The Fell Clutch of Circumstance

Author's note:

Please see part 1 for blurb and content warnings. And, if you haven't read Part 1 yet, I strongly suggest you do so before proceeding.

All sensuality (on page or otherwise) takes place between characters who are eighteen or older.

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Thirty-One

THUNK

"Goddess," an angelic voice pleaded softly, "there's so much blood."

SKUFF SKUFF SKUFF

"Stay with me..."

CLACK

"Ow! Fucking hell that hurt."

FLUMP

"... focus on keeping pressure on your stomach..."

SQUELCH

"Goddess give me strength."

THUD

"Aaron!" Riley pleaded helplessly. "Please don't be dead."

"Mmm here," he mumbled.

"Thank the Goddess! Where does it hurt?"

"Doesn't... mmm fine..."

"You're not fucking fine. You've been shot.We'vebeen shot."

Her words were like a jolt of adrenaline injected into his heart; instantly dispelling the fog from his consciousness and focusing his senses.

"Where?" he barked as he forced his legs to support his body weight and relieve Riley of her burden.

"My fucking leg," she hissed.

"Oh, honey," he gasped as he beheld the ugly would in her inner thigh from which blood was freely flowing.

Moving with a speed propelled by endless drilling in his formative years, he ripped his belt from his waist and wrapped it around her leg just above the wound. He scanned around for something to shield her leg from the bite of the leather, but came up empty. Left with no alternative he yanked his shirt over his head and wrapped it around her leg after taking a moment to rip it in half and discard the blood-soaked portion.

He looked in her direction to warn her that what he was about to do would be quite uncomfortable, but she cut him off before he could speak. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"First aid. You're bleeding badly."

"So are you, you selfless maniac."

"But your leg."

"If she'd hit my femoral artery, I'd already be dead. You, on the other hand, might have organ damage. I don't think blood is supposed to be that color."

"Regardless," he grunted. "We need to get your bleeding stopped, or no one's driving us to the hospital."

"Fine," she growled with clenched teeth. "Let's get this over with."

He wrapped her leg in the fabric and then ratcheted the belt tight until the flow of blood slowed.

"Fuck that hurts," she hissed.

"I'm sorry, honey."

"I know."

"Come on," he grunted as he got to his feet and wrapped an arm around her waist to support her. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

"How in the fuck are you even vertical?"

"Let's worry about that later. Are you going to be able to drive?"

"I think, although I don't have the foggiest idea where the closest hospital is."

"Can't your phone tell you?" he huffed as Ginny's van finally hove into view.

"Right," she groaned. "I'm never going to fucking live that down."

"Let's just concentrate on the living part," he whispered distractedly; the majority of his attention being focused on the tiny pinpoint of the door handle of Ginny's van (that being all that remained of his usable vision).

Just as they reached the van, Riley yelped, "The closest hospital is nearly an hour away, and that's just a tiny regional operation... barely more than an urgent care. The closest trauma center is another forty minutes."

"That's," Aaron wheezed wearily "not ideal."

He knew the jolt of adrenaline which had sustained him during their journey was failing him. The drop in energy was so precipitous that he barely managed to get the door open so he could slump into the van's rear compartment (rather than tumbling to the pavement beneath).

"Aaron!" Riley shouted worriedly.

"... mmm too tired," he mumbled woozily.

"Get him in the car," Bethany said in their minds.

"But he's been shot!" Riley shouted. "He's bleeding! Badly!"

"I am aware. Get him in the back and head southwest. The authorities will be here any moment, and they're aware of your presence Riley."

"Fuck!" Riley snarled. She squatted to lift his legs into the van, causing a whimper of pain to escape her lips.

She managed to get him onto the seat at the cost of their mingled blood covering the carpeted area surrounding the ramp Ginny used for ingress and egress. He had enough energy to assist her by pulling his legs inside so she could slam the door closed, but he did not miss the fresh gush of worryingly black blood which erupted from his belly. A fresh profane oath barked from his companion's lungs as she climbed into the car, and he watched her painstakingly prop her injured right leg across the center console in an attempt to keep it elevated.

"How are you going to..." he sputtered, but his question as to how she intended to operate the pedals fell silent as she manipulated a lever affixed to the steering column to cause them to set off.

