A Halloween Tail

The pout was still incredibly prominent. I hadn't expected her to be so vulnerable.

"Then... why did you pull it away? I was enjoying that." She was enjoying that?

"Because... er..." How was I supposed to tell a demon with the (possible) emotional quotient of a hand grenade that I was scared she was going to hurt me, without her exploding and, well, hurting me?

She sat at my feet, looking up at me for all the world like I'd cancelled her birthday party. I couldn't bear the look any longer.

"I'm sorry, okay? You made me nervous, cutting through my underwear. I'm just... not used to having something that sharp so close to my... bits."

She chewed on her lip and her brow furrowed in a thoughtful look that was, frankly, extremely cute. But then, she was so out-of-this-world gorgeous, that pretty much anything she did was cute.

"I don't understand. You summoned me. Why would you be scared of me?"

Now it was my turn for the furrowed brow.

"You mean to say... you won't hurt me?"

"I can't hurt you. You bound me to you."

I guess I did at that.

And now I was having all sorts of doubts about consent and slavery and exploitation.

I hadn't expected her to be so... human.

Yet that was quite the trap to fall in. Hadn't the worst crimes in the history of humanity occurred because of man's ability to dehumanise man? And now I'd done exactly that.

I'd bound her to me.

Crap.

"I'm really sorry..." I'm really sorry name. Name usually goes there. I didn't even know her name. This was all wrong, and it was all my fault.

I took a deep breath.

"Listen, I've made a bunch of mistakes. Can we start over?"

She just nodded, looking up at me with those wide, mournful eyes.

"Okay. So... how about you tell me your name?"

She closed her eyes and opened them again, for all the world as if she'd blinked slowly. "Lilialaiaelilith."

"Lil... Er. Okay. Can I call you 'Lily'?"

She nodded.

"Nice to meet you, Lily. I'm Abby, by the way."

She nodded again.

Wow, how quickly our dynamic had changed. Just five minutes before she was oozing sex and confidence, seducing me like a pro, and now... now she was a vulnerable girl, hugging my knee. She was supposed to be terrifyingly competent, ancient in her magic, malevolent, manipulative, wise in her centuries of experience. Something to bind and control, respect and fear.

Instead she seemed all too... real.

I wasn't quite sure what to do with her.

No, that wasn't true. I knew exactly what I should do with her. I sighed.

"Listen, Lily, I... I made a mistake. I should never have summoned you. I didn't mean to... to bind you to me."

The pout came back so fast I only had a fleeting moment to realise it had ever gone. "You... you don't want me?"

Oh, for fuck's sake. Now she wanted to be a bound slave? I couldn't keep up.

But then, I supposed she'd never said she hadn't wanted it. I'd presumed. I'd overlain my own values onto her, without consideration for what she might want. All because I wanted to give due consideration for her wants. I'd told her I didn't want to bind her to me, all because I wanted to treat her with respect - and now it seemed she wanted to be bound to me.

I could feel a headache coming on.

I ploughed on. Perhaps honesty could see us through.

I fixated on the barely touched wine glass still held in my hands, in preference for seeing more hurt in her eyes. "I've never done this before. I didn't know the rules. I... I set out to summon you - well, not you, precisely, but a demon. And I didn't think it through. I didn't expect you to be so... so... lovely. And now... now you're bound to me, and... and I feel like... I've robbed you of your freedom."

She slid one hand along the inside of my knee, well under the hem of my skirt, her fingers lightly caressing. "You think I'm lovely?"

I lifted my gaze. The pout had gone, and now she looked at me with utter adoration.

I shook my head in frustration. "You're only responding like this because I bound you."

Dammit. None of it was real.

Who knew that summoning a Lust Demon would have me complaining it didn't feel real? Yeah. Maybe should've seen that coming.

She smiled, those beautiful lips slowly curling up at the corners. God, she was sexy.

"Do you know how often Lust Demons get summoned?" she asked.

I shook my head. I hardly knew anything.

"Well... a lot less now than it used to be, I suppose. I can't deny it's been a lot quieter these past couple of centuries. But... it used to happen a lot. I've been summoned... oh, maybe two dozen times."

I nodded, listening. I'd only blinked when she'd casually referred to the passing of centuries as a quiet moment of rest and relaxation. I supposed there was only so much surreal I could take in one evening before it just began to wash over me.

