The figure threw off the cloak, and there was Aspect. There was a general gasp in the audience, then a knowing murmur. The two women had exchanged places while covered by the cloaks. But it was understood: this was the living woman emulating the dead one, with the dead woman's magical help.
Bummer stared at Aspect. “It's true,” he said. “You have returned."
“For an hour,” Aspect agreed. “Come, beloved; let's make the most of it."
“Agreement!” He embraced her and kissed her, and she returned the affection passionately. Then Aspect stepped out of her dress while Bummer hastily stripped, and they covered themselves with the cloak as they lay on the ground. It looked a lot like masked sex.
“After they made love, they talked,” Andy said. “It was so good to be together again. But then the time was up, and Speck had to depart before the spell wore off. They dressed, and kissed once more, and she was gone, leaving Bum happily bemused. At dusk he returned home. He thought about telling On about his experience, but concluded that she might misunderstand, so he was silent. But he was no longer surly."
Now Aspect took over the narrative. “The two ghosts were pleased at how well their effort had worked. But that was only the beginning. Now it was time for the other couple. Bum visited And, and broached him in similar manner.” Andy stood before Bummer, gesticulating, while Bummer shook his head. But Andy kept after him, and finally Bummer agreed to change clothing, color his hair, and try to emulate his brother. They merged under the cover of the cloak, and separated, and Andy walked to where Ennui worked in the house. The audience understood that it was the living man imitating the dead one, with the help of the ghost.
Andy appeared before Ennui. “Beloved,” he said.
She turned to face him, startled. “And! It can't be."
“It can be—for an hour.” Then he enfolded her, and kissed her with such passion that some of the children in the audience squirmed, finding this part dull. They made love under the concealment of the cloak, and as the hour ended Andy departed, leaving Ennui visibly dazed.
“And so On, too, had her joy,” Aspect continued. “But because of her prior experience, she knew that it had not been the physical And who had visited her, but Bum with And's ghost. And surely Bum knew it also—that his prior tryst had been with On and Speck's ghost. Did it matter? She was in doubt."
Then Bummer returned from his work in the field, shown by his march across the stage. “I have been thinking,” he said.
“So have I,” Ennui replied.
“The other day my beloved came to me in the field and gave me great joy."
“Today my beloved came to me in the house, and gave me similar."
“They were ghosts."
“Borrowing human bodies."
“Ours."
“Ours,” she agreed.
“I will always love your sister Speck."
“And I your brother And."
“Yet there are ways in which you favor her."
“And you him."
“Do you think they are trying to tell us something?"
“Or perhaps show us?"
“That they would not consider it a betrayal if we loved elsewhere,” he said.
“So that they can rest in peace,” she agreed.
There was a silence. Then they came together and kissed, and clasped. “Perhaps I could love again,” Bummer said. “You have many of the qualities of your sister."
“And you of your brother,” Ennui agreed.
“And when it comes to sex—"
“Agreed."
Without further dialogue they lay down together, covering themselves with the cloak.
Andy and Aspect walked to the center of the stage. “Now at last we can depart,” he said.
“Agreed. The living will be happy again, and take good care of the children."
“And what of the dead?"
“Perhaps the living have shown the way,” Aspect said.
“We have worked well together."
“And we died together."
“We deserve some solace too,” Andy said.
“Agreement."
They embraced, and kissed, and lay down together, covered by a cloak.
After a pause, all four players got up. “And so all was set to rights,” Andy said. “And our story is done."
The applause was loud and long. The villagers had liked the story, having been surprised by its ending, which was new. “You'll have lodging,” the elder agreed.
The lodging turned out to be a single small house with nice appointments, a supply of food, a washing area, and just one main chamber largely filled by a huge bed. Aspect looked around. “It seems we did not rate separate lodgings,” Aspect said.
“We can throw fingers and take separate halves of the room, whichever way,” Andy said. “Or the bed and the floor."
Aspect glanced at Ennui, who nodded. “We don't need to throw fingers. The story turned us on. But I would like to be with the one I died with, this time."
“And I the one I lived with,” Ennui said.
“Done!” the men said almost together.
“Let's eat, then take turns on the bed,” Aspect said, knowing the men would have another idea.
“Let's start with the bed,” Andy said.
“One couple starts with the bed,” Ennui said. “We throw fingers for that."
“Odd is us,” Andy said.
Andy and Bummer threw fingers, and it came out odd. Ennui and Bummer set about fixing a meal while Aspect and Andy stripped and got on the bed. There was no foreplay; he was on her and in her and climaxing almost instantly, and she with him. Aspect really had gotten hot from the story; it had been a fine interaction.
“Our turn,” Ennui said.
Andy and Aspect laughed and got off, not dressing. Bummer and Ennui jumped on, and were at it with similar speed. Aspect watched with interest, as she had not often gotten to watch such action when not participating. It revved her up again.
