FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The en suite bathroom held a happy occupant this morning. Uma washed her face, splashing water from the sink around the room then towelling off herself and her spillage.

A period of self-admiration followed. Uma stood opposite the full-length mirror, stark naked, seeing the result of her transformation. It was mystifying. Her figure rose from soft legs to a wide, curvaceous pair of hips, then narrowed nicely as her gaze came to her stomach. Large, full breasts obscured her upper chest as her figure expanded outward once more, culminating in a delicate neck and correctly-proportioned shoulders.My my, I've never looked better.

And her skin. Her gorgeous complexion...it completed the ensemble. She brushed her belly; it was toned, lacking her previous pudginess. It felt seamless. Stretch marks from four pregnancies had vanished. Everything had become so...uniformly beautiful.

So this is it,_she thought, _this is my new, improved look. Her hands wandered, sliding under her cleavage and cupping her plump mounds.Mmmm...my girls have gotten bigger. She caressed her bosom, gently rubbing the breasts. They were firm. A lifetime of sag undone. Feeling around them, she tweaked her swollen nipples, excited by her touch. With a swift motion, she let her arms fall, watching her breasts sink ever-so-slightly before maintaining their pertness. A suggestive smile crossed her lips.

"Watch out world, I'm in my prime again."

A clatter came from downstairs. Uma turned her head to the door, concerned she might be intruded upon in a state of dismal undress. When nobody came, she sighed. She felt like she wanted to stay in front of the mirror forever. A few extra minutes couldn't hurt.

It was her eyes that made her feel...off. Staring at her reflection, past the refined form of her motherly features as they radiated new life, she looked deeper. Fingers touched her cheek, right below the eye, in mark of unease. Ignoring full lashes she fixated on the eyes themselves. A vibrant purple lay in place of blue. Irises as amethyst as...Kianna's. It never crossed her mind that she might end up sharing features with that irritating cur of a woman, and a loud snarl filled the air. Physical rejuvenation was one thing, and she celebrated it, but a reminder of the reason for these changes was less welcome.

Never mind that, just look at me -- it's amazing. I never believed something like this could happen.

She thought back to yesterday, when she tasted her power. Tony sent away to keep earning the family money -- the shock behind that dullard's eyes when she reached out and took control...she took immense pleasure recollecting that event.Bye-bye honey, keep your secretary comfy for me. One nuisance down,now onto the next...

Kianna. She wanted to visit. Well, Uma wasn't going to blacken her reputation as a good host, even if a rivalry had developed between them. Kianna...she knew more, much more than Uma's innate handle on her powers. She was missing a chunk of history -- where did this come from, how did it end up in her lap? Questions she reckoned Kianna might answer, if she was polite enough to not throttle her on sight. Ooohh...she found she had that ability too, she just knew it! Concentrating hard enough on the mirror before her, she let her senses guide her. Poking, prodding, probing the empty space between her and the mirror. An invisible extension of herself. It lifted off of the nails it hung from, hovering a centimetre above where it should sit. Her focus waning due to her mind's idle curiosity, she let it down gently before it became a crash. The mirror sat once more in its place. Uma touched her lip, the pillowy flesh cushioning her digit.There's so much to explore.

She recited the words from her vision in the forest:

Bend others to your will.

Check.

Let then gnaw and sup at your greatness.

Check.

Invigorated, she added another:

Crush them with little more than a thought.

"I'd be happy with just these," she said, pondering her abilities.

She twirled, seeing her succulent rear for the first time. "Definitely happy with these." One quick smack of her bottom and an unexpected moan later, she felt a renewed hunger. Last night had been intense: her body morphing, her senses running wild, and her climax. Her wonderful orgasm as vivid dreams wracked her. Her pussy pulsed at the mere thought of a repeat performance. Uma gently squished aside her moistening labia and issued a stern reprimand: "hush now...save it for later."

A brief pause, then a moment of weakness: "okay, maybe a little playtime." She sank her finger inside, swirling it around, dragging against her inner walls. Little electric sparks burst from her touch, coiling around her nerves as they were transported around her body. "Oh God!" she exclaimed in surprise, removing her hand from her nether region.That felt soooo good!

Her sexual desire had been amplified. Lust fuelled her new body, that's where her power lay. Beneath the gorgeous exterior and the supernatural influence she wielded over people and objects, lay a core of energy...a fire burning deep within, that would burn forevermore. This was her life now. A being beyond human. Why not enjoy stoking its blaze every so often?

She left the en suite. Her bed looked a mess -- covers strewn about in last night's abandon.Thank God no-one saw me last night. Shit, could you imagine one of the kids seeing?They'd be scarred for life.

She may be a demonically-enhanced demigod (modesty, please!), but she was still a mom.