Her fingers curled against my thigh, and I realised at some point I had spread my knees for her. It had been subconscious; I hadn't even realised.

I made no attempt to move, fearing it might upset the delicate balance we'd established. Instead, I chewed my lip and tried not to squirm. Her tail lay across my skirt, the tip swaying gracefully back and forth as she talked.

"Every time I've been summoned it's been the same. I've only ever been a sex toy for my master, used and discarded." It wasn't until she lifted her eyes to mine that I realised she'd been talking to my skirt. Her expression was earnest, her eyes expressive. "I'd never been summoned by a girl before."

I cringed within. I dare not tell her I hadn't actually been trying for a girl-Lust-Demon. In that regard, I still hadn't worked out what had happened.

It would never even have occurred to me to summon a girl. And yet... looking at Lily now... I was glad I had. Even though it was an accident.

I guess I'd expected to be able to use the demon for what I wanted, and be done with them.

But I'd never expected Lily.

So much of my life had been focused on this moment. I'd finally achieved it, only now to realise how wrong it was.

"I'm sorry I summoned you, Lily." And, girl or not, it was true. I had no idea it was going to be like this, that I'd feel this way.

I felt miserable.

"I'm not."

She said it with such adamancy that I felt a flare of hope. But then I realised: she was bound to me.

"You're only saying that because you have to."

I would take her back to my flat and work out how to reverse this damn spell.

She smiled at me. "You summoned me, Abby. But I'm still me; I can express myself as I wish. Oh, if you command me, I have to obey... but if I say 'I'm not'..." her fingers slipped higher on my leg, brushing teasingly against the juncture of my thigh, "...then I mean 'I'm not'."

My breath caught in my throat.

"You're driving me wild," I whispered to her.

"Good." She grinned, mischievously.

"You're making it difficult to think!"

"Sorry-not-sorry," and her grin widened. But she did withdraw her hand. Not much, but a bit.

I shook my head. "I can't believe you say things like 'sorry-not-sorry'. I would expect you to say things like 'Muchly doth I regret', instead."

She laughed. "I like to think I'm reasonably up to date, despite my advanced years."

She had the appearance of a woman in her early twenties. She probably counted her centuries in twenties.

"How old are you?" I asked, suddenly curious.

She shrugged. "I've no idea. Old enough to remember Hadrian. I believe he built a wall somewhere north of here."

I blinked. My history was fuzzy, but wasn't that in the time of the Roman Empire?

She looked great for her age, I had to give her that.

I shook myself. "So, where do we go from here? I had half a mind to take you back to my flat and figure out how to undo this mess."

She smiled. "I'd love to go back to your flat. This party has about run its course, don't you think?"

I glanced around us. The party seemed as lively now as it had a half hour ago, and I knew Julia would still consider it early.

I met her eyes. "I'll get you back home, I promise. I'm really very sorry, Lily."

She placed a kiss on my knee. "I don't want to go home, Abby. I have other reasons for wanting you alone."

A shiver ran through me.

She smiled, feeling it. She placed small licks along the inside of my leg, and though her position meant she couldn't reach far, the implication was perfectly clear.

"Can we leave now, Abby?"

I glanced at the time. Unbelievably, it was still ten minutes short of midnight. Had we really been together for such a brief time?

"I think Julia would want me to stay longer."

"Let me speak to her."

This I wanted to see. Julia's exclamations versus Lily's seduction. "Okay."

Her eyes lit up as though I'd told her tomorrow was Christmas.

She rocked back on her ass and slipped her feet beneath her, rising to stand. Even that simple move she made seem graceful and fluid. She was so much fun to watch.

She held her hand out to me and when I took it she pulled me to my feet. "Which one is Julia?"

"The one that tries to stop us leaving."

Her grin was irresistible. And she didn't let go of my hand.

I led her through the crowded flat toward the front door. She clung to my hand with both of hers, walking behind me, yet somehow managing to avoid treading on my ankles. More than once we needed to side-step people who didn't seem to notice I was there. It was eerie. Pretty cool, though. There'd been times in my life when I would've killed for such a trick... and many other times when I'd already felt invisible.

"Can they see me?" I asked Lily, turning my head to murmur back at her.

"Sure they can. I've just encouraged them to... focus elsewhere."

"Oh."

Our route took us past a window, and outside the rain had finally arrived. "Crap," I said, looking glumly at the weather.

