Welcome to Incubus Tales: A Thousand Words by Hushicho. In Noctemberg, it is always night. Dhiar, proprietor and gay incubus, welcomes you to Phantasies, a very special shop. Sensuality is more than just Dhiar’s stock in trade, it is his raison d’être. NSFW.

A new chapter appears every Thursdays. This week is Chapter Eight.

8th Night—Edge

“Evvin, you look so cute in glasses.”

The words from Dhiar took Evvin by surprise, and his cheeks turned a slight pink. “Thanks… um…” He quietly pulled his solid black glasses off, sliding them into the soft case and setting it aside.

Addressing the unspoken question, Dhiar motioned with a flourish of the wrist to the handsome blond man beside him. Handsome, and very pale.

“This is Baron Anton Hauser. I hope you’ll make him welcome.” Leaning closer, the Incubus lowered his voice to a stage whisper, easily audible by everyone in the room. “He’s a vampire, you know!”

Anton smirked, inclining his head in respectful acknowledgement of both the fact and his new acquaintance. “Yes, what Dhiar says is true. We met at the ball… it’s a pity you chose not to attend.”

“Oh yes! Darling!” Dhiar tossed his arm around Evvin’s shoulders, leading him closer to the vampire, for the two to look each other over. “Anton was not the only delight at the party. There was also a chamber orchestra, unlimited champagne, and all kinds of finger foods!” He paused for a moment, pooching his lips in thought, then continued. “Well. Probably not technically ‘unlimited’ champagne, considering. But more than most would care to drink.”

“I’m pleased to meet you,” Anton chimed in, reaching down to take Evvin’s hand and shaking it briefly, a single pulse and a squeeze. “Dhiar has told me much about you.”

“Well, you know…” The Incubus casually waved his hand, wiggling his fingers. “I had to mention my favourite shopkeeper’s assistant!” He gave a wink and bumped his hip against Evvin’s.

At first, Evvin had no idea what to make of this. He was totally fine with Dhiar meeting and doing things with other people, but he hadn’t expected him to bring them home with him. Still, it seemed impossible to be too tense around Dhiar. Evvin couldn’t help himself, and finally let out a breathy laugh.

“Pleased to meet you too, Baron.”

“Please, just Anton. No need for formalities.”

“Anton,” Evvin corrected himself. “So… what’s in store? Is Anton staying?”

Dhiar patted both men on the shoulder and walked behind the counter, rummaging beneath it and producing some teacups, to set upon its surface. He kept a whole world under there. “I just wanted him to stop by for a drink. And so he could know where the shop is… I’m going to be giving him some training! And if you’d like, you can help me!”

Evvin almost couldn’t help himself. He knew this man, this vampire, was Dhiar’s catch, so to speak. But the nature of the vampire, just as the nature of the Incubus, was to draw the eye to them, and all the other senses as well. Even the scent of the man was almost intoxicating. Surely Dhiar knew. But he was probably immune to its effects.

“Oh?” Evvin immediately turned his head, snapped out of his sort of trance. “What… er… what sort of training would that be?”

“Sexual!” Dhiar popped up, all smiles and sparkles in his eyes. “He had a sip of my blood. Hickey, you know.” He motioned to his neck, where rapidly-fading twin red marks sat upon the skin. “Anyway, he’ll be especially sensitive for probably a few more days… and he asked me to help him… come to terms, with his new sensual awareness.”

“What delicate phrasing!” Anton laughed, the kind of sound that sounded manly and youthful at the same time. Every time he moved, he held himself with such noble bearing. It was more than Evvin had ever seen. But at times it was a little stiff, as if he had rarely left the circles of nobility to interact with others.

Maybe he hadn’t, Evvin reflected. Maybe the vampire ran primarily in his own circles. Dhiar had said, before leaving to attend the party, that it would be chiefly vampires in attendance. Few others ever bothered, or perhaps dared, to mingle.

Dhiar easily poured the spoonfuls of tea into metal balls, fixing the clasps and putting each one into a cup. “Naturally! I’m a delicate speaker,” he quipped. “Do either of you take milk or sugar? I know you usually take one lump, Evvin.”

“That’ll be fine.” The man smiled and ran a hand through his multicoloured hair.

At least, he continued in his train of thought, this is happening at Phantasies. Any other place might be tense or awkward.

Dhiar had this way of making situations work that would normally not work at all. He effortlessly smoothed over stunted speech and stilted movements with elan, like smoothing out a wrinkled sheet. He drifted this way and that, pouring up the hot water into the cups and then producing a plate of little baked goods from the seemingly endless wellspring that was the cupboard beneath his counter.

“Here you are! They’re just cheese biscuits, and I’m afraid they were made yesterday. But still, they ought to be tasty with this tea!”

Evvin looked to Anton and motioned closer to the counter, taking the first steps himself. He walked to the oriel window and pulled the extra chairs over, to sit with Dhiar’s larger chair. Anton followed wordlessly behind, curiosity shining in his face.

“I so rarely bother eating,” Anton admittedly, slowly lowering himself into one of the seats.

Evvin sat back in his. “Don’t say that too loud, Dhiar will fatten you up and you’ll love every moment of it!” He finally cracked a grin, resolved with the situation.

The Incubus waved a dismissive hand, all pleased at the praise. He scooped up each cup and saucer in turn, removing the ball and handing the tea over. “Pish-posh! I just whip up little things here and there. I can’t imagine not eating food like this… I don’t really get the same from it as a human does, for example, but it’s still plenty of pleasure to be had.”

“Thank you.” Anton bowed his head and looked to the cheese biscuits, reaching out to the plate to pick one up, gingerly, raising it to his mouth.

He hadn’t eaten anything at the party. Other than Dhiar, and not much of that, either. Still, if they said it was worthwhile…

“So are we going to start tonight, or are you two too tired from the party?” Evvin raised an eyebrow, an almost wicked expression on his face.

Dhiar turned his head to look at Anton, respectfully deferential. The vampire licked his lips, savoring the bite he had taken, and lost himself in, of the cheese biscuit. So simple, yet so overwhelmingly pleasing.

At last, it dawned on him that all eyes had settled expectantly upon him.

“Oh, er… well… actually…” He cleared his throat, covering his mouth, swallowing the remainder of his mouthful. “Yes, I don’t see why not! Why don’t we get started?”

“After tea, then!” Dhiar raised his cup in a salute, to both of the others.

* * *

Can’t wait a whole week for the next chapter? Skip ahead: download the whole book from Amazon or from Circlet Press!

About the author: From an early age, Hushicho held a special passion for storytelling. Throughout his life, he has worked in numerous media and various places in the world. He is the author of the long-running Incubus Tales webcomic, upon which this serial is based.
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