Third Rung Of Hell (An Excerpt)
By Jade Blackmore
Copyright 1999, 2005 All Rights Reserved

I worried that Mephie, our black cat, would knock over one of the dozens of black candles that adorned the bar and the tables, evn though the candles were glass-enclosed, , mephie was such a michevious cat. I had designed a special collar for him, a variation on abonadge collar, diamond studded, and it highlighted his psnther eyes. Mephie had the most piercing eyes just like his mommy and daddy, our first customer commented. As we had suspected, our first patron was one of the Quarter's most infamous characters, a noted inebriate onl;y known as Weak Willie. In his checkered polyester suitjacket and grubby jeans, he certainly didn't know how to dress, but he did know how to drink He ordered five vodka tonics and downed them so quickly Cullom and I took inventory of our vodka. After his sixth drink, I poured him a cup of coffee. "I don't want him messing up our bar," Cullom insisted. "Most places don't care.They're only in it for the money but we have other reasons." I sat and bullshitted with Willie, feeling sorry for him, until other customers trickled in. Soon the bar was packed.

I helped Cullom serve them. Prospects began to appear. Our criteria for chosing a victim had nothing to do with their dress or physical appearance. Cullom and Ijudged by aura. That was more important than any physical human trait.

A man sat at one of the tables with his friends. While the young man's companions adhered to the New Orleans Goth ethics, with pireced noses and lips and blue streaks in their hair, he bore no such marks. His pale, unmarked body, shone gaunt like a ghost, and it was no act. "He's bisexual," Cullom whispered to me as he stood behind the bar, washing glasses,
"I know," I said. I smiled "So do you think he likes girls or boys better?"
"You try first.." Cullom said. "Men are not to my taste. I know you like him."
Nervously, I approached the table. I felt like I was invading their space. They seemed so comfortable talking about music and their friends. They were, after all, innocent young kids despite their dark trappings. This combination of sweetness and fascination with evil proved irresistible to my pagan soul."

"Would you fellas like any more drinks?" I asked, sasahying coyly over with an empty tray and order pad. I mimiced the honey sweet southern accent so many little lousiana girls had. "Some more Rolling Rocks, "he answered coyly," I smiled him and Ihad my answer. He liked girls, at least for tonight, so he was mine.

As the night progressed, the bar filled to capacity. Not only did Cullom and I have to fix and serve drinks, make change,and clean up after slovenly customers, we had to scan the crowd for other prospects.I had to take action. We closed the bar at three. I kept my victim in beers til the doors closed and his friends left. He was slightly drunk,but he wasn't the type to pass out. He had too much dignity for that. I couldn't wait to get him in the back room. As much as I loved Culllom, I couldn't wait to taste this stranger, to dominate him, to transform him as Cullom had transformed me.

The evil power hidden in my bones totally imbued my spirit. I understood why Cullom strutted around like he did. I whispered into the mans ear. "Mark, I have an apartment above the bar. Would you you like to come upstairs with me?' He laughed. "I didn't stay here all night to talk to my dopey friends." he laughed. Drunken mortal fool, I thought. I'd liked him, even been sexually attracted to him up to that point. I moitioned to Cullom, who nodded his approval as I led the inebriated man upstairs. I locked the bedroom door behind us. and took him by the hand.

"This place is unbelievable.. you live here by yourself, I hope..." Mark pulled himself out of his drunken stupor long enough toask a cogent question . "Of course, honey, " I answered, kissing him lightly on the lips. The smell of alcohol overwhelmed me but then I'd have to get used to that.it suddenly occurred to me that most of the potential initiayes I'd have to seduce would be drunk or at least a little bit tipsy. When he took the liberty of lying down, fully clothed, on the black satin and lace bed that I had shared with Cullom, I was repulsed. I raised my hand to slap him, then corrected myself and unbuttoned his shirt instead. I had not slept with or indeed looked at a mortal man in a sexual way, since Cullom had seduced me..I wondered if he had ignored mortal women since seducing me- a razor-sharp streak of jealousy shattered me to the core. But I had to concentrate on my work. The man had a slim, taut chest, though it was a little pale. But for some reason I found it arousing. I pinched his nipples, reveling in the way he squirmed. He was mine now, I could do what I needed to do and hed offer no resistence. I unzipped his jeans and listened to him moan as I took him in my mouth. He turned rock-hard instantly. "You're enjoying your work a little too much..." The familiar whispered in my ear. I stopped abruptly, afraid I had bitten the poor mortal. When I urned around Cullom was no where to be seen. He used his telepathy when he wanted to keep track of me. He knew what I was doing, thinking, seeing, feeling, whenever he wanted. "How am I supposed to fuck without enjoying it." I thought.Could you ever view fucking as just a job?"
"Whore." I heard him say. And then the voice in my mind closed down. But I continued. I knew that there was more involved here than his sexual jealousy and my sexual pleasure. I set to work. I had to actually fuck Mark.. I sat on top of him and, guided him inside me, watching and waiting for some reaction other than the human grunts and groans. Nothing different transpired. He reached orgasm with a heaving sob, a thankful sigh. He didn't look at me, or kiss me, he just rolled over in a drunken slumber. "Humans," I mumbled. "He's not the one. You didn't think we'd be lucky enough to find the changeling on the first try,"
Startled, I looked up, Culllom leaned against the doorjamb, smirking. "Aren't you glad I saved you from this?" he pointed at the drunken man, now fast asleep on the bed I shared with Cullom.
"Next time, I don't want you to use our bed for this."
"What am I supposed to do? Fuck em behind the bar?"
"Don't be ridiculous. We'll find another place to do it. This is our altar it is sacred. Now help me get rid of him."
Cullom slipped his knife out of the leather sheath on his belt.
"No, not like that! We're not going to kill him. Even in New Orleans they'd take notice if the patrons of a bar kept disappearing. " I protested, ordering him to put the kinife away.
"Let's just put him out in the street. He'll wake up with a hangover and won't remember a damn thing about what he did."
Sadly, I looked at the poor human. I had forgotten his name already. Cullom and I carried him out the side door and placed him gently, at my request. outside, the tattoo parlor next door. Cullom wanted to toss him against the garabage bin like a piece of filth. He had such low regard for humans. We returned to the bar. The crowd had thinned out. "Do you feel sated?" Cullom asked. He rubbed my bare thigh. His hand was nowhere near my pussy, but I shuddered. "All I have to do is touch you and you will orgasm. Now if I come inside you, you will be incapacitated with pleasure for hours. Remember, mortals are only work.."