Octavia, who had locked herself in the shower and brought her hand to her chest after getting stained with some of her father's semen, kept her head down with a certain happiness, an almost worrying sense of accomplishment for what happened that night. She felt peace flow through her body, to the point of having a certain curiosity to know the taste of him. She slowly lifted her hand which she brought to her mouth and licked her fingers. She couldn't tell exactly if she liked or disliked it; truth be told, being still somewhat aroused; her mind didn't really register the taste of the semen. But its warmth was enough to fill her with morbidity: «I wonder if I could get pregnant» She thought.
She imagined herself with a daughter identical to her when she was a baby, and she imagined Stolas by her side, taking care of this new life.
She thought that if that prophecy came true, she could finally leave behind the life she hated so much. Making sure that those nightmares where her father disappears, never came true no matter what.
Octavia stepped into her shower and let the water run over her body. She felt the warm water like her father's caresses, she felt the water pass through her plumage just as she felt Stolas' fingers brush her. She hugged herself and touched every inch of her just to keep the image of them in bed just moments ago, still alive.
As the water ran through her and the warm drops slid down her breasts, she pleased herself by running her fingers around her nipples with one hand, while with the other she continued touching herself and penetrating herself with her fingers.
But because the sensation was merely a mirage of what it really was, the pleasure was short-lived this time. For her mind drifted to an even more important memory. What had brought her to this point, and the reason for her being able to perform her feat.
«Remember, it works with any infernal being, but if the feeling is not genuine, the consequences will be hatred, rejection, loss. That being you love; if he doesn't love you, he never will, and forcing him will only drive him further away from you. Only if you are willing to bet on it should you use this. Or if you don't really care about that person and just want to use them for your own pleasure»
She was sure that she loved her father, she was sure that he loved her. However, her mind was filled with the inevitable possibility that everything would go wrong and that she would lose him forever because of her fear and her impulsive attitude.
She refused to believe that; at the end of everything, that after all she did, the effort was in vain.
She didn't know what she would do if that happened. She only knew that what was done was done and that regardless of the outcome she had to accept the consequences. The water continued to run down her body as she inevitably began to sob with rage.
She is sure that she loves him and that he loves her. She would never accept the possibility of a bad outcome. All that she exerted herself, sacrificed and risked for nothing was something that she could not accept at all.
Octavia refused to hate herself for the failure of her actions, she believed that, if all this really failed it would be the vendor's fault. She questioned if she had done enough research; but with Stolas practically attached to his library she had to do what she could with the limited time she had; and she didn't trust the internet.
How could it really be possible that the aphrodisiac plants of the human world not only had no effect on demons; but somehow with a simple magical gesture and infernal products it could now work?! In any case, the spell would be the culprit and the plant simply a placebo effect. Was it all too good to be true and was she fooled? What was really going on?
Insecurity brought her anger, and that anger brought her anxiety.
Everything was going as planned and it was clearly working. But Stolas is not a fool; would he notice? If he realized, then it was all over.
Thought after thought flooded her mind in despair as with anger and rage, she continued to refuse to believe that it had all been for nothing.
She half-finished bathing, went back to her room to change into pyjamas and took the opportunity to remove the stained covers from the bed, along with any clear evidence she could find.
Even when she did not want or dared to go to dinner, the truth was that she was hungry, so she subtly peeked into the dining room from her door. Seeing that Stolas still had not arrived, she closed her door again, leaning back against it, waiting to hear his father's footsteps as a signal to go out again.
After a few minutes she heard said sound, some slow footsteps announced to her that Stolas was heading to the dining room, so she subtly reopened the door and followed behind him, at a slightly slower pace than his own, hugging herself as if she felt punished or ashamed, keeping a defensive posture.
Seeing his father from behind gave her an intimidating feeling, as if he felt annoyed; mad. Feelings that reaffirmed that everything was ready to go wrong at any moment and that she would lose everything because of her impulsiveness and immaturity.
She stopped dead almost at the end of the corridor, leaning against the wall still without letting go of herself. Her mind was fighting to decide whether or not she should have dinner with him, or if it would be wiser to wait until later. Uncertainty ate her insides.
Smelling the food, she looked up to see that Stolas had already been sitting for who knows how long, the steaming pizza placed in front of him as he put a slice on each plate.
Octavia took the gesture as an invitation, which calmed her cravings for a moment as she collected herself and walked over to the table.
They both then sat down to dine in silence.
Octavia did not dare to break the imposing and deep absence of sound, she saw the steam that came out of the reheated pizza that in spirals rose to the sky symbolizing; resolving to nothing, her dreams being destroyed by her fears. It was sad to see that scene; father and daughter refusing any interaction, every moment the sorrows were heavier –an air so dense that it overwhelmed anyone who witnessed the situation.