"Ginny had hand controls installed when the tingling in her legs started getting worse," Riley explained as she drove toward the cemetery entrance.

"Take the southwest fork at the next intersection," Bethany repeated.

"How the fuck do I know which way southwest is!"

"The sun is to your west-by-southwest. Steer just to the left of it."

"Next time just say that!"

"Turn north at the next light," Bethany said as Riley gunned the engine to accelerate sharply.

"But the hospital is south of us."

"You must trust me, Riley Ardern. This is the only way to save him."

"Where are you taking us?" Aaron managed to whisper.

"I know we have had our differences, Aaron," Bethany soothed. "But I swear on my soul that I will do everything in my power to save you."

"What are you two talking about?" Riley yelped as the tires squealed in the background in response to her hard left.

"Bethany an' I didn't see eye t' eye... to st'rt," he slurred. "She's... Eshe's daughter. She didn't want... this... shit detail. But we're good... now. How's y'r leg?"

"Try not to talk," Riley whispered urgently. "I'm going as fast as I can."

"The next right!" Bethany yelped urgently.

Riley braked hard, causing Aaron to grunt in pain as he rolled forward into the rear of the front seats. He reached an unsteady hand out to make an ultimately futile attempt to wipe the blood from the carpeted floor of the van, succeeding only in smearing the deep red ichor further into the fibers.

"Shit," he mumbled absently as he tried without success to transfer the blood from his hand to his pants.

"You must remain conscious, Aaron," Bethany warned.

"So shleepy..."

"Riley, take the gravel road just ahead on the left."

"Thanks for the advance warning this time," Riley hissed through her pain. "But how in the fuck is a gravel road going the wrong direction going to get us to the hospital faster?"

"All will be revealed shortly."

"Wh't 're you doin' 'ethany?"

"The bullet ruptured your liver," Bethany reported somberly.

"What!" Riley shouted.

"He was never going to make it to the hospital in time. The damage is too catastrophic."

"What about Riley?" Aaron asked weakly.

"Her wound is indeed very severe," Bethany replied in a tone which felt to his mind like an evasion, "but not presently life threatening."

"What aren't you telling me?"

"You already know what is required to save your life, and to heal the Matris Dei," she soothed. "Take the left fork ahead, Riley. And then the second right."

"Where in the fuck are you taking us?" Riley growled.

"Somewhere out of the way, where no one will disturb you?"

"But Aaron's going to die!"

"Only if you allow it, Riley Ardern."

"Why do you keep using my full name?"

"I in fact do not know your full name, I am merely using your chosen moniker. You can pull into the driveway just ahead and follow the path to the cleared portion of the lot. I assure you it is quite uninhabited."

"Why did you bring us to the middle of nowhere?" Riley thundered toward the windshield after putting the car in park. "And what the fuck do you mean about Aaron only dying if I allow it."

"He has told you much of his time in Hell, but he did not tell you everything."

"Shtop," Aaron rasped.

"Eshedidheal him after she relocated him to Hell, and he told you that she did so by absorbing his disease. What he omitted (I believe because he is a gentleman, and you are most certainly a lady) is thathehealed her."

"I thought she was, like, a super-powerful demon."

"She is of the Third Fane of Lilitu," Bethany responded.

"Please," Aaron wheezed. "Don't."

Bethany continued, "She is amongst the most respected and feared of Lucifer's succubi."

"She's a fucking succubus!"

"A very powerful one," Bethany continued. "Demons (in truth all divine beings), are immortal. They cannot die except by smiting. But they can feel pain just as a mortal can. She absorbed his disease and was prepared to languish in agony for many long months. But Aaron healed her, just asyoucan heal him."

"How!" Riley snapped urgently. "I'll do anything!"

"Refuse," Aaron gasped with nearly all of what remained of his energy. "Riley, you should leave me behind and get the fuck out of here. There's a card, tucked in the back of your wallet. It has instructions for how to access an account with all the money Eshe provided when I returned to this plane. Take the money and just disappear. I never meant to involve you in all this shit."

"What of your mission?" Bethany asked snippily.

"Fuck my mission. I won't be party to this farce, Bethany."

"Always so eager to fall on the sword," Bethany retorted angrily.

Riley snarled, "If you two don't tell me what thefuckyou're talking about, that fucking gunshot wound is going to be the least of your fucking trouble."