Maybe an Uber home would be a good idea. Worth the cost.

"Don't worry, I have something to keep you warm."

I glanced at her, gratefully. "While your innuendos will always be welcome, unless you can keep the rain off, we're going to get very wet. Wait... can you keep the rain off?"

She laughed, a delightfully playful sound. "Not on you, no. But I brought your coat."

I blinked at her in surprise. "You... brought my coat?"

"Yes. It was on your bed."

"You... were in my flat?"

She smiled at me. "Of course I was, silly. You summoned me there."

"Oh," I said, my voice small. Of course.

Wait. Not 'of course' at all.

"But... but you weren't there!"

"I was there. You weren't there when I arrived."

"Oh." I seemed to be saying that a lot. "But... how did you know I was here?"

She squeezed my hand. "I'm bound to you, Abby. I'll always know where you are."

"O... right."

We stepped around a very large pumpkin perched on a small table, and dodged someone in a batman costume.

"Abbs! You're not leaving are you?"

Julia was like a little ball of sunshine, bouncing along and dazzling. I could never quite remember why we were friends, only that, somehow, we were.

"It's getting late, honey. It's after midnight." I hoped. I didn't really know.

"It's Halloween! Surely you can..."

I felt Lily's presence grow. She hadn't particularly moved; I wasn't even aware of her standing taller, or lifting her chin, or some such thing. One moment she was clutching my hand, standing behind me, and the next moment she was... There.

"Oh!" Julia seemed taken aback. I couldn't really blame her. "You... you've made a friend."

"Yes, er... Juls, this is Lily. Lily - my friend, Julia."

It felt weird doing the introductions at Julia's own party, especially as she'd spend the first half of the evening introducing me.

Julia's eyes flicked from Lily to me and back to Lily. I couldn't blame her for that, either.

"Gosh, you're stunning!" Or that. Poor Julia, ambushed by the vision that was Lily; unaware one moment, blinded by her beauty the next. And Julia wasn't even - as far as I knew - particularly into girls. Lily would change anyone's mind. "I love your costume! That body paint is unbelievable!"

I blinked, glancing back at Lily. What body paint? Granted, her skin was a gorgeous olive colour, but that was its natural tone. Her makeup was light, and artistically applied - but one wouldn't call that 'body paint'. Clearly Julia was seeing something different.

"It was a lovely party," Lily said, her voice almost a purr. "We've both had such a nice time. But it is getting late, isn't it?"

Wow. Like, wow. Such simple words, yet coming from her they positively dripped innuendo. It was as if she'd just told Julia we'd spent the evening fucking in the corner of her living room and now needed to head home to finish what we'd started.

I felt a blush rise in my cheeks. It all felt a bit too close to the truth.

"Oh my," Julia managed, looking between us again, her eyes wide. "I quite understand. And here I am, nattering away." She stepped to the side, physically making a path for us. "Abbs you'll... er... call me tomorrow?"

Rarely had I heard her so reticent, but I knew exactly why she wanted me to call her. Anyone who'd met Lily would want to hear all the details.

"Sure I will." Not.

The skeleton by the door was wearing my coat like a cape. I glanced at Lily, raising an eyebrow.

"Where was I supposed to put it?" she asked innocently.

Innocent was one thing I was pretty sure she was not, but she certainly managed to give a good rendition. All part of her charm, I supposed.

She relieved the skeleton of my coat - he didn't seem to mind - and held it out for me to slip on.

I eyed Lily, thinking of the weather outside. At least I had a cardigan; all she had was a leather corset.

"You're going to freeze outside. You wear it. I'll be fine."

"I'm a demon. A creature of fire. Trust me, Abby, I can keep myself warm." She lifted the coat and gave me an encouraging nod.

I laughed softly and acquiesced. "When you put it like that..."

It took but a moment to slip my arms into the coat, and she settled it about my shoulders. Then I felt her hands run down my back, over the soft material, and on lower still, until she cupped my ass.

"It's a lovely coat," she whispered, her lips against my ear. Her breath tickled my skin. "Can we leave now?"

Hell, yes. It was definitely time to go.

We left the flat and called the lift. She took my hand in both of hers again, pushing herself against my back, her presence comforting.

I couldn't believe she was a demon. She acted more like a playful puppy.

The doors opened and together we stepped in, and I thumbed the button for the foyer.