Most of the time.

Her motherly mind crept up on her. Concern pooled in the back of her mind.

I felt Jacob last night.

There exists a link...I don't know how--

He sinned with me. That's what it is.

That's why I was open to this. Willing and ready to debauch myself. Did Kianna know somehow?

"UGH! Got to shut up about that bitch," she snarled.I need some breakfast. My inner demon isn't the only thing thatwants feeding!

Slipping on a pair of panties that had been casually discarded in her sleep the night before, Uma searched for her bra. Not willing to spend time digging through layers of bedclothes or fetch a fresh one from her partially-unpacked wardrobe she opted instead to free her puppies for the time being. A white bathrobe completed her impromptu dress-up, closed to preserve a modicum of modesty.

She went downstairs, careful not to cause a lot of noise (in case people were still sleeping).

* * *

Michael sat at the kitchen table eating cereal. His hair was ruffled. In fact, his whole appearance was unkempt. The result of an obvious lack of rest. Munching loudly, he rubbed sleep from his eyes, his spoon clinking against the bowl. The morning's light was very bright, and it didn't help his drained state to squint under the onslaught of the sun's rays.

He was thinking about what he saw last night.

Mom...

It echoed 'cross his waking vision, like a video clip stuck on repeat. It used to be that his worst nightmare was his parents stumbling across him masturbating -- a typical teen's worry. Not now, though. Now it was eclipsed by the sight of his mother contorting on her bedspread, body bared to the world, in the throes of rapturous orgasm.

That was a weird dream to have, he continually consoled himself. Every minute when it felt like the memory resurfaced he made an effort to push it down.

The sound of someone approaching caught his attention. Looking at the kitchen door while it opened led to a single, dreadful notion rising up through him, from deep in his gut:

It wasn't a dream.

Uma appeared in her bathrobe, long silken legs swaying as she carried herself to the counter-top. She swept past Michael, who stared whilst blushing red, and reached for the top shelf. Just like last night, her whole body was different. As she stretched to grab condiments from the shelf her robe came undone. From behind Michael saw the sides flap outward, and a nonchalant humming came from his mother as she adjusted her robe, closing the loose garment but not bothering to tie it up.

She huffed in annoyance at the obstacle her sultry figure presented to her attempts at covering-up. One arm held her robe shut. She turned away from the shelves, and seeing her son made her beam. "Good morning Michael."

"Mornin' mom."

Uma approached the table. Her son looked away, face plagued with embarrassment. She paid it no mind, instead focusing on her quest for food. "Have we unpacked the rest of the breakfast stuff?"

"I'm not sure," he replied, staring at his meal, "I found some cereal boxes already put away." Uma glanced at the rest of the kitchen when he spoke. "And we had some milk in the fridge."

Part of him screamed. He knew she was different, but how to broach it?

"There's got to be something," she cried, "I'm starving!" Returning to the hunt she tore open and slammed shut cabinets aplenty. Her stomach rumbled fiercely, calling for nourishment. Her own exasperated sighs matched the intensity of her body's complaints. "Should've seen to the rest of our luggage." She turned back to Michael. "And no-one wanted to help get things set up?"

"Uh, we all did our rooms."

"Serves me right for napping early."

"Dad did his room too. Where is he by the way?"

"Never mind your father. Work called."

"Honestly!?" Michael sounded surprised. "I thought he was only gone for an evening!"

"Afraid not sweetie," Uma found a place at the table and sat down, to the left of her son, "important business...you know how it is..."

"Sure," he said, with some clear disappointment in his voice. Uma knew they were hoping to have a few days as a family before everyone split up again. "Speaking of which, have you seen your brother?"

"Who? Donnie? He's gone with Cynthia to look for a grocery store."

"No no, Jacob."

"Oh, yeah I dunno. Wasn't in his room this morning. Must've made some new friends out drinking."

"So that's where he was..." Uma felt the pull of incestuous desire._I felt him...distant...sensed his need from across town._It developed a hold on her sensibilities, and her morning lust bloomed once more.

Michael looked at his mom, whose attention had been drawn to the window. She relaxed in the bright morning light. "Hmmmm," she purred as the rays drenched her. She tilted back in her chair, reclining gently.

When she wasn't paying attention, Michael seized the opportunity to study his mom's appearance. He remembered all the goings-on last night -- even if he couldn't explain it -- and that need to know drove him to concentrate. So something happened...something abnormal, and during it she went from familiar maternal presence to voluptuous beauty. Her body exuded confidence, and a sense of control, greater than her old resilience. This was somebody new, yet it was totally his mom! His brain hurt just thinking about it, and he dared not speak about it directly to her. Although...he might try to slip it in...

