Chapter 13

At Show and Tell, Summer made a presentation about her stock trading strategy. “The biggest challenge was coming up with a metric to establish and monitor the error on any particular stock,” Summer explained, clicking through pages on her laptop linked to the big screen. “As you know, the more people scrying on any particular question, the less reliable the result. For example, there’s no point in using magic to foresee the winner of the Superbowl, because everybody tries that. The data is hopelessly corrupt. Some stocks are being watched by other sorcerers. Others aren’t. The key is to quantify the discrepancies between the predicted and real outcomes, and invest based on the computed reliability.”

Laurel stared at the graphs in silent horror. Every data point was at least one animal, held in Summer’s hands, soothed by her voice, and then split open by her knife.

“Yeah, well, you better enjoy it while you can,” Chelle challenged Summer, “because pretty soon Laurel’s going to put you out of business.” Laurel shook her head at Chelle, but it was too late.

Summer turned off the computer, clasped her hands, and addressed Laurel calmly. “You’re going to ‘put me out of business’?”

“No,” Laurel answered tentatively. “It’s not like that.”

Chelle jumped in again. “She’s been inventing a new form of divination that could be even better than your psycho-killer-mancy.”

Summer’s eyes looked like a panther’s, stalking its prey. “Please, explain,” she said to Laurel.

“Well, it’s just,” Laurel explained meekly, “there’s a lot of dynamic power in sperm.” Many of her fellow students giggled. “With the right tuning ... You have to compensate for a lot of things, but, you know, maybe.”

Summer looked to Jennifer. “Her initial work does show promise,” Jennifer confirmed.

Summer sighed and shrugged. “Well, you’re probably full of shit. But if Jennifer says you’re on to something then consider me curious. Send me your notes - maybe I’ll have something useful to add.”

By the time Show and Tell was over, Laurel was feeling optimistic. Maybe Chelle had turned an adversary into an ally. Maybe together they could sail through the remaining challenges.

After dinner she was wandering around in the den, not sure whether to join the group for movies, when Chelle and Ashton approached her. “Hey Laur,” Chelle said, just above a whisper, “how would you feel about the three of us sexing it up together tonight?” She nodded. “Good, because Ashton and I have something we’re dying to do to you.”

In Laurel and Chelle’s bedroom, the erotic union began. Laurel would have thought that with two girls and one boy, the boy would be the center of attention. In this case, though, both Ashton and Chelle were worshiping her. They adored every part of her body as they stripped her down, kissing and touching reverently. Laurel swallowed down her insecurities - feelings of unworthiness - and let her friends treat her like a goddess.

Kissing Chelle felt surprisingly good. In this moment, in this context, it was beautiful and comfortable. She lay on top of Chelle while her two lovers caressed her. “No research tonight, okay?” Chelle whispered. “Just fun.” Laurel nodded.

After countless body-to-body-to-body movements, Laurel ended up on her side on Chelle’s bed, with Ashton behind her. Chelle was sitting beside the bed, one hand stroking Laurel’s thighs and the other playing with her bouncy red-brown hair.

“Damn it,” Ashton whispered. “I forgot the lube in my room.”

“We don’t need lube,” Laurel said. “I’m really really wet for you.” Laurel had always been self-conscious about the quantity of her sex-secretions. The idea of needing lube for sex made no sense at all.

Chelle touched her cheek. “The plan, dear girl, is for him to fuck your ass while I finger your pussy,” she said seductively.

“Oh!” Laurel said with surprise but not disapproval. “Um, I can fix that. Get ready.”

She closed her eyes and tapped into Ashton’s bodily machinery. It hadn’t actually been a spell when she had watched the incubus Hector do what she was attempting: it had instead been a part of his demonic identity. But most of the same energies and factors applied, so Laurel was confident she could mimic the effect. She twisted to touch a few of Ashton’s pressure points and spoke some arcane words, and around them built her improvised spell.