Author's Note: Kudos to djkauf for betaing this for me. This is my rendition of Darkchylde, obviously. It is finished and I'm posting it in about 10k word chunks.

Two sharp raps sounded on my door. That’s what woke me.

“I’m heading out, hot shot. Two more days until school. Wake up.”

I groaned and turned over. Cracking an eye open I found myself in my room, on my bed.

“Man, no more peppers on my pizza. Those dreams were fucked up.”

It was bound to be a combination of everything: the threats, the pizza, and boning Susan that made me think that her brother had broken into the cellar and tried to dislocate my arm.

I tossed the covers off and sat up. The thing was that something wasn’t normal. Looking down, I saw that I was wearing an oversized t-shirt and nothing else. I rubbed my eyes. Normally I just wore my underwear to bed.

“I must have really been out of it.”

With a second thought, I tongued the tooth that I dreamed was missing. Satisfied that it was secure and Terry’s appearance was, in fact, a dream, I got up and made my way to the bathroom shedding the t-shirt on the way.

The hot shower woke me up to the point that I remembered Susan would be by again. I checked my legs for any hairs that might have shown back up, but I was still smooth as the day I was scorched. In preparation for what she had in store for me, I tossed one off down the drain, so I wouldn’t shoot off too early like I did the previous day. There was no need in letting her think that I was premature ejaculation boy or anything. Though I’d probably be expected to perform the same action I did before.

I never thought it would be such a turn on for someone like her for me to go down for seconds, but as long as I wore a condom then I didn’t have any problems with doing it.

Before heading downstairs I dug in my stash of condoms and grabbed a handful to store down in the cellar, Boy Scout motto and all.

It only took a brief look in the refrigerator to know that I was still full from the pizza the previous night. Instead, I grabbed some juice and emptied a glass. Checking the time, I pulled out my cell and called Susan again.

“Ariel?”

“Hey, I got your message and called, but you turned off your phone.”

“Yeah, sorry. I was up with my parents last night and it would have been a bad idea to talk to you right then. You didn’t run into Terry did you?”

“Nah, I picked up some pizza and stayed in last night.”

She sighed. “He didn’t come home.”

“What happened?”

“Me and him got in a big fight about me seeing you. He said he was going to do that stupid arm ripping thing, and I told him I’d tell everyone about his secrets if he so much as touched you.”

I felt like laughing, but held it in to be a little tactful. “Must be something big if that stopped him.”

She growled in frustration. “He’s done this before. My last boyfriend wound up in the hospital and Terry got probation and anger management classes. He knows better.”

That took the humor out of the whole situation. “Do I need to worry or anything?”

There was a brief pause. “I don’t think so. If he was going to do something it would have been last night. Maybe that’s why he took off, to cool down.”

I nodded to the phone. “Then it’s a good thing. It means he’s controlling himself.”

“I guess.” Another pause went by. “Look, do you mind if we do a rain check for this morning? I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to disappear for any length of time while he’s gone.”

“Susan,” I said with as much compassion as I could, considering the circumstances. “As much as I was looking forward to you coming over, you need to take care of your family first. I’m not going anywhere and you know how to get in touch with me.”

A relived sigh came back over the line. “You’re great in bed and you’re sweet: the perfect boyfriend.”

“And you’re the perfect girlfriend: you said I was great in bed.”

Susan snorted. “See, now you just blew the image. I’ll call you later once I know more, Ariel.”

“Bye.”

Thumbing the cell off, I groaned. “Great, no sex this morning. Fucking Terry and his stupid issues.”

It almost made me wish last night’s dream was real. The thought of growing a big green clawed hand and using it to rip him to shreds was kind of appealing at the moment. The part where I ate the evidence was what turned my stomach. Guh.

“I don’t even remember playing Duty Calls last night. I must have been seriously out of it.”

Meh.

When I went down into the cellar, I looked around and everything was in its place which put to rest the reality of my freaked out subconscious. I retrieved a Coke and flipped on the TV and 360 before grabbing the controller and kicking back on the hideaway.

Opening the menu, I noticed that I did, in fact, play through the first level, but the odd part was the profile name I’d entered.

Darkchylde.

I was usually just Ari. The good thing was I seriously kicked some ass. I pulled up the profile to see what kind of character I was playing and it was a chick, but her stats rocked. The guys back home would have made some serious fun of me for choosing a girl to play, but with results like this they couldn’t argue it wasn’t worth it.

The suck part was I couldn’t really get into the second level. Every time I tried, I got booted back out.

“Damn defective disc. That’s probably why I shut it off last night.”

I flipped the TV off and stored the disc on top of the 360 until I could get a replacement.

Instead of gaming, I pulled out the book and looked at it again. With a sigh I turned it around and opened the back to take another look at the dragon symbol.

The thought of whacking off and seeing if it would disappear a second time went through my head, but seriously, who does stuff like that; deranged people, that’s who, and people who dream of being a demon aside, Jeffery Dahmer I was not.

Instead, I pointed at it. “No sperm for you.”

“Hello in the cellar!” Someone called down and knocked on the door.

It sounded like an older guy which made me wonder what was going on. I’d had more visitors in the last few days than I used to in the city. Who said the country was boring?

When I opened the door I was surprised to see a representative from the local Sherriff’s office standing there.

Being the son of a lawyer, I held a certain respect for law enforcement. Not too much, mind you, but enough to know that I was to be nice and respectful and not give them any reason to arrest me.

“Uh, hi.”

“Morning. You live here?”

I shrugged. “Not in the cellar, the house. I’m Ariel Chylde. We moved in a few days ago.”

“We?”

“My dad and I. Is there a problem?”

He looked me up and down and then started to eye the stairway below. “You know Terry Coomes?”

Oh, they were looking for him. “I know of him. I’m dating his sister, Susan. She said he went off in a huff last night.”

The deputy nodded. “That’s about right. You wouldn’t know anything about where he ended up would you?”

I gave him my best confused face, mainly because I was genuinely confused. “Uh, no. As far as I know he didn’t come by here, or if he did I didn’t see him.”

With a motion of his eyes and chin the deputy pointed downstairs. “You mind if I take a look?”

I gave him a halfhearted chuckle. “If I let you in without a warrant my dad would have a cow. He’s a lawyer. Let me call him and get permission.”