"Did you sleep well last night?" he asked.

"Oh, the usual." Uma smiled at her son, revelling in the secret she thought he didn't share. "I feel very relaxed."

"Must be the new bed."

"Bed? Mmm...yes it could be the bed. I feel like I could rule the world!" She laughed, raising her arms in a triumphant gesture. This meant her robe was not supported, and the centre parted, revealing enough to drive any man crazy. Michael tried to avoid noticing her robe had slipped open. The cosy wrapping obscured most of her breasts but displayed the cleft of her cleavage prominently -- an inviting valley of great rises and falls -- in addition to a pair of skimpy, jet-black panties guarding her unmentionable area. Uma seemed not to fret over her son catching sight of her bounty. She made no moves to acknowledge his attention, nor did she do anything to stop it. Michael gulped, silently enough that she failed to hear it, and did his best to resist her magnetism.

Her smile crept slowly from normal to sinister, and she addressed him head-on: "do you think mommy looks good?"

Another gulp. This time she heard him, which made her grin deepen.

"Don't be scared to answer," she said softly, "you're a better judge than your older brother."

"What do you mean?"

"I'd like an honest opinion sweetie. Do you think your mom is still...pleasing to the eye."

Michael stumbled on this question. He tried to form a response but couldn't. Something about her eyes stole his words before they'd even coalesced. Her eyes...and lips...and face...and...and...

Her breasts heaved, half-covered by her robe. They rose with her breathing, and fell with each measured exhale. His silence was all the answer she needed.

Satisfied she could turn heads, Uma partly returned from her sensual aside. Her old ways reasserted itself, and she apologised for being so underdressed. "It's not what I planned to wear," she said, "just threw something on for the morning."

"No-nuh-no, you...um...you look good mom."

"Thanks sweetie. I think the move has already paid off -- I feel wonderful."

You look great,_Michael was about to say, but sanity stopped him. _No! Stop thinking that!

In lieu of further compliments, he made a request: "could...could you...um...your robe is a bit loose, mom."

"Oh silly me," she teased, "you don't want to_accidentally_ see your mommy's goods now do you?"

"No," he lied, and laughed with his mother.

The topic of conversation changed. "Ack! Are you sure we've no food? At all?" she groaned.

"Well that's partially why Donnie and Cynthia went shopping. Bread, milk, eggs..."

"No sense giving up now," said his mother, rising from her seat, "where would we be if I was the type to give up."

"Not in a new home?"

"Damn right!" Uma opened another cabinet. This time she found a few granola bars she'd tossed in there yesterday. "Forgot about these," she said, retrieving the snacks.

Michael remained seated while his mom bent over. Her bathrobe was the kind to end before the knees, and as such it hiked up her legs, giving him a nice view of her bodacious behind. This one had to be unintentional, he reasoned, there was no way she was still teasing him. But on the other hand, she still hadn't tied it!

Her panties retreated into her ass, dividing her divine apple-bottom cheek-from-cheek. Thick thighs shot out like shapely tree trunks towards the floor, her legs forming a proper taper. She wiggled her butt brazenly, under the guise of reaching for the foodstuffs, drawing out her movements into a hypnotic blend of jiggling and posing. One foot lifted off the ground and scratched the other, giving Michael a glimpse of untainted soles. If he hadn't realised she'd been changed from head-to-toe, this was the confirmation. Her feet looked smooth, without callouses, unlike anything he'd ever seen. Just watching those saintly appendages glide effortlessly about excited him. Not only that, but the thought of her exposed breasts hanging as she bent over -- just out-of-view -- pushed him over the edge. Michael felt a tightness in his pants.

His mom, having plucked every bar from the cabinet, straightened up. From behind he watched her stretch her arms, rotating her head -- blonde locks dancing across her upper back. She twirled around, her bosom not yet totally revealed as the weight of the robe kept its sides in check...sort of.

"Think I might have a coffee as well. Any thoughts, Michael?"

"I...err...um...g-go ahead...I guess," he stammered, his mom's body having an effect on him. At a distance she was as enthralling as when she sat right beside him, almost breathing down his neck.

He wondered: are the others gonna notice?

Uma headed to the coffee-maker. "Oh yes! Of course!" she exclaimed, remembering to tie her robe.

She tilted her head, eyes on her son. "Don't want the neighbours peeking!" Michael chuckled awkwardly.

She prepared her coffee. Meanwhile, Michael rushed his meal, shovelling scraps of milk and cereal down his gullet as fast as humanly possible. His bowl emptied, he dropped his spoon on the table with a clatter. "Hey, uh, mom, gotta shower, okay? See ya in a while..." He burst from his seat and through the door into the hall.

"Okay sweetie, remember to clean thoroughly," she said while pouring.

