Winter Spire: Sorceress of Lust Read online

  “You’re not a superwoman, Stella,” she said. “You’re made of flesh and blood, just like everyone else. So take your doctor’s fucking advice.”

  Stella stifled a laugh and nodded. Felix moved to the other side of her and the three of them started off toward the stairwell.

  “You did good, Felix,” said Stella. “Against the Ice Dancer outside.”

  “Uh, thanks,” he said.

  “I’ve been aware of the Ice Dancer for a couple of months now, but I had no idea that she was operating so close to the North Spire.”

  Felix nodded, and a question popped into his head.

  “Why did you send me out to the crystal caves, when we first met?” he asked.

  Stella smiled, looking a little ashamed, and much paler than usual.

  “I didn’t know that the Ice Dancer had moved into them,” she said. “Honestly, I didn’t.”

  “The crystal you asked for…”

  “They’re powerful magical foci,” said Stella. “I would have gone to collect it myself, or sent Dani, but our magical signatures tend to attract otherworldly beings.”

  “That makes sense,” he said.

  “I would never have sent you if I’d known it was going to put you in danger,” said Stella. “I feel even worse now, after what you did to save Dani.”

  “Sorry,” said Dani. “This is all my fault. The Ice Dancer only showed up today because I was outside the tower.”

  “What were you doing out there, anyway?” asked Felix.

  The three of them took a turn in the staircase and started up the next flight.

  “I needed to grab a stuffed animal from inside the school,” she said. “I had permission from Ms. Alexia, if that matters.”

  “Ms. Alexia?” asked Felix.

  “The schoolteacher,” said Stella. “You’ll meet her… eventually.”

  Her voice was quiet, and it sounded as though each word took a great deal of effort. Felix shifted against her, taking a little more weight onto his shoulder. They made it up the last few stairs, down the hallway, and then into Stella’s apartment.

  It was dark inside, save for what little illumination the night sky provided through the kitchen window. The wind whipped against the tower outside, trying to find a way through the thick walls and insulation.

  Dani bustled around, turning on lights, while Felix helped Stella to her room. Her bed was perfectly made, and he pulled back the sheets and comforter to help her into it.

  “Dani will have to help you undress,” said Felix.

  “I can do it,” said Stella. “I’m not handicapped, just tired.”

  Felix smiled at her.

  “Alright then,” he said. “Just let either of us know if you need anything.”

  Felix walked out of her room, closing the door behind him. Dani was in the living room. She had a robe on similar to her mother’s except deep maroon in color, with navy blue trim.

  “You’ll have to take the first shift,” she said.

  “Excuse me?”

  Dani looked up at him. She was pulling out a tiny vial, along with a small purple velvet bag.

  “I need to head back outside,” she said. “The Ice Dancer left valuable samples behind. I need to get them.”

  Felix frowned. He took a step back toward Stella’s door, only stopping when Dani shot him a harsh look.

  “No, don’t bring my mom into this,” said Dani. “Trust me, Felix. If she was well enough to move around, she’d be doing this herself.”

  “Dani, it could still be out there!”

  “Not after the damage my mom did to it,” she said. “I will be perfectly safe. And getting these samples will help us understand what we’re dealing with.”

  “Dani-“

  “I’m going,” said Dani. “You can’t stop me, and I’d rather not have to use my magic on you.”

  Felix frowned, feeling increasingly annoyed with her.

  “And what about what Dr. Monique said about her not sleeping alone?” he asked. “Specifically, the skin to skin contact part?”

  “Would you grow up?” asked Dani. “Just leave your boxers on and control yourself.”

  Before he could object any further, Dani was out the door. Felix rubbed his temples, feeling the oncoming signs of an irritation induced headache. He slowly made his way back over to Stella’s room and slipped inside.

  “Hey, Stella?” he said, cautiously.

  “I heard everything.”

  “Oh.”

