NOVEL NEXT Chapter 24: Making Friends – Part 2
James sighed as he dragged himself home after meeting with Ren. Dumping his backpack on the floor, James pulled out his textbook and notes. He had a lot of catching up to do if he wanted any hope of passing this exam. Bracing himself, he began reviewing the chapters he had missed.
To James' surprise, the formulas and concepts seemed to come more easily than usual. He worked through practice problems with unusual speed, the solutions flowing together in his mind with intuitiveness he hadn't experienced before.
James leaned back, staring at the finished worksheet in bewilderment. Barely an hour had passed, yet he had absorbed material that would have normally taken all evening.
A thought occurred to him. Could this somehow be Lilia's influence? Was her intelligence stat now enhancing his own mental faculties?
James considered this possibility with unease. If prolonged exposure to Lilia was altering his body and mind, how much of himself would he have left after few years? He shook his head, pushing the unsettling notion aside for now. There were more immediate concerns to deal with.
The next day, James took his seat for the test with his usual nerves. But as he worked through the problems, the answers came readily, just as the night before. To his astonishment, it was almost...easy.
After turning in his test, James felt cautiously optimistic. For once, he might actually get a decent grade in math. The rest of the day passed mostly uneventfully until he met up with his friends after school.
"So, how'd the big test go?" Mia asked.
James rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Honestly? Better than I expected. I was up late studying, so I'm feeling alright about it."
"Hey, see? I knew you had it in you," Nathan said, clapping him on the back. "Now come on, let's go celebrate!"
The four friends headed to the arcade, eager to unwind after a long week. They spent the next few hours immersed in games, laughter and playful trash talk filling the air.
As the evening wore on, James felt the events of the past few days catching up to him. "Hey guys, I think I'm gonna head home early tonight," James said, trying to stifle a yawn.
"What, already?" Nathan said. "The night's still young!"
James gave a tired smile. "Yeah, I know, but I'm pretty beat. You guys stay and have fun though."
"If you're sure..." Mia said, looking slightly disappointed. "Get some rest, we'll catch up tomorrow."
James bid them goodnight and stepped out into the cool evening air. The sun had just set, casting the city in moody twilight.
As he walked, Lilia's phone rang. Finding a secluded spot, he swiftly transformed and answered.
"Lilia speaking," she said smoothly.
"Roland here. I'm calling to congratulate you," the voice on the other end replied. "Excellent work on your first mission. The higher-ups were quite pleased, even if the details were confidential."
Lilia winced remembering the whole ordeal. "I'm glad I could be of service. Is there something else you need?" She replied trying to sound professional.
"As a matter of fact, there is," Roland said. "Consider it a small reward for your efforts. We've deposited 25,000 unidollars into your account."
Lilia's eyes widened. That sum could support her family for a month or two. "That's...very generous, thank you."
The idea that heroes operated without compensation was quite outdated. In reality, to allow more people working as a hero, once you achieved full hero status, the Superhuman Affairs Department (SAD) ☹ would begin compensating you with a salary. Regrettably, this also meant you were subject to a quota you had to meet. But fortunately, as a provisional hero, Lilia wasn't bound by any quotas; however, she also lacked the regular salary.
"You've earned it. Oh, and one other thing," Roland added. "We've gotten reports of suspicious superhuman activity in the Willow District. Unconfirmed, but we'd appreciate if you could do a quick patrol, check things out."
"Sure, It's along the way, anyway." Lilia confirmed "I'll call you back if I find anything." She said before hanging up.
Apparently, she would return home a little later than she had hoped. Nevertheless, she was excited about her first real mission, even if this was most likely a false report. Though, if this somehow turned out to be a test as well, she'd definitely let the NABC know exactly what she thought of them.
The streets remained quiet as Lilia walked through the district. She focused on all of her senses, expanding her awareness to sweep the area for any signs of trouble. But the neighbourhood was still, with only the occasional passerby hurrying home after a long day's work.
As the minutes dragged on with no action, Lilia wondered if perhaps the reports had been mistaken. Still, she diligently scoured every alley and side street, finding nothing amiss.
Just as Lilia was considering cutting her patrol short, Alistair came bounding up in his cat form, having completed his own canvassing of the area.
"Any luck?" Lilia inquired.
The black cat shook his head. "Alas, my search proved fruitless as well, Mistress."
Lilia sighed, feeling somewhat foolish for getting worked up over a false alarm. Still, it was good practice, and she felt a modicum of satisfaction at having been thorough in her search.
As she rounded a street corner, she nearly collided with three familiar figures. She cursed under her breath for having been lost in thought. Had she been a bit more focused, she would have seen them coming.
"Whoa, sorry!" Nathan exclaimed, barely avoiding crashing into Lilia.
Mia's eyes widened in recognition. "Lily! Funny running into you here."
Lilia tensed, cursing internally at her terrible luck. Thinking fast, she forced a smile. "Oh, hey! Yeah, total coincidence seeing you here."
Nathan and Alex glanced at Mia curiously. "You two know each other?" Alex asked.
Mia nodded. "Right, you haven't met her yet. Guys, this is Lily, James's cousin."
Understanding dawned on the Nathan face. "Oh right, the hot cousin James mentioned that one time,"
Mia elbowed Nathan, giving him an intense stare. After recovering, Nathan rubbed his side where he'd been hit, mumbling to himself something about merely stating the truth.