He shouted back: "I can handle myself! I'm not a kid anymore mom."

Clearly not, she giggled, you've grown into a handsome young man.

Attaching the pot back on the machine, Uma picked up her cup. Her son's embarrassment wasn't lost on her; Uma had a feeling she'd be seeing more of it depending on how she presented herself.I've already sinned with one...another wouldn't hurt...

She drank her coffee, swigging the scalding brew immediately. The high temperature had no affect on her -- no burns of any kind. Uma gulped it down, relishing its bitterness. Straight black. Which was odd, as she was always an espresso girl.

Michael sees me as I am now. A goddess.

I like that...goddess...

"Could use a worshipper or two," she said, placing her empty cup in the sink for later cleaning. Axel chose this moment to appear, entering from the side door and ambling up to her. Uma was taken aback.

"You've grown too!"

Axel yowled and bowed his head, prostrate before his mistress. He resembled the hellhound she encountered in the forest, when his heart glowed with Kianna's talisman. No flames, she was disappointed to find out, just a bulky alpha dog eager to serve. "Good boy," she said, scratching his hide. His fur was wiry. And thick. It felt like a hard brush. Beneath it lay a much larger dog than the family once owned -- another aspect of the 'curse' others were bound to notice.

I wonder if it's changed Jacob as much as me.

The dog whined. Uma saw an engorged sheath, which looked eager to unveil a rock-hard shaft. She rubbed his head. "Poor boy, you need some relief, don't you?"

Axel -- understanding his mistress' speech -- howled in agreement.

"Well you have to hold it in...it's not a queen's place to become involved with her servants unless they're proven worthy, huh?" She felt her tendrils of control grip his mind, seeing what he saw through nonhuman eyes. She discovered a certain degree of influence she was able to exert. Not quite piloting a remote-controlled vehicle, but plenty to guide her servant.

Servant?

Yes...servant...

"That's right," she said, stroking his muzzle, and scratching sensitive spots on the fearsome creature's skull, "you're my servant." She could kill two birds with one stone -- Jacob's absence, and Axel's restlessness.

"Find Jacob for me. I'll grant you a reward then. Sound nice?"

The dog barked, pleased with his orders. "Go on boy. Go!" Uma shooed him off. Axel bolted from the room and embarked on an outdoor hunt. She looked over her shoulder in the direction the dog ran off in. A blur of fur bounded over the plants that formed a hedge at the end of the garden.

Axel's changed. And he's the link...because of the talisman...

I need to speak to Jacob. I need to know if he's different now.

* * *

Kianna dropped by for her eponymous 'housewarming' later that day. Michael was the one to answer the door when the bell rang. Opening it, he was greeted by a slender woman with long brown hair and a light tan. In one hand she held a bottle of wine, while the other retreated from the doorbell. He saw she had a friendly face.

"Hi," she said, waving in a small controlled motion.

"Hi."

"You're Michael, right?"

"Yeah."

"Nice to meet you," she said, slapping the neck of the bottle in between his hands, "hang on to that." Surprised, Michael watched her brush her clothes, her gaze momentarily distracted by the task. Kianna looked at him, and he noticed she shared her mom's eye colour. Not the original, no...the colour she had now...after last night...

Something's odd here.

"What do you want me to do with this?" he asked, holding the bottle in the same position it'd been when she unceremoniously dropped it into his lap.

"It's for your mom dummy! Though if you want you could have a sip."

"Can't. Not old enough,"

"Now isn't that a shame," the mysterious woman sighed, "just give it to your mom."

"Okay." Michael moved to leave her and find Uma, but was stopped: "wait," Kianna held out her arm, softly touching his shoulder, "aren't you gonna invite me in? Or do I have to wait on the porch like a delivery boy?"

"Sure, sorry," he muttered, "come in, miss...?"

"Kianna," she said curtly, stepping into the house. "I'm surprised Michael (or is it Mikey these days?), doncha remember me?"

"Kianna?" He concentrated, trying to find her in his memories. "No," he said, frowning "no I don't."

"Well that's great news," she exclaimed, taking him off-guard. She'd advanced several feet into the hallway by this point. "You get to experience me all over again! Probably remember it this time, as you were a teeny-tiny baby last time we met."

"Was I?" Michael wanted to find his mother, but the allure of conversation with a strange yet attractive lady had ensnared the young man. It was those eyes -- they really were like his mom's, only faded.

"Yep. Your mom invited the whole family over when you first got your old place. I mean everyone: third, fourth, heck even fifth cousins came to visit. Do cousins go that high?"

"Sorry?"

"Is there such a thing as a fourth or fifth cousin?" Kianna tilted her head, and sent Michael's sensibilities spiralling with a flutter of her lashes.

