They're All Sick

Lethe leaned against Solciro, her long, dark hair falling over his shoulder.
"Something troubling you?"
"Nothing. You know, people have been talking."
"Let them. They act as if its some heinous crime against nature for us to be together. Some of them came and congratulated me. Funny, the way they act."
"Mmm." She made a non-commital shrug and snuggled closer to him, warm and content. They were happy together and that was all that mattered to them, regardless of what others thought.
Abruptly, she placed a hand on his groin.
Frowning, he lifted it away and said, "No, Lethe."
"Why not?" She grinned like a Chesire cat.
"It's not right. Don't."
"I felt it and it was hard. I know you want to."
"No, I don't."
"That's not the message I was getting from your body."
"Just don't, Lethe. Don't."
"Aw, you're no fun." She pouted.
He softened. "I'm sorry, but you know, I-"
"I know. I was just fooling around." She turned to him and kissed him. After awhile, he pulled her off, shaking his head.
"You and your insatiability."

"How scandalous. Anyway, did all of us get our first choices?"
They all nodded and gave signs of affirmation. All of them except Uo. By an ironic twist of fate, he had chosen the same tertiary subjects as Styx for his second choice. The class next year would be the same and only split up to their various classes during tertiary periods. The two of them had gotten off the wrong foot and never bothered to find the right one. Neither of them were too happy about it.
"No, I got Higher Engineering and Higher Languages." He said sullenly and walked away. "I'll be on my way first, got things to do."
"Hey Styx, how's your Aspecting?"
"Fine." She shrugged. "It's the same as ever. I still find the Feral part of me freaky."
"I guess so."
"How's your blood thingy going then?"
"Um. I haven't been practising." To handle his veins which were continually getting in the way of anything he did, Cocytus had tied them up in the same way girls braided their hair and now the veins were tied somewhat tightly against his arm.
"Meh. Lazy bum."
"You're no better."
Phlegyas stood. "I'll go exercise a little."
"Exercise? Big guy, you're as fit as they come."
"Nevertheless. I am bored and I have nothing to do." With which words, he left.
Acherus.
Hmm? He looked at them, his hawk head looking around in that jerky manner of birds.
Where's Acheros?
He scratched his wings with his beak uncomfortably.
He's... got stuff to do.
What stuff?
It's strictly confidential.
It's got nothing to do with sadism, does it?
Not at all.
Oh.
"Hey, any of you want to go on a trip or something for the holidays?" Cocytus suggested.
"I'm an orphan, no money, dude. The most I could do would be a sleepover." Lethe pointed out.
"Better not, otherwise Cocytus and Kestrel, you and Solciro would have to get separate rooms."
"Actually," Lethe said with a grin, "I think that would be very true."
"Archon save me, this girl is insatiable!" Solciro exclaimed. "There wouldn't be a sleepover, I'd have to spend the whole night trying to stop her!"

The taint was still spreading. Her right shoulder was covered in the sickly scales, as was the top half of her right breast. It seemed obscene for her to derive pleasure from rubbing that area, disfigured as it was.
I think you ought to see a doctor.
No.
Why not? A doctor might be able to find something to stop it.
It's demonic in nature. Anyone with an ounce of sense would feel it in me.
Then maybe an alchemist would be able to brew something up for you?
Perhaps we should see November about this.
I'm not that sure.
She's a bloodsucker, they're just as mistaken as anyone else and would sympathise with you.
What about Alice?
What? Why would you want to ask for help from that bitch? All she knows is to hurt people. Not that I disapprove, of course.
Alice would know little about these matters.
Yeah. Best go back to Nova then. I'm so tired. Raewyn lay down on her bed, feeling the soft linen rub against her bare body. There was little she enjoyed these days and she tried to enjoy whatever she had left.
Wake me up somewhere after Halflight, will you? I'm gonna go and have some fun.
What, a strip club?
Don't be silly. The getting naked bit comes after the dancing, not during.
Oh. Right.
And I thought demons knew all these sort of things.
You weren't being specific!
I'm just kidding.
I've got my honour to protect! As well as that of all demons!
Oh, shut up, you babbling fool.
Raewyn coughed violently and spat out a globule of red phlegm. She stared at it.
"Tell me, Libys. When have I ever spat out red phlegm?"
Libys kept quiet.
"You've shut up. That's a first. Maybe this illness or whatever it is was worth it." She coughed again, harder than the first and this time, blood was mixed with the phlegm, though it was hard to tell. "Or maybe it wasn't. What is this, some terminal disease with splices of magic in it?"
No, just the by-product of a forced merging between a human and a demon. Also the effects are magnified, I believe, due to the fact that it has long been suppressed.
"Oh Archon, can't I just get some damned peace? Both of you, shut up!" Raewyn growled angrily. She pulled the blanket over her and dreamt troubled dreams.