The deputy worked his tongue around his mouth still assessing me while I pulled out my cell.

“What’s up, sport?”

“Dad, a Sheriff’s Deputy is here and he wants to take a look in the cellar for my girlfriend’s brother.”

“He does? Well you just tell him… hold on, you have a girlfriend?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, as of two days ago.”

“What’s her brother doing in our storm cellar?”

“He’s not down there. From what Susan says he got bent out of shape about us dating and left their house last night. They thought he might come over here to vent his frustrations. That’s why I stayed in.”

He sighed. “Is there anything incriminating in the cellar.”

“Dad!”

“Ari, I’m serious. Is it clean? Are you involved in this?”

“Yes and no.”

“Then let him look.”

That surprised me. “Seriously?” Dad was mega-anal about procedure. If they didn’t have a warrant then they couldn’t look, ever.”

“I’m making an exception, Ari. If you were missing, I’d want people to help out and not stand in the way of looking for you.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Call me back and let me know what’s happening.”

“I will.”

I thumbed off the cell and stepped aside. “He says it’s cool.”

The deputy motioned with his hand. “After you.”

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, there really wasn’t that much to see. The cellar was a big square that was visible from where we were at.

“Where were you from five-thirty on last night?”

I blinked realizing that I was being asked for an alibi. “My Dad woke me up from a nap at six o’clock when he got home from work. I was on the couch in the house. I called for pizza at Pizza Hut soon after that, then I went to pick it up. I came straight back here, we ate it and then I came down here about, uh, six-forty-five to seven, somewhere around there. I played X-box until it was time to go to bed.”

He was scribbling what I was saying down on a little notepad. “Were there any witnesses to you coming down here and playing for that long?”

“No, I was by myself. Look, the X-box is hooked up online. You can check my internet company for the records. That should prove that I was active up until bedtime.”

“I’ll do that.”

Putting my hands on my hips, I eyed him. “Is there a reason you’re treating me like a suspect, Deputy?”

“Should there be a reason?”

There was only so far I was willing to be nice and helpful to the local cops. “Is this a really bad episode of Dukes of Hazzard?”

“You’ll want to watch that mouth, boy.”

I just pursed my lips and pulled my cell back out.

“Who you calling?”

“My dad. If you’re questioning a minor for an investigation, he should be here. I’m very familiar with my rights, Deputy… Harris badge number fourteen and I know when they are being infringed upon. You can probably expect a formal complaint to be filed with the District Attorney’s office by day’s end. Dad lives for this stuff.”

It was his turn to purse his lips. He pocketed his notebook and pen before starting up the steps.

“And bring a warrant with you next time. You won’t be getting any more freebies.”

“That was quick,” Dad said when he answered.

“They questioned me and wanted an alibi for last night.”

“They what! Put him on the phone.”

Heading up the stairs I went to check that the cops had fled before telling him word for word what went on.

“I’m not pleased you smarted off, but you did the right thing.”

“Dad, the guy was being a dick. I was helping out because it’s Susan’s brother.”

“Quit cussing.”

When I rounded the house I looked out at the corner of the field and there sat three Sherriff’s cars with their lights flashing. Alongside the road was a familiar truck.

“Oooh shit. Now I know why he was being such a pain.”

“Why?”

“Terry’s truck is out front near the edge of the property.”

Dad didn’t even skip a beat before asking. “Was it a blue Chevy pickup?”

“Yeah.”

“I saw it this morning. I’m coming back home, Ari. I want you to sit down with a piece of paper and write down everything in minute detail from the time you first met this boy until this morning when you woke up.”

“Dad… some of that is personal.”

“I don’t care. As of this moment, I’m your lawyer and I’ll treat the relationship as such. We’ll deal with propriety later. Everything, Ariel.”

I flinched at him calling me by my entire first name. He never used it unless it was a serious topic.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good boy. I’ll be home in about thirty minutes. The police are not allowed on the property without a warrant. I don’t care what their reason is. You know what to say, Ari.”

~O~

True to his word, Dad was there and talking to the cops thirty minutes later, while I was finishing my detailed autobiography for the last two days.

Another cop car showed up. This time it was a flashy SUV and a guy got out of the driver’s side with a different style of hat than the others. I was guessing it was the Sheriff himself.

Another fifteen minutes went by. I set the paper and pen aside as I watched the byplay. A wrecker came by and towed off Terry’s truck, then the cops started leaving and the Sheriff shook Dad’s hand before driving off himself.

And thus the moment of truth had come.

I sat there while he pored over the notes. Watching my dad sigh in disappointment more than a few times while he perused my activities was almost torture enough, but he held up to what he said he’d do.

“Ariel, you’re a minor. That means no alcohol from here on out. Even though it was only two beers, it’s still illegal. I’ll be having another conversation with the Sherriff about their tolerance of underage drinking in this county.”

“Yes sir.”

“Now, as far as everything else goes, barring your indiscretions with his sister, everything falls on Terry. No matter my personal feelings of the topic, teen sex is a fact of life. If that boy has criminal tendencies that are triggered by this then it’s his parents responsibility to make sure he gets the treatment he needs.”

I didn’t say anything on the subject since I was already in trouble for drinking and boning Susan.

“The Sherriff told me this Terry is the star running back for the local high school. They received a tip from your newest neighbor, Perry Stodghill, quarterback of the same team, that he saw Terry go down into the storm cellar shortly after you did last night and never come back out.”

At my open-mouthed disbelief Dad went in for the final question. “Is there anything you want to tell me, Ariel?”

My mouth snapped shut and anger welled up from my stomach as I clinched my teeth.

Pulling off my shirt, I stood up. “Look at me. Do you see a single bruise or cut, anything to suggest I fought someone last night? Do I look like someone that would stand a chance against the superstar running back?”

He chewed on the inside of his lip, so I kicked my chair. “Fuck you, Dad.”

And I ran.

~O~

He called after me. I closed all four bolts on the door to the storm cellar and ran down the stairs to turn up the stereo as loud as I could stand it so I didn’t have to listen to him banging on the door.

Pacing the floor didn’t solve anything. I didn’t have anything to throw while I raged and cursed Perry for getting me into this mess in the first place. You could bet I was going to get revenge on his sorry ass for making up that bullshit.

