Steven had it all; he was handsome, athletic, was dating the prettiest girl in school, and had a college scholarship. All he had to do was graduate.

Alyssa felt like nothing could go wrong; she was an intelligent and beautiful girl, all set to graduate before she turned 17. And she was dating the Captain of the Varsity football team!

And then the accident happened, and their lives were forever shattered...

A story of the Comics Retcon Universe!

http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/20577/comics-retcon-universe

Author's Note: Most of the events in this story happen before Big Trouble!-2.

Steve was normally a responsible driver, so they could never be sure how the accident had happened. One drink too many? Or had it been a setup from the very beginning? Alyssa had only been partly awake; her last memories were of oncoming headlights, tires screeching to a halt, and blackness...

She drifted in unconsciousness for a long time, and woke slowly. Her head was pounding and her eyes blinded by a bright light overhead. She was laying down on what felt like a hospital bed. Her body felt wrong...heavy. Her arms and legs wouldn't move! Oh God, had she been paralyzed?

“Test subject #18 is awake. The female's biochemistry has altered to the point that sedatives no longer function.” The voice was crisp, and female.

I struggled to talk, my tongue feeling heavy in my mouth. “Hellp...mee.”

“How fascinating, the subject is attempting to communicate. Despite the massive changes she has undergone, it would seem her brain still functions!” A tall, elegant-looking woman in a labcoat hovered over me. She had chalk-white skin and raven-black hair with dark eyes. There was a strange red mark on her forehead, diamond-shaped. I could make out the name tag on her coat. Dr. C. Renko.

“Who are you?” My voice sounded lower-pitched for some reason.

“I'm afraid that, my dear, is privileged information. As is 'where am I', which will likely be your next question. You were gravely injured in an auto accident, I'm afraid. Our efforts have repaired your body, after a fashion, but you are going to remain our guest for a very long time.”

Ugh. She sounded so smug and superior. Just like my mother, who was always trying to run my life! Well I'd stood up to her, I could stand up to this snotty bitch! Rage seemed to lighten my limbs, and I sat up, grabbing the scientist by the neck. Her eyes bulged, and she struggled to breathe.

And that's when I noticed two things. One, I was naked. And two, my skin was shiny and metallic. “What did you do to me?!” I screamed.
-

I woke slowly. What...where? The last thing I remembered was trying to avoid that oncoming car, but I guess I shouldn't have had that last shot; I couldn't react fast enough! I was floating in some kind of liquid, it was thicker than water, but still transparent. There was a breathing mask attached to my face.

I was in some kind of glass tube, and I could see a room beyond it, filled with medical equipment and computers. Where the hell was I? Looking up, I could see various tubes and wires dangling down, and a label that said CAUTION: EMERGENCY RELEASE.

Right, I was busting out of here! I reached forward, and got the shock of my life. That wasn't my arm! The skin was a deep crimson color, hairless, with no trace of the muscles I'd spent so long building! In fact, it looked...slender...girlish. My hand seemed smaller as well, more delicate, with short, but definitely feminine nails!

Ok, don't panic! Don't panic! I was obviously hallucinating or something, there's no way I could have turned into a girl! I couldn't look down very well, but I put my hands on my chest. I clearly felt a pair of small breasts, complete with very sensitive nipples. I felt my eyes tearing up. No, this can't be!

My abdoment tapered down to a slender waist, and then wider hips. Thankfully, the various tubes and wires couldn't reach down any further, but things definitely didn't feel right between my legs. I began to become aware of something behind me. Reaching back, I encountered something leathery and smooth..and to my horror, I could feel it! It was attached to me!

I lost it, I started thrashing around like an animal. This moved me closer to the side of the tube, and punched at it. It hurt like hell, but the glass cracked, despite the fact that I didn't have much leverage. So I tried again. And again. And finally, the glass shattered.

Liquid began spilling out of the tube, and I pulled the mask off my face, gasping for breath. I made short work of the tubes and wires; it hurt a bit, but I beyond caring. A savage kick made an opening large enough for me to escape the tube, which wasn't glass at all, I realized, but some kind of plastic.

Stepping out, I felt a heavy weight on my back. Like I was wearing a backpack or something. I couldn't quite get a good look at what was back there, and I'll be honest, I was a little afraid to find out what it was.

The room was fairly large, and definitely air-conditioned; the cool air on my body made me shiver. I distantly heard alarms. Making my way to the door, I noticed that my body felt a lot lighter. I was forced to walk differently as well, my center of gravity was changed, and for some reason, it was easier to walk on the balls of my feet, allowing me to make swift, mincing steps.

The door was pretty big, and the door knob was higher on it than it should be. It was locked and wouldn't open. In frustration, I tried to force it, and to my surprise, it broke off in my hand! “What the fuck?!”

No. That soft, feminine voice couldn't be mine? “I don't sound like...” Oh God, it was my voice! It took all of my willpower to not just curl up into a ball and shut down. I had to get out of here!

Even more importantly, I had to find Alyssa!

-

Armed guards entered the room as I slid off the bed, still keeping a firm grip on the scientist. To my surprise, I was a lot taller than she was...actually, I was taller than the men, too! All my life, I'd been fairly petite, so I was used to people towering over me.

Hell, even my little sister Shannon had a good three inches on me! But now, I felt like a giant, head and shoulders over the tallest man in the room. My cheerleading days were definitely over.

“Put Dr. Renko down, or we'll fire!”

I let her go, and she slumped to the floor. “Okay, now what?” I still couldn't get over my voice!

The men looked at each other, as if unsure. So I took the initiative, and charged them. My fist sent the first one flying, and I followed through with a side kick to another man. Suddenly all those martial arts classes didn't seem so silly after all!

They opened fire on me, but to my shock (and theirs!), the bullets ricocheted off my skin. You might find this funny, but the bullets...tickled! I made short work of the rest of them. I could hear alarms going off in the distance. The door was locked, but I threw my shoulder into it, and it damn near came off it's hinges!

“Holy shit, I'm strong!” It was a weird feeling, becoming suddenly powerful. I laughed, although there was a manic edge to my laughter; I felt giddy, and I realized I was losing my mind. I smacked myself in the forehead; the sharp pain let me focus.

To my surprise, a lock of blonde hair fell across my face. I was made of metal, but I still had hair? Go figure. I started to run, looking for a way out.

-

I found a door labeled EMERGENCY EXIT, but I couldn't leave yet, I had to find Alyssa! I heard the sound of something heavy coming my way, and I took a defensive stance. The...whatever it was on my back seemed to shift as well.

A giant rounded the corner. He...no she..definitely she...had shiny metal skin, like a robot or something, but oddly enough, also had long blonde hair. Her eyes seemed to glow with soft light, and her features were definitely familiar.

-

I rounded the corner and came to a sudden halt. There, in front of me, was a young girl who looked just short of 13. She was naked, with small breasts. She also had red skin, yellow, cat-like eyes, small bat-like wings, and tiny horns poked through her short black hair. Her eyeteeth were prominent, but despite all of that, she looked, well...really cute. And then she spoke, her voice soft and young-sounding. “Oh...my God...Cess?”

I blinked. “Uh...who are you, and how do you know my name?”

The girl shook her head. “It's not important, come on, I found a way out!” She turned and started moving quickly back the way she'd come. What could I do?

I followed her. She opened a door labeled EMERGENCY EXIT (actually, the doorknob didn't turn, so she broke it off. I wasn't the only strong person around here!). She practically floated up the steps, running on the balls of her feet, her wings stretching out to help her balance.

Me? I ran like a damn linebacker, the concrete steps cracking under my weight. A metal canister came bouncing down the steps, gas spilling out of it. Almost at once, the demon-girl fell to her knees, choking and gasping. I breathed it in. It smelled really awful, and I got an acrid taste in my mouth, but that was all. Cradling the tiny girl in my arms, I rushed up the steps.

The men waiting for me weren't expecting an assault; they were wearing heavy goggles to block out the gas. Me? My eyes weren't even tearing up. I continued to hold the girl protectively; I might be bulletproof, but I doubted she was!

I heard explosions somewhere not far away, and mechanical, if feminine voice spoke: Warning, security has been breached. Lockdown has been initiated. All personnel must evacuate the facility.

The voice kept repeating that. A firedoor slammed shut in front of me, but after a good kick, I was able to grip the edge, and, with one arm, force it open enough to slip through. The men behind me weren't so lucky.

The rest of my escape was a blur; I found a ladder and told the girl to hang onto my back. We climbed up and, after a few punches, I was able to remove the cover. We emerged in a clearing, surrounded by trees, but I could make out the lights of the city in the distance. “Can you walk?”

The girl looked terrible. She was crying freely, and unlike me, was shivering in the cool night air. But she got a stubborn look on her face, one that seemed oddly familiar for some reason. “Yeah, I can walk.”

“Ok, come on honey, I'll get us out of here.”

-

We blundered out of the woods along a stretch of roadway, not far from a bridge. Keeping the girl just behind me, we walked along the side of the road. I felt like a giant next to the girl; she looked to be well below average height, but even then, I had like, two feet on her!

We made quite the pair, a shiny metal woman, and her demon-girl sidekick. It didn't help that we were both naked, either. Finally, headlights came up behind us, and an SUV rumbled to a stop. The door opened, and a man with a gun stepped out. “Alright, both of you just stop right there.”

The girl hissed. “Screw you!” To my amazement, a glowing ball of flame formed in her hand, and she hurled it at the truck. The man jumped to the side, screaming as his clothing caught on fire.

I didn't hesitate, I picked up the girl (she made a squeal of protest, but there was no time) and dove back into the forest. I walked for a long time; I didn't even feel tired, but before long, the girl was sleeping fitfully in my arms. As the sun came up, we exited into a clearing. A campsite had been set up, complete with a tent, but there was no sign of anyone, and the fire was cold.

There was a sleeping bag inside the tent, I unzipped the side and wrapped the girl in it as best I could with her damn wings getting in the way. Then I busied myself with trying to light the fire. I'd done this in Girl Scouts, but you try lighting a fire with a couple of sticks, it's not easy!

Eventually, my persistence paid off, and the fire began to smoke. I sat down, mentally exhausted, if not physically. Could this huge metal body be mine? I used to be graceful, petite. Now? I was some kind of freak!

I hugged my shoulders and began to weep. I wondered if my body could rust? Did I need to eat now? What was I going to do?

A hand touched my arm, and I turned to look at the girl. “Cess...please don't cry.”

“I'm a monster, and you're telling me not to cry? Look at me!”

She gave me this incredulous look, tilting her head to one side in a familiar manner. “You're joking, right?”

“I...I'm sorry. I just...”

“Shh, I know. I know. But you're not a monster. Maybe we're not human, but you're still beautiful to me.”

I gasped. “...no...it's not possible...”

She sighed. “I wish it wasn't. It's me, Cess. Steve.”

Steve had been tall, broad-shouldered, with yummy muscles. I remembered loving to run my finger along his abdomen. This...this little girl...she...

“You're lying!”

