How to [Not] Outcharm a Succubus 2
«Darkness…» I cursed under my breath, scrambling to my feet. «Those darking brats!»
From the demon girl's delicate beauty, from her horns and tail shapes, she had to be a succubus. I had a picture of one in my spell book. Though, I couldn't care less at the moment.
Hastily grabbing her arm (drawing a puzzled "Hm?" from her) I pulled her off my bed and dragged out of my room.
«Fira!» I roared the name of the pests' ringleader, not for a second doubting the culprit.
Still hauling Adeĺ the succubus along, I barreled down the stairs. But, upon bursting into the living room, I met silence – the wall clock showing it was well past the time when the girls should've been fetched by their moms. I spotted a hastily erased chalk sigil on the carpet and caught a faint scent of burnt sage. So much for my warning against summoning. They didn't even bother to hide the evidence properly!
The sound of my mom's humming, mingling with the sizzle of frying bacon and the whistle of a boiling kettle, came from the kitchen. Adeĺ's arm squeezed, I rushed there.
«Mo-om!» I whined, gesturing dramatically at the succubus beside me. «Look what they've done!»
My mom, an attractive pani with piercing light-green eyes and wild raven-black tresses like mine, started her routine scolding without even glancing my way, simply out of habit.
«Lada, you've been asleep half the day,» she chided, although it was barely past 9:00. «And now you're causing all this ruckus as if you're…»
She finally turned, catching sight of Adeĺ.
«O, my!… She's so beautiful!» she stepped closer and gently pried Adeĺ from my grip. «Who are you, sweetheart? Has Lada scared you?»
Adeĺ shook her head, smiling.
«I'm Adeĺ!» she chirped, then batted her eyelashes at me. «Sorry I watched you sleep. You were just too cute to resist.»
I glared at the cheeky succubus, then turned to my mom.
«The girls summoned her,» I grumbled. «And must've thought it hilarious to shove her into my bed.»
«You're overreacting, Lada,» Mom waved it off. «They must've summoned Adeĺ by mistake. You'll have to help her get back.»
«Me?!… But I had plans!»
«It happened on your watch, didn't it?»
«…»
Well, it did. I couldn't argue. But how should I "get her back"?! Normally, summoned demons return to the Underworld after fulfilling their purpose. Although, I suspected the brats could summon Adeĺ just for fun, without any purpose. I thought to ask Adeĺ if she knew her purpose, but Mom beat me to it.
«Sweetie, do you know how to return home?»
Adeĺ glanced between Mom and me, then shook her head. «… No.»
«Don't worry. Lada will help you figure it out,» Mom reassured her, patting Adeĺ's arm and looking at me. «Right?»
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How?! I wanted to protest, but suddenly, the doorbell rang, interrupting us.
«O, my! Who's that now?…» Mom moved to the door but paused seeing my troubled face. «It will resolve eventually. Just take care of her while she's here, okay?»
… Great… Babysitting a succubus now… Just what I need!
Mom took my frown as yes and strode off. From the entrance, I heard her shout, «Lada! It's your boyfriends!»
«Friends, Mom! Not boyfriends!»
«Sure-sure…»
Suppressing a groan, I glared at my new charge, who was grinning from ear to ear.
«Not funny at all!»
Frustrated, I stomped towards the entrance, making a quick pit stop at the hallway mirror. My hair was a mess, and I still wore my "pajamas party" outfit: a short, belted robe barely skimming my thighs, over a sheer lace babydoll. Pretty revealing… Though, some fanservice never killed anyone. I quickly tied back my hair, tried to tame my cleavage, slipped on a pair of flip-flops, and bolted out the door.
My friends, Stas and Roman, lounged on the porch. They were my classmates and our school celebrities: Roman – our sports star shining in many fields, and Stas – our class rep, respected for his wits and leadership. Both also known for their legions of fangirls and permanent fights with each other over the smallest things. Their rivalry began way back in middle school, reaching its climax last year when they both confessed to me. But, being wise beyond my years, and having no interest in joining the fan club of either of them, I simply snatched them both for some fun in the city.
Ever since, our adventures had become the highlight of my life. From picnicking atop the city's tallest building, exploring the labyrinthine metro tunnels, belting out tunes at the City Day singing contest, to stuffing coppers into strippers' undies (don't ask), sneaking into the zoo after dark, or simply binging on horror movies all night. I wouldn't trade it for any romantic drivel. And I certainly wouldn't let my [Bewitching] ruin everything.
Although, I could still enjoy them admiring my looks.
Their heads turned at the door sound.
Roman, sun-bleached hair tousled carelessly and olive eyes sparkling with riot, broke into a wide grin.
«Wow! A sight for sore eyes!» he openly appreciated my barely-there outfit.
Stas, dark hair intentionally in a disarray and deep-blue eyes carrying a thoughtful glint, flashed me a smile.
«Morning, sleepyhead!» he greeted.
«O-o, hush, you two!» I feigned annoyance, secretly elated.
Looking past them, my eyes immediately caught sight of 2 brand new scooters parked by the porch. One was a deep, midnight-purple, and the other was a soft, creamy-white. Gleaming chrome accents, catching the sun and throwing it back in a lively dance of light, gave them an almost magical aura. The compact yet powerful silhouettes radiated a sense of freedom. Was it their surprise? The sight was absolutely breathtaking.
«Is it…? No way!»
Countless times, having a blast in the city, we dreamed about getting our own set of wheels. It would increase our "blast radius" tenfold. And now, that dream came true!
Excited, I rushed over to the scooters, my flip-flops slapping against the concrete. Up close, they looked even more impressive: sleek, stylish, calling for a ride. Holding the hem of my robe, I gracefully mounted the creamy one, settling onto the leather seat. It felt amazing! The boys came closer, faces beaming, visibly delighted by my stir.
«You look stunning,» Roman complimented, backed by Stas's approving nod. I shot them a playful smile, striking a pin-up girl pose fitting my attire – I knew they'd like it.
«Is she fast?» I eyed the scooter I perched on.
«They're light and agile,» Stas explained. «Perfect for the city…»
«Plus,» Roman chimed in, «they pack a serious punch. We thought of hitting the beach in Riverpark as our first ride. What do you think?»
He grinned, waiting for my answer. Stas looked at me too.
Just the mention of the beach sent a jolt of excitement through me. The thought of missing out on the fun was crushing…
… But then there was Adeĺ…
Suddenly, a realization hit me: there were 2 scooters and 3 of us… That meant… there was a spare seat left…
Leaping off the scooter, I sprinted back towards the house, shouting over my shoulder,
«Hold on, guys! I'll be right back!»
Before they could respond, I was already back inside, quickly devising a plan to persuade my mom.
To be continued…