"A demon on campus?" Rin repeated the Director's words.
We were standing in his office—Mephisto, Rin, Yukio, and myself. Shura had, apparently, been sent off elsewhere on another mission. My hair was still damp and my skin flushed, but I'd covered up the mark on my neck with an impromptu scarf.
"But what makes you think it's a succubus?" Yukio just had to ask.
I felt myself freeze, the pieces of the puzzle quickly coming together. I didn't think I was possessed, but it definitely felt like an unusual energy had clawed its way in these past few hours...
"I have my sources," was all Mephisto would tell them, green eyes glancing at me. Yukio didn't miss the exchange, but he opted not to say a word. It wasn't any business of his anyhow, I suppose.
"Very well, I'll spread the word then."
"Make sure to inform your students. We'll need every hand we can get," the violet-bearded demon reminded his gifted exorcist with a toothy grin. Yukio merely nodded before dragging his twin along after him. I'd have left with the pair, but Mephisto had forbade me from leaving his sight. Now, I knew the reason why...
"So the succubus is influencing me?" I asked in a small voice, staring at Amai-kun running on his hamster wheel.
"It would seem so. And I don't like to share, Kitten." He was obviously teasing, but a serious tone ran underneath those words. "Especially when my youngest brother is already so close to you. You didn't share a bed with him, did you?" he didn't sound upset or demanding, but more...worried?
I finally looked over at him from my position on the sofa, surprised to see that usually-carefree or serious expression replaced by one of trepidation...
"No. Of course not," I reassured. "He wanted to share a room because he-uh..." the words died in my throat when I remembered the reason behind it. And look what ended up happening...
I coughed over the rest of the explanation, unwilling to revisit such sordid thoughts especially under my current "condition". Instead, I decided to revisit an earlier situation now that the twins were no longer here.
"By the way, Mephisto," I changed the subject, garnering his attention. "What's this?" I indicated the bite mark he'd left in the juncture of my neck and collarbone, pulling back the black handkerchief. Thankfully, the wound had closed—probably having something to do with the one inflicting it being a demon. It had also morphed from a "bite" to a pale mark in the shape of an hourglass.
"Ah, so you Marked her, Brother?" Amaimon's small voice squeaked from the desk. Mephisto whipped his head around to growl at him.
I blinked at the term, vaguely familiar with the multiple stories written about demons marking their mates. My fingers brushed over the slightly-rough skin on my neck at the thought. Were such things actually true? What exactly did that entail, though? He told me it was "just a game"...
That thought sobered me up a bit. I replaced the cloth, jumping to my feet, and about walked out of the office when Mephisto's gloved hand slammed into the doorframe right next to my head. Nerves fluttered about in my chest and it took all I had not to jump. The heat of his breath on the back of my neck made my knees weak and my heart race.
"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded in a whisper, snaking a hand around my waist to pull me into him. "With a demon of lust around, your inhibitions are gone and your pheromones are out of control," he explained in a strained voice, arms tightening around my shivering body. "Any demon would love to sink their claws into you. Even my little half-brother." His eyes flashed with anger and envy, before returning to normal.
"Why am I being affected?" I grumbled, mainly to myself, but Mephisto took it upon himself to answer.
Sort of...
"It's not the right time to explain, but, let's just say, that it's in your blood," he grinned in a carefree manner, releasing me from his iron-grip before guiding me to the large windows in his office. "We can watch from a distance. Just try to contain yourself." His smirk made me freeze when I realized I'd subconsciously slipped a hand beneath his shirt. With a yelp and an apology, I yanked the offending limb back. Embarrassment flushed my face a brilliant shade of red.
A long night, indeed.
"You always get all the fun, Brother," Amai-kun, the green hamster, decided to pipe up. He suddenly appeared on the brim of Mephisto's hat, probably sensing that we were ready to head out.
"That's enough out of you," the Director growled, but looked pleased by the statement, nonetheless. His hand then reached out towards me after summoning his magicked chair. "My Lady," he urged with a genuine smile, already-seated like a king on his throne.
Nervously, I placed my smaller hand in his white-gloved palm, letting out a gasp when he snatched me up into the air with him.
