,
sorry. I forgot you wanna be a journalist like your mom. You only work with
facts, right?”

“It’s
got nothing to do with that. Don’t get angry at me because you caught your
boyfriend cheating on you.”

“Why
did you have to mention that idiot? We’re talking about little miss drug addict
there, not my ex.”

“If the rumors are true, you
shouldn’t talk about her like that. She’s been through a rough time,” a third
person said. Despite being only classmates, Eliza recognized it was Bianca. “We
don’t know her circumstances, and even if we did, we can’t go around judging
her.”

You talk like you know anything, Eliza
thought. Then she wondered if the redhead knew something. Dad works for her father, but I doubt he actually has enough contact
with the chief to have time to talk about me. Maybe the word got around the
police department…

Now that I think about it, it’s been a while since dad talked about
his work. He used to tell a lot of funny stories during dinner… How long it’s
been since I heard a story?

“Everyone’s saying!” Despite their
friend insisting, Bianca and the other girl refused to talk about Eliza.

Is she a nice person or just pretending to be above gossips? She wondered as she glanced at them again. The girl whose name Eliza
didn’t remember noticed and poked the journalist daughter, sniggering as she
leaned closer to whisper something.

Oh, no, please don’t spread any more rumors. I don’t know what I’d
do if my popularity sinks any further. Then again, rock bottom is… well, rock
bottom, Eliza
sniggered in her head.

Bianca didn’t seem interested,
using a compact mirror to fix her hair as if that was more important. However,
she glanced at Eliza when her friend whispered something, and their eyes met.

Wow… Red hair and green eyes? Are you for real? Aren’t you cheating in life a little too much? Bianca turned
back her attention to her hair, but not before smiling. Why are you smiling?
Am I funny and just never realized? Well, I bet you’re not perfect. Let’s see
what’s underneath that perfection.

Eliza covered her face with her
arm again and cleared her mind. Wait,
better not. I just used my powers a moment ago. I shouldn’t use it too much.
Otherwise, I might lose control and then…

The painful memories of the last
few months came to her. Her breathing became shallow and irregular. Sweat ran
down her brow, and her arms trembled.

It won’t be like before. I can control it, she told herself, clenching her fists and breathing slowly. I have no idea how I got it, but it’s my
power now… I can control it. Yes. I can do this.

With both the urge to check Bianca
with her unique sight and the desire to be in control over her powers, she
stared in the direction the redhead was and relaxed her entire self.

At first, she saw only her arm
with the faint light coming through the gaps. Then, just like before, the edges
of her vision blurred, her limb shivered and it became transparent little by
little. For a second, Eliza saw Bianca as the others saw her. Then her pants
and shirt became transparent and then disappeared.

Holy shit! Eliza gasped, choked, and
lost control over her powers. Her vision became blurred, and everything spun.
She shut her eyes closed, waiting for her vision to get back to normal.

“What’s she doing?”

“Bet she was snorting.”

“Right here in class? That’s
bold.”

Shut up. It’s her fault, she thought,
massaging her eyes. She felt everyone’s stare on her. As she waited for her
head to stop spinning and the urge to vomit vanished, everyone went back to
whatever they were doing.

With her breathing slow and
steady, Eliza turned her eyes back in the direction of Bianca. She concentrated
again, and this time she could see underneath the girl’s clothes faster. Even
if she had already seen, she still blushed. Who
the hell wears black silk lingerie to school? Did you meet your boyfriend or
something before coming, or are you meeting him later?

As the seconds passed, Eliza
couldn’t take her eyes off the redhead. She’s
so beautiful, the thought crossed her mind as she observed the smooth skin,
legs, belly, and back. I bet you spend
hours and hours, and a ton of money, taking care of that pretty skin of yours,
am I right? But that just confirms you cheated in life.

As Bianca turned to talk to a boy,
Eliza saw a glimpse of a strange mark on the redhead’s thigh. Wait, what was that? A birthmark? Hickey? Turn
around and show me.

When the boy went away, Bianca
turned back to her friends, but she still couldn’t see the mark. Just open your legs a little, Red. It’s not
that hard. I bet you do it a lot for your boyfriend. Just do it for me this
once. When Bianca placed a foot on the spindle of her desk, Eliza saw.
Though it wasn’t big, it was swollen and a shade of purple, destroying the
beauty that was Bianca’s skin.

