Wildfire Gospel (Habitat) (25 page)

Dear Shango, please get rid of this fire for this crazy man I call my dad so I can find the even crazier woman I’m in love with.

The flame disappeared, just like that.

“The fire sees the loyalty inside your heart. Are you ready to put on your skin?” Graham helped me up.

“Yes. Then we go find La La.”

“No. She’s fine. I sense her loud and clear. She’s around this habitat.”

My burning fangs burst out of my mouth and hung low under my lip. “When did you sense her? When were you going to tell me?”

“It happened when you first sat down, but I didn’t want you to lose focus. I can feel her. She’s not that far, somewhere in Shango District. We check out this boy’s locker first because XO may not let us if we wait. I know him well. You leave and come back later, the only thing he’s going to want to discuss is you fighting.”

“She’s okay? Does she feel like she’s alright?”

“If she didn’t, I wouldn’t be here.”

I slid the long skin off of the hanger. It was dry now, but soft to the touch. Graham had taken a good hour to peel it away. The next hour he cleaned, soaked, sang, and massaged it. His singing to the flesh shoved me on edge, but it was my flesh he entertained so I didn’t interrupt him.

I sniffed at the skin. “It doesn’t even smell bad. I don’t smell anything in fact.”

“Of course not. That would be disgusting.” Graham shrugged.

I stepped inside the suit and placed it on me like I’d done the temporary flesh from before. “Oh Shango it feels so good.”

It slipped on my gelled skin like silk and hugged it.

“That means you both are bonded. Here’s the second rule of demon magic. Once skin goes demon it doesn’t go back. That means you can manipulate it anyway you want and it will always be able to do that with you. It will never lose that and return to regular skin.”

I took my time getting all of it on, pulling the thin material up each arm and leg, pushing my penis into the proper place until the tip and the holes matched. The skin fit snug like my favorite pair of jeans and shirt. It formed to me like skin should and clung to my bones and muscles.

“Looking good, boy.” Graham hit my back. “You’re looking real good.”

I walked over to the mirror and smoothed my hand over my face to make sure there were no bubbles or wrinkles, tears or flapping spaces. I resembled my actual self, but with pale skin. I had the same bone structure, just the complexion was off. The cut back zipped together and Graham set fire to any part he believed was left open, melting and molding the fleshy suit into one harmonious fit.

“It does look good, besides the fact that I don’t have eyebrows or hair. Everything else is perfect.” I flexed. My muscles on my arms bulged. Graham snorted. I checked out my stomach. The layers of hard earned abdominal muscle displayed itself as usual.

“Your hair and complexion will change once you go in the ground. I’ll show you how to do it, when you go into hibernation. You can go as dark or light as you want to in this skin. You can return to the texture of hair you already had or manipulate Fray’s DNA and use his hair. You can even make yourself fat, if that’s your thing.”

“Okay.” I twisted from side to side. Pleasure washed down on me. I hated to admit it, but Graham had been right. Having my own skin did make me feel better.

“Fray has some clothes on the other side of this sleeping bag.” Graham headed over there and checked them out. “I’ll throw you something to put on.”

“Anything green or coffee brown?”

“Are you bullshitting me?”

“What?” I held my hands out. “Those are my frat colors.”

“Frat colors,” Graham muttered under his breath. “You’ll wear what I throw your way. You’ve been around Lanore too long, posing in the mirror like a woman, and color coordinating your outfits with other men.”

I laughed. It fled my lips and shook in my chest. I just couldn’t help it.

But then something moved inside of me.

What the fuck?

I froze as that heavy pressure unwound a little in my core and then stopped. I waited for a few seconds. The pressure returned, twisted a tiny bit and then paused.

Cheetah?

Hot
. His voice sounded deeper than usual and rugged.
Real hot.

I fell to my knees and covered my face. Graham snapped his face to me. “Are you okay, MeShack?”

“Cheetah said something to me.”

Graham rushed to over. “What did he say? Tell me. What did he say?”

Hot.
Cheetah’s big form lazily moved from side to side.
I like.