"Dunno."

"Oh, I thought you might know. You look like a smart guy."

"Thanks," he blushed, "very kind of you Ms. Kianna."

"All part of my charm. And speaking of charm...how 'bout this place, eh? You guys lucked out. Now run along and find Uma, sweetheart."

After placing the wine on the kitchen table, Michael went to find her, leaving Kianna standing in the hall. Uma was upstairs, lying flat on her back in her bed. Nervously, he poked his head through the door, expecting a repeat of last night. Fortunately (or unfortunately, a part of him thought) she was resting. She still wore the same short-at-the-legs bathrobe, but her chest was covered completely. He let out a sigh of relief as he knocked on the door, disturbing her beauty sleep with a clearing of this throat: "ahem. Mom, there's someone to see you."

Uma groaned, and rubbed her brow. "Who and what time is it?"

As she slowly rose, righting herself on the bed, Michael filled in the details: "Kianna," he said, second-guessing how to pronounce the name, "and one o'clock."

She cracked her neck and rubbed sleep residue from her eyes. "Didn't hear the doorbell -- it works, right?"

"Yeah mom, it does."

"Okay. Good. I just slept through it. Not sure what came over me, I was wide awake this morning."

"We've all been thrown a little when it comes to sleeping," he said, "I'm certain you'll be back to normal soon." But what was normal?

"Thanks sweetie," Uma left the bed and dragged her feet towards him. Her son pushed the door wide open to let her through. "So, Kianna's visiting...?" she thought out loud.

"That's her name, yeah," he said, causing her to shut her mouth lest other notions escape her lips, "is she a friend? She says she knows us."

"More than a friend," she explained, "your dad's cousin."

"Oh." Michael attempted to work out the significance of that nugget of information.

"Kianna lives in Carlyle," Uma added.And with that I've exhausted my own knowledge, she cursed.

Michael stepped aside as his mom walked by. He swore she'd grown taller since yesterday! A small amount, but noticeable. He didn't raise the issue, instead opting to gaze dumbly as she moved away -- her gorgeous body outlined perfectly by the furry cocoon of the robe. "Aren't--" he began, voice cracking, "--aren't you gonna put something on?"

"Hmm? Oh!" she laughed, "no need. Kianna and I are quite familiar -- it won't be a cause for concern."

"Okay mom. If you say so."

Uma descended the stairs gracefully, taking steady steps, letting her move like she was gently hovering. Turning the corner mid-way (where the stairs broke into two) she came upon the figure of Kianna. Renewed after her rest, she felt brimming with anxious energy. Energy she could direct towards her own purposes. The mischievous matron reached out with her otherworldly influence, causing a deep rumbling -- emanating from the very walls of her home. Kianna looked around, her shock clear to see, as the intimidating tumult rattled the house and her.

"Hello Kianna," Uma said, revelling in the discomfort she'd successfully stoked.

"Hi...Uma," replied Kianna. Uma finished her descent, coming face-to-face with her...supernatural sponsor.

"I b-brought some wine," she said, unable to stop her voice faltering after witnessing a portion of Uma's growing power.

"That's lovely. Anything else you wish to offer up to me? Or do you want something? Don't get coy with me," she snarled, "I saw the effect you had on my son! Trying to exercise your power on my children!?"

"NO! That's not my intention at all," she protested. It was a bad lie. Uma was able to read her like a book -- flicking through the pages her expressions wrote before her. A touch of the romantic. A dash of the mysterious. And a smattering of drama...it was all there for her to analyse. But maybe it wasn't her power. Some choice words, and a doe-eyed look and Kianna could command any man's attention. Perhaps Michael was caught in her web via natural causes?

On the other hand: why take that chance?

"What did I just say?" Uma raised her voice even more, before softening her approach. "Why don't we find somewhere to sit, and talk?" she offered, extending a hand to her, "let's not let the whole house hear us."

Kianna nodded. "That sounds good."

Uma gestured to the living room. "This way."

* * *

Michael retreated from the upper floor landing. He swallowed, having forgotten to in the heat of the moment. A flow of saliva passed down his throat with comical execution. His hands were shaking. He'd been holding on to the banister situated at the top of the stairs -- a fly on this mother's wall. And what he spied worried him.What the fuck was that, his mind roared, seeking truth in the nothingness, what the fuck happened!?

The house...it shook. Each and every corner of the building. A terrifying, harsh rumble. Like the foundations were being torn asunder. This wasn't natural. No quake or sinkhole could cause that kind of commotion. And it was timed perfectly with Uma's barbed overture to Kianna. There's no coincidence here.