Eventually the pounding stopped and I turned down the stereo after another thirty minutes. I peered out of the peep hole in the door and saw Dad pacing the back porch. He wasn’t going away anytime soon, so I went back downstairs and opened the book to try to get my mind off the situation.

A slight breeze could have knocked me over.

Everything inside was written in English, sort of. When I concentrated, I could see the symbols that it was originally written with, but when I relaxed, everything reverted to English.

I quickly paged though the book reading bits and pieces along the way, spells, incantations, potions, history, it was all there and I understood it.

The most startling portion was when I reached the last twenty or so pages. The ink changed to brick red color and something new had been added, several pages of something new.

I read from the newest portion onward. It was a tale of the Dragon and its quest to be free from the clutches of its captor. Thousands of years it had been trapped and only given a limited amount of freedom when ordered to perform certain tasks. I breezed through several pages of these specific tales speaking of its power and the incantation to activate it. It was the same one I used when I tried to Astral Project the other night.

It told me something else. The captor’s name was the Dread Dormammu.

At the end it detailed exactly how to access its powers and break free. For the end of its captivity it would willingly share its power with its benefactor until his or her mortal life ends.

I swallowed. It was all starting to make sense. The smell of rotten eggs wasn’t natural gas or rotten eggs at all. It was sulfur, brimstone. And it wasn’t some sort of other dimension I had dreamed about. I was really there, in Hell, or a Hell.

“Why didn’t you see it before, you stupid idiot? How many creatures have red flaming hands and try to give you your fondest wish? Idiot!”

“Ari?” Dad called out and knocked on the door. In answer I turned my stereo back up and closed my eyes against the oncoming tears.

“He was really here last night.”

It was the only thing that made sense, as absurd as that sounded. Why else was his truck there? Why did Perry call and report Terry coming in but never leaving? Why can’t I remember exactly what happened like I was seeing it through my own eyes, but I could remember it from a dream point of view?

This Dormammu thing had cursed me, turning me into something he could use for his own jollies, and the worst part about the entire thing was that I’d let him. I accepted the second time he gave me his freaky demon flame thing, like a stupid idiot!

Grabbing a hold of my hair, I screamed. “FUCK!”

I dropped to my knees and knew my life was over. If it could push though once, what was stopping it from pushing though and taking me over again, or for that matter, permanently?

Opening my eyes, I saw the Dragon’s head emblem on the back cover of the book then I looked at the pages. Back and forth my eyes tracked until I’d made my decision.

I turned the last page over and read the directions to release the dragon and share in its power. Maybe between the two of us we could defeat Dormammu or at the very least lock him away where he couldn’t use anyone like he used me.

Looking around I knew I didn’t have anything sharp, but I didn’t need much. A spark of inspiration hit me and I took a hold of some of the upholstery of the hideaway and tore it back, pulling several thick staples along with it. Working one loose, I set it by the book and stripped off my clothes.

I looked up toward the stairway and gritted my teeth. There was nothing left for me up there, only pain.

Sitting down, I picked up the staple and steeled my nerve before plunging it in the palm of my right hand.

I whimpered and then gasped as I drew it back out.

With my left hand I turned the page and held the wound over the dragon’s head.

“Aná¡il nathrach, ortha bhas betha, do cheol déanta.”

It was very similar to the incantation I used when I tried to Astral Project, but this one was apparently the non-evil version. The translation rang through my head as I said it over and over again without stopping.

Breath of the serpent, spell of life, the song for the maker.
Breath of serpent, spell of death and life, your song of making.

Drop by drop my blood fell on the dragon’s head and I watched as it was absorbed and I kept up matching the rhythm of the drops falling in sync with the syllables I was repeating.

The wound eventually clotted and I had to make another, but this time I dragged the stable out widening the new wound. The drops came out rapidly this time, almost at a stream, but not quite.

The dragon’s head wasn’t absorbing it as quickly and the area inside the circle surrounding it filled rapidly. When it was in danger of spilling over I felt the urge to pull my hand away, and continue the incantation.

I watched as the blood began to swirl into a whirlpool and then suck itself into the dragon’s mouth. The edges lit up into a bright golden glow and I nearly shit myself when something made out of the same light shot up from the emblem. Great golden wings spread out and the sinuous body of the dragon formed before me.

Its head craned and mouth opened wide displaying dozens of needle-sharp teeth then it looked straight at me.

“Prepare yourself, mortal.”

I was surprised to hear a female voice, lush and rich with throaty sexuality. That moment was lost when it dived at me. My mouth opened in preparation to scream and the dragon took advantage of the opportunity and dove right in.

~O~

The sky was bright and clear blue as I lay back on the green glade and watched the dragon swim through the air.

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

Turning, I saw what was probably the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen before lying beside me. The telling point was that she was just as naked as I was, but it was obvious she wasn’t the least bit shy.

“Who are you?”

“Hmm?” she said as her eyes left the dragon and fell on me. “I’m you, or I should say another part of you. You might know me as Darkchylde.”

I had no idea what to say about that. Nothing she said made and sense.

She smiled at me and I felt myself harden as I tried not to be so obvious as to stare at her body. But it was impossible for me not to.

“Think back to yesterday, Ariel. Do you remember when you discarded your condom?”

I nodded.

“Good. On that bit of latex was the genetic material of you and your lover. The dragon mixed the two without the knowledge of her previous master and created me.”

Talk about your erection killer. “You’re my daughter?”

Darkchylde threw her head back and laughed joyfully while I grimaced and looked back up at the dragon until she could get herself under control.

“No. I’m you, your female side. If you were born as a girl, this is what you would have looked like. The dragon only used your lover’s genetic template to make the change. So you can still have sex with me. It’ll be like the ultimate in masturbation.”

The thought of it turned me off all the same. I couldn’t get it out of my head that she was like a twin sister or something.

“Maybe later.”

The grin she returned to me let me know she was jerking my chain.

“Your life will be changing, Ariel, and you need to trust in me, the dragon, and yourself to do what needs to be done in order to survive the wrath of Him.”

“You mean Dor…”

Her hand covered my mouth like she was expecting me to say the name. “If you say his name, you bring his attention to you. At the moment, we must hide and hide well.”