“Last September, we drove up to my Dad's cabin on the lake. It was cold that night, and I couldn't get the heater working, or the flue for the fireplace open, so we took our clothes off and shared a sleeping bag, with the bearskin rug over us. You told me you'd never been naked with a man before, and you were afraid.”

I sucked in a breath. “...I could feel you get hard, I reached down and touched you...and you told me how much you wanted me...but you were willing to wait...for me. And that's when I asked you...to make love to me.”

She looked away. “You weren't my first, but somehow...it was like the girls before you were just practice. You were the real deal, the one person I wanted to please the most.”

“Oh God, it is you! But Steve...how? You look like a kid!”

“I don't know...it's like something out of a comic book! They experimented on us, changed us. I don't know why!” She shook her head. “We can never go home. I know how your mother is, and my Dad...he's so racist I think he'd shoot a man for having a good tan!”

I giggled despite myself. That sounded like his Dad alright! I had...or, well, had, an olive complexion, and I remember more than once Pete glaring at me. I gently put my arms around Steve's tiny body, and he...she..relaxed. We stayed like that for a long time.

-

It felt weird having Cess hold me like this. Weird but good. I knew I was never going to be a man again. That bothered me. A lot. But there are things you can't change in this world. And when life kicks you down, you have to get back up. Or die.

And despite what my old man told me, I wasn't a quitter. I remember him screaming at me because I was going to college for an education. Sure, I'd play ball for them, but I wasn't going to go pro. I wanted a real life. A real future. For me and Cess...

A choked sob escaped my mouth.

“Steve? What's wrong?” Alyssa's voice was lower-pitched, which took some getting used to, but actually, it made her sound sexy as hell.

“I..when we graduated, I was going to...” I started to shake.

“Steve? What? What were you going to do?”

I looked at her. I was crying and I didn't care. “I bought a ring. For you. I...I was going to wait until we got our diplomas and stuff, but I wanted you to be...”

“Oh Steve.” She started crying now. “You were going to propose?”

“Yeah. I...I wanted to start a family with you one day. Kids too. I know how you love...kids...” My throat felt like it was constricting. “But now? I'm not even a man anymore! I can't even make love to you! I'm..I'm worthless to you!”

Her hand grabbed my chin, and she made me face her. She leaned in and kissed me. Her smooth lips pressed roughly against my own. Our tongues met; she tasted faintly metallic, even her tongue was smooth and hard. And yet, it was warm, and the physical contact sent little lightning bolts up and down my spine. When she finally pulled away, I was breathless.

“Steve...if you can still find me beautiful, if you can still love me..then I still want to be with you. No matter how much things have changed, you believed in me. You helped me stand up to my mother. You made me feel like a woman, and I never doubted you loved me. Just as much as I love you.”

“..but...”

She put her finger on my lips. “No buts. We have to stick together, right?”

“Yeah. We don't have much choice, do we?”

“Um, Steve?”

“Yeah Cess?”

“Do you have to keep moving your wings like that?”

I blinked at her. “Wings?!”

She let me go. “Yes, your wings, don't tell me you don't know about them?”

The mysterious weight on my back...oh boy.. “Uh..well I can't see back there very well...”

She put her hands on...the something on my back and moved it. It felt a little uncomfortable, but not painful. And then, sure enough, something black and leathery came into view. It looked...kind of like a bat's wing, but it was a deep red color. A few shades darker than my skin.

“Oh. Those wings.”

Cess let it go, and giggled. “Come on! How could you not notice that?”

Now that she'd brought my attention to them, I could not only feel them, but with effort, I could flex them as well! I found I could extend them, fold them up, or even wrap them around my arms. “What does it look like to you? Four-foot wingspan maybe?”

“About that, Steve. Not nearly big enough to fly though.”

I flapped them experimentally. “That's so strange. It's like having extra arms or something!”

“What about the fire thing?”

“Uh...I don't know how I did that. I just got so mad, people kept shooting at you, I didn't want anyone to hurt you.”

She reached out and gently ruffled my hair. It felt nice, although...kind of weird too. “You goof. Guns can't hurt me. The bullets just bounce off. And...it tickles!”

“Bullets tickle you? Huh, do you have trouble feeling stuff?”

“I don't think so.”

“One way to find out!” I reached up and ran my thumb along her nipple. Despite her height, her breasts really weren't huge, although, heh, a lot bigger than mine.

She sucked in a breath. “Oh...that feels nice, baby.”

Her nipple was hard, but not, you know, as hard as it should be, being metal and all. Maybe it was only the top layers of her skin that had become metal, and underneath, she was still a flesh-and-blood girl? But that just raised more questions.

And then it occurred to me. “Holy shit. Do you think we're, you know, metahumans?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I think we are, baby. They must have found a way to force us to change.”

I frowned. “So this would have happened anyways?”

“I don't know. I don't think so. Heck, if anything, you should be the big metal guy, and I should be the sexy demon.”

I grinned. “I don't know, that would be almost as bad.”

She blinked. “How do you figure?”

“Hon, seriously. What would you do if someone showed you a giant metal cock?”

She laughed then. “Oh hell no! No way!”

I laughed with her, and things were good.

-

Of course, I won't say we didn't have our rough patches either. We'd managed to steal some semblance of clothing, and eventually, found an abandoned house to hole up in. Having to steal food sucked too; if only we still looked human! Luckily, Cess didn't seem to need to eat anymore, but my new body had a really high metabolism. So I ate enough for both of us, and then some!

One night, however, she got really upset. She was trying to put on a shirt I found for her, and it ripped apart. She stood there, crying her eyes out, wearing nothing but a pair of basketball shoes and oversized boxers with red hearts on them.

Honestly, I think my situation is worse than hers, although it's still bad. Maybe that's why I found the sight so humorous. I shouldn't have, but I laughed. I regretted it at once when her eyes started glowing brighter, and she came at me!

“How dare you laugh at me! How dare you!” I sidestepped her punch, and when it went through the wall, I knew I'd better run like hell! Cess had taken a lot of martial arts, and given her size, I had no doubt she could take me in a fair fight. Hell, she might kill me before she calmed down!

Running outside in a halter top and a microskirt wasn't the best idea I'd had in awhile (and before you ask, no, I can't quite bring myself to wear panties yet. Too much mental programming, I guess), but I needed room to manuever. One advantage of my body, I'm really fucking nimble! If you put me on the field now, nobody would ever catch me. I knew I just needed to wear her out; Cess doesn't tire easily, but after awhile, she will stop moving as fast. I had my back to a parked car when she rushed me. I jumped back, unfurling my wings. I'd intended to just hop on top of the car, but to my surprise, I never landed. I was just floating there, in the air!

“Bitchin'!” I could fly! That almost made up for becoming a girl!

“Oh sure, you can fly now too! I hate you! I hate you!” Alyssa got even madder, if you can believe it. She tried to jump onto the car, but her weight caved in the hood. I flew up, creating a fireball and tossed it at her. Hey, don't be like that, trust me, it can't really hurt her. I don't know what can hurt her, actually.

Keeping well out of reach, I couldn't help but taunt her some. “What's the matter? Putting on a little extra weight?”

“Ooh! I'm going to kill you for that!” She then ran for a parked truck. Oh no, she wasn't serious..

She was! She grabbed the frame of the truck, and I could hear the sound of metal twisting as she lifted it. My girlfriend lifted a truck! I was feeling kind of proud of her at that moment. Of course, then I realized she was going to throw it at me!

It never happened. A stunning redhead ran up and punted Cess (and the truck) a good twenty feet. Now, about this redhead. She's tall. I mean really, amazingly tall. Like, over twenty feet tall! I vaguely remembered hearing about a giant woman who'd saved some people at a mall. Could this be her?

But rather than be impressed, I was pissed. She'd hit my girl! “You big bitch, leave her alone!” I tossed a ball of flame her way.

She dodged it, to my surprise. Cess still retained some of her former grace and agility, but she wouldn't have dodged it. This girl may be jumbo-sized, but she was quick!

“Me leave her alone?! You were trying to fry her!”

Ok, that was a valid point, but... “Shut up, it's none of your business!” I was really quick in the air, I found out, despite my tiny-ass wings. I zipped past her, and tossed a fireball at her face!

She managed to dodge that one too. How can someone so big move so fast? And then, she started to grow bigger. And bigger. She rivaled a six or seven-story building! “Dayum, how big can you get?”

I flew up higher, I had to stay out of this girl's reach! Heh, she couldn't get me now! I decided to taunt her a bit. I wiggled my behind at her and slapped my ass. Yeah, I didn't have much of my masculine pride left. Would you?

But then, I swear, she jumped. The vertical distance was unreal! She smacked the hell out of me, and I hit the side of a building. It didn't hurt too much, but I was stunned. I started to fall, but then she caught me in her hands. I just lay there, trying to catch my breath.

“I'll kill you!” Alyssa's voice! She was ok!

“Enough! I don't know what you two are fighting about, but it's over!”

“Fuck you, I'll tell you when it's over!” Wow, Cess was still mad!

I could feel the giant's weight shift, and then: “Hey, you ok down there?”

“Get the hell off of me, you giant slut!” Standing up, I looked down. She'd stepped on Cess! Oh fuck that! I grabbed her thumb and bit her. My teeth are pretty sharp, I've found. Blood welled into my mouth, and I shuddered with pleasure. Oh shit, that tasted so good!

Then I felt Giant Girl's fist close. “Let go, or I'll crush you like a pop can!”

Urk. I stopped biting her.

“Ok, boys in blue, you can come out now, it's over!”

-

That's about when Jade, the Green Lantern showed up. She used her powers to put glowing green cuffs on me and Cess, and we were marched off to a waiting paddy wagon. Once inside, I looked over at her. “I'm so sorry Cess. I was a dumb jerk.”

She looked at me and sighed. “So was I. I was really trying to hurt you!”

I sighed. “This isn't easy for either of us. Look, if you can forgive me...”

She smiled a little. “Always.”

I leaned back. “We're totally screwed now, tho'.”

“Yep. Maybe they'll put us in the same cell, at least?”

I laughed. “Oh yeah, and what happens the next time we fight?”

She smiled. “Fight? We still have to have some make-up sex!”

I goggled at her. “Uh...er...” We'd made out a little, but the idea of sex, as a girl...it was still a bit scary. But there was a pressure between my legs, and I realized, I totally wanted her.

Too bad we'd be waiting awhile.

-

I was surprised when, rather than a cop, Jade herself came in to interrogate us. She listened to our story, and she looked pretty pissed. “What happened to you, is inexcusable. I'm sorry for that, I...I should have done something...”

“Uh..come on, you're just one person, you can't be everywhere!”

She sighed. “No, no I can't. Ok you two, I can fix the damage you've done, and maybe get the charges lightened. But from here on out, your cute behinds belong to me. Which means no more fighting in the streets, you got it?”

I looked at Cess, and she looked at me. “Yes Ma'am”, we replied in unison.

“Good. I'll try and find you a place to stay...and I think I can fix your wardrobe problems.”