After a while they both finally got up from the table.
—Good night, Octavia. —Stolas mentioned in a low voice avoiding her gaze—.
—Good night dad. —She replied in a similar tome; and like him, she avoided looking at his face as well—.
They both retired to their respective rooms and the night passed like any other.
The next morning Octavia woke up somewhat fearful, she didn't even want to get out of bed, but she felt the need to leave the house as soon as possible to avoid seeing her father; that by the time she was sure he was already in his library or his greenhouse taking care of the plants. Her conscience still didn't leave her alone about her insecurities regarding what she did.
Octavia dressed quickly and using one of the spells she learned from Stolas' Grimoire, she conjured a portal to the lust ring, to meet this mysterious vendor and get more information about what might happen next.
Going through the streets of this floor could only be explained as indescribable, there is nothing that words could converge to give a congruent idea of the amount of sinful and immoral activities that could be observed in every corner and alley.
Humans and demons carrying out their deepest desires in full view of all who were interested in eavesdropping.
In the middle of this floor, you can find Ozzie's, this Eden of sin is almost like the monument that represents all imaginable and unimaginable adulterous desires. After a long walk through these streets, she finally found it.
"Bewitched botanicals" could be read in the window of the door of the premises. A door of a pink colour with slight purple influences that seemed as if it were made of velvet, in the side windows one could see the interior of the store as a strange mixture of a pharmacy with a laboratory, coloured gases came out of different bottles while a demonic creature created mixtures with Erlene Meyer flasks in the background.
Octavia, looking around to make sure she hadn't been followed by someone, hurried inside. The gloomy tinkling of a bell sounds at that moment, and the woman behind the counter turns to see her.
—But if it's the princess again, your presence here tells me my product worked for you. —She is heard saying in an almost erotic tone—.
—I came because I have things to ask you. And I need you to tell me the truth. —Octavia replied with a raised tone of voice; almost as if she were trying to give an order—.
But the uncertainty in her voice made the fear she felt inside her obvious enough.
—I guess you want to know how it worked. But first tell me, who did you used it with? Who piqued your interest so much that you dared to force him into sleeping with you? You are a Goetian princess; It's not exactly a family that requires resorting to rape –although it's not something I care about either.
—N... I didn't rape him, you yourself said that if he loved me it would work. So, I didn't force anyone to do anything.
—I said that the consequences if that person does not love you could be disastrous. See it as a moral hangover, the other person is going to question how or why they did things. And if that person didn't see himself having sex with you, he would obviously assume you did something with him. Unless of course, he's a complete idiot.
—Da… HE is not an idiot.
—Well, by now he must be trying to figure out why he did what he did. But not everyone reacts well to being manipulated let me tell you.
—You haven't explained to me how it works. I read a book about human plants, and it said they have no effect on us demons. —Almost screaming, Octavia said trying to regain control of the conversation—.
—We who come from the human world have in there many plants that react to our bodies in lascivious ways, they are called aphrodisiacs. These plants, although they do not manipulate our minds, they make us more susceptible to think sexually, they help us to last longer or reach better orgasms, still, I discovered that demons have the same psychological qualities as us, such as desire. Dammit; the rings of hell literally bear the name of everything we like to do to achieve personal pleasure, Lust, for example. But Yhea, they are not really susceptible to these plants in the same way, in fact, it could be said that they are completely immune to any influence of earthly origin. But in the pursuit of pleasure in this very hell there are its equivalents.
—I... I didn't know there are plants like that here. —Octavia replied intimidated—.
—Shocking. You searched well little one, but in the wrong place. —The saleswoman takes a deep breath and continues—. However, these plants were not quite enough, and when I discovered that there is also hellish type of drugs here as well, I began to investigate more. That's where the balm I sold you came from.
—Then why did you tell me all that stuff about consequences and magic?
—Marketing, you have to know how to sell your products to have a successful business.
Octavia had a look that mixed frustration with relief and annoyance, completely jaded now that she realized that not only had she done her research to no avail but was also misled by the saleswoman on how the product worked by preying on her desires.
—But that doesn't mean there are no consequences, that's why humans end up here, sis. If that person finds out, I don't think they'll take it well. —The saleswoman added—.
—And you don't sell something to make someone forget things, right?
—Forget? I didn't know that the Goetia family was so cruel. It would explain why your grandfather is so close to Lucifer. I thought it would be a power wheel or a homosexual affair, you truly are sick creatures.
—Just... there must be something I can do in case it goes wrong. There must be something to fix things if something happens; You don't understand, I can't lose him.
Octavia's concern appealed to her, but a still human part of her told her to be honest.
—If there were no consequences, there would be no you and me, or this place. It's something you have to accept darling.
Octavia still didn't want to accept those words and refused to face problems. You could see the pain in her eyes. In the end she thanked and withdrew.