"Now, on to the show!" Mephisto announced with a flourish, making sure to keep me anchored in his lap so I wouldn't fall off. When the three of us suddenly appeared outside above the school—and I do mean above...as in very, very high above—my heart leapt to my throat and my fear of heights came crashing into me. I buried my face into my chaperone's neck, clinging to him like a frightened cat. His laugh rumbled in his chest before wrapping his arms around me and running his fingers through my long, white hair. The sensation of his hands petting me eased some of the shivering. I managed to sneak a glance below, catching sight of the group of kids chasing someone. We were far enough away that none of them seemed to sense that they were being watched. I wondered, though, if one would happen to glance up, would they even see us? Mephisto clearly had supernatural abilities and access to powerful magic. It would not surprise me to learn that he could shroud himself from anyone's sight if he so wished.
What must have been the succubus—a white mist-like substance—fled over the dark ground, leaving behind a glowing material on the grass.
I perked up at the sight, eyes wide and confused. Mephisto did not miss my abrupt call to attention.
"Do you see it?" he asked. "The succubus is leaving a trail of pheromone for her victims to follow. Normal people can't see it—even those with a temptaint. Demons, however..." he trailed off, but I'd gotten the hint.
I watched as Rin broke off from the others--who'd stopped to search the grounds—to pursue the demon. He was in perfect line with the slowly-fading path. Our classmates didn't even stand a chance at catching up with his demonic speed, quickly losing him to the moonless night.
Then it hit me like a bag of bricks...
"Wait. How can I see it?" I felt like I was asking this question a lot, lately. How could I, a normal human, see or do things that humans shouldn't be seeing or doing? This succubus, even... It hadn't possessed me, yet its mere presence had affected me. If its pheromones could do that to other human females, then I'd understand, but it seemed to only have singled me out.
Mephisto merely hummed, not saying a word. Disappointment at not getting an explanation to satisfy my curiosity urged me to seek retribution...or leverage. With care, I repositioned myself so that I was straddling his hips, his hat now on the table which had poofed into existence beside us. Amaimon had wisely chosen to remain on the opposite side of the crown, wishing to keep his eyes clean of the goings-ons between his brother and a female.
"Why won't you tell me anything?" I whined at him, my arms draped over the back of the chair so that he had to look up at me to see my face...or stare straight at my chest.
Needless to say, I was not behaving myself.
"Okumura, hurry up," was all he would say, causing me to frown at being ignored. Rather than fight back with words, I opted to take action, instead. My mind was in a haze, fuzzy from pheromones the succubus was putting off as it fought ferociously against Rin and his flames. I dove in for a kiss, claiming Mephisto's lips before he could deny me. To my pleasant surprise, he didn't put up a fight at all. He even seemed to welcome the intrusion upon his person. His blasé reaction, however, left something to be desired...
I smiled against his mouth when I heard his groan as I subtly moved my hips against his lap. He started to kiss back, his hands coming up to fist in my long hair and drag me closer. I would have gone further, my hand trailing down his chest and to his waist, but a jolt suddenly shot through me.
Like an electric shock, it snapped me to full alertness. I pulled away from Mephisto abruptly, covering my scarlet face with my hands and trying my best to ignore the way my legs were spread across his lap. The demon gave an annoyed sigh, his green eyes glancing down just as Rin sheathed his blade, the succubus nowhere to be seen.
"What a shame. I was quite enjoying that," he admitted in an amused tone of voice. Shivers traveled down my spine at the feel of his thumb stroking my right thigh. I bit back a moan that threatened to escape when his tongue gave one last lick up my neck. "Ah! By the way, Kitten," he stopped to say, nipping at my earlobe. "You do know that the semester is over, right?"
Time seemed to stop as the cold reality hit me like a slap in the face. It was summer break for the Academy.
But he had messed with time!
"Fuck you," I mumbled beneath my breath, glaring defiantly into his amused green eyes.
"Hn. Gladly," he chuckled back, snapping his fingers.
In a cloud of pink smoke, we vanished from the night sky, retreating to the Demon King of Time's mansion.
This was, indeed, a long night...