I nodded. “I get that. What do I need to do?”

“Do you know what a metahuman is?”

“Yeah, of course. I’m guessing that was a rhetorical question.”

She nodded. “You’re one of them. It wasn’t mere chance that you were chosen by Him. He’s been manipulating events for a long time to make sure that book fell into your hands. You put him in quite the tizzy when you didn’t accept his offer immediately.”

“Yeah, something felt off.”

“That was me,” she confessed. “I’ve been trying to help. Like last night when Him send one of his minions to possess you and kill Terry. It transformed you and put your body into a kind of limbo…”

“That wasn’t me last night?” I said excitedly.

“No, of course not. The human body can only eat so much, and definitely not its own body weight and then some. You’ve not been using your brain too much recently, Ariel.”

I dropped back on the grass and closed my eyes, sighing in relief. “I thought I killed him.”

“I know. It was eating you up inside.”

The next moment I felt Darkchylde climbing on top of me. “Uh…”

Her hands bushed up my chest and settled on my pecs. “Don’t ruin the moment, Ariel. I’m you, get over it. If it makes you feel better then think of me as your imagination.”

With a wink she continued. “As I was saying, things will be changing. The meta-power that you manifested allows supernatural entities to enter this realm through your body. Now, before you start freaking out, you can control their passage. So Him can’t just randomly send whatever demon to pop out.”

I tried to sit up a little, but Darkchylde’s hands kept me down. “I couldn’t control it last night.”

“Yeah, you could, you just wanted Terry to pay for hurting you. That was enough to open yourself to Him’s realm. You’ll need to hold reign on your desires, Ariel. If you don’t then it will happen again.”

I had a feeling that was going to be a little harder than it sounded.

“You’ll be the extension of the dragon’s power on earth. Sometimes she will need to manifest, and she’ll do so through you.”

When she saw the look on my face she smiled again. “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt near as much as the demon did, but it’s not a comfortable experience. What you do need to worry about is me.”

“You?”

“Uh-huh.”

The friction she was causing as she was moving around was starting to reawaken my desire. I really didn’t know how to feel about that.

“What do you mean?”

Leaning forward, I got to see exactly how blue and full of life her eyes were a second before they closed and she kissed me. She smelled and tasted of honeydew and I reacted.

“Mmmm,” she said as she pulled back. “Now that’s more like it.”

I didn’t even have a chance to say no before she took me inside her. Darkchylde sighed and looked like she’d found nirvana. When I’d sunk to the hilt she looked down at me.

“Nice, huh?”

I nodded weakly, kind of disgusted with myself.

“Anyway, in order for me to survive, I’ll need to manifest as well.”

That stopped me, of course I wasn’t really moving or anything, but my brain might as well have locked up. “Huh?”

“I’m your conduit to the dragon. Though me you will be able to access her powers. If I go away, then it’s all over with and Him will be back to smack you down quite painfully.”

Her hips started gyrating and I was losing my train of thought. “Could you stop that, I can’t concentrate.”

Darkchylde giggled playfully. “Try harder. It’s simple. You’ll have the day and I’ll take the night. You’re asleep most of the night anyway, so what difference will it make in the long run?”

I shook my head. “That doesn’t make any sense. You mean you’ll take over my body?”

She paused in her teasing me. “No, my body will take over your body. I can’t really control it unless you are unconscious. You’ll still be in the driver’s seat the whole time.”

My eyes widened and right when I was about to complain she tightened around me sending a wave of pleasure though my body causing me to buck hard.

“Yeah!” she squealed. “Ride’um cowboy!”

I was seeing stars during the most explosive orgasm I’d ever had, but I still had sense enough to feel, Darkchylde slide over my body and press her lips on mine again.

“Ariel, you need to wake up now. Oh, by the way, I’ll need clothes. You know my sizes.”

~O~

My eyes snapped open and I found myself lying against the hideaway in an awkward position. Blinking away the confusion of the dream, or whatever it was, I pushed myself up and saw that the book was gone.

I started to panic, thinking someone broke in and stole it, but something inside me quelled the emotion and let me know everything was the way it was supposed to be.

Once I knew how to recognize her, I deduced that it had to be Darkchylde.

Looking around I felt decidedly pervy sitting there in nothing but my birthday suit and got dressed, turned the music off, and straightened the area up. That’s when I noticed my right hand wasn’t injured any longer.

“Cool.”

Making sure everything was in its proper place, I went up the stairs and saw that Dad wasn’t pacing anymore; in fact he wasn’t on the porch at all. I popped open the dead bolts and opened the door. The driveway was empty and I sighed.

“Must’ve gone back to work. Good.”

There was a note on the kitchen table which I glanced at.

I wasn’t implying that you did something nefarious, Ari. I thought you were hiding an affair between you and Terry. I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to explain before you locked yourself in the cellar. Can you blame me? You seem to work pretty darn fast and I knew you were hiding something. It’s in your eyes. I can always tell.

If you feel like talking, call me. I went to grab some lunch for us.

-Dad

“I think I’m going to vomit. Me and Terry? Are you serious?”

For being some smart hoity-toity lawyer he didn’t seem very intelligent at times. In some seriously demented way it made a little sense. If I was having a relationship with a… guy — Guh — then I started boning his sister, there might be some animosity. But seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever shown any outward sign of being gay or bisexual. It’s not like I scope out guys on the street or comment on their butts or anything. Where in the world did he ever come up with that one?

Checking the time — it was one-thirty, by the way — I looked out the front window to make sure nobody was out there. Since our driveway was made out of limestone gravel, I’d hear anyone driving up from a ways off.

Going to the third bedroom, I opened a couple of boxes to search for something for Darkchylde to wear. Then it clicked. My arms and legs; that’s why Dad thought I was gay. I rolled my eyes and checked out the sizes.

She was right; I knew exactly what my alter-ego needed to wear right down to her panty size. Mom was tall so some of the things would fit, but others wouldn’t have a chance and it was all severely out of style for a teen girl. I’m not a complete fashion disaster. While I might not be arranging a runway show for a major designer anytime… ever, I knew what girls wore. I did manage to find a pair of jeans that would be a little loose and the only top that matched was kind of frilly, but I guess I’d get used to…

“What the fuck am I thinking about?”