He turned from the open area and sank to his knees. His legs became jelly -- useless when it came to supporting him. A painful whack as he struck the floor made him stifle a cry. He lay, propped weakly against the wall, breathing rapidly. All that played over and over again in his head were images of his mom: her new look, those purple eyes...and Kianna's, purple too...and finally, the sight of her going down the stairs, the world shaking with each step...

* * *

Settling in to the best-placed sofa -- with good views of the front yard -- the two women declared a temporary truce, sealing their peace treaty with a glass of wine each. After taking a couple of sips, Uma complemented her choice in wine. "We aren't completely unpacked yet, and there's no space in an overloaded set of family suitcases for mommy's favourite past-time," she joked.

She continued: "I take it Michael was a perfect gentleman answering the door."

"He's very well behaved," Kianna agreed, careful not to insult, "I offered him a sip of wine and he politely turned it down. Where do you find the time to raise them right?"

"I don't obsess over esoteric magic?"

Kianna grimaced. "Nice comeback. I though we agreed to cool it on the smack talk?"

"We have," Uma took another drink, "but on my terms. You're in my home after all."

"Whatever you say."

"I think you know you're not welcome here, so let's not beat about the bush. I don't want to see your face darken my door ever again -- if you don't start explaining some things." There was a threatening presence behind those words. Uma was already mastering her abilities, much to Kianna's astonishment.

"Never mind explanations," she said, "how is it that I spend months -- years -- on studying how to open one's soul to forces beyond...searching every record...following up every stupid hoax, lead, and ghost story this side of the Atlantic--"

"Oh please, this state maybe. You don't look the type with a lot of money to afford trips all over."

Kianna ignored that. "As I was saying: all this work...busting my metaphorical balls to develop even a scrap of potential, and you swan in with far more than I ever imagined possible!"

"Jealous?"

"Jealous!?" she sneered, "why you, and not me!?"

Uma put her glass down. "You know I can't answer that question until you tell me more. But if you want to keep your mouth shut I could help with that..." with a smirk she applied her newfound abilities. Kianna's lips pressed shut. Panic set in as she tried to speak but found she couldn't. That privilege had been denied by Uma. Fire burned in her eyes as Kianna fought back. They deepened in colour, and Uma's forceful silencing was banished. All within the span of a second.

"Ooh," Uma remarked, "you have strength after all. That 'woe is me' act was deplorable."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"Can you do the same to me?" She raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "Make me_shut up_?"

Kianna failed to offer a reply.

Uma felt good. This apparent 'witch' was not all she was cracked up to be.

"No? Well I think that says something about our relationship right now, don't you?" She leaned forward, adjusting her robe as she rested her legs on the sofa. "Tell me more about_us_."

"It...it has a different effect depending on the person."

"I can see that. I want to know what you hoped to gain by...inviting me into this arrangement." Upon speaking the last part of her sentence, Uma motioned to herself, sliding a hand between her robes, widening the gap that had once covered her generous bosom. "This beauty, this power."

Kianna spent a moment thinking how best to phrase things. "Imagine a fireplace -- warm and cosy. Imagine how lovely that warmth is. You need to feed it, keep it burning strong. That's the deal we make...with..."

"With who?"

"With ourselves."

Uma sighed, disappointed. She was expecting something else. Kianna's description bored her already.No ghosts or spiritspossessing me, huh? Just plain old me. Figures.

"That's the deal we make. You and I are...not like other people. Not anymore. We've opened ourselves to something greater." She stopped to breathe, sweat beginning to trickle from her skin under the pressure of Uma's investigation. "You made a pact with the real you!" she said, full of excitement and wonder -- a change from a moment previous. "The inner you. The animal that only wants to fight and fuck. That's what I helped you unlock!"

Uma laughed bitterly. "You mean to tell me all of this is going according to your plan? That you have some grand, sweeping vision on what to do? I'm not an idiot, Kianna."

The other woman paused again. She was finding it hard to keep her on-side. Uma knew she had leverage in this affair; a little something called_independence._

"A question, Kianna, if you're not too busy trying to seduce me with your words: I wasn't supposed to survive this, was I? A new me in place of the old, that's what you told me. But there's nothing but the old me...improved."

"I can help guide you," she spoke in a desperate whisper, "I know the history of this power."

_She ignored my point,_Uma noticed.

"Listen, if you want to know more, back at my house I've notes. Lots of notes...and my own experience. We can explore this together, yeah? We have gifts seldom granted to anyone, and it'd be a shame if we couldn't work together over a few...petty disagreements."

"One of which being the corruption of myself?" Uma pointedly asked.

"Yes," Kianna said, hoping to skip past that annoying footnote.

"And Donnie?"

"What?"

"My son. Don't try to lie again, I won't tolerate it. What did you do to heal him? Were you involved?"