Alex gave Lilia a friendly bow introducing himself. "Nice to meet you. I'm Alex, the idiot nursing his side is Nathan, and it seems you've already met Mia."
"Yeah, we met briefly before when I was in town," Lilia explained.
The three teenagers engaged in a lively conversation with Lilia for several minutes. She found it surprisingly enjoyable to interact with them as Lilia. Even Alex, who was typically reserved around newcomers, seemed at ease in her company.
As the discussion continued, Mia spotted Alistair skulking nearby in his feline form. "Aww, you brought Alistair with you!"
"I thought he was James's cat, though?" Nathan asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
Lilia paused for a moment before responding. "Oh, right. Well, actually, Alistair was mine originally. But he's taken quite a liking to James, so I don't mind him spending time with him as well."
Nathan nodded, his expression clearing. "Got it, that makes sense."
They continued conversing, with Nathan and Alex asking Lilia about herself and life back home. She spun a vague tale about school, hobbies, and family, trying to sound believable without inventing too many details.
At one point, Mia's gaze lingered on Lilia, eyes tracing her elegant features. Nathan noticed and smirked knowingly.
"Getting lost in those pretty eyes, Mia? First James, now his cousin, huh?" he teased.
Mia's cheeks flushed crimson as she shot Nathan an irritated look. "W-what? No! Lily and I are just friends, and same with James obviously."
She shook her head firmly. "I'm not into either of them like that, so stop making stuff up!"
Lilia smiled reassuringly at Mia. "It's alright, he's just messing with you. I know we're only friendly acquaintances."
After a while longer, Lilia politely excused herself, claiming she had to get back home. It wasn't a lie, but the other reason was that she could implicate them in her affairs, Mia already being somewhat implicated.
"It was really nice chatting with you guys," Lilia said warmly. "Maybe we'll run into each other again while I'm visiting."
"Definitely, we'll have to all hang out, James included." Mia replied. The boys nodded in agreement.
With a final farewell, Lilia hurried away, sighing in relief once she was out of view. Running into her friends like that had stressful. But overall, it seemed she enjoyed how vastly different it felt, than their usual outings.
Moira lounged on her chaise, idly swirling a glass of crimson wine as she watched her latest mortal plaything grovel at her feet. The man was utterly captivated by her, gazing up at her with worshipful eyes, begging for the slightest scrap of affection.
She granted him a condescending pat on the head, like one might give an obedient pet. He trembled at her touch, overcome with gratitude. Foolish creature.
As enjoyable as toying with this lamb was, Moira's thoughts kept returning to the strange succubus who had passed through her club recently. Lilia was no ordinary sister, that much was clear. The ease with which she deceived the humans, hiding her true depraved nature from them, was impressive.
Moira herself would have struggled to resist indulging, were she in Lilia's position. Yet somehow, she had endured their foolish "test" with poise. The agent seemed wholly convinced of her noble intent.
She could tell it was at two weeks since Lilia's last feeding. What normal succubus could withstand such all-consuming hunger gnawing at their soul? Lilia's restraint went beyond extraordinary - it was unnatural.
Clearly, she was playing some sort of game. But to what end? The humans believed she wished to be a force for good, but Moira knew better, there were dark desires swirling beneath that innocent facade. She had caught but a glimpse of Lilia's true power, cunningly concealed. It was enough to make even her uneasy.
Perhaps she was a new player angling to establish herself in the city's supernatural underworld. Moira idly wondered if allying with her might prove profitable. With an ancient one as a friend rather than an enemy, her own influence and security could be cemented.
The contract binding Moira to the humans was chafing, limiting her autonomy. But manipulating them into releasing her fully had proven frustratingly difficult. Even her most honeyed words and vigorous bedroom negotiations could only stretch her leash so far.
With someone like Lilia helping to cloud their minds and loosen their foolish morals, however...yes, that could be an advantageous partnership indeed.
The man at Moira's feet whined pleadingly, desperate for more of her divine touch. She smirked, granting him a gentle caress along his cheek. His eyes rolled back in ecstasy at even such a meagre reward.
Pathetic. Still, even livestock could prove amusing when properly trained. Their submission fed her pride and vanity almost as much as their energy sated her hunger. She would not discard them entirely.
But neither would she content herself as some tamed pet, as the humans seemed to wish. Her true nature could only be restrained for so long before breaking free to indulge in endless delights.
With Lilia on her side, Moira could fulfil her deepest appetites to their utmost. Unfettered. Unrestrained. Perhaps they might even share the pleasures of the flesh and a mortal feast. Two sister succubi delighting in dark twin desires.
The possibilities excited Moira. But she knew she must be patient, cautious. Lilia had cunning and certainly an ambition of her own; she would not be easily swayed. This dance would require tact, leverage and knowing precisely when to make her move.
Moira smiled, swirling her wine idly. Great changes were coming; she could feel it in her bones. This city would tremble at what they could unleash unrestrained.
But such pleasures would have to wait. Patience was key. She sighed, turning her attention back to the pitiful mortal man whimpering for her touch. He would have to sate her appetites for today.
Moira drained her glass, then beckoned her plaything to join her on the lounge. His eyes lit up, overflowing with desperate hope and desire. Such easy creatures to mould and pacify.
As she indulged in the man's desperate affections, Moira's mind continued devising strategies for enticing her mysterious sister into an alliance.
Yes, Moira mused as her mortal pet shuddered in ecstasy. They would forge a new age together, shedding false morality to revel in the endless delights their true natures promised.