“A Little Knowledge…”
\nby Avery Vanderlyle<\/p>\n
I knew things. I knew the ghost of a servant from the 1880\u2019s haunted the back garden. I\u2019d heard his footsteps. The collapse of the summer house roof was foretold in my dorm-room nightmares, so my parents were able to fix it long before they decided to make it their pandemic retreat, leaving me alone to my mid-college gap year. I fantasized about Jenna in my bed; I knew the only way to lure her to my house was to pretend an interest in Demonology.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We\u2019d met on a fan forum for the author Zeal Forge. He writes dark fantasy erotic romances which combine modern tropes like arrogant billionaires and \u201cenemies to lovers\u201d with ancient cults, abyssal horrors and primeval gods who might be waking….<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Forge\u2019s identity is a secret. His fans have tried — stalked and hacked in the way that only obsessed teenagers can stalk and hack — but nothing of his real identity had been uncovered. Then two of the leaders of his fan club died mysteriously. Others disappeared from the internet. Soon after, the rumors about demons started: that Forge was a demon prince and those who got too close to him were ensorcelled. That reading certain words from a limited edition of his books would summon a demon. <\/span><\/p>\n Two minutes on eBay and the books were mine. Two weeks later, Jenna arrived. We\u2019d video chatted, but besides her complaints about college I knew little about her. Her flaming red hair snapped to fluorescent pink at the ends. Her shirt was a corset, striped burgundy and silver, laced tightly. I pulled my eyes away from the siren curves of her cleavage and led her into the library.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Her eyes widened. The room was huge, oak paneled, floor to ceiling bookcases, satin curtains over the windows. It was furnished appropriately with an antique sofa, matching ottoman and a Victorian desk and chair. For the demon-summoning project, I\u2019d added a beeswax taper in a silver candlestick surrounded by a ring of pink salt.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPink?\u201d Jenna sniffed. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all we have,\u201d I huffed. \u201cI looked it up, it\u2019s real salt.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAll right.\u201d Jenna looked at me. \u201cThanks for setting this up. And letting me visit.\u201d We stared at each other. I longed to lick her maroon lipstick off and slide my mouth down her body. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n She glanced away, and her eyes fell on the gleaming gold-leaf trim of the Godmarked Trilogy Special Edition. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSweet!\u201d She picked up the first volume reverently. \u201cThey\u2019re gorgeous!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I preferred the cheesy, \u201chalf-dressed woman in swamp with hint of menacing tentacles\u201d of the paperbacks, but I\u2019d never admit it. The Special Edition had embossed tentacles on the black leather, gold runes, and the spider-star birthmark that branded heroine Demi as \u201cGodmarked.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Jenna almost kissed the book she was cradling. She looked at the candle and the salt, the book, then back at me. Her gaze was so intense my breath caught.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cReady to do this?\u201d She asked. I nodded, waiting for her to take a step toward me. Instead, she grabbed her backpack. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI got some real parchment,\u201d she added. \u201cBecause something has to be dead as part of the deal.\u201d She pulled out a handful of sheets, a vial of ink, and a couple of old-fashioned looking pens.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI made the ink myself,\u201d she added proudly. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYour fan art is fantastic — and you make ink.\u201d I tried not to swoon.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span> Jenna giggled. \u201cI doodle around with calligraphy and stuff.\u201d She grinned at me. \u201cThere was info online, but I wanted to do the demon ritual with you.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m — flattered.\u201d I couldn\u2019t wait for the demon thing to be a bust, and then I\u2019d comfort her and distract her with more pleasurable pursuits. I imagined kissing her, licking her nipples, hearing her moans as she came.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be great.\u201d She motioned to the pink circle. \u201cWe keep him trapped until we\u2019re sure we have a contract that\u2019s ironclad. Demons hate being trapped. He\u2019ll agree.\u201d Her eyes glowed with enthusiasm. \u201cWe\u2019ll learn all of Zeal\u2019s secrets. And then we can set the demon on some people who deserve it.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo how do we do this?\u201d I pulled the chair next to her. She\u2019d claimed the ottoman and perched on it next to the end table holding the Special Edition and her supplies. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s supposed to be easy.\u201d She opened the first book in the trilogy. \u201cPut together the 666th character from each chapter, and that\u2019s the incantation.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201c666th? Really?\u201d Only Jenna\u2019s pout stopped my eyes from rolling.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe know Zeal has a twisted sense of humor.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I raised my hands in surrender. \u201cTrue, true.\u201d I hoped this was all a prank, a chant that was creepy but harmless. \u201cLet me dim the lights.\u201d I turned off the main lights, leaving only the lamps on the desk and by the sofa. The room took on a dusky gloom. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019s that for atmosphere?\u201d I asked her. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Jenna just smiled. That\u2019s all it took to warm me. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t need to light the candle?\u201d The beeswax glowed gold in the dimness.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNo, it should light itself. That\u2019s what the message on the forum said.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n We were using an anonymous message from an internet forum to summon a demon. I let that sink in for a moment. It wasn\u2019t funny anymore. People we knew from that forum had died. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cN..g..at…\u201d Jenna muttered. I turned around to see that she had started already. The ink was a dull red like dried blood.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPlease tell me it\u2019s not-\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHush. It\u2019s a plant resin called Dragon\u2019s blood.\u201d Her finger on the page, Jenna bit her lip in concentration. It was adorable. \u201cPlease stay quiet while I count. Huh.\u201d She glanced up at me. \u201cThe font\u2019s a bit different for those characters. He really does want us to do this.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I longed to distract her, pull the pen from her hand and suck on her long, slim fingers. They were ink-stained; her nails were painted maroon and black. Then I felt a shiver in the air. Jenna was focused on the book and her parchment. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I looked at the candle. It was lit with a black flame, barely visible against the shadows. The flame danced, and the smoke it gave off didn\u2019t dissipate, but floated above it in a blob of gradually darkening mist. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cJen….\u201d I couldn\u2019t tear my eyes away from the specter\u00a0slowly forming over the candle., \u201cH..f.. z… l…g.a.n\u2019…h…a…g..w…\u201d Jenna\u2019s voice murmured. She reached for the second book.<\/span><\/p>\n Jenna\u2019s lovely alto dripped out alien syllables and the apparition rising in the circle grew and thickened. I didn\u2019t know what demons looked like, but the misty figure accreting was a formless blob one moment, then a mass of tentacles and teeth, then humanoid, then just mist again. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n . \u201cH…e..y l\u2019r….\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The flame was growing larger and the entity that was being conjured rose nearly to the ceiling. The heat from the rest of the room seemed to flow toward it as it gained substance. I shuddered.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n This was wrong.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The knowledge struck me like a bolt of lightning. We weren\u2019t equipped to contain or negotiate with this being. If we continued on this path our lives would be destroyed. I had to distract Jenna now, and beg her forgiveness later.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Jenna set the second book down and reached for the third. I grabbed her hand, pushing myself into her personal space. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to summon a demon.\u201d I reached with my free hand and slowly, gently, stroked her cheek. \u201cI want to kiss you.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOkay.\u201d Her eyes flicked to the parchment. \u201cBut….\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re beautiful,\u201d I told her. \u201cAnd so talented. I\u2019ve had a crush on you for months.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI — me, too.\u201d She blushed. \u201cFlirting with girls is so hard.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019re past flirting now.\u201d I caressed her face again. She smiled, and I leaned in for a kiss.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Her lips were firm and soft, and tasted like boysenberry. She gave a little moan as my tongue slipped in her mouth, and she moved firmly into my arms. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The heaviness in the air started to dissipate as I tipped us both down onto the ottoman. My mouth found her breasts as I stroked her thighs. Jenna gasped and slid those strong fingers down my body, touching everywhere. My clit pulsed against her thumb and I gasped. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou knew I couldn\u2019t resist the Special Edition, huh?\u201d Jenna teased as her hand slid inside my pants. \u201cClever, clever Cass.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I sucked hard on her nipple as her fingers pressed into me. I moaned and let her take me over the edge.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n A few minutes later, I slid to my knees next to the ottoman and pushed her skirts up. As my fingers searched out her folds, I dared a glance at the candle.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The figure floating there was diminished, its power evaporating. But I swear it winked at me.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n –<\/p>\n Avery Vanderlyle\u2019s stories for Circlet Press have appeared in the anthologies\u00a0Coffee: Hot<\/i>,\u00a0Like a Spell: Fire<\/i>, and\u00a0A Beastly Affair: Erotic Stories of Beauty and the Beast<\/i>.\u00a0 \u201cDeflowered\u201d from\u00a0A Beastly Affair<\/i>\u00a0was also selected to appear in\u00a0Superlative Speculative Erotica: The Best of Circlet Press 2012-2017<\/i>.\u00a0 Zeal Forge\u2019s secret identity is exposed in \u201cRule 34\u201d in\u00a0Grumpy Old Gods: Volume 1<\/i>\u00a0by Stormdance Publications.\u00a0 She lives in Boston, MA and blogs, albeit rarely, at\u00a0averyvanderlyle<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “A Little Knowledge…” by Avery Vanderlyle I knew things. I knew the ghost of a servant from the 1880\u2019s haunted the back garden. I\u2019d heard his footsteps. The collapse of the summer house roof was foretold in my dorm-room nightmares, so my parents were able to fix it long before they decided to make it … Continue reading Halloween Microfiction: A Little Knowledge… by Avery Vanderlyle<\/span>