Tears spilled from my eyes. “He said he likes that he’s hot.”

“I’ve always loved your beast.” Graham clapped his head and jumped up with an extra pep in his step. “See what I told you. Do you see? Everything is better with skin. It makes it all better. You’re looking good. Cheetah is back. Let’s go into this locker and then get my little girl.”

Lanore

How long have I been out?

A black fog shifted beyond my closed eyes. Cool air drifted against my bare skin.

I was naked.

Things moved inside of my body, electric things that delivered freezing jolts to my muscles every few seconds. I groaned in shock and gasped. I should have been scared, but I wasn’t. I could feel Zulu’s hard, nude body encasing me in muscle and warmth. His sandalwood fragrance soared into my nose, mouth, and along my skin, stimulating my nostrils, tingling along my tongue, and consuming me with him.

If Zulu is here, then I must be safe.

“Is she okay?” Zulu’s soft lips brushed against my neck. I shivered and moaned.

“Well if her moaning isn’t a good enough indicator, then I don’t know what would be.” A strange woman’s scratchy voice sounded mocking behind me. Although it seemed I didn’t have control of my body, I tried my best to hold him, yet my arms remained limp and still.

“That’s not an answer, Harmony,” Zulu grumbled. “How is Lanore? She’s been out for close to twelve hours now. Something is wrong. It has to be that stuff she sucked in.”

“I don’t think it is.” That time Harmony’s voice came from in front of me. “It’s something else.”

“What?”

The strange woman remained silent.

A dark growl boomed from Zulu’s chest. He trembled against my body, but still held me tight to him. That electric sensation surged within my core.

Are these his cords inside of me? Is that what is giving me this feeling?

“Do not make those noises at me, Zeigfreid,” the woman said.

“No one calls me that anymore. It’s Zulu. And when I ask you a question about my lady I expect an answer.”

“This is a very delicate matter, Zulu. According to Fairy Law, for all occurrences of personal magic, I must talk to her first before saying anything to you.”

“But we’re claimed.”

“Under Human Law, your claim means nothing. You’re not even considered her husband to them, so I couldn’t give you her private information. Either way, I would be breaking a law and losing my license to practice. I love you like a son, but not enough to suffer my livelihood over you. She should get out of this catatonic state soon. It’s only temporary. Her magic is preparing her body for something. Once it’s done, she’ll return. Most supes go through coma-induced phases like this during heightened magical transitions. You did when I helped your father with the spell on your back and arms.”

“That’s the problem. Nothing major has happened to her besides her sucking in this stuff. Have you done tests on her?”

Tests?

“Yes. I’ve done them.”

“And?”

“I’ll discuss the tests’ results with her in private and if she wants you there, then I’ll tell you.” Harmony sighed. “Stop worrying. How does she feel? This is your claimed. Your magic is moving inside of her right now, healing like I showed you how and most likely exploring her on their own. What do your cords say?”

“I don’t know.” He laid kisses along my neck. “I can’t think when I’m this close to her.”

“How long have you been unable to think around her?” She laughed. “Maybe I should be examining you.”

“I’m serious.”

She stopped laughed and shifted her voice to a serious tone. “I am too. How long has your mind been clouded when you’re near her?”

“Ever since I met her, but recently it’s been more intense. I’m worried about her more and scared when she’s not near me, more than usual, more than ever before. I’m having weird dreams.”

“Things are happening between you two.”

“What things?” Zulu nibbled under my chin. I floated in darkness and relished in his touch.

“I’ll need to talk to her first.”

Zulu’s teeth and lips left my skin. “About what?”

“You know better than to claim one with Fairy blood without coming to me first. There are things that occur between our species after we’re claimed. Things I could have told you both together.”

“A lot of things were happening then.”

“It seems things are always happening around you, Zulu.”

Their conversation ended as I sank into an abyss of darkness, spiraling downward, falling into this limitless space that held no walls, ceiling, or floor. Screaming, I sniffed the air and smelled nothing. There was no sound either, but my own noise. I stopped yelling and wagged my arms and legs, but that only exhausted me verses propelled me in any direction.