In just a few short hours, I was going to turn into a girl whether I wanted to or not, and there I was planning for it like I was going camping. I groaned and passed a hand through my hair.

“How am I going to explain this to Dad?”

Speaking of which; the sound of gravel crunching alerted me to a car’s approach. I looked out the window and saw his BMW pulling up the drive.

A quick look down in the box and I pulled out a random pair of panties and a bra. Even though they were in the wrong size, they’d have to do until I could get out and shop properly, preferably not as a guy. This whole thing was embarrassing enough as it was.

The boxes went back into the closet and I made tracks to stuff the clothes I found into an empty backpack in my room.

Steeling my nerve, I went back out to the kitchen and sat at the table, fingering the note he left. A few moments later the back door opened and Dad paused at the entrance, holding a McDonalds bag with one hand and a drink tray with the other.

My lips were pursed like I was still displeased with him and what he’d said, but I stayed silent. When he looked like he was going to break the silence I took that moment to interrupt him.

“I’m not gay, and I’m not bisexual. I like girls. I have a girlfriend, though because of all this mess she’s probably gone. I don’t have any hair on my legs and arms because she likes it. It turns her on and it got me laid, so I’ll probably be continuing with the shaving. Smooth skin does not equate to sucking off guys.”

Dad’s tongue worked at the edge of his mouth. “Well, I guess I deserved that. I apologize for thinking the worst. That doesn’t mean you can be disrespectful. Tone down your language.”

Crumpling up his note, I tossed it aside. “I am toning it down. You should have heard the original version.”

“I can imagine.” He set the drinks down and pushed the bag over to me. “Are you ready to tell me what you’re covering up?”

There was no hiding from a trial lawyer; they are trained to weasel the truth out of people.

“I’m a metahuman.”

It was obvious that was the furthest thing from his mind. He gripped the chair and swayed for a second before pulling it out and sitting down abruptly.

“How… how do you know?”

I frowned. “I know, and at seven-forty-one tonight you’ll see for yourself.”

Dad looked confused. “What happens then?”

“Sunset.”

My line of sight changed and I looked up at the ceiling. “I’m going to change, and I need for you not to freak out about this, Dad. I’m not going to turn into a gorilla or anything.”

He peered around the room, reaching for something to say. It was an odd sight to see him without an opinion or a statement of fact on the tip of his sharp tongue. I didn’t have to wait too long for his brain to reengage.

“I don’t want you out on the street like those others. You don’t fly do you?”

I couldn’t help it, I laughed. “To tell the truth, I have no idea. Maybe. At the moment all I do know is that I’m going to turn into a girl.”

Dad’s eyes widened. “What?”

“She’s five-ten, golden blonde hair that falls down to lower back, and bright blue eyes. Her measurements are 34-23-34 and she’s a B-cup in case you were wondering. I’m telling you all of this because I’ll need to go out tonight and get her some clothes. I have a set of Mom’s, but they won’t fit very well.”

While he sat there, poleaxed, I took out the chicken tenders I always got and started to bite down on one.

“Are you going to stay that way?” he asked somewhat diplomatically.

I shook my head. “At sunrise I’ll change back.”

“Are you some kind of were… girl?”

Where does her come up with this stuff?

“No, it’s not the full moon that makes it happen. It’s just the deal I made with Darkchylde. Uh… that’s the female version of me.”

“Darkchylde?”

With a shrug, I picked up a fry. “She’s kind of like my alter-ego. I’ll still be me, but she’s helping out if that makes any sense. That’s how I know her sizes.”

He rubbed at his temples trying to process the information. “How long has this been going on?”

This is where it got tricky. It was a fine line explaining about being metahuman, but to throw magic into the mix… I wasn’t so sure Dad would be able to handle it.

“I found out everything I’m telling you just a little while ago, but I think she’s been around for one or two days. I woke up this morning in a t-shirt and nothing else. It was probably her that put it on.”

“Do you think she had something to do with what happened last night?”

I shook my head. “No. When I went down stairs it was to play my video games, just like I said. I think I fell asleep and she played in my place then went to bed. There’s no way she could have killed Terry, hid the body, cleaned up the mess, and finished that level. There just wasn’t enough time. The ISP records will prove that.”

“Who said he was dead?” he asked in his trial lawyer voice.

I rolled my eyes. “He hasn’t shown up and his truck is found abandoned. What do you think?”

“I think he’s either dead or drunk somewhere in the woods sleeping it off, or at least that’s what the Sheriff thinks. Apparently he’s done this before.”

“Yeah, that’s what Susan said.”

“You talked to her?”

I nodded. “Speaking of which, I should probably check in and tell her about her brother’s truck. It’ll be better if I told her than to find out from the Sheriff.”

Dad took out his burger and started eating while I made a call to my possible-girlfriend.

“Hey,” she whispered. “What’s up?”

“I just wanted to let you know, the Sheriff’s found Terry’s truck out on the road near the corner of my lot.”

“Really? Crap. That was quick,” she said.

“Not really. Apparently it was Perry who called in an anonymous tip that Terry went down into my storm cellar and never came out.” Before she even had a chance to ask I volunteered the information. “I was down there playing Duty Calls online on 360 and my ISP will verify that. I didn’t have anything to do with Terry last night, Susan.”

Her voice sounded confidant. “Ariel, I’m not being mean, just realistic, when I say that if Terry came for you, I don’t think you’d be able to take him. I don’t think you had anything to do with his stupidity.”

I sighed with relief. I still had my girlfriend. “Oh, by the way, my dad knows about us.”

Dad raised his eyebrow and gave me a mild smirk, and Susan’s breath hitched.

“How much?”

“He knows that you’re my girlfriend and we’ve had sex. I had to tell him, Susan. With the cops here this morning everything was a mess. He’s a lawyer and can spot a lie a mile off.”

She groaned. “Oh god, he probably thinks I’m this big ole slut.”

“He doesn’t think that. He’s very practical about teens and sex, drinking on the other hand was a no-no.”

Of course Dad had to pipe in right at that moment. “That doesn’t mean I condone what you two are doing.”

“Oh my god! He’s right there listening?!”

I had to pull the phone away from my ear at that point. “Just to my side, Susan. I’m trying to be up front about everything, which by the way… is there any way you can go out tonight?”