  Stella sat up in the bed. The overhead light was off, but a shaft of moonlight illuminated her body, and more specifically, her lack of clothing. She still had her bra on and presumably panties underneath the sheets, but enough was showing to be erotic, and compelling.

  “Felix, you can sleep in your own bed,” said Stella. “I’ll be fine. And Danica is right about getting the samples. I should have thought of that earlier.”

  Felix sighed and started pulling off his clothing. He left his boxers on and hunched over in an attempt at hiding his growing erection.

  “I have to warm you up, Stella,” he said.

  She shifted on the bed, her breasts bouncing as she made room for him.

  “Then climb on in,” she said, smiling.

  CHAPTER 21

  The bed was smaller than it looked from an outside perspective. Felix was in direct contact with Stella as soon as he slipped under the covers, which he reminded himself, was the point.

  “Comfy?” asked Stella.

  “Yeah,” said Felix. “Well, kind of.”

  “Here, I’ll turn this way…” She shifted so that her back, and more importantly, her butt, was toward him. “And then you can push against from behind.”

  Her phrasing made Felix’s cock grow even harder, but he moved into position. His erection found its natural place against her buttocks. He let one of his arms drape over Stella, slipping the other behind her pillow.

  “Alright,” said Felix. “Are you, uh, feeling warmer?”

  Stella laughed.

  “I think we have to stay like this for a while,” she said. “If you want to properly warm me up, at least.”

  She shifted against him, her buttocks practically massaging his cock from either side. Felix could smell the faint scent of her perfume. It was like nothing else he’d experienced before, sweet and magical.

  “Stella…” said Felix. “This is going to be hard for me.”

  “It’s already hard for you,” she whispered. “I can feel it.”

  Felix sighed, unsure of how to respond.

  “It’s my fault,” she said. “Probably some of the lingering effects from the lust magic I used on you yesterday.”

  “I’m 24, Stella,” said Felix. “And you’re, well, you’re a very… attractive woman.”

  He tried to find the polite word for it, unsure of whether calling Stella sexy would be appropriate in the situation. She laughed, sensing the tension in him.

  “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised.” Stella shifted against him, unintentionally sliding her buttocks against his cock. “Though you shouldn’t let Dani hear you saying things like that.”

  “Why not?” asked Felix.

  “Never mind,” she said. “Pretend like I didn’t say anything.”

  A silent moment went by in agonizing slowness. Felix couldn’t stop himself from shifting against her, rubbing his cock against her butt and delighting in the pleasure it sent pulsing through him. His hand was sliding across her naked, toned stomach, heading for her big, soft breasts.

  “Oooh.” Stella giggled nervously. “This is really hard for you.”

  “Yeah.”

  “What are you thinking about right now?”

  “Uhh…” Felix bit his lip, knowing that there was no way he could safely answer.

  “I think I know what you’re thinking about,” whispered Stella. “This is the emotion my magic draws from, after all.”

  She slipped up slightly on the bed. The movement caused Felix’s cock to pop
free through the sliphole of his boxers. He started to move to fix it, but before he could, Stella closed her thighs against it, trapping his cock in between her luscious, naked legs.

  “I know exactly what you’re thinking about,” she whispered. “You’re thinking about what I would look like, what I would feel like, naked.”

  Stella pushed her hips forward, keeping her thigh grip on his cock. The effect was insanely pleasurable, and Felix gasped as his mind began to fog over with desire.

  “You’re thinking about fucking me,” whispered Stella. “Slamming your big, hard cock into me.”

  “Stella!” Felix thrust forward into her thighs. She moved against him, rewarding him for reasons unknown.

  “I think you deserve a reward for saving Dani,” said Stella. “But obviously, we have to keep things safe and clear cut.”

  A pink glow came from underneath the sheets and comforter, bright enough to shine through the multiple layers of fabric. Felix felt a single finger touch the tip of his cock. Pleasure unlike anything he’d felt before rushed through him, pleasure so good and perfect that he could feel insanity and addiction pulling at the edge of his awareness.