-

I'll get into the details of our arrangement with Jade later. Suffice it to say, she wanted us to become heroes, to try and use our powers to help her protect the Earth. It was a far cry from my original plans for the future, but beggars can't be choosers.

She also promised to help us figure out how our powers worked...and find the people responsible for doing this to us. We drew the line at contacting our families though. Better they think us dead, than the truth.

Jade seemed to understand, and she promised to help us acquire new identities. Was there anything this woman couldn't do?

Two days later, and we were released, thanks to some strings pulled by Jade's government contact, a guy named Faraday. We were brought to a safehouse, just temporarily. I guess they were thinking about making a headquarters or something for Jade's new hero-group.

Later, when we were finally home, we had that make-up sex. And it was amazing.

To be continued...?

The Succubus Files-1: Purgation by Lynceus Once upon a time, I was a young man in love, with a bright future. My life was stolen from me, but my love gave me the strength to endure. But then I found out what it means to truly have nothing left to lose..

Sequel to Sin and Steel: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/21302/sin-and-steel

A Tale of the Comics Retcon Universe!: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/20577/comics-retcon-universe

Prologue: The Emperor

Lex Luthor slammed his fist down on his desk. Mercy jumped; her employer was typically a man of carefully restrained emotion. “Unacceptable! This is unacceptable! I've given them everything they've asked for, and this is what I get in return? First, some of the most promising test subjects escape, setting us back months so that the government doesn't catch wind of what we're doing...and now this?”

Luthor fumed for several moments until he spoke again. “Alright, so did Dr. Renko have any ideas about how this went wrong?”

Mercy coughed. “According to her and Dr. Donovan's findings, the metagene, if it is, in fact, genetic in nature...as you know, Dr. Renko has her doubts...”

Luthor chuckled. “Yes, I'm aware of her disagreements with Dabney. There's a reason I split up the research between them.”

“Yes, well, Dr. Renko believes that the trigger is chemical; she's convinced the trigger is DMT...that is, dimethyltryptamine...”

“I'm aware of what DMT is, Miss Graves.”

“Sorry, of course. Uh..yes, DMT produced by the pineal gland. Then, for whatever reason, the presence of other factors, such as the subject's mental state, or environmental factors, direct the transformation into a metahuman being.”

“Right. So the next step was to inject DMT into test subjects, and attempt to use deep hypnosis to trigger the metagene. And we had success...like subject #19.”

Mercy nodded. “Who, I'm afraid, the government likely has in custody. But apparently what's happening is that these transformations are unstable, and they can be rejected.”

“Reverse mutation. How many?”

“Only two of the test subjects we still have in custody have fully retained their mutations; one has partially reverted, with weaker powers than before, and the rest have lost their powers entirely. Some physical changes remain, but they are all completely human.”
“What kind of changes, exactly?” Luthor's brow furrowed as he thought.

“Well, for example, one subject who grew about a foot in height, after being disempowered, still retained several inches of increased height over their original appearance. Gender changes don't seem to reverse, save in one case. Ah, subject #11.”

“Eleven...oh yes, the woman who turned into a man. What happened?”

“She reverted to full female appearance, but according to Dr. Renko, she's still chemically male, with both an X and a Y chromosome.”

“Alright. Has the good Doctor tried to restore their mutations?”

Mercy shook her head. “She was wanting to administer the Athena-2 compound, rather than try to force mutations on them.”

“All but #11. Send Dr. Renko an ampule of Apollo.”

Mercy's eyes widened. “Apollo isn't ready for human testing yet!”

Luthor grinned. “I know.”

Chapter One: The Tower

I paced nervously outside the hospital room. Mr. Faraday looked irritated by my restlessness, but he didn't say anything. My emotions aren't exactly stable on my best days, and this was definitely not one of those. We'd been training in the secure facility Mr. Faraday had provided for us; I had my doubts about our current arrangement, but it's not like we had much choice.

Without warning, Alyssa had grown weak, and fallen to the ground. Her outer skin, which normally looks like shiny metal, had lost it's luster, and the bright light that normally shone from her eyes had dimmed. By the time we got her to the hospital (no easy task, her metal body is heavy!), she'd slipped into a coma.

Looking into the room, I could see cracks developing in her skin. Her vitals were weak, and a cold ball of fear had taken up residence in my gut. She had just given me my new name last night. Stefani. With an 'I'.

There was no way I could have coped with my transformation without her. And if I lost her now... No! I couldn't think about that. Once I'd been a tall, athletic football player. Broad shoulders, handsome.

Now I was a cute demon girl, not even 5' tall. I flexed my wings, some part of me wishing I could just fly away from this. I hated hospitals. Always have. But I couldn't abandon Alyssa, I couldn't!

Eventually I sat down, exhausted, and my eyes refused to stay open.

-

King Faraday shook me awake. Gently; I've been known to wake up with a fireball in hand. “Kid...got good news and bad news.”

I perked up at once. “She'll be ok?”

He nodded, running a hand through his hair. “Damnedest thing. Her skin cracked open, and, well, see for yourself.”

I rose and stood on tip-toe, looking into the room. To my amazement, Alyssa looked human again! In fact, she looked pretty much the way she had before the accident! She looked ridiculously tiny in the hospital bed, which had been set up to accommodate her 7' 2” frame. Now she was easily a foot and a half shorter (though still taller than her original height).

“She's...normal?”

King nodded. “I contacted Jade, she's going to get Dr. Zeul in here.”

“So what's the bad news?” I looked up at him.

He sighed. “She doesn't remember anything after the accident.”

I felt weak, and I reached out blindly for something to support my weight. King grabbed my arm, and helped me sit down. “That's...you can't mean that, it can't be true!”

He sighed. “Believe me, I didn't wake you until we were sure. She keeps asking for you...Steven, that is. We asked her to describe him...you.” He sighed. “She wouldn't know you to look at you. I'm sorry.”

-

I don't remember flying away, or even how I got out of the hospital. I was flying now, that was certain, as fast as I could (something like 120 MPH, according to the tests they did on me). I don't really fly; my wings are pretty much cosmetic. I pretty much tell gravity where it can go stick itself; I found that I could hover upside down, treating 'up' as my subjective 'down'. Technically, that would imply I don't fly so much as fall in whatever direction I choose, but it doesn't feel like falling...plus, I'd move faster if that were the case.

Right now, I was flying over a lake. All I had to do was fall into it...I never learned how to swim...

I shivered. Fuck! I'm too much of a coward to off myself! Plus, death by drowning was high on my list of least favorite nightmares. What the hell was I going to do? Without Alyssa, I really was a freak. And all alone.

I must have been flying for awhile, it was getting dark. And my stomach growled in protest. I burn up a lot of calories by flying, and my body doesn't have much reserve fat to begin with. I slowly descended, skimming over the lack, and landed on the shore, which bordered a rather heavily-forested area.
I can see perfectly fine in the dark; apparently my cat-like eyes aren't just for show. I stumbled across some nocturnal animal. It attempted to flee, but I called a flame to my hand and, within a few moments, the smell of burned hair assaulted my nose as it's body lay smoking on the ground.

I was so hungry I didn't care, I pulled away the outer layer of flesh, revealing half-cooked meat and bit into it, blood spurting into my mouth. I'd noticed before, when I bit Giganta, how good blood tasted to me. This wasn't quite the same but I devoured the salty blood greedily, like some kind of vampire.

Part of me was disgusted by my behavior, but really, what difference did it make now, if I was some kind of monster? I went looking for more prey, little caring about the tears falling from my eyes.

-

I was covered in blood, my clothes ragged and soiled, but at least the hunger was gone. I found a small cave and tossed a few fireballs inside to clear out whatever might be living within. Then, the walls still warm to the touch, I curled up and fell asleep.

I dreamed about Alyssa. I was a man again, and we were walking in the woods behind our school, hand-in-hand. I pushed her back to a tree, and we started making out. God, she was so beautiful...

I started kissing her bare neck, feeling the veins under her skin. So warm, so full of life. I sank my teeth into her neck and began lapping up her sweet blood...

-

“No!” I sat up, instantly awake, smacking my head against the cave's low ceiling. “Ow...fuck!” Shit did that hurt! I sat there, groaning in pain, for several long minutes. It was early morning, and I crawled out of the cave. I could see the lake's surface in the distance; mist rising off of it, the morning sun reflected on the water.

It was beautiful, and I smiled. Alyssa would love to see this.

Thinking about her was a mistake, I felt like I was all twisted up inside, and my eyes stung with tears. I sat down on a rock and wept. I wanted to die, and end this nightmare! I plunged my nails into my wrist, so blinded with grief that I didn't feel anything. No blood. I mean, there was blood, but I don't bleed. In fact, as I stared in awe, the wound began to heal before my very eyes, and within seconds, there wasn't even a scar!

A giggle formed in my throat, and before I knew it, I was howling with laughter! “Oh man, talk about epic fail! I can't even die right!”

“Uh...what's so funny?” I heard a female voice from overhead.

I blinked, looking up, to see a girl, maybe 15 or so. She had dark green hair, and was dressed in a green-and-black costume that resembled Jade's uniform, but showing a lot more skin. A black mask covered her eyes, which glowed with a soft green light.

I nearly fell off my rock, a ball of flame forming in my hand. “Stay away from me!”

“Hey...I'm not here to hurt you. Everyone is worried about you. Look.” She held up her hand, and I saw a glowing ring on it. “I'm a Green Lantern too, see? Jade sent me.”

I dismissed the flame, feeling kind of stupid. “Sorry. You just surprised me...I thought I was alone.”

The girl descended to the ground. Her method of flight seemed very similar to mine.

“Are you a metahuman too?”

The girl shook her head. “No...or at least, I don't think I am. It's kind of complicated.”

I snorted. “What isn't? Look, you can just go tell Jade I'm fine, I don't want to be saved.”

She looked me up and down. “You don't look so good at the moment.”

“Just leave me the fuck alone!” I stood up, shakily.

“No.”

I blinked. “What?”

“I'm not going to leave you.” She walked closer to me.

I threw a punch at her. “Leave me alone!”

She never even dodged, my fist hit her in the face, and she spun halfway around, and crumpled to the ground, lifeless. I looked at my hand in shock. It's hard to remember how strong I am now; I keep expecting to be a weak little girl, but my grip can deform metal.

And I just punched a kid! “Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck!” I knelt at the girl's side. “Please don't be dead! Please!”

The girl stirred, and I could see an ugly bruise on her jaw. “Ow at uckin urts!”

“Fuck me, I dislocated it...look, hold still, I'll fix it.” I'd always played rough with my friends, especially on the field, so I'd seen injuries like this before. I carefully placed my hands on her jaw and set it back into place.”

“Fucking ow!!!” She yelped. “Oh...hey...I can talk again. Fuck this hurts though...” She touched her jaw and her fingertips began to glow with greenish light. The bruise faded away before my eyes.

“Woah. You can heal like I do.”

I never saw the slap coming, and I found out that the girl was stronger than she looked; she knocked me right over! “What the hell is wrong with you? If I'd been a normal girl, you could have really hurt me!”