Barely had the doors closed when she pushed me against the wall, her mouth on mine, kissing me hungrily, catching me by surprise.

Okay, so half the time like a puppy, and half the time like a demonic dominatrix.

I whimpered as she kissed me and she echoed the sound, our tongues entwining as her hands slipped inside my coat. Her tail curled around, snaking about my thigh, squeezing gently. I felt her fingers slip beneath my cardigan, finding bare skin at my waist, lightly caressing along my flank and around over my stomach. Her touch sent shivers through me, and I trembled against her. Fuck, she knew how to turn me on. Was it always like this with a woman? Had I been doing it wrong, all these years, wasting my time with men? Or was it just because it was Lily?

The lift shuddered to a halt, announcing its success with a smug ping. The doors opened and Lily stepped back, a small smile playing across her lips.

She led us outside, and this time I held her hand in both of mine, following along behind her. The reversal of roles was intoxicating.

It was raining hard. I had to stop and close my coat, pulling the collar up around my neck. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Do I look like I'm wet?"

I blinked, staring at her. She didn't have a drop of rain on her, but instead there was a halo of steam rising from her body. Was she boiling the water before it struck her? If she was that hot, wouldn't she burn me?

She reached for my hand and I almost recoiled, but she felt the same as she had before. Warm, yes, but no more than usual. Soft. Comforting.

She leant in, her expression playful. "I have a confession to make: I am wet. Let's go home?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice. She was wet, and not from the rain. That made two of us, but I was getting wetter. From the rain, I mean. Fuck, even my own thoughts were confusing me.

Home. I was taking my Lust Demon home.

Together, we walked down the street, our hands conjoined as they always seemed to be. It was like we needed the contact. I wondered if that was an effect of the summoning, or merely what we wanted. I realised how little I knew.

"Lily?"

"Mmm?"

"What can you tell me about... well, how this all works?"

She glanced across at me as we walked. "You're not like the other summoners I've met, Abby. They were all power-hungry, self-obsessed mercenary types just looking to bind a demon to line their own pockets and slate their depraved hungers."

"Oh, haha. Yeah. I'm not like that." Shit, that was exactly what I was. Can't a girl change? "I'm sorry I summoned you, Lily. I'll... work out a way to set you free." So I'd be in debt for a few more... years. At least I'd be able to look in the mirror without cringing.

She squeezed my hand. "Why did you summon me?"

Ah. I should've anticipated that. Quick, lie. Convincingly. "I... um... found a book, and, um... Well, the truth is, I actually was expecting a male Lust Demon." Smooth, Abby, real smooth. Way to make her feel wanted. I didn't know why I'd said that. I hadn't intended to tell her, it had just slipped out.

"Tua, tuus. To-may-to, to-mah-to," she laughed softly, a bitter tone to it.

It took me a moment, then I realised she was referring to the Latin I'd used. Tua ad me venies, ego iubeo! Oh, of course! In Latin, "You" was masculine or feminine. What an idiot I was. Months studying, to miss such an obvious thing.

But of course the originators of that spell would want a girl demon. The implications were... unpleasant. And not least because I saw my own decisions reflected in them.

I stopped in the street, turning toward her. She stopped too, her beautiful eyes reflecting the hurt I'd just caused. It was just us, the rain, and, from somewhere, a strong smell of rotting cabbage.

"Lily... listen. I... I'm being honest with you. I summoned you by accident, and it was a dumb thing to do. I didn't realise you'd be... anything like this. I promise you I'll find a way to reverse this." How? I know that damn book off by heart, and there's nothing in there to unbind a demon. Would it work if I simply banished her, or would she still be bound to me? One problem at a time. There had to be an answer somewhere.

She was just staring at me, looking vulnerable and unwanted. We were back to puppies, only this one seemed lost.

I lifted our linked hands, holding them between our chests. "I know I didn't mean to summon you, but... I'm so glad I did. You're amazing, Lily, and... and I've loved every moment I've spent with you."

I hadn't really thought through what I wanted to say. My delivery had been stilted and nervous. But her expression changed, and she gazed at me with adoration.

"Oh, Abby! I've never -"

"Well, looky, looky here!"

I turned in surprise as two men approached from behind some wheelie bins. They wore dirty clothes and ragged beards, and quickly stepped either side of us, blocking our way down the street. I pulled Lily in behind me, turning to face them, and now we had our backs to the wall.