“What?”

“Out… shopping specifically.”

Her voice turned dubious. “You want to take me shopping? Wow, you really are a good boyfriend.”

I covered my eyes and stopped myself from saying anything disparaging at that point. “It’s kind of hard to explain, but I’ll spill about everything tonight if you can get away.”

“Pfft. Just because Terry’s a flake doesn’t mean I’m sticking around here. What time do I need to pick you up?”

I smirked at her dominant nature. It was doubtful that she even thought for a second that it was traditional for a guy to be the one to pick the girl up. “Come by at seven-thirty. Dad will be here and there’s something that I want to show you first before we leave.”

“Excellent. The stores are staying open late at the mall this week for back to school crap. Do I have a spending limit?”

That brought out a laugh from me. Presumptuous wasn’t she?

“Two hundred.”

She sucked in a breath of air. “I was kidding, but you can’t take it back now. I got me a sugar daddy!”

“Cool, I’ll see you then.”

“Bye, baby.”

“Bye.”

When I thumbed off I pointed my finger at Dad. “You suck.”

He tossed his box back in the bag and stood. “You’re going to tell her about the metahuman thing?”

“She’s my girlfriend. I think she deserves to know.”

He gave a thoughtful sigh and nodded.

~O~

Setting out Mom’s clothes on the bed, I fidgeted at the thought of what was going to happen in another fifteen minutes. It just wasn’t natural for someone to hop back and forth between genders. I don’t think the human mind was made to cope with that kind of daily transition.

I frowned at the lack of shoes. Dad didn’t keep any of Mom’s and I knew that they’d be the wrong size anyway. Darkchylde was a size nine, and I was a size eleven, Dad was a twelve, so I couldn’t even borrow any sandals temporarily.

My distraction was complete when I heard Dad calling me from the living room. “Ari, Susan’s here.”

I didn’t even hear her drive up. Instead of wasting any time, I made haste to the front and saw Susan standing at near the door looking beet red with embarrassment.

“Daad.”

He held his hands up and backed away. “I didn’t say a thing.” Passing me on the way to the kitchen he said, “I’ll go fix a drink. Susan would you like a soda?”

“No thanks, Mister Chylde. I’m good.”

When he disappeared I approached her and gave Susan a quick kiss. “I missed you today.”

She grinned and wrapped an arm around my waist. “I missed you too. Terry knows how to ruin a perfectly good thing, doesn’t he?”

I just shrugged. Checking my watch I noticed that I had eight minutes left.

“Come on in. This is something you need to hear sitting down.”

She looked up at the ceiling. “Not more drama.”

“I guess it would depend on your point of view. It’s just that you’re my girlfriend and I thought you should know.”

She sat on the couch with me and then turned to look in my eyes. “What’s up?”

I swallowed and then started in. “You’ve heard of the superheroes that are around, right? American Dream, Jade, Wonder Girl, Green Arrow...”

Susan nodded. “The metahumans.” Her eyes lit up. “Oh my god… you’re a superhero?”

My mouth dropped open. “I…”

“Oh my god… I’m dating a superhero.” She bounced in excitement.

“Susan, stop. I don’t know exactly. I just found out this morning.”

“What can you do? Can you fly? Can you bend steel bars with the power of your mind? Do you wear spandex? I bet you’d look cute in spandex. Maybe something in blue or maybe purple.”

“I turn into a girl.”

She stopped. “What?”

“A girl. I turn into a girl at sunset. Past that, I don’t know. This is the first day I’ve known about it. You and Dad will see me change right here in…” I looked at my watch. “Four minutes.”

Her eyes widened. “I can’t date a girl. My parents would kill me.”

My shoulders dropped and I gave her an annoyed look. “I don’t stay that way. At sunrise I turn back. Besides, I haven’t got the particulars yet. Maybe I could switch the times around.”

“Is that why you shaved your legs?”

“No. That was an accident that turned out nice, because you like them that way.”

We sat for another minute or so until while she thought about something. “This is why you want to go shopping.”

I nodded. “I’ll need clothes.”

Susan made a little face. “Well, I suppose it’s not the end of the world or anything. It’s probably good that you have a secret identity. Are you sure you’ll turn back ‘cause there’s something about you that I’ll really miss if you don’t.”

“I’m sure.”

She bounced again and leaned in for a kiss.

Dad chose that moment to walk in. “T-minus one minute.”

Looking around, I pointed to the loveseat next to the couch. “You better sit over there. I don’t know exactly how this is supposed to work.”

Dad had a glass of clear liquid which I knew to be Stoli’s vodka. He made himself comfortable in his recliner, but didn’t kick his feet up.

“I was told this might hurt a little, so don’t freak or anything.”

They both nodded and I stretched out on the couch and waited.

Somewhere deep inside me I could feel the sun shining its last bit of light over the horizon. My stomach rumbled like I had a serious case of gas.

Great, wonderful warning sign.

Then the cramps came. It wasn’t something as simple as gas cramps, no this was an all body, muscle clenching, bone grinding cramp.

Might hurt a little bit, my ass!

I moaned and felt as my skin and bones shift. It wasn’t anything major, but I could already tell that my torso shrank and my legs became longer. Something shifted on my head that I could only assume was my hair.

“Oh -- my god!” Susan said.

What had to be about thirty seconds to a minute later it all stopped. The pain receded and I could breathe normally again. Well sort of normally. There was a new weight on my chest that was definitely different than before.

I heard both of them move and stand over me.

“Ari, are you… alright?”

I nodded. “It’s over. Whoa, is that my voice?”

Susan looked at me and then down at my legs then back up with a frown on her face. “You just had to be a leggy blonde didn’t you?”

Running my tongue over my lips, I knew they’d changed too. Darkchylde had one of those full upper lips that curved in a big arc with a tiny cupid’s bow at the apex and a very full lower lip.

“Do you have anything to wear to the mall?”

I nodded and sat up. Hair was everywhere. “This is really weird.”

“At least you don’t have big breasts.”

Dad was quiet through most of it, but chose that moment to speak. “It’s your mom.”

I looked up at him. “What?”

“You look a lot like her. The eyes and the mouth, your legs.”