“Zulu?” I yelled. “Anybody?”

My own voice echoed back at me. I continued to drop into this unknown place that possessed no end. So much time passed. Until the point where I stopped caring.
What else can I do?
I sagged my shoulders forward, let my head fall back, and went numb as the blank space swallowed me whole.

Bright dots materialized in front of my face and expanded until they were glowing lines. They traveled around in front of me and formed into something, but I couldn’t truly tell what. I didn’t think I was falling anymore either. It seemed more like I hovered in this ocean of nothing as the gleaming lines drew a sort of picture in front of me. I leaned in and squinted my eyes. It must’ve been a huge circular image, sort a massive globe. Tubes appeared out of nowhere and pushed into the globe. Orange liquid filled it. Shimmering green disk-shaped things swam in the liquid.

What is this?

In the center, more glowing lines materialized, lots of them. They looked like a globe of bright spaghetti forming into the shape of an object, or maybe a body. It was so hard to figure out as my fingers shook and my heartbeat raced in my chest.
Maybe it is the body of a creature.
There seemed to be a head forming at the top of the globe and two holes where you think eyes would be. I focused my gaze on that area. Fiery pupils showed up where the two blank spaces existed. The pupils moved around as if checking out the globe that it was trapped in, and then after a few seconds those flaming pupils directed themselves my way and stared right at me.

I don’t why, but I screamed in horror. As if an invisible thing had hooked onto the back of my shirt and yanked me out of there, I rose, higher and higher, flying up and away from the darkness. I looked down. The globe remained where it was with the thing staring at me as I flew away, and then I returned back to reality.

“Ben lives with me from now on.” Vee’s voice woke me out of the blackness, but I still had difficulty opening my eyes. “You three have no idea what you’re doing. He’s always left alone and with a madman at that!”

“Quiet. You’ll wake her.” Zulu’s voice sounded on my right. I lay on softness with a silky material over my nude body. Someone squeezed my hand and I figured it was him since he was so close. “And you’re not taking Ben anywhere until you’ve discussed it with Lanore.”

“That man put Ben in a cage!” Vee hollered.

“Keep. Your. Voice. Down.” Zulu loosened his grip, which made me think that he was preparing to charge her way.

“Who?” I screeched out.

Shuffling noises filled the air. Another person grabbed my other hand. I figured it was Vee.

“Lanore, are you okay?” Zulu asked.

I cleared my throat, but was still unable to open my eyes. “Who put Ben in a cage?”

“Your father.”

I’m going to kill Graham.

I sank into the softness of the bed. “Where is Ben?”

“Ben is with us,” Zulu said. “We brought him back to MFE.”

“Where’s my dad?”

“Ben said he’s with MeShack looking for … skin.”

Skin. Daddy what did you do?

My chest tightened with stress. “Dad must’ve turned him into some sort of creature from his realm when he did that spell on MeShack long ago. He never told me what it would do. I just figured it would give MeShack fire.”

“No, Lanore. I saw him. MeShack is a Demon,” Vee said on my left. “He had this clear jelly skin and fire twisting inside of him.”

“No. He’s not a Demon. You can only be born a Demon from parents that are both. MeShack is something else.” I finally opened my eyes. They burned a little from the movement as if I woke up in a pool of water sprinkled with acid. I dragged my numb hands to my face and rubbed my eyelids. “Demons don’t believe in burying their dead. They do weird things with their corpses.”

“So what is he a zombie?” Vee’s eyes brightened to blue.

“As far as I know, there’s no such thing as zombies, but MeShack’s as close to a zombie as you’ll find on earth.” I struggled with sitting up as the room’s view came around me.

