“A Little Magic in Me”
\nby Avery Vanderlyle<\/p>\n
\u201cDude, I always knew we\u2019d end up like this.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Raavi, boneless and unconscious at my feet, didn\u2019t answer. Our latest portal-cracking job had gone awry. After some complicated moon magic, the door opened onto a cathedral filled with mist where two angry Changelings had been offended at the presence of a filthy human (me) and fired off some kind of magic blast.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Raavi had stepped in front of me to take the hit. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n My instincts take over in a crisis, and I\u2019m never sure if they\u2019ll be useful or counter-productive. I threw my arm back to catch the door before it closed, and the magical bracelet on my left wrist flared to life. The door stayed open. I ducked another blast and dragged Raavi back through into his magical hideout. He called it his \u201cfastness\u201d and I teased him constantly about how medieval that sounded. \u201cHideout\u201d made us sound like superheroes — or famous gangsters.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The magical blast hadn\u2019t left a mark on him, but his pulse was faint and his brown skin had a gray tinge. I could feel the damage through the matching tattoos we\u2019d gotten. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n After Raavi had invited me along on his magic portal-opening adventures, he\u2019d realized I needed some protection. The bracelet, a knife, a couple random doohickeys, and tattoos that connected us. Yes, we were the kind of guys who got magical tattoos that allowed us to sense each other\u2019s locations, but never talked about our feelings. And now he was dying… the chivalrous oddball of a wizard that I was continually astonished wanted me around. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The lights flickered and dimmed. This magical place was tied to Raavi\u2019s magic. If he died, I might be trapped here, too. I could only hope my bracelet had enough juice stored to open the door again. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Maybe I should do that now. Get to familiar surroundings, then call Raavi\u2019s housemates and hope they could get here in time to help him. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n But every one of those unreliable instincts said to stay by his side. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Raavi had wanted us to get the tattoos so he\u2019d know where I was, and if I was hurt. I hadn\u2019t been sure to what extent they worked both ways. But now I could feel his life force draining away. I didn\u2019t have much time. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Useless mortal. That\u2019s all I was. With Raavi\u2019s help, I\u2019d tried reaching for the uncanny Insight that gave Changelings glimpses into the future. Nothing. I\u2019d tried shaping and calling the energy of Otherness. Nope. Our link was through the tattoo, and I could feel him dying but I didn\u2019t have any way to help. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n But I\u2019d helped him before. We\u2019d met when he needed me for a sex magic ritual. My sexual energy had helped fuel his power, and had enabled him to open the door to this hideout for the first time. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Could I use sex now? <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I didn\u2019t have his training. No time to set up candles or crystals or pick the right color of salt. I\u2019d have to hope I could stir up enough energy, and use the connection to get it into him. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The pillows from the original ritual were within arms\u2019 reach. That bit of continuity would help – maybe. I grabbed them; their silver threads glinted eerily in the dull light. I settled Raavi\u2019s head on one, and nudged him into an approximation of a comfortable position. I unbuttoned his shirt so I could see his tattoo. It was the Fay rune for \u201cJoining\u201d–something like a Korean Hangul character, but with added spikes and flourishes. The ink was red and glowed–but the glow was fading.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I took my clothes off and knelt on the other pillow. My tattoo matched his…and it was also dimmer. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n He\u2019d sucked me off for the ritual and I hadn\u2019t had a chance to reciprocate before the spell took effect. I could imagine it, though, and filled in the details from the many other times we\u2019d fucked. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I loved his cock, thick and just long enough to fit down my throat when I wanted that. His pubic hair was surprisingly soft and smelled like fresh-baked bread. His balls were sensitive, almost ticklish. He\u2019d learned how I liked to have my hair pulled just a little when I was giving head, and to read the tension in my shoulders when I\u2019d had too much deep-throating and needed to pull back. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I was hard now. I imagined my sexual arousal as a spark, an energy that I could pass into him using the connection made by the tattoos. It fell into a void…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I teetered on the edge, like peering down into an abyss. I felt the downdraft, and goosebumps sprouted from my skin. If I wasn\u2019t careful, I could push too much energy into him and drag myself down. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt would be worth it,\u201d I told him. \u201cIf I can\u2019t help you, if I die here, too. I don\u2019t regret a single minute of it.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The lights went out. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I closed my eyes. I needed a scenario hot enough to drive everything else out of my mind. The time by the river…. The night he fucked me while I looked up at alien stars after we opened a portal to another world. The morning after I\u2019d DJ\u2019d a rave organized by my ex… He came looking for me at dawn as we were closing out the last set. We\u2019d blown each other in the bathroom. I shoved the intensity of those moments, of our lust and our reasserting our connection, through the link between the runes.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I felt a subtle updraft from the void. I shivered. A tiny ember had lit up. It wouldn\u2019t sustain itself for long, though.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n He needed more. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Got it. Yes. The time we\u2019d fucked after I\u2019d met his housemate, Trey Lin. Changelings were flawed Fay, exiled to Earth, but many still had that unearthly, fantastic beauty, like Tolkien elves cranked up to 11. Trey Lin had it in spades, while Raavi looked human: a bit round, a bit of a belly, warm kind eyes, strong solid limbs.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Raavi wouldn\u2019t believe I was attracted to him after meeting his fellow Changeling.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou think I\u2019m into that pretty boy?\u201d I pushed Raavi against the wall, grinding up against him. \u201cHe looks like he\u2019d break in a strong wind.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I kissed him, tongue pushing deep into his mouth. He tasted like the scent of flowers in the abandoned lot behind the trailer park where I grew up. He was just as intoxicating as his delicate friend. I kissed him and rubbed against him until his skin was flushed and his eyes were wild. <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou really–\u201d he stopped with a gasp when my hand squeezed his dick. <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYes, I really. I want you.\u201d He was nice and hard. His prick pulsed in my grip. \u201cC\u2019mon.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n We didn\u2019t even make it up the stairs. I went first, feeling his hungry gaze on my ass. I stumbled; he reached to steady me. His hands were on my hips. Then pulling my pants down, and I spread my legs and braced my arms and groaned when he nipped at my butt cheek. <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Raavi whispered a spell and my whole body relaxed, tingling with pleasure. Magic as foreplay was one of my favorite tricks of his. His hands settled on my hips again and his cock pushed into me. <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDo it. Fuck me,\u201d I growled. He didn\u2019t waste any time in setting up a pounding rhythm, balls slapping me and his dick hitting that sweet spot inside me perfectly with every stroke. He urged me forward till\u00a0I was sprawled, groaning. Was Trey Lin listening? I hoped he was.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n The lights flickered on. The void was filling up. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n My dick was wet from pre-come; my grip sliding, taut. The memory kept me going: how he\u2019d filled me, how he\u2019d bitten my shoulder and dug his fingernails into my hips. Raavi swore in an ancient feral language as he fucked me, and I came before I\u2019d reached to touch myself. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d I jerked myself, pushing the pace. Remembering how he\u2019d kept fucking me through a second orgasm, and how we\u2019d stumbled into the shower afterwards to grope each other sleepily, magically, into a third.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYes! Fuck!\u201d I came, shuddering, cupping my other hand to catch my come. A fire roared inside me, between us, and I hoped it had worked.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n When I opened my eyes a moment later, Raavi was staring at me. And breathing hard.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWow. Um.\u201d I couldn\u2019t think of anything to say. I wiped my hands on my shirt hastily. \u201cAre you okay?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think I am.\u201d His gaze drunk me in. \u201cJonah, did you just concoct your own sex ritual?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou were hurt. And it worked that other time…\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n He smiled and reached for me. \u201cThank you. You may very well have saved my life.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I slid into his arms and felt the tie between us, solid and strong.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI guess I have a little magic in me after all.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n –<\/p>\n Avery Vanderlyle is a Boston-based writer of sci fi, fantasy, erotica and romance — sometimes all at once. Her stories for Circlet Press include \u201cDeflowered,\u201d which was selected for inclusion in Superlative Speculative Erotica: The Best of Circlet Press 2012-2017. <\/i>Raavi and Jonah first met in \u201cPassage, Performance, Passion” in Circlet Press\u2019 Like a Spell 2: Fire<\/i>. Their adventures continued in “<\/i>If Not for the Rat” in the charity anthology His Magical Pet, <\/i>edited by Rachel Brown. <\/i>Avery lives with her spouse and <\/i>five cats. She is on twitter at averyvanderlyle<\/a>\u00a0<\/i>and blogs infrequently at\u00a0https:\/\/averyvanderlyle.wordpress.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “A Little Magic in Me” by Avery Vanderlyle \u201cDude, I always knew we\u2019d end up like this.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[70,241,242],"class_list":["post-4316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-microfictions","tag-avery-vanderlyle","tag-halloween","tag-halloween-microfiction"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4316"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4317,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4316\/revisions\/4317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circlet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}