He tossed back his half-filled glass in a single shot.

Looking down I saw that they’d really lengthened or other parts shrunk. From what Darkchylde left me, I knew they were a thirty-six inseam. That’s damn long for legs. As a guy I was at a thirty-two.

Susan grabbed my hand. “Let’s go get you dressed and maybe you’ll feel more normal. I can’t believe my boyfriend is a girl.”

~O~

She insisted on seeing the whole show. Since Susan had already checked me out thoroughly as a guy, I didn’t see a problem with it.

“Your skin is the same,” she pointed out.

“How do you mean?” I asked as I was adjusting Mom’s bra to fit better. She had a C-cup and I didn’t really get much support that way.

“You have a mole at the small of your back. It didn’t go away when you changed, but now you have disgustingly cute dimples as well.”

No, I didn’t check myself out in the mirror. I knew exactly how I looked since I’d witnessed it first hand during my latest dream-vision with Darkchylde.

The jeans were annoyingly loose at the waist. The only thing that was holding them up were my hips which was another new experience. I was used to wearing a belt. I probably wouldn’t have to waste any money on that accessory.

“Where are your shoes?”

I shook my head. “No shoes.”

Susan put her foot up against mine. “I’ve got some flip-flops in the truck you can use until we can get you some decent ones. They’ll be a little small.”

When I put on my top, I tugged it down and then frowned when it barely reached my jeans. Susan moved back around and smiled, almost self-satisfied. “Good. You’re a mess. I won’t have to worry about who is better looking tonight.”

“Susan. You’re beautiful. I couldn’t look near as good as you do.”

She straightened a ruffle and sighed. “That’s where you’d be wrong. Just be glad that I’m incredibly hot, because if I were any other girl at Salem High then I’d be seriously pissed off that you were hotter.”

My mouth opened to reassure her, but she cut me off.

“I have the breasts, the butt, and the waist, not to mention the face. The only things you have on me are the legs and the hair. Guys love tall girls, but they love big breasts more.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not into guys. I’m into you.”

She raised an eyebrow. “That is so weird to hear from a girl. I’ve never thought about doing the girl/girl thing.”

A niggling feeling rose in the pit of my stomach. “This isn’t going to change anything is it?”

Susan frowned a little, thinking about what I’d asked. “I don’t know. Let’s just get out of here and do some shopping. We’ll worry about more serious stuff later.”

Dad had himself another glass of Stoli’s in his hand when I came out. I had one of Mom’s purses with my wallet inside hanging off my shoulder.

“Ta-da!” Susan said as she performed her Vanna White duties.

He just blinked a few times and then took another drink. “Drive safe, please.”

We made it out to the truck and I hopped inside. Susan giggled as she shut her door. “Did you see the look on his face? He’s probably thinking about all the boys that’ll be knocking down your door to get to you.”

“Ugh. Don’t even talk about that, please.”

She cocked her head at me. “You want me to consider dating you when you’re a girl, but you won’t do the same for me?”

Aww crap… I hate compromises.

The thought of even holding a guy’s hand grossed me out. “I’ll make you a deal. If you turn into a guy, I’ll date you. Besides, it’s not like we’re going to go out to hunt down a guy to share or anything.”

Susan’s tongue played at the corner of her mouth with a naughty smile. “That might not be a bad idea.”

“I was kidding!”

She started the truck and put it in reverse. “I’m not. I know several guys that would sell their trucks to have a chance with two hot girls at once.”

I fastened my seat belt. “As much as it would be nice not to borrow my dad’s BMW, I think I’ll pass.”

She grinned sidelong at me. “I told you I like to try new things. A threesome would be one of them. I could arrange another girl with you and me when you’re a guy.”

My mouth opened at the idea.

“I thought so,” she said with a smug expression.

~O~

Mom’s clothes got stashed away as soon as we bought me a pair of shorts, crop-top, and a decent pair of sandals.

“I feel naked.”

“Welcome to girl-hood, honey.”

We were pressed for time so she took me on a quick tour to grab all the essentials for basic outfits, a few accessories, and four pounds of grooming supplies and makeup.

Once the stores closed at ten-thirty I found myself on an empty road heading back to Sprocket’s Field where this whole mess started in the first place.

“What are we doing here?”

She shut the truck off and unbuckled her seatbelt. “I’m horny.”

Thank god for girls that don’t know the meaning of subtly. “Really?”

“I’m not saying we’ll finish what we start, but I’m willing to give it a try.”

The front of the truck wasn’t very roomy. “Do you want to get in the back?”

She nodded and hopped out of the cab and popped the tailgate before making herself comfortable in the same position I was in two nights previous. That gave me an idea of what she wanted.

I didn’t need to lick my lips because of the neon pink lipstick she made me put on so I worked my way between her legs and slid my hands up her smooth thighs.

“Ready?” I asked.

“God, this is so weird. Do it.”

I leaned in and set my lips on hers. She held firm for a moment before relaxing and letting me work at the kiss. Thirty seconds passed and then she started to really get into it. Her hands reached up and played with my hair while I let my fingers heat things up under her skirt.

Eventually we broke apart and I moved to her neck.

“I knew it. I’m freaking bisexual. I’m so cliché.” she said with a gasp when I bit her earlobe. “Mom’s gonna kill me when she finds out.”

Coming back up, I kissed her again. “Then we better make this count. Lay back and let me take care of you.”

~O~

There are things to be said for really full lips. It may have been the whole semi-taboo thing of two girls, but I think it was my lips that turned her over time and again. Before, I only got her off once with my mouth, but this round it was three times before she couldn’t take anymore.

I didn’t try to push her into returning the favor since it was still weird for her, but she did show me what she could do with her fingers, and surprisingly enough she even licked them after finishing and didn’t show any disgust afterward. There was no way I could have done the same if she was a guy.

It just goes to show how much of a great girl she was to push herself to accept me even to the extreme.

When she pulled up to the house around eleven-thirty Susan killed the engine. “How are we going to explain you?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. A cousin maybe?”

“That’s never around when Ariel is? Oh, what’s your name supposed to be?”

The truth was, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. “Um…” I thought about Darkchylde and tried to make something similar out of her name. “Dar… Darcy.”