We were in my old bedroom in MFE. Someone had repainted the room lavender, hung a bunch of lit candles above my bed with suspension spells, fixed my broken book shelves that Zulu and MeShack destroyed while fighting one night in my room, and cleaned the whole area. The Prime’s nest still remained high above my bed. When he’d made the thing, it resembled a jumbled mess of comic books, pencils, and any other mess he could find around my room. Someone had put up a more efficient one. This nest was strips of polished mahogany wood interwoven into a pattern of zigzagged lines. It looked as if it could fit three big people. Several piles of sky blue pillows peeked out from the top. There must’ve been loads of the cushions in there.

Zulu helped me rise to a sitting position and placed pillows behind me.

I pulled my blanket up to shield my nudity from Vee. “In my dad’s realm there were spells that animated corpses and then there were ones that shifted the species to another one, mainly a living species is transformed to one that runs on magic. On Earth, a creature like that would no longer be considered living, but according to Dad another realm believes the being is alive.”

“Which one is MeShack?” Zulu asked.

“From the way Vee described him, it sounds like Graham made him into one of the creatures that runs on magic. If MeShack was an animated corpse he wouldn’t have the weird gel skin and fire inside of him. He would look exactly the same but just be … stupid in a way. He would need us to do everything for him.”

“So basically he would be the same as usual.” Vee attempted a joke, but the anxiety in my chest didn’t let me laugh.

I tried to get up from the bed, but my body hurt too much. “I have to see Ben and MeShack.”

Zulu’s hand shivered. His gold and blue eyes changed to black.

“What’s wrong?” I rubbed my finger over his palm.

“You have to remain in bed until Harmony says it’s okay for you to leave.”

Shouldn’t I remember something about her name?

“Isn’t Harmony the one who did your fairy protection spells on Guerilla Ink?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Why would I wait for a glamour wielder to tell me if I can get out of my bed?”

“She’s also a doctor for Fairies.”

“I’m fine.”

Zulu pushed his fangs out. “No you’re not. I think the demon fire is making you sick. You stay in bed until she gives you the results to your tests.”

“First of all, it’s not the demon fire. I passed out due to the news from Vee that MeShack was alive, plus I was a bit tired and hungry after throwing up with the Vamps.”

“You must’ve been really tired.” Vee grabbed my attention back to her. “You slept for hours, almost twenty-four hours.”

“Twenty-four hours?” I turned back to Zulu. “What the fuck? What happened with the Rebels? Since we’re in MFE, I assume we won.”

“It was kind of a forfeit.” Zulu nodded. “Once Nona spotted me soaring toward her, she stopped fighting and ran away, mumbling that I was alive. Most of the rebels saw her run and were smart enough to flee too. The rest spotted my Prime form and did the same.”

We’d kept the fact that Zulu was still alive secret from everyone, but the few in our inner circle, MeShack, Vee, Angel …

“Anybody heard from Angel?” I looked at both of them. They shook their heads. I sighed. “I’ve missed too freaking much. Twenty-four hours? I can’t believe this. I have to get up and … do a whole lot of crap.”

“Not until Harmony gives you the results.” Zulu’s words were dark rumbles coming from his chest. He looked like he was on the edge of going insane.

“What tests?”

“I don’t know, but you’ll stay here or we’ll be fighting.”

I turned to Vee as if asking for help.

“Don’t look at me. He’s been roaring and growling ever since you passed out.”

“Well at least catch me up on what happened once Nona and the few Rebels ran off,” I said.

“You should have been there to see it.” Vee smiled. “They all dropped to their knees and chanted to their gods. They think Zulu came back from the dead.”

“So now they’re on our side?” I asked.

“Well,” Vee glanced at Zulu. “It seems your boyfriend isn’t that forgiving.”

I turned to Zulu. He shrugged. “I killed them all.”

Oh goodness.

I rubbed my face. “Okay. I’m not even going to process that right now. Anyway, did someone say earlier that my dad put Ben in a cage? Please say I heard wrong.”

“No.” Zulu ran his fingers through my dreadlocks. “Once we got you with Harmony and had her check to make sure your heartbeats were steady and you were overall okay, as well as make sure Vee’s children weren’t harmed, we searched for Ben. Vee’s oldest daughter Patricia said that Graham took Ben away and said he would be right back. I figured his house was the best place to look first.”