Leaving the store, she prepared to open a portal back home when Loona, who was leaning against the wall next to the entrance, made herself noticed.
—Octavia.
—CHIRP! —Octavia did in fright—. What are you doing here?
—I was sent to protect you. —Loona replied—.
—Mother fucking hell, dad...
—I don't want to ask the obvious, but I will ask the obvious either way. What are you doing here in lust? I know you're at the age, but it's not exactly the right place to start.
—It's not what…I know it looks like…I'm not… —Octavia tried to evade the question while holding her courage—. I still don't understand what you're doing here.
—I already told you, your father phoned Blitz to look for you and take care of you while you were out. What the hell did you do to make your dad worry that way?
—Nothing! I did not do anything! Please... please don't say you saw me here.
—Octavia, I don't know what the fuck is going on, but I'm not going to help you if you don't tell me the truth. Aren't we friends?
«Hello beauties, do you want some? »
A pervert from the other side of the street was heard saying as he opened his trench coat showing that he was naked. With a look of anger Loona simply pulled out a gun and shot him. To which Octavia only reacted frustrated covering her face with her beanie.
—Can we get out of here now? This place grosses me out. —Loona replied—.
Octavia opened a portal to Loona's room, in Blitzo's apartment.
—Seriously? My bedroom? —Loona mentioned mockingly as she crossed the portal—.
—If Dad talked to Blitz and he sent you, then that means he's busy and we'll be here alone.
—Or it could be that he's a first-rate jerk and didn't want to do the job. Now you are going to tell me what you were doing on the floor of lust, right?
—N... I can't...
Annoyed, Loona takes out her phone and starts making a call that she puts on speakerphone.
—Looney, my baby, did you find the little girl? —Blitzo's voice is heard—.
Octavia's eyes widened in panic and she lunged for Loona's cell phone, which Loona grabbed before she could do anything. Octavia immediately looked into her eyes full of rage and fear to which Loona only responded by raising an eyebrow as a sign that she should declare her crimes. Octavia finally bowed to her as a sign that she would talk.
—Shut the fuck up Blitz, I found her, everything's fine.
—Perfect, take her home. Goodbye Loonie!
Blitzo hung up the call.
—Look Octavia, I don't give a shit about bureaucratic shit and your family even the less. But you are my friend. There's nothing you can't tell me.
—Look, I… I… had sex with my dad, ok?
Loona was completely shocked, as if she was a robot and someone had cut the power, she was stunned silent. As if time had stopped, she stayed in her place for an indefinite time, in silence, with her eyes wide open, but with her mind trying to process the information. But one thing was for sure, she didn't believe what she heard.
—Ok, I don't know what you're trying to hide that you have to come up with something so crazy, but...
—I'm not making anything up. I had sex with my dad last night; and now I'm scared he might hate me. —Octavia interrupted—.
—Wait, what the fuck?
—Please don't say anything to anyone.
—What the fuck were you thinking? No, forget it, I don't want to know.
—I… I'll fix everything, I swear.
Loona still didn't believe what was happening. But she knew that if she said anything it would only make things worse. And it was a drama she wanted no part of.
—Ok, I believe you, I won't say anything, but you have to fix this before it gets out of hand. Do you understand?
—It's what I was doing until you arrived. —She replied annoyed—.
—I hope so.
—Now that we're here... Can I stay a few more minutes?
—Okay, but you should come back soon or they'll be looking for us both and we won't be able to come up with a plausible excuse.
Octavia was devastated, she knew what she had done and she knew there was no getting away from the consequences if this were to go wrong. A deep depression ran through her like a train over a coin resting on the tracks.
At the same time that she didn't want to go home, she wanted to rush to see her father and find out how he was feeling. If she had been discovered, or if everything had gone unnoticed. There was not a possibility that had not passed through her mind at that moment.
Loona not knowing what to do just hugged her and let her rest on her for a while.
A few hours of silence passed while Octavia accepted what she had done and came to terms with reality. She had some things for sure, her love for her father, and his love for her.
—Thank you, Loona.
—No problem.
Octavia got up and opened a new portal outside her house which she walked through. Loona returned to the I.M.P offices.
Octavia was still a little nervous, but with confidence in her heart she entered the palace and headed for her room. Shortly afterward she heard Stolas' swift footsteps; something that somehow warmed her up and gave her a faint feeling for laughter. Then she heard her father speak as she walked towards him.
—Wow, I...
—Hey dad, shall we watch a movie? Yesterday we agreed to see one, but we never did. —Octavia interrupted—.
—Of course, of course!
Octavia smiled and approached her father, facing each other, stood on tiptoe and gave Stolas a short, fleeting kiss on the beak. From there she went to the living room to wait for him.