When the two were done, and fell apart, Andy and Aspect got on the bed with them. There really wasn't room for four abreast, so Aspect got on top of Bummer and Andy got on Ennui. This mixing was another turn-on. The women had done it with three women and one man before, but not with two and two. The men turned out to be more than willing to experiment, and soon Bummer was into Aspect from below, and Andy into Ennui from above, while Aspect and Andy turned their upper bodies toward each other and kissed and fondled. It took a while, since they had all had sex very recently, but in due course Aspect felt Bummer's climax building. She clamped her cleft around him and stuck her tongue into Andy's mouth as her own joy came. That set him off, and his reaction set Ennui off, and they finished in a chain reaction, long and slow, so that they did overlap.
“Let the ghosts beat that,” Aspect gasped as she finally collapsed on Bummer, milking the last of his essence from him. Andy's hand remained on her breast, and hers on his buttock as they lay there in their pile for a while.
After a while they got up and had their supper. They took further turns on the bed, Aspect with Andy, Ennui with Bummer, seeing what they could do. Eventually they slept, finding a way to fit all four of them on the bed: The women had the center, the men the edges, with their heads on the women's breasts as pillows. Whoever woke and stirred was taken on by whomever of the opposite gender woke, and then returned to sleep. It was a wearing but glorious night. The men by this time had caught on that the women were as eager for sex as the men were, but had the sense not to remark on it. They knew better than to question a situation they liked extremely well: full access to two beautiful, experienced, and ardent women.
But they still hadn't found out how to rid themselves of the ikons that were responsible for such excessive passion. That was increasingly worrisome for Aspect.
* * * *
In the morning they slept late, recovering, then had breakfast. “You two are some special women,” Andy said.
“Merely travelers,” Ennui said. “No
fault."
“You want to try the next Chroma zone the same way? It worked pretty good last night—better than I expected. We could tell the same stories in a new zone, like a troupe."
“We're game,” Ennui said.
“Listen, we don't want to pry, but we're getting curious as hell. We're just regular men, but you two are not regular women. Is there anything you can tell us?"
Ennui glanced at Aspect. They had demonstrated sexual capacity unlike that of normal women, and the men were justified in remarking on it. What part of the truth could they share?
Aspect came through with a slice of it. “We have what you might be called a curse. It makes us want sex as much and as often as men do. It was fun at first, but now we want to be rid of it. We have men of our own, but we're wearing them out. So we're traveling, looking for a cure."
“Seeing if you can use it up!” Andy exclaimed. “That explains a lot."
Ennui had not thought of it that way, but it could be valid. If they not only starved the ikons of their magic source, but invoked them heavily, they might use up their power faster. “Something like that,” she agreed. “We travel anonymously because we don't want to embarrass our men. After you two, we'll try others. If the curse has a limit, we'll find it."
“We're glad to help,” Andy agreed. “Anytime."
They had been a good two hours without sex. “Appreciation for your understanding,” Ennui said, moving into him.
“Okay!” He joined her on the bed, and they had another hot round of sex. Ennui had spoken truth: she did want to use it up, if she could. But it was no chore; she was eager for it, and now she had a rationale.
Aspect and Bummer followed, performing similarly. Then they packed and departed the house, checking out with the elder. “We threw fingers,” Ennui told him. “We women lost."
“We men cheated,” Andy confided. “Wouldn't you?"
The blue elder smiled, knowing they were joking. “If you pass this way on your return trip, we will be interested in more stories. What you lack in polish you make up in enthusiasm."
“We wanted good lodging,” Ennui said. “We had to perform."
They went to the staging area, and soon were on their way across the next Chroma zone, a fiery Yellow. Modesty was no longer necessary, so they had several bouts of sex while floating.
As the day waned, they were in a White Chroma zone. They went to a White village and bargained with the White elder for lodging. Soon the villagers assembled, and they told their stories again, refining them as they went, and their performance was satisfactory. There was always an excellent market for tales, even poor ones, and theirs were perhaps middle range.
This time they had two beds in the white apartment, and could have slept apart. They didn't; they formed two couples. But by now the men were wearing thin, and a single bout of sex was enough. It was getting time to find new men.
The third day saw them past the men's destination, and they went on alone. “Well, it was fun,” Ennui said.
“But we still can't divest ourselves of the ikons."
“Agreement. I've been trying."
“Similarity."
“Maybe if we stayed several days in a single Chroma zone, instead of passing through nonChroma zones, however briefly,” Ennui said, musing. “We don't know what the recharge rate is."
“Worthwhile."
They bargained for transport, selling no fault sex to larger groups of men, and delivered more than enough to satisfy. They had become sexually indefatigable, able to climax repeatedly in rapid order. Not merely able, or willing, but desirous. They pretended to be good sports about the numbers of men, but actually it was an ongoing hunger. Faking climaxes was no good; only real ones eased their obsession for a time.
Then they came to a large Green Chroma zone with a nature trail. “Are you thinking what I am?” Ennui asked.
“We could take days to navigate that trail by foot."
They went to the trail entrance and bargained for admittance. The green men in charge considered, having eyed them appraisingly. “You plan to night at the trail stops?"
“Affirmation."