That’s not a birthmark or a hickey… Why do you have a bruise there, Red? Are you into that kind of play with your
boyfriend? I sincerely apologize for calling you boring, she thought,
closing her eyelids and waiting for the itching on her eyes to cease. It recovers much faster now. I am in
control.

When it was gone, Eliza couldn’t
stop smiling. Maybe I should reveal
you’re into rough play to everyone. They’d leave me alone for a while. What
kind of rumors would the idiots spread about the chief of police’s daughter?

She entertained herself imagining,
holding the laugh as the rumors got more and more wild in her head.

***

When the last bell rang, and the
teacher ended the class, Eliza stuffed her notebook into her bag. I’m starving, she thought, dashing to
the door. She wasn’t fast enough to avoid her classmates’ whispers, though.

“Where’s she going in such a
hurry?”

“I bet it’s the munchies,” someone
answered, followed by sniggers.

Eliza sighed and rolled her eyes. They’re still talking about me. Guess that’s
the only thing their tiny brains can do, she thought, rolling her eyes. She
pulled her shabby earbuds from her bag and untangled it, but before she could
shut herself away, she froze.

Even if she only saw the back of
her head, she recognized that long and wavy brown hair at any time. Amanda, she thought, pressing her lips
as she stared at her friend heading towards the stairs. After a moment of
hesitating, Eliza broke into a short run, bumping into other students as the
corridor got more and more crowded as everyone left their classrooms.

Amanda was already at the bottom
of the stairs. If she ran, she could reach her best friend. But when Eliza saw
her talking to her boyfriend, she stopped. I
can’t just talk to her. Not after what I did to her…

I’m such a coward. I know it won’t make a difference… I know she’ll never forgive me, but
I need to apologize. It’s the least I can do. Despite knowing that, Eliza
only watched as the girl, she considered a sister got farther and farther away
until she disappeared. Then she focused.

The students, the walls, and
everything else vanished as her vision went on. It only stopped when she saw
Amanda smiling after kissing her boyfriend.

Seeing that smile made Eliza
happy, but at the same time, it brought back the things she did to her,
reminding her of what she had lost. How
long has it been since she talked to me with that carefree smile of hers?

Damn it… Damn it… All because of this stupid power, she thought, closing her eyes and
heading home once the itching went away.

“Mom?” she asked the moment she
opened the door. When there was no answer, she bit her nails.

Before she got her powers and the
consequences that came with it, Eliza hated her mother’s constant watch. But
now she realized how comforting it was having her home. Carla had been with her
since the day she was released from the rehab clinic.

Mom didn’t say anything, but I know she was picking a lot of extra
shifts at the hospital. My treatment was too expensive. Not to mention the
stuff I stole…

Breathing slowly to keep her
anxiety in check, she went to the kitchen and found a note on the microwave. Heat for a minute. Stay home. Your brother
is studying with Danielle. Your father and I will be back by dinner. Love, mom.

So dad and Fabio aren’t coming home, Eliza
thought as she heated her lunch, the butterflies in her stomach going wilder.
She picked up a knife and fork, took her plate to the table, and sat, focusing
on each action. According to the psychologist from the rehab clinic, she should
focus on the present, not the past or the future.

As she stared at the food,
however, Eliza realized she wasn’t hungry anymore. Even so, she forced herself
to eat as much as she could. After she couldn’t eat another bite, she stored
the leftovers and went to the living room.

After a minute still, she got the
cleaning supplies. Ever since she had returned home, Eliza had been helping her
mother with the housework. Though she complained, she did it as a way to keep
herself busy for a while. Actually, more
to avoid letting my mind empty, right, priest? What did he say? The empty mind
is the devil’s workshop. She had
overheard him tell her mother those words.

Eliza barely helped with the
housework her entire life. In fact, every time her mother complained she had to
do everything around the house by herself, she pretended she didn’t hear. Now
cleaning the house and listening to her mother talking about work calmed her
more than she wanted to admit.

But after she finished sweeping
and washing the floor, cleaning the bedrooms, bathrooms, and doing the laundry,
she found herself sitting on the couch with nothing to do. She thought about
taking a nap, or watching a movie, or even studying, but those options didn’t
seem good enough to spark her interest. What
did I use to do before rehab?