"I was. I--"

"A-a-ah!" Uma interrupted, wagging her finger like an old schoolteacher "that's all I need to hear to know you're bad news. The only reason you showed up at the hospital was to force me into a bargain with God-knows-what! I was terrified! I sat alone in the room with him when the walls were trying to tear me to pieces. I saw nightmare visions of you taunting me! I suppose these were all unwanted side-effects of my...transformation."

"I didn't think it would be that bad."

"LIAR!" she roared, the room filled with a hulking echo. With casual ease she halted the sound before it left the confines of the living room, so no-one else heard the extent of their argument. "That pendant was a fucking curse! Real stupid of me to follow your instructions. But hey, I was vulnerable. My son might've been brain-damaged for the rest of his life! So I'm sorry if you're a little scared at how I'm reacting to this news, but a lioness never lets her cubs get in harm's way...and you danced a fine line between involvement and standing cheering on the sidelines!"

"It wasn't supposed to happen like that! The talisman was supposed to absorb your negativity, the weight of your sins...and focus it into a key. A key that could unlock potential hidden deep within you. It wasn't supposed to torment you! It didn't when I made my pact. There were visions, yes, but not_nightmares._"

Uma seethed. "Still angry," she growled, "keep talking."

"According to what I found, you take an object -- could be anything. A shoe, a knife, a box of matches...anything. Then you bless it. Well, I-I-I say bless, but it's more a--"

"Curse."

"Y-yes. Errr...so that's done, and it's primed for someone to activate it. To make a pact with their inner demon-self. What you pour into it, when you concentrate and let yourself imagine it filling with all the bad things in your life, that makes up your wage of sin."

Wage of sin. I've heard those words before, she realised. Yes...in my visions.

Kianna kept talking, occasionally stumbling over her words: "the wage gets paid, your sins are taken from you, and you've opened a door to a new existence."

"When you say sins are taken from you...do you actually mean_sins_ exist? As a literal concept."

"I...I don't know exactly, the writings were never that clear. From my own use it's more like the knowledge that we did bad stuff, that we've done things wrong. In the eyes of others, or ourselves. It's that guilt that drives the whole thing forward. A resonant emotional locus."

Emotional locus? Any more made-up terms and I'll end this conversation prematurely.

Uma glared at her. "Sorry," she bowed her head, understanding her impatience, "you don't know what that means. A res--"

"I don't care. You've said enough."

"But-b-but no I haven't. What you said doesn't make sense. I've never seen the process behave like that."

"Out of your sample size of one?"

"You know what I mean! There's no point pissing on me trying to help. Your wage of sin...what did you do!?"

Uma was stunned. She knew the conversation had gone in direction she didn't want it to. No-one except herself and Jacob know the truth, and she wasn't about to spill the beans to the bitch who got her caught up in all this supernatural hoo-hah.

"Another word," she said, calmly and with venom soaking every syllable, "and I'll throw you out of this house myself. Hell, I won't even lift a finger to do it! Do your powers stop a broken neck?"

"I shouldn't have gone there," Kianna tried to walk back her statement, to some success -- she'd avoided injury at least. "My offer still stands."

Uma refused. "I know enough. I don't need you...so resistant..."

With a flourish she undone her robe, letting the sides wave open, exposing her delectable flesh. Her breasts, uncovered, filled Kianna's vision as she grabbed her roughly by the hair and drove her between her mounds. "There! I've found a place for you. No more talking. No more pleas. A place you can belong," she cackled. "C'mon, resist," she teased, "exercise those powers you say you know all about!"

Kianna cried, muffled by Uma's body. The flailing of her lips and swirling of her tongue excited her. She could feel her tasting, her tongue dragged along her pristine skin, moistening her flesh. "Every inch of my divine body is perfect. You could never compare, not even when you made your pact. Oh yes, you weren't always this slim and sexy...I see through you like nothing's there...don't try to hide from me."

Kianna struggled some more. Her ineffective struggling amused Uma more than anything. She felt Kianna's tongue roll whenever she opened her mouth to steal whatever air lay collapsed in pockets between her face and Uma's tits. "You can't resist, can you? Taste it..."

The struggle began to subside. She wasn't suffocating. No, she was being tamed.

"Did you not know this? Hah!"

Got to get away,_Kianna thought, her mind exercising its fight-or-flight response._I can't...

"Ehr chrnntt," came the squashed plea for help from between Uma's breasts.

"My skin, my sweat...it enslaves you, you can't hide it...you want to taste."

I want to taste._Kianna fought the instinct to give in. But how could she? As she was pressed against Uma's superb breasts she only wanted to suckle, like a infant. The flavour of her skin, and light perspiration, was a drug to her. She wanted more, and those breasts contained an even greater nectar._If this is what her skin's like, I don't want to try my luck. Sanity prevailed, and she steered clear of Uma's teat.