That did it. I couldn't even bring myself to move. I just started to cry, shaking helplessly. “I don't want this! I don't want it! I just want to die!”

The girl put her arms around me, and held me tight. “Shh, don't say that. It's going to be ok.”

“No it's not! Nothing is going to be ok ever again!” I wailed.

She rocked me like I was a baby, and began singing something softly. I could barely make out the lyrics, but it sounded vaguely familiar. I finally recognized it, and I couldn't help but smile. “Strawberry Fields Forever?”

“Shut up, my Mom sings it to me when I'm hurting bad.”

I relaxed in her arms. “No...it's ok. Your Mom must be a great person.”

“...she's the best.”

“What's your name?” I realized I didn't even know this mystery girl!

“Alena.”

“That's a pretty name. Guess you're not worried about the whole secret identity thing?”

“Heh. Here's where you'll freak out. I used to be Alan.”

I turned in her arms. “No fucking way!” This pretty girl used to be a guy?!

She laughed. “I know! But...it's weird. It wasn't even all that long ago, but sometimes, it feels like all that was a dream. I'm a girl now, and that's just how it is.”

I looked away. “I...I'm Steven. I wish I felt like you did. I don't want this. I never wanted this. I was a man! I had a girl I cared about...I was going to marry her one day...and now...and now...”

“Steven? That's a funny name for a girl.”

I glared at her, but she just grinned at me. It was so infectious, I couldn't keep a smile off my own face. “Stefani, now. Yes, with an 'I'. It was Alyssa's....” Stupid tears! Just when you think you can't cry anymore, they come back! “Fuck! Do girls ever stop crying?!”

“No, not really. Trust me, I have my own waterworks. Honestly though, I don't think it's because you're a girl. It's because you're a girl.”

“Huh?”

She laughed. “It isn't the body, is all I'm saying. You don't cry any more than a guy would. It's just...guys don't cry. Right? We got to be strong and tough, and only weep manly tears!” She puffed out her chest and flexed her arms.

I howled with laughter, she looked so lame! “Oh God...stop!”
“Whew. Sis is so much better at this than I am. Feel better? Just a tiny bit?”

I nodded. “It hurts still, but I don't want to die any more. Your sister?”

“Yeah, Alison. She doesn't put up with much bullshit. I can hear her now, actually. 'Stop being so fucking emo'!”

“Wow. She must hate you.”

Alena grinned. “I used to think that. Now I know better; she loves me so much it hurts.”

“I...that's how Alyssa was for me. Even though I look like a little girl...she was still...”

“Jade filled me in. She's fine, by the way, condition stable.”

I froze in shock. “Oh...God...I've been so fucking selfish!”

“Don't make me slap you again! Come on! Look what you've been through! Do you honestly think anyone wouldn't go psycho in your situation? Don't blame yourself...and...” She paused. “I'm a total hypocrite. If Sis heard me say this, she'd laugh her ass off.”

She sighed. “Look, no matter how much you care about someone, there are times when your brain has to shut down your ability to care about others. Because what's happening inside is so intense it's enough to make you crazy. I've been there. Everyone has. It doesn't make you a horrible person! At least, if it does, then I'm a fucking monster.”

“You're too cute to be a monster.” I clamped my mouth shut. “Uh...I mean...”

“It's ok. Honestly, I like being cute. I guess that means there's something wrong with me, I mean, what guy would actually like being a cute girl? So gay.”

I giggled. Then frowned. “Fuck.”

“Yeah, that takes getting used to. You think you're the same, but everything is wired different. And worse, you have this programming in your head that says 'guys act like this', 'girls act like that'. So you try to macho up, because you're a guy, damn it all...but subconsciously, your brain is thinking 'well, if I look like a girl, I must be a girl, so I should act like one'.”

I tilted my head at an angle, trying to wrap my mind around what Alena had just said. “That shouldn't make any fucking sense, but it does.”

“We are not our bodies or our minds, or the weird chemicals floating in our bloodstreams. We're all that, and more. Inside, you're still you. Who you are changes over time, that's natural. But I mean, let's say you lost a leg. That changes your life in so many ways, right? But it doesn't change who you are, even though who you are changes because of it.” She frowned. “Wait...that's not right...”

I shook my head. “No, I understand what you're saying. I used to be an athlete, a loss of a limb or a serious injury would be like the end of the world.” I considered that. “Hm. I'd be doing the same things I'm doing now, I bet.”
“Yeah except for one major difference. You didn't lose anything, you gained something. It may have been something you never wanted, but it's here now, to stay.”

“Well..I did lose one thing...”

She blushed. “Ah, yes, there is that. I guess it was easier for me. Girls thought I was a freak, so I wasn't getting much use out of it.”

“You were a geek, weren't you? Funny how that works, a geeky guy is just a loser, but a geeky girl is really cute. I ought to know, Alyssa is a total brain. She was even going to graduate early. So we could be together at college.” I sighed. I didn't want to cry any more.

“Hey. She's still alive. She's ok. And you know, maybe she'll remember one day. You got to have hope!”

“No, maybe it's better this way. She can go back to her life, and not have to be in love with a little girl.”

She hit me lightly in the head with her palm. “God, it's like I'm looking at myself! Stop that, will you?”

“I can't help it. I think she really should move on.”

“Uh huh. So tell me, Jock Boy...what if she had turned into a guy? Would you have run screaming for the hills?”

I opened my mouth, and shut it.

“It's ok, you don't have to answer that. You may very well have, it would freak a lot of people out. But she didn't, did she? She stayed with you. She may have even shown you that you don't need to be a guy to please a girl.”

I was suddenly very happy my skin is already red. Because I felt my face get very hot. “Uh...”

She chuckled. “Ok, sorry, I was definitely channeling my sister there.”

“I'd like to meet this sister of yours, she sounds like someone special.”

“Oh she is, she is. Anyways, she stuck by you. That's rare. So the least you can do is not give up on her.”

“I don't know...it's so hard...”

She stood up and held out her hand. “There are people who can, and will help you. I'm one of them.”

I slowly reached up and took her hand, and she pulled me to my feet. “Woah, you're really light!”

I nodded. “82 lbs., yeah. It's pretty weird, like the rest of me.”

“You mean weirdly pretty, right?” She winked.

“Uh...yeah. That too. I never wanted to be pretty though.”

“Would you rather be ugly?”

I frowned. “Well...no.”

“So then, being pretty is a plus. You at least get some eye candy when you look at that stranger in the mirror.”

“That...were you dropped on your head as a kid?”

She laughed. “Twice. Sis always yells at my warped logic, but it's her fault. She's the one who dropped me on my head!”

I couldn't help but laugh. I didn't want to let go of her hand. And she never let go of mine, even when we flew back to the city.

Chapter Two: The Devil

By the time we got back to the safehouse, I was exhausted. I barely acknowledged Mr. Faraday, just went right to the bathroom and took a shower. I'd thought I'd never be clean again! Afterwards, I climbed into my bed, which now seemed way too big for me without Alyssa. I reached over towards the depression her sleeping body had already made in the new mattress.

I missed her terribly. I drifted off to sleep, and I dreamed.

-

I was standing on a wooden platform, naked, a collar around my neck, and shackles on my hands and feet. A dusky-skinned girl stood next to me. She was tall, with a mature, womanly figure, but she wasn't much older than I was. She had long black hair and blue eyes that made her seem exotic and mysterious. She was also quite beautiful, too beautiful to be a slave girl.

But slave girl she was, dressed in a simple shift. She glanced at me. I didn't recognize the language she spoke, but I understood it all the same. “You flatter me with your eyes, my friend.”

I blushed and looked away. “I cannot help it, you are so beautiful. I know it is not proper, but I have such strange feelings whenever I see you.”

“They say my beauty is a curse, for that very reason. Men and women alike desire me, but only for my body. Never for who I am.”

I moved as close as I could to her, my arm brushing against hers. “I'm not like that, Sakkara.”

She smiled. “I know. If only life was not so cruel.”
-

The scene changed then. Gone were the shackles and the crude markeplace. Now I stood on a marble dais, still naked, but I had been scrubbed clean, and my hair brushed until it seemed to shine. Sakkara stepped into view. She looked the same, but her eyes were infinitely older. Saying nothing, she placed her hand on my chin, turning my head this way and that.

“You seem familiar to me.”

I smiled. “As you do to me. I remember...your name was Sakkara.”

She gasped. “How is this possible? I saw you whipped to death!”

“I don't know, but it seems I am alive again. And still a slave.”

She smiled. “We will see about that, my friend.” She produced a bag of gold, and tossed it to the slavemaster. I was now hers, and I was never happier.

-

Much later, I lay next to her, sharing her bed. I knew I was far from her only lover; I had seen them as she led me to her chambers. Young men and women alike, and their eyes burned with jealousy as they saw me. Sakkara had been gentle with me, and showed me pleasures that I had never imagined!

“Sakkara?” I was quiet, not wanting to wake her.

She turned to face me, and gently stroked my cheek. “Yes, precious one?”

“Why did you choose me? The others are so much more beautiful.”

“Silly girl! You have come back to me, across so much time, how could I turn down such a gift?”

I smiled. “Your words warm me.”

“My body will do more.” She smiled and pulled me close...

-

She was betrayed again, of course, and I was the first to die. I died with her name on my lips. I slept for a time, and then I slowly became aware. I was floating in a warm place, and I could hear the heartbeat of a living woman...the woman in whose womb I slept...my mother!

It seemed strange, to have my memories intact when I had not even been born yet. I did not know why I kept returning, but I knew I would see Sakkara again. She was the only constant in my life, other than violent death.

I was all of six when I saw her. All the people had gathered in celebration, to hail their new Queen. She had liberated us from a cruel tyrant, so beautiful, that she seemed like a Goddess. Already they were calling her a daughter of Ashtar!

And yet, she had a dark side, they spoke of traffic with demons and dark magic. I knew these things to be true; Sakkara had ever been attracted to such things. It was part of her nature; I could not love her without accepting that.

As she left the marketplace in her chariot, I called out to her, in the language we had shared in my first life. “Beautiful Sakkara, do you remember me?”

She halted her chariot and got out, moving to me quickly. My mother tried to shield me from her, but I could only smile at my immortal lover.

“Is it truly you, reborn again?” She gasped.

I smiled and hugged her fiercely.

-

She brought Mother and I to her palace, adopting me as her own. We assumed the roles of mother and daughter so naturally that I might have well been the fruit of her own womb. She doted on me, and gave me everything I had ever lacked.

I learned to read, and to write. For the first time, I was no crude slave girl, but an intelligent young lady. It seemed I could never be happier!

Of course, that life ended badly as well. And so did the next. And the next.

It was Sakkara's nature, really. Born a slave, she grew to understand that there were those with power, and those without. And she wanted power, more power than anyone. So that she would never be a slave again. But time and again, she would give up that power, and enslave herself to another.

She couldn't help herself. Some part of her would always be that slave girl, used and betrayed by others. And I would always die, and come back. Until finally, the day came when she killed me herself.