"Succubi and incubi accrue energy from the sexual release of their partners. That is how Aaron healed Eshe."

"Bethany!" Aaron growled. "I command you to stop!"

"You're telling me he fucked her back to perfect health?" Riley drawled.

"Precisely," Bethany crowed.

"Ok..." Riley replied slowly, "but why are you telling me this?"

"Please," Aaron moaned weakly. "Stop."

"Because Aaron is one-eighth incubus."

"What! How?"

"We don't have time for 'how'!"

"So... he can be healed by sex?"

"He can be healed by the sexual release of his partner. Intercourse is not required. Although obviously that would be preferred since his essence will undoubtedly heal you as well."

"You're suggesting that I'm... what... part succubus?"

"I have no way of knowing the specifics absent physical contact, but the intensity of the Glamouring leaves little doubt that divine blood also flows in your veins."

"So, just to make sure I'm hearing your insane ramblings correctly, you brought us to the middle offuckingnowhere... and your big plan is for me to save him by fucking him!"

"I know this is not how Aaron intended your courtship to progress," Bethany admitted, "but this is the only way to save him. Even now, he is barely clinging to consciousness."

"And he just needs me to get off to be healed?"

"He must be the one to initiate your release, and physical contact is required for the energy transfer to occur."

"What are you doing?" Aaron grunted in response to Riley's yelp of pain.

"Just hold still," she grunted as she painstakingly crawled between the front seats.

His glassy gaze swung in her direction in time to spot her tugging her skirt up around her waist and snapping the waistband of her sensible briefs as she yanked them aside.

"Riley," he whispered. "Don't do this."

"Are you saying that because you changed your mind about having sex with me?"

"I gave you my word," he murmured wearily.

"That was before your life was in danger. Please, Aaron. Let me help you."

"It's not worth it."

"Yourlifeisn't worth more than a promise you made under completely different circumstances?" she yelped in disbelief.

"Yourlife... isn't worth it," he panted. "Can't let you... do something... you'll regret."

She pulled her shirt over her head and tugged the straps of her bra down before replying. "What I'd regret isnotsaving you... not making sure we get the chance to do this properly one day."

"But..." he protested with a weak puff of breath.

She climbed into the seat just above him, propping her injured leg on the opposite seat. "We don't have much time left, babe." She reached between her widespread thighs and started rubbing her clit anxiously. "Although I can't imagine how the fuck this will ever work. I can count on my fingers the number of orgasms I've had in my life which weren't by my own hand."

Bethany interjected, "You've both spent the last three days focusing a good deal of your mental energy resisting the Glamouring. Stop fighting it, and use its power! It's Aaron's only hope."

"I don't know how," Riley whimpered helplessly.

"Ask him to touch you."

"Aaron, honey," Riley pleaded. "You need to touch me."

"More," Bethany commanded. "It is not enough to ask him to lay hands on you... you mustneedhim to touch you more than you desire taking your next breath. Listen to the Glamouring, Riley. Welcome it into your heart. Let it guide your actions."

"Will this endanger my soul?" Riley asked shakily.

"Does it matter?" Bethany retorted. "Open your mind, Riley. Quickly!"

Riley gazed down at Aaron's face and let out a long breath. As he stared up at her through a haze caused by the poison coursing through his veins, he saw her pupils dilate and her mouth fall open. She reached up with one hand to grip one of her modest breasts, lustfully tugging on her nipple as it crinkled with need.

"Please touch me, babe," she panted as the scent of her arousal filled the van.

"You don't have to do this, Riley."

"Iwantto do this," she moaned as she slid forward in her seat to place her head against the back of the front seat and gaze adoringly down at him. "I wantyou, Aaron. I need your touch."

"Riley?" he wheezed as he instinctively reached for her.

"Hurry," she gasped breathlessly. "I'm almost there."

She shifted closer to where his hand hovered near the apex of her thighs, and slid her hand out of the way to give him easy access to her dripping folds. His eyes fell on her slicked fingers, and his mouth fell open hungrily.

"Do you want to..." she began before he rasped, "Need... taste."