She stared at her reflection on
the black TV. I bet it’s just crap at
this hour, she thought, turning it on. Instead of the regular programs,
however, the national news was on. With some surprise, Eliza realized they were
talking about the neighboring town.

“The authorities still have no
information about what caused the explosion at the chemical plant. The flames
still haven’t been controlled, and the fire department has requested help from
the nearby cities,” the reporter said. It was showing the chemical plant Eliza
had once visited as a school trip. There were already five fire trucks, but
more were coming. “The number of victims is unknown, but they estimate over a thousand.
They’re moving the patients to the closer towns—”

If they’re bringing the patients here, mom will be working overtime.
And dad will probably help with the rescuing.

They won’t be home today, Eliza
realized, turning off the TV and burying her face on the cushion, breathing
slowly. Ever since she was discharged, her family has been having dinner
together every night…

A loud ringing woke her. With her
eyes closed, she reached out for the house phone. “Hello?”

“Eliza, thank God you’re home,”
her mother said, relieved. “I was worried. I called a couple times, but there
was no answer.”

“Sorry, mom. I was taking a nap.”
She sat up and took her phone from her pocket. Wow… Nine calls isn’t a
couple times, mom. “What’s up?”

“Me and your dad—”

“Won’t be coming home for dinner,”
Eliza finished the sentence. Even if I’m
not completely okay, you don’t need to treat me like a kid. “You guys are
helping with the accident, right?”

“Yes. And your brother’s gonna
spend the night studying,” she said and then kept quiet. Eliza could tell what
she was thinking. “If you want, I can come ho—”

“Don’t worry about me, mom.” Eliza
tried keeping casual to hide her anxiety. Technically,
I’m an adult. I can’t have my mommy holding me by my hand forever.

“Okay…” Carla didn’t sound reassured.
“What are you gonna do for dinner?”

She considered for a moment, but
she wasn’t in the mood to cook. And I
need to get out of this house a bit. “I might eat out.”

“Eliza…”

She imagined her mom’s face full
of worry over the phone. “I promise I won’t do anything stupid.” I hope I can keep this promise.

Someone called her mother on the
other side. “I need to go, but be careful. And please get home as fast as you
can. Don’t go wandering off. It’s dangerous. I love you.” She ended the call
before her daughter could say goodbye.

Mom’s really busy. I need to show her she doesn’t have to worry
about me all the time. After a minute of taking
deep breaths on the couch, she went to her bedroom, changed her clothes, and
went to eat out for the first time in weeks.

It wasn’t so bad, Eliza thought after
she left the fast-food restaurant. Though the employee was one of her
classmates, he didn’t make any comments about her. He couldn’t; otherwise, I could make a scene and get his ass fired. The
idea amused her for a bit, but then she shook her head. My life’s too short to waste time worrying about a guy like that.

Eliza wondered what to do next. I don’t wanna go home now. I can’t stay
inside alone without going crazy. She pulled her phone to reread the text
from her mother again, just to make sure she hadn’t misread.

I need to work overtime. I don’t think me or your dad will be home
tonight. Please, be careful and go home soon.

If mom couldn’t call me, it means it must be crazy busy at the
hospital, Eliza thought, putting the phone back in
her jacket pocket. Without any idea what to do, she just walked at random
through the streets.

Before her powers, she loved her
privacy. When she was home, she was certainly in her room. I used to waste time on the net or talking with my friends… With Amanda…

She lives just one block from here, Eliza realized,
turning her head towards her best friend’s house. I think it’s within my range…

She closed her eyes and breathed
out slowly. When she was calmer, she
opened her eyes and relaxed her body, concentrating on the trees before her.
After a few seconds, the trunk and the leaves faded. A moment later, she could
see through it, but her sight didn’t stop there.

The house behind came closer, and
then its wall became transparent to her. The residents were in her sight, but
only for a second. I don’t wanna spy on
people I don’t know without a reason… I’m not a voyeur.

Eliza dismissed the idea as her
sight moved past the house. My eyes are getting
faster, she realized, relieved she wasn’t feeling any itching or pain yet. This was enough to hurt them at the
beginning, especially when I had no control over it.