Her immortality came at a price. Like the vampire of myth, she had to fuel her powers with living blood. It was inevitable, I was always close to her. Weakened, injured, close to death, I gave her my own life so that she could live.

-

I woke, but I wasn't in my room. Instead, I was laying on an old-fashioned, four-poster bed. I was wearing an unfamiliar nightgown that fit me like a glove. Rising, I saw the woman, Sakkara, sitting on a loveseat. Watching me.

Except she was no human woman. Her skin was as red as my own, I saw her wings, like mine, but larger. It was like looking at an older version of my own body!

“I don't understand. Who am I? Who are you?”

She sighed. “I don't have the answers either, sweetling. I look at your body, and I see a daughter, a child I never had. A nameless slave girl who was cursed to love me. And something...very different. Something surprisingly male.” She purred.

I frowned. “I'm not her. I can't be her, I'm a man!”

She quirked an eyebrow and laughed. “Maybe once, sweetling. But I can assure you, that body you wear is anything but a man's. Even though your soul is deliciously otherwise. So tortured you are, I would dearly enjoy seducing you, making you renounce your very gender, and feasting on your blood.”

She shook her head then. “Forgive me, old habits die hard.”

“Are you a metahuman? Or...are you really a demon?”

“Hm? Ah, yes, that new word. In my time, we had another term for it. Special ones like ourselves, we were said to have the blood of Fallen angels in our veins. Nephilim, they called us. For eons, those of our blood would walk, cursed, forsaken by God and Satan. Untold generations would live and die, without ever knowing what they truly were. Occasionally, one such as I would appear; chosen by fate to ascend.”

She shook her head. “And we would seek out others like ourselves. But it was always the same; whenever we gathered in great numbers, we would fight. The great civilizations of the world would blossom at our touch, and fall to ruin as a result of our actions. I have been dead now for some time. Of course, one of the advantages of being worshiped as a Goddess is, you have followers willing to do anything for you. Our current predicament is testament to that.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“For years, the cult that bore my name has worked to resurrect me. And now, at the dawn of the Fifth Age, the blood of the Fallen awakens all around us! It is a glorious time, full of such promise! A time where the boundaries between Science and Magic begin to blur, and Gods young and old walk the Earth! I love times such as these.”

She held up a hand, forestalling my interruption. “Patience, young Stefani. In any age, there are men and women of great ambition. One such was ultimately responsible for your creation. This was not the form your soul would have taken, but one of my cult interfered in the experiment that changed you. And gave you the most sacred treasure of my followers; a vial of my very blood.”

My eyes widened. “Wait...you mean...”

“Yes! They thought to mold you into a suitable dwelling for my essence! You would die, so that I could live. But what they didn't know, what they couldn't know...you saw it. Her sacrifice, on my behalf. An act of love so pure it burns to think of it. How...why could she love me so? I don't deserve her love, I never did. She didn't just give me her life, she gave me her very soul!”
“That's why I dreamed about being her! I have her soul!”

“Oh you are a smart one. And here they told me you were a gladiator.”

I was about to correct her, but...football, ancient Roman bloodsports...not much difference.

“So that's why I'm so damn girly.”

She smiled. “But yes, you are partly correct. Some part of me did enter your body, but along with it, the only part of me that is pure. The remnant of her spirit. Which brings us to our problem. The Science that gave you this body is not perfect. You would have normally rejected this form.”

“Like Alyssa did.”

“I can't say you would have been male again, but you would have at least been human. But you had my essence in you. And that was enough to keep you this way. So now we're stuck with each other.”

“So what, you're going to take me over?”

“No. To be honest...in death, I found the peace I lacked in life. With the only person who hever used or betrayed me. The only person who truly loved me. I want her back.”

I shivered. “I've been wanting to kill myself. That was you?”

She had the decency to look ashamed. “It was wrong of me to try and push you. But your heart was so troubled, and...I need her, Stefani. I need her so badly. Without her...”

I nodded. “She is your Alyssa. That's what you're saying.”

She nodded gratefully. “Yes! We are the same in that regard.”

“Well I don't want to die anymore. I don't know how I'm going to live...like this...but...”

She smirked. “Yes, the bearer of the Green Flame. Meddlesome child, but perhaps this is for the best. Stefani...I can't undo the damage I have done, but I can leave you with something, if you would do me one favor.”

I sat down next to her. “What can I do?”

She held out her hand. “Please, stay with me. She is coming for me, and, even though I want to be with my beloved again...I'm afraid.”

I took her hand and she smiled. “Thank you.”

“Who is coming?”

There was a knock at the door, and the cutest young woman I've ever seen entered the room. She was pale, dressed kind of Goth-like, with dark hair and eyes that seemed to hold all of Creation in their gaze. She wore an ankh around her neck, and there was a strange tattoo on her face. “Hi, did you miss me?”

Sakkara nodded. “Very much so. It seems we've been missing each other for a long time now.”

I blinked. “Uh..tell me I'm not drooling.”

The young woman giggled. “Nope, no drool. My, my, aren't you adorable?” She walked closer and ruffled my hair.

“Who are you?”

Sakkara clucked. “She is Lady Death.”

Death grinned. “No relation to that big-boobed bimbo you hang out with, Purgatori.”

Sakkara laughed then, pure and without malice. “Oh, no, no, Lady. I would never compare you to her.”

Death winked. “Good! Ooh, when I get my hands on her...I mean, I thought the Grim Reaper gave me a bad name, but gah! All that silicone! And that mole!” She shuddered.

“Uh..I'm still here, remember me?” I waved.

“We didn't forget. It's just at times like this, I feel nostalgic. But don't worry, I'm not here for you, Steven. Stefani!” She coughed. “Destiny will yell at me, but I can honestly say we won't be meeting again for some time.” She looked to Sakkara. “Are you sure about this, 'tori?”

“Very much so.”

“Why does she call you that?” I looked at Sakkara.

“Very few people know my true name. Most know me was Purgatori. With an 'I'.” She grinned at me.

I returned her grin, but only for a moment. “So you're going to die now?”

She nodded. “Yes. Death is going to free myself and my love, and we...will rest. Hopefully together. But I have chosen you to be my heir. My powers will pass onto you.”

“I don't want your powers, Sakkara.”

She patted me on the head. People keep doing that! But...I kind of like it. “I know, dear child. But I'd rather they go to you, than any others who would claim them. I know you will be a better person than I ever was.”

“I...I'll try. But without Alyssa...”

She leaned close and kissed my cheek. “Have faith. It may take thousands of years, but you will find your love one day. I did.”

She rose then. “I'm ready.”

Death walked to the door and opened it. I only saw light beyond. “After you, 'tori.”

Sakkara...no, Purgatori, walked to the door. She turned. “I'm not Purgatori any longer. She is.” And then she and Death were gone.

-

I woke up, my nightgown soaked with sweat. What a strange dream! Or...had it been a dream? I held out my hand, and Hellfire appeared in my palm. “Ok, that wasn't a dream.”

I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror, sticking out my chest. Granted, I don't have much up top, but the pose was intensely feminine. “Look out world, Purgatori is back!”

-

Since she'd been declared dead, there really was no way Faraday could easily let Alyssa go back to her family (who would no doubt question how their daughter had grown half a foot in height!). But the question remained; what to do with her? How to answer her questions about Steven and what had happened to her?

Dr. Zeul (who turned out to be Giganta!) examined her and gave us her prognosis. “Basically, her metagene is in some kind of remission. It may be permanent, it may be temporary. I don't really understand it. The memory loss though...I'm positive that's some kind of stress reaction. She's blocking out the memories for some reason, but they will return.”

“...what if she doesn't want to remember?” It was hard, but I was trying to be strong.

Doris crouched down to my height. Even her normal size is pretty tall! “Stefani, listen to me. Alyssa loves you. She attacked me when she thought you were hurt, even when she was pissed at you. That love won't go away. It's the rest of her life that has her confused. I'm sure you can understand.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I think I can. I wish I could just forget everything. Maybe I'd be happier?”

“Maybe. But you're not the kind of person who runs from her problems, are you?”

“No, you're right. That's not like me.”

She grinned. “Then there you have it. In the meantime, Jade wanted me to give you this.” She handed me a green ring.

“Woah...is this...?”

She held up her own hand. “It's not as powerful as hers. It just lets you talk to us whenever, and vice versa. Oh and it can disguise you. I use it to create clothes for when, you know...”

I laughed. “The World's Biggest Supermodel? Yeah, I know.”

She actually blushed! She might be a big girl, but deep down, she was really sweet. And weirdly enough, also a former guy. I was detecting a trend here...

She explained to me how it worked, and for my first test, I hid my 'demonic' features. I looked at my human self in the mirror. “Wow. I knew I was cute, but...this!”

Doris gave me a hug. “I think you're going to be alright, honey.”

I thought so too.

-

They brought Alyssa back to the safehouse. I could tell she knew something was up, and she seemed to recognize the place. We were introduced, and I resolved that if I couldn't be her boyfriend, then I could be her friend. I was so happy to see her smile and laugh again!

Later that night, I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, thinking of all the changes in my life. I was going to be a superhero now. I found myself strangely comfortable with the notion. I had finally drifted off to sleep when I felt something move next to me.

Opening one eye, I turned to find Alyssa curled up next to me. I gently shook her. “Hey, Alyssa?”

“mm...Steve...again...just like that.” She got a goofy smile on her face, and I felt my face burn.

Then she opened her eyes and looked at me. “Steve?!”

“Uh...hi?”

“But...how...” She put her hand to her forehead. “Ow...wait...I remember. I remember!”

Did I dare to hope?

“Oh God, Steve..this has been hell on you, hasn't it?”

I shook my head. “Hon, you almost died, and you're worried about me?”

She smiled at me, and I swear, it was like the sun had come up early. “I told you, I'm not going to leave you. Now kiss me.”

“My pleasure.” I kissed her lips. And then moved on to other, more interesting parts of her body. I remembered watching Sakkara at work in my dream, and I copied her as best as I could. By the time I stopped, I was exhausted, and I lay back on the bed, trying to catch my breath as Alyssa cuddled up next to me.

“my god...” She whispered. “That was incredible!”

“You liked it?”

She smiled wickedly. “Not as much as you're going to.”

My eyes widened, and then I smiled back at her.

-

Sometimes, the hero does get the girl in the end.

To be continued!

The Succubus Files-2: Persecution by Lynceus Alyssa was back in my life, and things were looking better. But then I came face to face wtih human fear at it's most primal level, and it shocked me to the core...

Ever since I woke up, naked, in a government lab, my body completely transformed, I've discovered that I have some amazing powers. Like, for one, despite the fact that I don't look like I could out-wrestle a nine year-old boy, I'm strong. Really strong.

I mean, I can't lift a car, like Alyssa could when she had her powers, but I can lift about 900 pounds over my head, which is really damned amazing for someone of my height and build! I was also more agile than ever, although that might have had more to do with my different body structure and flight power.

It really seemed like my ability to fly was always on, at least to some extent, I felt amazingly light when I moved, and I had some really impressive hang time when I jumped. I took to just gliding around a few inches off the floor, since I had to do a lot of flying before I got tired.