More than a goddess, Uma's subconscious told her whilst immobilising Kianna's body with hers,I am a predator.

And she is my prey.

Kianna made a last-ditch effort to pull herself away. A surge of energy let her push back, throwing herself to the far side of the couch. "Get the fuck off me," she bellowed, still twisting and turning with her eyes shut. Once sure that Uma was longer trying to force her close, she opened them. The woman opposite her...the mother, the monster...stared at her like a piece of meat. Her body, alluring, and presented to her. Kianna averted her gaze. However, nothing could escape the vibrant shine of Uma's eyes.

Helpless 'neath a violet sun.

"I know its name," she sighed, touching herself, "this beautiful, flawless form..."

Kianna moved further away. She almost fell over.

"...my 'demonskin'."

Kianna rose to her feet, shaken.

"I don't need you to know what I am. I thought I did, but no longer. Get out!"

Uma watched her storm out, her hair messed-up, her gait shaky. She'd been bested. Would she return? Who knows...for now she had run back home, tail between her legs. Her plans and intentions in tatters. There was something sickeningly sublime about her victory today, Uma noted. She didn't need to stress about someone like Kianna sticking their nose where it didn't belong. No, those days were behind her. She was in charge.

The tense environment dissipated. Uma's block on sound exiting her presence dissolved once the slam of the front door reached her ears, an angry witch sent packing. Black magic was hers to wield as she pleased, not Kianna's. To think she tried to assert authority over her!

A short while later Michael returned, having spent time in another corner of the house. Where, she didn't know -- or particularly care.

"Who is she really, mom?" he asked from a distance as he moved between rooms. His voice was guarded. Nervous.

He'd probably imagined the events of their meeting -- the shaking, the angry vibes his mother radiated. Stress. Yeah, he was stressed and it was getting to him.

"Kianna...told you, dad's cousin." She covered herself while her back faced her son, tying the bathrobe.

"No, I mean what is she to you?" He asked this thinking his mom and Kianna had a rapport. After all, why would she so soon show up with wine in hand and kind words to bless their new home?

Uma smiled to herself. "Nobody important"

* * *

Kianna left the Eriksson household upset. You might say she fled, but she was too proud a person to accept that terminology. Actually, she was more than upset. She was_fuming._ Her attempts to keep Uma sweet had fallen apart, and now she had to live with the fact she'd created a powerful foe. Hopefully it would be a cold war; going hot was the last thing she wanted in her backyard.

She followed the footpath as it led from Oak Drive en route to the nearby cluster of stores and services, where she parked. Rounding a corner, she came across another two Erikssons.Great. More of them!

Donnie and Cynthia looked ahead at her. She'd since repaired the state of her hair, and appeared to them as normal and well-composed as she did when coming to Uma. She gave them a smile. "Hey, Donnie, Cynthia -- right?"

The pair acknowledged her. They carried plastic bags stuffed to bursting with groceries. "Have we met?" Cynthia asked.

"Kianna. Third cousin of your dad's. We've never met in person, but I happen to live here in town,"

"Oh cool. We didn't know we had family in Carlyle. Dad never mentioned it."

They exchanged pleasantries and basic information. An idea struck Kianna as she spoke to them. Some way to get her own back. Give Uma something to fret about. "I came to see you when you were injured, actually," she directed her message at Donnie, "met your mom there, and we caught up on things."

"So you just came from our house now?"

"Yeah," she coughed, "we had another catch-up. Housewarming presents, bottle of wine, you know the drill."

"Sorry we weren't around to say hi," Donnie said, "we were shopping."

"I noticed" she chuckled, glancing at the groceries.

"First day in a new house," Cynthia interjected, "gotta have food."

Kianna had now met three of the four Eriksson siblings today. Distracted, her mind went to Michael, who positively glowed red when she put the tiniest amount of sugar into her interactions with him. It might take some convincing, but the potential for her to lure (scratch that, too seedy)...to appeal to the children, let them see things her way, existed. It made for a tantalising prospect -- a way for her to take Uma to task, and keep their animosity in check.She can't go after me when I have __hostages.

No. Something nicer...

...more useful...

...allies.

All it takes is some convincing.

"Listen, while I was chatting with your mom, I offered to take you on a little trip to my house. Sound good?"

They agreed. "Sure. We're not doing much today."

"Don't worry, I'll let Uma know where you guys are. You'll like my place. Lots of history. You guys big on history?"

Donnie scratched his shoulder. "Um, I suppose."

"What about our groceries?"

"Just drop them at home and come see me, I'll wait for you here. Make it quick."