She reached for his questing tongue, bringing her needy core within his reach. Her glistening fingers slid between his lips simultaneous to his index and middle fingers sliding into her femininity and his thumb slicking against her clit. With the last of his energy, he succumbed to the Glamouring and began lustily fingering her incomparable pussy as he greedily devoured her essence.

"Oh, Goddess!" she shrieked in response to her wildly bucking body as her orgasm expanded within her like a thunderclap. "You're going to make me..."

Her words were lost to him as his senses were consumed by an explosion of energy so pure, so profound, that he was helpless to prevent it from robbing him of consciousness.

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Thirty-Two

White.

As far as the eye could see... nothing but white.

White so pure, so omnipresent, so overwhelming that logic dictated that it must be divine in origin.

Aaron gazed across the dazzling expanse; awed at both its beauty and the smallness he felt within himself in comparison to his awesome majesty. The closest comparison he could draw was the sea in the days following the passing of a typhoon, save for the unshakable suspicion that his surroundings were anything but flat. He thought to explore, to get a better sense of his environment, but his feet were held fast by a force which, to his bewilderment, felt neither sinister nor unexpected.

He heard a crunch behind him and turned to identify the source. As his gaze swung to the starboard, he beheld a being of such exquisite beauty, such unfathomable nobility, such divine grace...

"Get the fuck out of the way, you fascist cunt!" an angelic alto voice snarled with unrestrained fury.

Aaron's abrupt return to consciousness was heralded by a cacophony of powerful sensations, the only one of which he welcomed was the sweet sound of Riley's voice which alleviated his all-consuming fear as to her wellbeing. He looked around to find that he was still in the rear of Ginny's van, albeit now awkwardly belted into one of the seats.

"What's our status?" he managed to grit out.

"Aaron!" she yelped. "You're alive!"

"So far," he wheezed. "How's your leg?"

"Fuck my leg. How are you?"

Aaron took a moment to assess his condition, an introspection which produced mixed results. The delirium which had left him feeling not unlike he had found the bottom of a bottle of cheap bourbon was thankfully now absent, but the pain radiating from his belly had expanded by a significant enough margin that he was compelled to perform a visual inspection to confirm that he had not been, impossibly, attacked a second time. The wound, which sat on the upper portion of his belly on his right side, had been hastily bandaged using what looked to be remnants of Riley's skirt. He tried to shift around to bring his left hand up to inspect the area, but the movement sent a lance of pain through his back. This new discomfort caused him to take even more care as he slid his right hand up to investigate and found another impromptu bandage there.

"I'm honestly not sure. My head has cleared, but I think the fog was doing a good job of blocking the pain. I didn't even realize before that there was an exit wound."

"A good thing too. Bethany suggested it would have been much harder to heal if you had a bullet lodged in your gut. She was, in fact, notably silent on whether your healing magic would dissolve the bullet... or somehow expel it. She just said that we're lucky neither of us have to find out."

"Where is Bethany?"

"Busy," Riley replied distractedly.

"With what?" Aaron asked with a chuckle he immediately regretted, thanks to the agony he endured in response to the gentle movement of his chest.

"We... I... um..." she began before ultimately snapping, "Listen, she unquestionably saved both of our lives, but I was getting sick of her heavy-handed, manipulative bullshit. So, I suggested she remain behind to see what she could discover about our attacker, and her motives."

"Seems pretty cut and dried. She basically announced her motive before she started shooting."

"But how did she know we were there?" Riley retorted. "I find it profoundly unlikely that she is an avid news consumer who might have seen a story with my picture... and is the kind of person who never leaves the house without a hand cannon in her purse... and is such a zealot that she'd start firing without hesitation the instant she thought she recognized me. Also, even in that highly unlikely scenario, why'd she shoot you first? It's impossible to understand the mind of someone capable of something like that, but it almost seemed like she shot me as an afterthought."

He cast his gaze to the front seat to find that Riley had once again stretched her right leg across the van. Their respective positions made it impossible to see either her entrance or exit wounds, but he noted that she had replaced the tourniquet with bandages similar to those on his torso. The scenery outside the van matched the lush green forest he had come to expect from the mountainous region of the northern Appalachians which they had been steadily touring since meeting less than a week prior.

"Riley," Aaron rasped reproachfully. "How is your leg?"

"It's... um... ok."

"Has the bleeding stopped?"

"Yes," she replied with much more confidence.