For awhile there I got a kick out of hanging upside down in the air like some kind of antigravity bat, but Alyssa told me that it kind of freaked her out, so I stopped. Mostly. I still feel bad that she'd lost her own powers; it was really nice to discover our abilities together.

Although she's still a lot stronger than she was, she's not lifting any trucks, that's for sure. As I'd discovered, I can really take a pounding, and my body starts healing itself the moment I'm injured. Although too much of this and I really get hungry.

Yeah, that's another thing. I can't seem to digest vegetables any more, I'm on a strictly carnivorous diet, which includes bloody steaks. I can't really chew them, I just sort of suck the juice out of them. Alyssa says she can't decide if it's cool to watch, or just creepy.

She's mentioned letting me bite her more than once, but I remembered the 'dream' I'd had. Sakkara had killed someone she cared about doing that, and I won't lose Alyssa again! Granted, my level of bloodlust wasn't anywhere near what hers had been, but why tempt fate?

My nightvision also defies explanation; I can see just fine in a room with no light at all! Fire and heat seem to have no effect on me, I don't burn, heck, smoke doesn't even make my eyes water. Tear gas does, of course, as I found out during our escape from the lab.

It really points to a supernatural origin for my powers, but I try not to point this out; the government doesn't seem to have any magic experts, and besides, I like talking with Doris. But she's a geneticist, if she got the idea that she couldn't help me, she probably wouldn't come by as often.

My last, and probably most potent ability is calling hellish flame to my hand. It's definitely not of this Earth, and it seems to be able to burn just about anything. Any time they try to gauge the heat of my fireballs, the equipment starts behaving oddly. For now, they're chalking my power up to 'pyrokinesis' and leaving it at that.

I can't really blame them, metahumans seem to blatantly ignore science. Almost like our powers are governed by some other form of physics, I guess.

I was still kind of resistant about the whole costume thing, although I sure had a lot of fun with the ring I'd been given! Alyssa and I were in her room, and I was basically letting her treat me like a living doll, using the ring to change into any outfit she asked for. To my surprise, I really liked using the ring to play 'dress up', the more I get used to my body, the more I like seeing myself wearing different outfits.

She had me in some lacy number that looked way too sexy for a girl of my apparent age. “Hon, are you sure about this?”

She grinned. “You're a little hottie now, baby. Might as well flaunt it, right?”

I posed, placing a hand on my hip. “Hm..maybe.”

“Ok, I want you to try this on.” She held up a magazine of this girl wearing some black lace Victorian-style number. I read the article title.

“Gothic Lolita fashion, and you? You're serious?”

She clasped her hands together. “Please? For me?”

I shook my head and willed the ring to change my appearance again. I whistled lowly. “Wow...” I swished my skirt this way and that; the ring's illusions are just too real to be believed!

“Wow is right, you look...adorable, but in a sexy kind of way.”

I looked at her. “Sexy to who?”

She moved closer, putting her arms around my shoulders. “To me.” She kissed my neck, which sent shivers down my spine.

“Do you really mean it hon? Sorry...it's just...”

She ran her fingers through my short hair. “I know, it's a little strange to me too. I mean, I always could appreciate how a girl looked, but this is different. I love you, Stef, no matter if you're a boy or a girl, so get that through your thick skull, please?”

I sighed. “I'm trying! It's just..not easy.”

She hugged me closer, and I could feel her breasts against my shoulders. “Baby, you're doing just fine, you really are. I think there always was a girl inside you, wanting to get out.”

I frowned. “You really think so?”

She rested her chin on my head. “Yeah. And you know what? I really like her.”

“So you like me better this way?”

I could see her frown in the mirror. “That's a hard question. Better? No. Just...different. I mean, don't get me wrong, I miss my big strong boyfriend. You used to hold me like this.”

“Yeah...” I felt my eyes mist up a bit. “Argh...”

“Shh. Don't hold them in. If you want to cry, just do it. You're entitled now.”

“When I thought you were gone, I didn't care if I lived or died. I need you so much. Are you...ok with that?”

“Very ok. You were strong for me once. You helped me stand up to Mom. I can be strong for you now. Just lean on me honey. I'm here.”

I leaned back, letting her support my weight. It felt really good. “There's a song like that...if you fall I will catch you?”

She laughed. “If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting...time after time.”

“Yeah! Uh, who sings that?”

She giggled. “Cyndi Lauper.”

“Gah! I'm such a girl!”

She suddenly cupped my little AA breasts. “Yes, yes you are. And naughty girl, no bra?”

I blinked. “Did I need one?”

“No, not really, you're small enough up top not to. Although you will have to worry about your nipples poking through your dress...like they are now.”

She rubbed them, and I moaned softly. Oh shit, that felt so nice!

Then she gently bit my earlobe, and I gasped. “You like?” She whispered.

I nodded. “Uh huh...”

“I'll miss how we used to make love, baby. But there are other ways. Lots of other ways.”

I was so turned on right at that moment, I was ready to grab her and throw her on the bed. So of course, it was that exact moment that my ring lit up.

“Alena? I kind of have a problem, how quickly can you get downtown?” It was Doris, and she sounded like she was in trouble.

“I'm on my way!” I frowned, looking at Alyssa. “Raincheck?”

She smiled and kissed me. “Be careful. And definitely. I'll be waiting.”

-

I was still in the Gothic Lolita getup as I flew over the city. I felt like some weird magical girl from an anime. Look out world, here comes Sailor Purgatori! I let my skin turn red, and my dress became backless as my wings became visible. I didn't need them to fly, but it felt good to exercise them. If Sakkara had been any indication, they were going to get a lot bigger over time!

Of course, that was another thing I wanted to ask Doris about. After I helped her with her problem, that is. I saw the smoke rising and heard the sirens before I saw anything, even with my eyesight. Doris was literally holding a burning building up, trying to keep it from collapsing!

I hovered near her. “Doris, you could be burned!”

“...doesn't matter....people inside!”

I nodded and zipped through an open window. As I said, smoke and heat don't bother me, and I could see perfectly fine inside. The building groaned under it's own weight, as it's very supports were being burned away. It was old, a firetrap waiting to happen. “Hello! Can anyone hear me! I'm here to help!”

I heard coughing. “Here, please! My baby!”

I bust down the door and into the hall, moving quickly towards the sound. I entered a bedroom, ignoring the heat and the flames, and saw a woman holding a little girl to her breast.

“I'm here, I can help you.”

The woman's eyes widened. “What are you?! You look like a Devil!”

“Would a Devil be here to save you? Come on, let me take the child...” I reached for her, only to have the woman shy away. She reached for her necklace, a crucifix, and ripped it off her neck.

“Don't get any closer! You can't have my baby!”

“Don't you understand? You'll both die...please, let me help you!” I reached for the child again, and the woman jabbed the crucifix into my hand. And God...oh God help me...it burned!

I pulled my hand back, holding it in shock.

“You are a devil! You are! Get thee behind me!”

I growled and grabbed the woman, child and all. She jabbed at me with the crucifix, but I didn't care. I threw a ball of Hellfire at the wall, which burned an opening for us. And I flew us out, even as the woman jabbed the cross into my eye!

I screamed, but I refused to let go, not until we were on the ground. I cowered in pain as she kicked me, and spat me. Finally, the firefighters pulled her away. I heard the building finally collapse and...I felt nothing.

-

“Stef? Stef!” Doris scooped me up in her arms. “Honey, what's wrong, what happened?”

I just stared off into space, shivering. I felt cold. So cold.

“Fuck, your eye! What happened?”

“...I'm evil.”

“What? No, honey, you're not, you saved that mother and her little girl!”

“She thought I was a devil. She stabbed me with a cross. It hurt...it hurt...why did it hurt?”

“Just hold on honey, I'll get you home.”

-

But when she brought me out of the alley, I could hear voices. “It's a demon! It's evil! It caused the fire!”

Someone threw something, which hit Doris, I heard her grunt. She snapped at a nearby cop. “Officer, control this mob or I will defend myself!”

I guess that was enough to incite him to action. “Uh...hey! That's enough! Move along! This lady just saved a whole bunch of lives here, if you keep harassing her, I won't stop her!”

“So you're siding with them?! The freaks!?”

“Oh for the love of...” I heard the squawk of a radio. “Dispatch, this is Officer Riley, at the corner of Baker and Sixth. We got a riot about to form, please advise?”

A burst of static, then. “Circle the wagons, Mitch. Sending backup now.”

The police formed a defensive ring around us, holding the crowd back until the backup arrived.

-

Finally, Doris got me home. She'd wrapped me in a blanket. I still felt cold. Alyssa gasped when she saw me. “What the fuck happened?! Honey? Talk to me!”

“What happened...? I'll tell you what happened! She saved lives, and they wanted to crucify her for it!”

“Oh my God, baby, your eye!”

“She's not healing it, she said she was stabbed by a cross. I don't care what anyone says, Stefani isn't some demon!” Doris punched the wall in frustration.

“Hey, hey, easy on the wall, ok Giganta?” King Faraday walked in.

“...sorry. God, this is my fault, I should have seen this coming..”

“Blaming yourself isn't going to fix the kid. Ok, let's move her to the couch. I have a doctor coming.”

-

“Well, the damage isn't all that severe to the cornea. It should heal eventually. I can't imagine why her natural ability to recuperate isn't working on the wound. Well, not unless I'm willing to step beyond the bounds of medicine.” The doctor patted my arm and rose. “Have her rest for a few days, if it doesn't clear up, we'll have to operate. If we even can, that is, given how fast her other wounds heal themselves.”

He left the room and I could hear him talking to Faraday quietly. But I couldn't make out the words. Alyssa was holding me, and I slowly realized that me acting like a zombie was upsetting her. I reached out and touched her hair.

“I'm sorry, Alyssa. I don't mean to worry you. It's just...I never thought God would turn on me.”

“Steven...Stefani. Don't say that! Come on, you haven't been to Church in years!”

I chuckled. “True. But I was never burned by a cross before. I never had someone be so afraid of me, they'd rather die. And let their child die. I...how can I be a hero if that's what people are going to think? That I'm a mon..”

“Don't you dare finish that sentence! Don't you dare! You are not a monster! You're a beautful, wonderful person, and I love you! Would I love a monster?”

“...I should shut up now, huh?”

She kissed me fiercely. “Yes.”

-

The next morning, I could see out of my eye again. Alyssa had...helped me feel better. In a lot of ways. But when I went downstairs for breakfast, wearing one of Alyssa's shirts (how's that for a switch, she used to wear my shirts as nightgowns!), I found King watching the news.

He turned off the set. “I'll give you the short version. The religious community is demanding answers, the cops are stonewalling them, and the media is having a damned field day.”

I sat down. “Fuck.”

“Yeah, you got that right, girly. But you know...this was inevitable. There's a lot of fear about metahumans. It was only a matter of time they'd latch onto one of the less pretty ones. Not that you're not...pretty, I mean.”