The memories of those days flashed
in the back of her mind. No… Don’t think
about it… Don’t think about it. I’m not gonna let it destroy my life again, she
told herself, shutting her eyes for a second.

Just like when she had no control,
her powers continued to work even with the closed eyelids this time. The sudden
change made her sight go back to the previous house, so she cleared her mind
and focused.

A couple of seconds later, she was
seeing the two-store house she had spent so much there, it was almost like her
second home. The beauty salon on the first floor was busy as usual. Though
Amanda didn’t work there officially, she helped her folks with the manicure to
earn some extra cash. At the moment, she was finishing with a client, but
instead of attending to another woman, she went upstairs, washed her hands and
face, and went to study in her bedroom.

If it wasn’t for this stupid
power, I’d probably be studying with her. Or maybe with my ex-boyfriend. I’d be
a normal girl…

Eliza watched for a few minutes
before deactivating her powers. After a couple of seconds, her sight was back
to normal, with only a weak itching. With a tiny smile, she raised her hands
with the unkempt and bitten nails. Amanda always insisted on doing my nails.
She never admitted, but she liked the purple nail polish. I wished we could go back to the way things were…

The urge to see her friend’s face
came back. But she stopped before she
used her powers again. I can’t
abuse this power too much… I almost died because of the pain back then…
Before she relived those days, Eliza walked away.

Without realizing, she was at the
park two blocks from her home. Oh yeah, I
used to come here all the time with Fabio when we were kids, she recalled,
chuckling weakly. How many years it’s
been since we played here?

She sat on the swings, thankful
for the fact the park was empty. She didn’t want anyone seeing her. She held
the chains and swung, going a bit higher each time. Wow! I never reached this height before, she thought, grinning and
throwing her weight forward to go even higher. When she was little, she
remembered crying whenever her father pushed her too high. Why was I so scared of this? It’s almost like I’m flying!

When Eliza was at the highest she
had ever been, something over the park’s fence caught her attention. Digging
her feet into the ground, she stopped swinging and focused. She knew she
shouldn’t use her powers too much, but her curiosity was getting the best of
her.

This time, the trees, plants, the
playground, and the fence became transparent in a heartbeat. She was so excited
it was hard to control her powers, and her sight went beyond what had caught
her attention. Shit.

Eliza closed her eyes and took a
deep breath. When she opened them again, her sight stayed at the alley instead
of going farther. Damn it! Why is it so
dark?

She had learned her power could use
almost every source of light to see brighter. But if the light was too weak,
she couldn’t see properly. Couldn’t this
power work like night vision goggles?

With difficulty, she could tell
there were four people in the alley. The one with a black hoodie had their back
to the fence, so she couldn’t see their face. The other three closed in on the
one in the hoodie.

Hoodie was shorter than the rest,
but that didn’t stop them from kicking the closest one right in the neck. Holy shit! That was a roundhouse kick, Eliza thought, so surprise she lost
control of her powers.

Damn. She breathed out and focused. The
alley was back, and Hoodie was fighting the other two now. More like beating the crap out of them. She was smiling without
realizing it.

C’mon. Turn around, Eliza found herself
wishing for Hoodie to turn around so she could see their face. I don’t wanna keep watching your back.
At the end of the alley, another guy showed up. He stayed in the shadows,
waiting. Eliza was so focused on Hoodie she only noticed his bat at the last
second.

“He’s got a bat!” she screamed as
loud as she could.

Hoodie dodged and kicked the
newcomer in the groin, who fell to the floor with the rest. Then they turned in
the direction of the park

In the dark, Eliza couldn’t make
the face. But due to her enthusiasm, Hoodie’s clothes became transparent. Holy shit… I can’t believe it… Not only had she seen that bruise on the inner
thigh earlier, but she also recognized the winner’s black silky lingerie.

Maybe it’s not Bianca. It can be a coincidence, Eliza told herself. She focused on the face, hoping the light
would become stronger. That didn’t happen, but she saw a lock of red hair under
the hood.

So that bruise wasn’t your boyfriend, huh? Eliza couldn’t stop smiling as she closed her eyes to stop the
burning sensation creeping in around them. I’m
sorry for calling you boring.

Hope you enjoy. You can get the
e-book on Amazon. You can check the first
chapter on the next page.