  “Oh… my god.” Felix’s entire body went rigid, as though all of him were just as hard and erect as his member. Stella slid away from him on the bed.

  “Feels good, doesn’t it?” asked Stella. “Here, let me add in another illusion.”

  She muttered something under her breath, and a vaguely gorgeous woman appeared over Felix on the bed. She had big breasts, but not too big. Her butt was the perfect shape and size, her hair was of average length and indeterminate color. The only thing he could make out of her face was the expression, one filled with coy sexuality and desire.

  The illusionary woman lowered herself down onto Felix’s cock and began to ride with gentle, perfect movements. Felix looked over at Stella, who was watching the scene with an unreadable look on her face.

  “Why?” he asked. Stella shrugged.

  “What do you mean, why?” she replied. “I’m a sorceress, Felix. I do magic, and I help people.”

  The illusionary woman was riding him with fast, graceful movements. Felix reached his hands up and was a little surprised to find that they slid right through her. As though in apology, the illusion dangled her perfect breasts in his face and increased the pleasure coursing through him even further.

  “Stella,” moaned Felix. He looked over at her and met her gaze. She held his eye for a moment, a moment which felt more illicit, more outside of the bounds of what they should be doing than anything else that’d happened between them.

  “I’ll get you a towel,” whispered Stella. She got up and disappeared through the door to her room. Felix watched her butt and the way her hips swayed from side to side, and began to cum, his orgasm ricocheting through his body and making him shake with pleasure.

  CHAPTER 22

  Felix lay with Stella in her bed, bearing the uncomfortable silence, until her breathing finally steadied into the familiar pattern of sleep. He tried to parse through the events of the day and come up with a new plan of action, but his thinking was slow, and his eyes were tired.

  The one thought he did spend energy sparring off against was how badly he felt like he needed to get moving. It was impossible, with the intermittent ice storm, and the roads the way they were, but the idea of him staying in North Spire and trying to blend in with the strange community seemed just as impossible. He wasn’t capable of it, like a man with a twitchy leg trying to sit totally still.

  A noise from outside Stella’s room awoke him, though he hadn’t realized he’d been sleeping. Felix climbed out of bed, pulling clothes back on in a hurried rush as he made his way into the living room.

  “Hey,” said Dani. “I managed to… What’s wrong?”

  In his haste, Felix had done a poor job of making himself look like he hadn’t just gotten laid. He frowned and hurried to fix it, smoothing out his hair as he did, and doing nothing to placate Dani’s suspicions.

  “Did something… happen?” Dani’s voice wavered slightly, and it was apparent to Felix that she was asking a question that she didn’t want to know the answer to.

  “No,” said Felix. “I mean, not really.”

  Dani looked away from him, turning her eyes toward the ceiling and holding her hand against her mouth.

  “You’re not serious, are you?” she asked, quietly. “You and… my mom?”

  “No!” said Felix. “It’s not like that. But there was a complication, and she cast a spell to, uh, fix it.”

  Dani calmed down, if only slightly. She nodded slowly, scanning Felix’s face for something.

  “Even that is still a little weird,” she said. “But I mean, I guess it’s not that bad. If you and her weren’t actually…”

  Felix held his tongue and silently gave thanks.

  “Anyway,” he said. “She seems to be doing better. She’s getting some sleep, and her skin feels warmer.”

  “Good,” said Dani. “I’ll head on in and climb in to take my shift.”

  She smiled at Felix and he smiled back. The moment went on for a half second longer than it should have.

  “Alright,” said Felix. “I’m going to go to sleep.”

  “Of course.”

  The next morning was a process of discovering injuries that he hadn’t realized he’d had. Felix’s shoulder felt as though someone had popped it out of socket and then back in again. His hamstrings ached, and for some reason, breathing brought with it tiny, shooting pains.