I groaned. “Please, King, don't. 'Pretty' is not a word I ever wanted used to describe me.”

“Heh. Yeah, I guess not. I don't know how you do it.”

I blinked. “Huh?”

“I see you fall apart all the time, and hell, who wouldn't? But you keep pulling yourself back together. And you're not a cop, or military. From them, sure, I can see it. Duty before all else. But you're just a kid, you know?”

“I...don't have any answers. I guess it's just that there are people who care. And if they can have faith in me...maybe I should too?”

“Yeah, Giganta is pissed. And I don't even want to know what Jade is going to say. That little filly is going to launch me into orbit!”

I laughed. “She wouldn't do that.”

“I'm government. She has a pretty dim view of us. I know she's technically supposed to acknowledge our authority, but that young lady has the power to change the world. And we keep getting in her way.”

“I wonder, sometimes. How I would feel, if I was still human. And this was going on around me. Would I think that metahumans are a menace too?”

King shrugged. “I don't know. I don't think so. But either way, we're going to have to move you out of this town, at least until this dies down. Ain't no pretty girl...human or not, whether she wants to be a girl or not...dying on my watch.”

I smiled. “Are you sure you work for the government? That almost sounded like you care!”

“Damn right I do. Look, the country is a mess, but the minute we throw our hands up and say it's not going to work, abandon ship, that's it. Game over. So I keep hoping that one of these days, the people are going to stand up and say 'enough, this isn't what we want', and make the politicians and the warmongers listen. That's how this country got started, and it's high time people remembered that.” He finished his coffee.

“Wow. You're a patriot.”

“Damn right I am.” He reached over and ruffled my hair. “I got a daughter who looks about your age. I know you're older, but I see you, and I can't help but think about her future. Will she be a metahuman? Will she fall in love with one? What about her children? Your kind are here to stay. And whatever else, you are humans. Special humans, but humans. You have the same rights as anyone else, and the minute that changes, this country is dead. You know what they're talking about. Metahuman laws, registration, all that crap.”

“...oh wow.”

“Yep. The comics, they been talking about this for years, funny, ain't it? Like, somehow, people knew, and were trying to prepare us for this. But there's no way people are going to stand for a return to McCarthyism and fearmongering At least, they better not!”

“Thanks, Mr. Faraday. I feel better knowing you're watching out for me.”

“Aw stop, I'm getting all misty.” He chuckled.

-

I went back upstairs to check on Alyssa. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, yawning.

“Morning, beautiful.”

She smiled at me. “Mmm. You're up early.”

I sat down next to her. “What's the matter, want to go back to bed?”

She brushed some hair out of my eyes. “With you? Definitely.”

I leaned into her touch. “I was thinking about taking a shower.”

“Is that an invitation to join you? Because I think I'll take you up on that.”

I won't excite you with details, but we did more than just get clean.

-

After we got dressed, we went downstairs and I cooked her some breakfast. Because, well, Alyssa can't cook to save her life. The girl can burn water, I swear! “French toast, baby?”

“Sounds heavenly!” She sat down at the table, watching me. “I envy you so much for being able to fly like that.”

“Huh? Oh!” I had risen about 6” off the floor; the kitchen had not really be designed for someone of my height. “Yeah...it really is cool. I guess I should be more grateful, huh?”

“I don't know, baby. I kind of miss being strong, but honestly, I don't miss having metal skin.”

I nodded. “I can't argue there. You're a lot easier to make love to.”

“Oh yeah...and it feels better too. Do you think we're going to be ok?”

I sighed. “I hope so. I mean, I can't go to college like this. That's a given. Mr. Faraday has been good about helping us out, but that means I'll have to try to make this superhero thing into my job.”

“This is about last night?”

“No...I'm better now. The whole thing was a shock to me, but I should have seen it coming. I have this ring, I can look like whoever, so why would I try to save people looking like a demon girl? That was stupid.”

“Aw honey...if it's any consolation, I like your look.”

I shot her a glance. “You do?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Especially those cute little wings.”

“You're weird!” I paused, flexing my wings. “...but I like them too.”

I floated over with her plate. “Here you are, angel, French toast, scrambled eggs, and your orange juice.”

She smiled at me. “I love the service here. Do you accept tips?”

“Only if they come in the form of sexual favors.”

She beckoned me over, and we shared a kiss.

Mr. Faraday came in to get some coffee. “Aw jeez, is that all you two ever do? Damn teenagers. You have a room, why not use it?”

We both giggled. “Gah, did I just giggle?”

“Yes dear, you do that now. Sorry Mr. Faraday.” Alyssa grinned.

“Such a liar. Tomorrow morning we're moving out, so pack whatever you want to keep.”

I frowned. “Where are we going?”

He smiled. “Someplace where you'll fit right on in. Sin City.”

“Ooh, Vegas! I always wanted to go.” Alyssa did this thing where she bounces a little when she's excited. It makes her breasts move in interesting ways.

“Ok, I'll bite. Why Vegas?”

“Lot of weird stuff happening there. Supernatural stuff. Apparently that other Green Lantern got into it with some kind of a giant ghost or something last night.” He drank his coffee. “So my boss figured, we have a demon girl on the payroll, might as well put you to work.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Payroll?”

He snorted. “You think all this comes out of the goodness of my heart?”

I sighed. “Well, it would be nice. But yeah, I suppose I do have to work for a living.”

Alyssa frowned. “I wish I could help.”

King pointed at her. “You, keep her from going crazy. That's a very important job. Now, unless my ears deceive me, someone was talking about going to college? How does UNLV sound?”

We looked at each other. Alyssa nodded. “It sounds good. We'll be in Vegas that long?”

“As long as your girlfriend can be more discreet, no reason why not.”

I blushed, but thankfully, no one can really tell. “That was dumb of me last night.”

“Rookie mistake. And you didn't deserve what happened. Anyways, take the rest of the night off, have some fun, go out and see a movie or something.”

I nodded. “Good idea, but I think I should go visit Doris first. I have some questions only she can answer.”

“Suit yourself.” He poured himself more coffee. “We'll be leaving tomorrow at 0900 hours, so don't stay out too late.”

Once he left, Alyssa looked at me. “So what did you need to talk to Dr. Zeul about?”

“...I need to know.”

“Huh?”

I sighed. “Will I grow any more than this? Or am I going to be a little girl for the rest of my life?”

She put her arms around me. “You know it doesn't matter to me, right?”

“...maybe not now, but how are you going to feel in ten years? Twenty?”

“Baby...the future hasn't happened yet. Why are you worrying about it so much?”

“Let me tell you about a dream I had...”

To be continued...

The Succubus Files-3: Viva Las Vegas! by Lynceus Las Vegas gets a new superhero, and maybe, a new Goddess as well!

---

“Stef, hon, are you going to bounce like that during the whole flight?” Alyssa sounded amused.

I blinked and sat stiff, feeling suddenly very sheepish. “I...didn't realize I was doing that.”

She leaned over and put her arms around me. “It's okay honey, I know you're really excited.”

I leaned into her embrace, but frowned. “What's happening to me, 'Lyssa? I mean, I was acting like a kid just now and didn't even realize it.”

“Baby...” She kissed my forehead. “I hate to break this to you, but you are a kid now.”

I wanted to glare at her, but I care about her way to much to be angry. “You know what I mean. I'm still a man on the inside...right?”

She gently ran her fingers through my hair. I wanted to just crawl into her lap, but seeing as how we were on a plane, I decided to stay where I was. “You are, but that person is changing. And you can't help that. You're young again, that's naturally going to make you hyper, not to mention young teenaged hormones. Girl hormones, something you're not used to.”

“I don't want to change.” Oh Christ, I was pouting!

“I know you don't. And I know why. Two reasons, really.” She kissed me again, and I felt very warm. “One, you're afraid of being a girl. You don't know anything about it, really, just what you've been taught, most of which is wrong.”

I sighed. Alyssa could read me like a book. And she read a lot of books!

“And two, you're afraid that if you change too much, you'll lose me.”

I turned to look at her. I could stand losing my life, my manhood, my identity. But losing Alyssa? I'd already lived through that nightmare once. I didn't even want to think about it happening again!

“Oh honey...” She kissed me again, on the lips this time. “Don't look like that. I never meant to hurt you so badly.”

The kiss was too brief for my taste; I licked my lips, wanting more. A lot more. “It's that obvious?”

“You looked like I'd slapped you.”

“I don't blame you. I really don't. But yeah...it tore me up inside. Especially the way we were fighting before.”

She blushed. “God! Don't remind me. I was scared, baby. I'd turned into this overgrown metal bimbo, my boyfriend was a little demon girl...I didn't know what we were going to do.”

“Hey...you're not a bimbo.” I tried to look stern.

She giggled. So much for that. “I know, but I felt like one of those big-boobed oversized heifer girls that were always hanging around the football players.”

“Wow, you really did hate my ex, didn't you?”

She blew some hair out of her eyes, which I've always found to be a very cute gesture. I've picked it up as well, no doubt because of that fact. Thinking about it, Alyssa has become my role model; I've acquired a lot of her little quirks of late...

“Yes. She was everything I wasn't. Beautiful, that perfect body, a bra I could never fill without a pair of volleyballs, popular...and she had you.”

“Hey. Stop that, please? You're way prettier than she was.”

She smiled at me. “The funny thing is, I know you mean that. You're so sweet when you don't feel like you have to act like the tough strong guy all the time.”

I shrugged. “That's what people expected me to do.”

“I know. I think that was what scared me most about our changes. Suddenly I was the strong one, and you were relying on me. I didn't know what to do. But...I feel stupid now. Because you trusted me to be the strong one. No one ever has, before.”

“You still are the strong one. Even if you don't have powers. I just feel like I'm leaning on you too much.”

She kissed me again, and this time, I wasn't disappointed. “Stef...God...I love you so much. Honey, lean all you want. I enjoy being here for you. I really do.”

Well that did it, plane or no plane, I hopped right into her lap. One of the many advantages of being able to fly under my own power, I might add.

She held me close and I cuddled into her, resting my head on her chest. “I love you too, Alyssa.”

She brushed the hair out of my eyes. I'm still amazed at how intimate the gesture is. “Get some rest honey, I'll keep you safe.”

I didn't argue with her, I closed my eyes and slept like a baby in her arms. I can't tell you how much I've grown to enjoy Alyssa's maternal side. It doesn't even seem strange anymore when she mothers me! I wonder, though, if that's going to interfere with our sex life. Hey, I'm a succubus, I could live without sex...but I sure wouldn't want to!

-

I woke up just before we landed, and gave Alyssa a kiss before returning to my own seat and buckling up. I reached over and she took my hand, twining her fingers with mine. “I love you Alyssa.”

She smiled. “I love you too, Stefani.”

Gah, we're so damn cute! I'm going to get cavities. But I wouldn't trade what we have for anything, not even my old life back.

A tall and seriously buff man with short-cropped dark hair met us as we got off the plane. “Miss Hughes, Miss Conover? I'm Walker, I'll be your liason while you're here in Las Vegas.”