“A number of rangers stay at those stops, maintaining them and the surrounding forest, also acting as guides. Two nonChroma woman would be a novelty. No fault for those you encounter?"
“Agreement."
“Then here are your passes for indefinite stay thereon.” He paused, his gaze on Ennui's displayed cleavage. “I wonder—"
Ennui stepped forward. “No fault."
They stepped into his private chamber. The green man turned out to be as virile as any other, and as appreciative of her charms. “I was not aware that nonChroma women could be so shapely and ardent,” he said as they concluded.
“We are from the big city. We find Chroma men interesting."
“Gratification. Perhaps when you exit, your friend—?"
“She surely will,” Ennui agreed, committing Aspect to a similar session. It was fun making men happy, considering how easy it was.
They set out walking the trail, in no hurry. Walking, too, might draw on the ikons’ power, because their magic made the women virtually indefatigable. Walking, sex, and continuous immersion in a Chroma zone—if anything could do it, this should.
Greeting.
“Why hello, Swale,” Ennui said aloud so that Aspect would know. They were avoiding telepathy, their general policy in Chroma zones. Translucent specialized in mind reading, and was good at it, but any Chroma could do it, and some Chroma folk surely did do it. So they kept their minds locked, and gave no evidence of their ability
“What are you doing here?” Aspect asked. “I thought you were in another region.” Naturally they did not refer to the Glamors or their mission.
“I am,” Swale said, borrowing Ennui's mouth with her consent. “But they need privacy at the moment, so I am catching up on the local news. Spanky says you are traveling, but she doesn't know why."
Ennui took back her mouth. “Read it in my thoughts."
The succubus did. “Oho! You have been naughty girls."
“It facilitates travel,” Aspect said, smiling.
“And you didn't invite me along!"
“Welcome,” Ennui said. “Though we are trying to use up our sexuality."
“Forlorn effort, as long as—oh, I see. Do your better halves know?” Swale meant the Glamors.
“You can inform them,” Aspect said. “We do not wish to cause them concern."
“I will. But for now, I prefer to remain with you. I promise merely to observe, so as not to subvert your effort."
“Pleasure,” Aspect said. “How goes it in the other region?"
“Mixed. Some phenomenal discoveries. Do you know what ifrits are?"
“Demonic spooks in stories,” Ennui said.
“There are real ifrits there.” And in the course of the next hour, speaking in careful generalities, Swale informed them of the discovery of astonishing cloud-like entities. Also of serious problems handling massive illusion. It was fascinating.
Then they told her of the game rape and murder of Nonce, and how they had gotten vengeance. “Ooo, glorious!” the succubus said. She liked anything sexual, especially if it was illicit or violent.
Only when their stories had caught up did they become properly aware of the wonders along the nature trail. They were not random; it was a veritable garden, with many varieties on exhibit. There were nut trees, fruit trees, and flowering trees of many types. Some were tentacled, the kind that carried carriages through the forest. “Oh, Havoc would love this,” Ennui said.
“Gale too,” Aspect said, looking down at the thick mosses lining the path.
“Augur too,” Swale said. “He's Red Chroma, but he specializes in plants. He's quite a lover, too."
“That relates?” Aspect inquired.
“See that love orchid? One of those men could make it sing."
They looked at the orchid. It was a sturdy shrub with a single giant flow
er shaped like a supine human female torso. It had phenomenal green breasts, broad hips, solid thighs, and a gaping vulva.
“Just what a man desires,” Ennui agreed, impressed. “No arms to get in the way, no head to talk back, no feet, just the essentials."
“I understand such flowers get heavy patronage,” Swale said. “The men know they aren't real women, but they are so sexy and obliging that it doesn't matter."
“But what point?” Ennui asked, intrigued.
“They get some nourishment from the semen. But mainly they stick pollen to the bodies of the men, and this gets carried to the next flower they touch. So the plants really are breeding, just not in exactly the way their clients do."
Ennui got a wicked idea. “Are there male orchids?"
“I believe so. After all, women walk these trails too."
They walked on, alert for male orchids, and soon found one. It resembled a muscular man's torso, and unlike the female flower, had a head with a handsome face. Farther down was a tight belly with a small projecting erect member.
“I should think it would be larger,” Aspect said, contemplating the member.
“Women don't go for size alone,” Swale said. “It has other features."
“I'll try it,” Ennui said. She had been several hours without sex, and missed it.
“Embrace it and set it,” Swale advised. “When you're ready for the action, kiss it. That's the signal."
Bemused, Ennui removed her clothing and straddled the torso. She set the member at her cleft so that it was as far in as was feasible considering its size, then lay on the torso and put her face down to kiss the mouth.
The torso came alive. The mouth returned her kiss. It had a sexy sweet taste that turned her on. The torso sweated, coating her belly and breasts with moisture that caressed her skin and made her nipples swell. The member abruptly swelled to penetrate her completely, with a peristaltic rippling along its expanding girth and length. Part of it spread out along her cleft, wetting it with a slick ichor that generated a warm pleasure. It spread up to her clitoris, surrounding it, and suddenly the pleasure intensified.