  There was food on the dining room table, and a half naked Dani sat in front of a plate, oblivious to his presence. Felix winced and then cleared his throat.

  “…Good morning, Dani.”

  She jumped out of her seat, blushing fiercely. She wore only her bra and panties, white with a blue flora pattern and white with pink hearts. She covered herself as though she totally naked and hurried off to her room, her medium length brown hair trailing behind her.

  Felix made himself a plate and started eating, too tired to feel awkward anymore. Dani reemerged after a minute in jeans and a tight pink t-shirt.

  “Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t think you were going to be awake until later.”

  Felix raised an eyebrow at her. It was already late enough in the morning for breakfast to be on the table, and a glance at the shoes next to the door told him that Stella was already out and about.

  “Don’t worry about it.” Felix smiled. “You’re my host sister, remember.”

  Dani shot him back a glare that was part annoyed and part playful. Felix took a bite of toast and chewed slowly.

  “So what’s on the agenda for today?” he asked. “Are we going to get attacked by the abominable snowman?”

  “Very funny.” Dani rolled her eyes. “Today is special, for your information. It’s the day of the Winter Festival.”

  “Christmas isn’t for another two weeks.”

  “It’s not like that,” said Dani. “The Winter Festival is more of a… celebration of snow.”

  “Celebration of snow?”

  “Not just of that.” Dani shrugged, looking a little embarrassed. “It’s a celebration of what we have here. Of our community, and our way life is here.”

  “That sounds positively riveting,” said Felix.

  “Figures a loner like you would say something like that,” said Dani. “But really, you should give it a try. If anything could convince you to stick around, it would be, well, this.”

  Dani focused her attention down at her plate, as though she’d said a little too much.

  “I’ll join in for it,” he said, knowing it was what she wanted to hear. “It honestly does sound kind of like fun.”

  “Really?” Dani grinned at him. “I’m helping set things this morning and afternoon. If you’re interested, I could use a hand with that, too.”

  Felix shrugged.

  “Uh, sure, why not,” he said.

  The front door swung open and St
ella walked into the apartment. She had on a skirt and blouse, along with thick black leggings and thigh high, girlish leather boots.

  “Felix,” she snapped. “I need you.”

  Felix raised an eyebrow at her, and Dani shot her mom a look.

  “I checked the main generator, down in the second level basement,” she said. “Someone cut the line.”

  “What?” asked Felix.

  “Someone cut the line to it,” she said. “We’re running on backup power right now. The mayor has people working on repairs, but this was no accident.”

  “The Ice Dancer’s thrall,” he said. “Do you think they’ll try something else?”

  “It’s almost guaranteed, given that the Winter Festival is tonight.” Stella sighed, not bothering to take her boots off as she walked into the living room. “I need you to help me get to the bottom of this. You and your camera.”

  “What do you need me to-“

  “He’s helping me set up the Winter Festival today, Mom,” said Dani.

  “You can have him when I’m done,” said Stella.

  Dani’s chair screeched across the floor as she stood up abruptly.

  “I don’t want him when you’re done,” she said, her voice sharp. “And besides, I asked him first.”

  “I can do both.” Felix held out his hands in what he hoped was a gregarious, open gesture. “I’ll help Dani with the festival in the morning, search for clues to who the Ice Dancer’s thrall in during the afternoon.”

  “Felix, what I’m asking for could mean life or death.” Stella folded her arms and frowned.

  “I can keep my eyes open while I’m helping Dani set up,” said Felix. “Besides, taking photos and collecting evidence of anyone or anything that looks suspicious will be easier if I have a cover story, something that I’m doing at the same time to blend in.”

  Stella sighed and waved her hand dismissively.

  “Whatever,” she said. “But seriously, stay focused. No funny business.”

  “Mother, please,” said Dani.

  Felix took a deep, calming breath, and focused on finishing his food.

  CHAPTER 23