I looked up at him. And up! He was taller than even I had been, and really handsome, in a rugged sort of way. He was built like, well, like a superhero! “Um, oh, you work for Mr. Faraday?”

He nodded. “That's right. Do you need to see some idenfication?”

“I do, if that's alright.” Alyssa smiled. Ugh, she found him attractive too. I wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere and die.

He handed her his wallet and she raised an eyebrow. “John Walker?”

“..no relation.” Ouch, that hit a nerve!

She handed him his ID back. “I guess you have to be legit then. I can't imagine someone choosing that name as an alias.” (1)

“No Ma'am. Can I carry your luggage?”

Alyssa grinned and lightly touched his arm. “Well it would be a shame not to put these muscles to good use, now wouldn't it?”

I wondered if King would forgive me for killing one of his agents. The minute he turned, however, Alyssa put her hand on my shoulder. “Honey, calm down.”

I blushed, and my oh-so-useful disguise made it visible (not usually a problem with my actual skin tone). “Sorry.”

She kissed my cheek. “Hush. I think it's cute that your jealous.”

“How is me being jealous, cute? I was about to flash-fry the jerk!”

She laughed. “I don't have to explain it, I'm a girl.”

She walked off after John, leaving me standing there for a moment, confused. “What the...hey!”

I caught up with her. “That's not fair!”

She giggled and put her arm around my shoulders. “I know. But you still love me, right?”

“You know I do. But seriously, shouldn't I be immune to your mind games? I'm a girl too!”

“I'm sorry hon, I guess I shouldn't tease you.”

“Just make it up to me later.” I looked up at her.

Her lips twitched. “Way ahead of you, baby.”

-

We actually got a limo ride to our new safehouse, a pretty two-story home located in Northeastern Las Vegas. “It looks so...normal.”

John laughed. “That's the point, isn't it? But the walls are reinforced concrete under the siding, you'd need a light-fifty to punch through them. The basement is even more secure, and there's a tunnel leading to a fallout shelter under the back yard.”

“Woah. You guys don't play around.”

“No Miss, we don't. Senior Agent Faraday made it very clear; you two are to be treated like national treasures.”

Alyssa smiled. “We appreciate that, but I was hoping we'd have some freedom.”

“No worries about that, Ma'am. I'm well aware that Miss Stefani can protect you just fine. But everyone deserves a safe place to call home.”

I had to revise my opinion of John. He was actually a decent guy. Now if only he wasn't so...manly!

-

He showed us around inside, explained the security system, as well as other special features, like sliding metal security doors, places to store firearms, as well as a few secret panels that would let us quickly get to the basement.

The basement itself was very cool, and much larger than I expected. It was set up as a full apartment, complete with a computer room and a sweet entertainment center, with a gigantic flat screen TV! He also showed us the fallout shelter; I once went inside the U-505, and the shelter's interior was very similar. My old self would have found it pretty cramped, that's for sure!

“Well thank you for the tour, Mr. Walker, but Stefani and I were hoping to get some shopping done. We napped on the plane, so we'll be up for awhile.”

He nodded and handed us a credit card. “Compliments of Senior Agent Faraday. You're not officially working for us, of course, but it would be bad form not to help you ladies out.”

I think I blushed again. Oh shit, I was attracted to him?! Stupid female hormones!

“Thanks a lot, John. Could you call us a cab?” Alyssa beamed at him, and he was happy to oblige.

-

In the cab, Alyssa could see I was weirded out. “What's wrong, honey?”

“...he's...he's...” I took a breath to try and calm myself. “He's handsome!”

“Yeah, he is, a bit old for me though...oh. Oh!” She blinked at me. “You think he's handsome.”

I wanted to cry! “I don't want to!”

She pulled me into her arms. “There, there. It's going to be okay, Stef. A response to male attention is only natural, you know this.”

“I don't like it. It makes me feel all creepy!”

“Look hon, you don't have to have sex with a guy just because you like the way he looks...or looks at you. I think he's a massive hunk, but I wouldn't change my choice for him, or any other man.”

“I'm sorry. I'm acting like a girl.”

She giggled. “Yes, yes you are.”

I realized how stupid that sounded, and couldn't help but laugh along with her.

-

Shopping damn near wore me out; as a guy, I only peripherally noticed all the stores that catered exclusively to women before, unless the girl I was with dragged me into one, that is! I realized that Alyssa hadn't really had a chance to buy clothing for her new size (even de-powered, she's several inches taller than she was when we started dating), and she seemed to really enjoy dressing me up.

After awhile, I started to enjoy it too!

But where things really got interesting was when we came across this goth clothing shop. “Oh..yes, this is just what I was hoping for! Come on!” She pulled me along after her.

It's funny, I'm stronger than any normal human, but I'm powerless in her grasp, like a leaf in the wind.

She walked up to the shopkeeper, a tall brunette with more tattoos and piercings than I'd ever seen on a girl in my life! Normally, I'd find the combination unsettling, but she had a sleek, exotic beauty about her that complimented her fashion choice well.

The shopkeeper took one look at me and smiled, nodding. Alyssa waved me over. “Stef, this is Tristanoira. She says she has some things in your size.”

“Call me Tristan.” She had a fairly deep voice for a girl, and her hands were a bit large.

I blinked. “You're a...uh, I mean, hi!”

She laughed. “I used to be a man, yes. Does that bother you, honey?”

I grinned at her. “To be honest, a lot less than you might think.”

Tristan smiled at me and led us to her 'ultra-petite' section. “A lot of tiny girls like you are going goth these days, it makes them look edgier and tough. But I suppose I should be talking to your Mistress.” She looked to Alyssa, who blushed.

“Oh no, it's not like that. I mean, yes, we...oh wow.” She laughed. “Now you have me doing it!”

“It's alright darling. It's just social cues, really. Stefani really looks to you for approval.”

Alyssa smiled at me, and my heart melted. “It's a mutual thing. We look to each other for strength.”

“You really are beautiful together. Some would disapprove, given how young Stefani is, but I think it's beautiful.” Tristan beamed at us.

I had the strangest impulse just then. “I want to tell her.”

Alyssa looked at me. “Really?”

I nodded. “Tristan...there's more to us, and me, than meets the eye.”

“Something tells me this demands a little privacy. One moment.” She went up front and put up a sign that said 'Back in 20 minutes -3Night”.

“3Night?”

“It's what Tristanoira means. My boyfriend thinks it's beautiful, but I haven't the heart to tell him I got the name from a roleplaying game.”

I shook my head, smiling. “Ok, well, here goes...please don't scream ok?”

I revealed my true form. To my surprise, Tristan actually went down on one knee in front of me. “Oh...oh can it be? You look so young but...Lady Sakkara?!”

Now I understood why I'd felt a connection to Tristan! “Not exactly. Sakkara has left this world. She left me as her successor.”

She hesitantly reached up to touch my cheek. I placed my hand on hers. “I'm not a Goddess, Tristan. Yes, I have powers humans don't, but I can't grant wishes or anything.”

She sighed. “Does that mean you no longer wish for me to serve you?”

I noticed the silver chain around her neck. I reached for it, and pulled out the medallion she wore. The symbol of the Cult of Purgatori. My fingers felt numb touching it! “You really believe, don't you?”

She nodded. “I do. I have been your priestess for five years now. At first, I thought it was just a game, but then, I don't know...with the others, I felt like myself for the first time. That's what gave me the courage to become a woman. And I have Sakkara to thank. I would gladly serve as your priestess, Stefani.”

“Let me tell you my whole story first before you make that offer.”

And that's what I did.

-

I finished with the fire, and the mob, and how I discovered that the touch of faith burns me. Alyssa was holding me at this point; my emotions were still pretty messed up about the incident, and I realized I was crying.

Tristan came up and hugged us both tightly. She smelled really nice, I realized. Like incense and the more pleasant contents of my grandmother's spice rack. “You have had a hard time of it. It's not easy to become a woman even when it's what your soul desires, and you had this all forced on you. You're a very different Goddess than the one I served, your soul is pure.”

“I...don't feel very pure.”

She held her medallion up and pressed it to my skin. It burned slightly, and then, the irritation faded, and instead, it felt warm and pleasant to the touch. “Faith can burn, but it can also heal. You were a Goddess once, I think you could be one again.”

I gasped. What could I do, in the face of such pure devotion?

Alyssa kissed my hair. “Accept her, honey.”

I didn't really know how this was done, so I went with my instincts. I hugged Tristan back and kissed her. She was sluggish at first, but she responded to my kiss. Deep down, I felt a giggle rise, since technically, we were both guys. Or at least, had been born that way.

But as I pulled back, I didn't see her as a man. She was a woman, and always would be, in my eyes. “Let me taste your blood, my Priestess. My Thrice-blessed Night.”

Her eyes widened, and she offered me her wrist. So, just like in the vampire movies, I sank my fangs into her and drank her sweet blood. I shivered, like I do every time I feed. There's something very pleasant about the act of feeding for me. It's intimate in ways I can't begin to explain.

But I have to stop, I don't want to hurt anyone. Even though, I'll admit it, I'm always horny as hell afterwards! I licked her wound; my saliva must have some kind of coagulating agent, because the wound sealed very quickly.

“There, it is done.” I smiled. I really had no idea what I was doing, but somehow I knew I'd done something important.

She gasped. “I feel stronger than ever. Thank you, thank you so much. If there is anything I can do for you...”

“Stand up, for one. You're a tall woman, you should flaunt that, not kneel to a shrimp like me.”

She giggled and stood. “Not everyone likes a tall girl.”

I stepped closer to Alyssa, who put her arm around me. “I do.”

“Mm, I can see that! My boyfriend is the same way.”

“What's his name?” Alyssa asked, but the question was on my mind as well.

“Joshua.” She smiled dreamily.

“I'm very happy for you, Tristan. But you know, there is something else you can do for us.”

“Anything.”

“My, ah, Mistress here, would really want to see me in something black and frilly. Gothic Victorian seems to be her taste, but it has to be able to handle my wings. What you saw before was a disguise, this is what I really look like.”

She smiled. “I have just the thing. I bought it at a convention recently, even though it's too small for me. I understand why, now.”

-

An hour later, I was all dolled up, and I had to admit, the effect was both adorable and sexy at the same time! “So what do you think, is it me?”

Alyssa kissed me. “Oh yes, very much so. I think you should wear this when you go play hero. It will definitely get you some attention.”

“The only attention I want is yours. And soon...please?”

She laughed. “I'm afraid I have to take your Goddess home now, Tristan.”

“I understand, darlings. We all have needs. Please visit again soon?”

“You can count on it.”

-

Later that night, I lay there, my head resting on Alyssa's chest. I could hear her heartbeat, and the soothing sound of her breathing as she held me against her. I loved her with all my heart. When she touched me, the rest of the world went away. It was just me, and her, and our love.

Good things really come to those who wait.

---

(1): John Walker, Jr. was an infamous spy during the Cold War. Also, John Walker Lindh. This John Walker (John F. Walker) is based on the character U.S. Agent from Marvel comics.

To be continued!