Susan bit the side of her lip. “Okay. I guess that fits you as well as Ariel fits the boy side. Fix your lipstick, Darcy. I really don’t want your Dad to think I’m a lesbian as well as a slut.”

While I followed her suggestion, she shifted on her seat. “I’ll come by tomorrow and we’ll work on makeup, okay?”

I nodded. “Sunset is at seven-thirty-nine tomorrow.”

She giggled. “I see I’ll need to break out my Farmer’s Almanac to keep up. I think I’ll be by a little early and maybe we can have some fun as boy and girl before going girl on girl.”

Was I the luckiest guy on the planet at the moment or what?

The front porch light turned on and the door opened. Dad stuck his head out. “You need a hand with the bags?”

I opened the door and nodded. “Thanks, Dad.”

He nearly stumbled when I stepped out of the truck and he saw what I was wearing. There was a serious amount of skin showing, even I admit that.

“Tell me you bought something halfway decent to wear in public.”

Tossing my hair aside I grinned at him. “Don’t worry. Besides, I’ll only look like this during the night.”

I carried four of the bags inside and dad got the rest.

“I set the spare bedroom up for you when you’re like this. I thought it might be a good idea to have in case there are questions as to who you are.”

“Great. We’ll probably need a bed though.”

He scratched his head and sighed. It looked like he’d had a long day.

“Get some rest dad. I’ll be hitting the sack in a few minutes, after I change.”

He shuffled for a moment before moving in and kissing me on my cheek. I smiled at him. It had been a seriously long time since that had happened.

When I found the shorts and cami set, not to mention something to wash off the minimal amount of makeup, I made my way to the bathroom and got ready for bed.

~O~

“Look at you with the bisexual girlfriend,” said Darkchylde as she danced in the grassy field. “I’m impressed.”

The dragon was still flying high in the air.

“Susan’s great.”

After a moment she sat down near me and I noticed that I was still female. “Don’t worry; I’m not going to ravage you this time. I’m more into guys anyway. And don’t freak out if she was serious about the threesome with another guy.”

“Easy for you to say. I think I’d lose it if that happened. Susan’s a better girl than me.”

Darkchylde rolled her eyes. “I need you to remember something, Ariel. If you ever need me, just call me. With your consent, I can help out.”

I sat up, my breasts jiggling along the way. “Really?”

She nodded happily. “If you find yourself in a situation where you’re in over your head, just call. It’ll be like riding pillion on a motorcycle. I’ll be in control and you’ll be right there to take it back if you want.”

Rolling over on her stomach she kicked her feet back and forth. “We should have talked about this. The time you spend as a boy or a girl isn’t set in stone. It’s like the default setting is at sunrise and sunset, but you have control. If you need to be a guy at eight at night, you can just switch over and if you need to be a fabulous hot chick at noon then have at it. Just remember that I need equal time.”

I think I was following what she was telling me. “So if I need to be a guy on a date with Susan for two hours after dark then I’ll need to be a girl for two hours during the day?”

“Bingo.”

I sighed and dropped back down. “That’s such a relief.”

We lay there basking in the sun of my imaginary landscape.

“Hey Ariel?”

“Hmm?”

“Would you mind if I took your body for a spin?”

Lifting my head up, I looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“Like last night. When you’re unconscious I can take control. You won’t lose any rest and I can dominate level two of Duty Calls. Please?”

I giggled at her. “Just leave a note for Dad where to find me if he wakes up and don’t get me in trouble.”

A big bright smile appeared on her face and she hopped up and waved at me. “See you next time you sexy thing.”

The landscape changed and I realized I was seeing things from a dream perspective of third person.

“Can you hear me Darkchylde?” I said tentatively.

She got up out of bed and found the robe I purchased, slipping it on while standing in front of the mirror.

The note she left, read: Dad, couldn’t sleep. I’m in the cellar playing games. Love Ariel.

I was surprised at her handwriting. It was totally different from my normal scratch.

When she reached the door she stopped and listened for a moment and then did something that surprised the hell out of me. She softly chanted the Incantation of Making that I used earlier in the day. There was a very subtle change of inflection in the third syllable. The next thing I knew I was in the cellar, standing in front of the TV.

“Did you see that, Ariel? I can’t hear you, but I know you can hear me since you’re seeing what I see when you’re in control. This is one of the things I can do for you.”

She bent down, turned on the 360 and inserted the disc. When it booted up she rapidly pressed a series of buttons and Level 2 came up.

“Sorry, it was password protected. If you want to play, you’ll have to start from the beginning.” She giggled after that. “Anyway, the book of Zhered-Na is inside of you now and I have complete access to it. All of the knowledge of Atlantean magic up until the time of Zhered-Na’s death is at my fingertips, and once you learn then you can use it too.”

She made herself comfortable on the hideaway. “Until then, you’ll have to call me up in order to take care of any problems you have. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a star system to save from the evil hands of Lord Chaos!”

I watched her for the longest time and cheered her on as she was literally kicking some serious butt. It was weird that I never grew bored, but I guess that was all part of being in my position.

When she completed Level 2 in two and a half hours, she saved her game and turned everything off.

“Thanks, I really needed that. Let’s go get some sleep.”

~O~

The morning came and Dad banged on the door again. Even though sunrise hadn’t changed me back to being a guy, I knew why that was. Darkchylde didn’t want me to wake up as a guy wearing girl’s clothes.

“Thanks, I appreciate that.”

I hid the note she wrote in the top drawer of my chest so she could use it at another time before grabbing some regular clothes and heading to the bathroom.

This time, I wanted to see the change myself. I set the clothes on the counter and looked in the mirror. Shedding the cami and shorts, I put those aside and dropped my panties on top. With a brief bit of effort I concentrated on changing back. The rumbling in my stomach alerted me that the change was on its way.

When my body tensed up, I moaned from the strain and saw the pain in my eyes as they switched from a beautiful blue to hazel-green. My breasts shrunk and melded with my torso and my face reverted back to where it was supposed to be. Thirty seconds later I relaxed and brought my hands up to feel where my breasts had been.

In their place was my relatively firm chest, but nothing like what I had before.

“No offense, DC, but I missed my body.”

TBC...

Note: I forgot to give credit to the movie Excaliber for the Incantation of Making, so here it is. And the pic is from Comicvine.