I was left feeling very confused and very cold. It wasn’t until I glanced down at the frost around the waist of my pants that my breaths got heavy and I scooted back, quickly undoing my pants to get a better look.

  To my relief, while there was a light layer of frost on my dick, it wasn’t frozen into an icicle.

  “Fuck, that could’ve gone bad,” Ria said, nonchalantly.

  “Ice?” Meher said, staring at her hand—still blue, but fading back to normal.

  “I thought it appropriate, considering how cold you were to this whole thing at first.” Ria grinned, but then scooted close to her.

  “Nobody could’ve warned me?” I protested, dick still out, my mind reeling with the horrible possibilities of what could’ve happened.

  “I’m sure she’ll make it up to you,” Ria said with a wink.

  “Make it up…” I started to ask, but then turned to Meher, curious.

  “Remember,” Ria undid the woman’s bra, then started caressing her breasts right next to my face, “keep it going, help the power stick. Make it up to him.”

  I didn’t need to be told twice, and seeing that Meher didn’t pull back, I shifted down to run my tongue along one of her dark, full nipples. Meher’s hand found my cock again, though I flinched at her touch.

  “Maybe try something warmer,” Ria said, and we both looked to see her lick her lips. “Would you like me to show you?”

  The blood surged to my groin, already helping it feel warmer. When Meher smiled, Ria took that as her cue and lowered herself to bend over me, eyes on mine as she took my cock from the other woman, ran her tongue around the tip once, and then took me in her mouth. Oh, God! With her added warmth, all thought of having been cold were gone. All I could do was focus on the moment, on the bliss, and on the fact that Meher was loving it, taking my hand back to her pussy and even sliding it down her pants for me.

  She slid her pants down to give me access, and I inched my fingers along her warm skin until I found her silky landing strip, and was pleased to feel how wet she was. Her lips parted easily and my finger found its way in, exploring while Ria’s head bobbed up and down on my cock. Soon, I moved my fingers to Meher’s clit, eagerly watching as she tried to contain herself at the pleasure of my touch.

  Right there on the forest floor I was caressing my neighbor’s clit while getting head from an ex-succubus. Life had a fun way of becoming interesting real fast.

  “Now your turn,” Ria said, pulling her head back and holding my cock so that it pointed at Meher.

  She let out a soft moan at my touch, then bent over to grab my cock and thrust it into her mouth. Her hand started stroking me furiously, tongue working my tip as her mouth moved up and down and I kept massaging her clit.

  A sudden chill took me and her eyes were gleaming, watching me with excitement—blue magic from her hand while her mouth worked to warm me. It was too much, too fast… and as a heavy breath stuck in my throat and my body seized up, I released into her mouth.

  She sat back, licking it up, and nodded. “I like my new powers.”

  “Ah, just when it was getting good,” Ria said, and laughed.

  “Come… here…” I said, but she wagged a finger in my face.

  “No, I think that’s enough.”

  “What?”

  “We’re moving too fast.” She smiled, and pulled my hand away as she started to zip her pants.

  I was baffled. She’d just gone down on me, let me cum in her mouth… and thought me doing the same to her was moving too fast?

  But she was up, turning to Ria, and covering her breasts as well. “So, how do I use these powers?”

  Ria smiled, wide, not bothering to dress yet. “To be clear, you didn’t have to go down on him to make the powers work.”

  “I kinda figured that,” Meher replied with a laugh. “That part was because I wanted to.”

  That made me glad, but now that I was realizing I’d been butt naked on the forest floor, pine needles and twigs on my ass with me too caught up in the moment to realize it? A bit less so. When I tried to stand, it was with a crick in my neck, and as sexually relieved as I felt, a bit of me was let down to have my first sexual encounter with Meher end without me having the chance to give her an orgasm.

  Right there, I determined that would be my goal. Next time we got physical, I’d be bringing it like she had never experienced.

  “It’s as simple as what you did, but now,” Ria was explaining to Meher, taking up a stance and pushing out her hands as if there was a wall there. “Like that.”

  Let me be quite clear that there’s not much hotter than a nude lady with wings and horns showing a lady who just went down on you how to throw ice magic. Or superpowers, or whatever. Point is—fucking hot.

  As Meher took the stance, her eyes on Ria’s ass a moment longer than necessary, she asked, “So how does the power stuff work, exactly? I mean, aside from the blowjob thing.”

  Ria laughed, demonstrating again. “It’s about body heat, from what I can tell. Something is activated when the blood is moving like that, allowing for the transfer to more easily be completed. And if you keep it going until the transfer takes hold, even better.”

  “Ah, so the blowjob did help.”

  “Most likely.”

  I finally finished brushing off my ass and dressing, so stood next to Meher to watch as she performed the move, breathing in and then pushing out. Her arms glowed as she blew again, frost forming on her fingertips, but no projectiles yet.

  “Maybe I need to do it again?” Meher said with a grin in my direction.

  No protestations from me, though I was certain there was no way I’d have been able to handle it. Or probably even get it up again right now, after how intense the first time had been.

  “As I said, that’s not—” Ria started, interrupted by Meher waving her off.

  “I know, I know.”

  Again, Meher took in a deep breath and pushed, while finally Ria found her dress, shook it out, and put it on. Too bad.

  “Oh!” a squeal came from Meher and I turned, ready for a fight. What I found was a branch of a tree in front of her, frozen. She beamed, then did it again. This time I watched as the blue glow molded into energy at her fingertips and shot out, forming a circle of ice on the ground not far off.

  “Now do you believe us?” I asked.

  Ria chuckled. “I’d think she believed us before the whole make out session. That, or she was a little horny.”

  “Let’s say both,” Meher said, turning and making ready to shoot ice again.

  Only, this time as she breathed out, she stumbled, Ria at her side to catch her. “Easy there, girl. You’re just getting used to it. Conserve your energy.”

  It only took a couple of breaths for Meher to be standing tall again, all smiles. “This is… amazing!” she said, turning to me like a giddy child. “What about your powers? What do you do?”

  “A sort of… punch.”

  “What?”

  I looked to Ria for help, but she was looking at me expectantly.

  “I mean, it’s cool,” I said, trying to not sound ungrateful. “But it’s basically like this—I take damage, but that same damage can be channeled into a charged up super punch.”

  “Like those old boxing games?” Meher asked.

  “You… know about them?”

  She grinned, wide. “Of course. The cultural resurgence, right? I’m on the front lines.”

  I laughed, and nodded. “So yeah, basically that.”

  Meher was smiling, but shook her head as she addressed Ria. “To be clear, you turned me into some ice goddess snow queen super, but gave him… a fancy punch?”

  “Hey, it’s powerful,” I protested, now going on the defensive.

  “I’m sure it is,” Meher replied. “But… not as cool as mine.”

  “It’s not a pissing contest,” Ria explained. “It’s super powers, and I gave you each what I felt you could handle, based on how much I knew about each of you. And, as I’ve explained to Drake, the stronger he gets, the more he can upgrade his current power and get more powers.”

  “Right.” I stood a little taller.

  “And he didn’t mention the part about defensive,” Ria continued.

  “There’s a defensive part?” I asked.

  “When you absorb those hits,” Ria explained, “yes, you get hurt, but not nearly as much as you would’ve otherwise. What you’re feeling is basically what’s left over after the energy you’ve absorbed. So the stronger you get, the more you’ll be able to absorb and the less it’ll hurt.”

  “Shit. Let’s get me leveled up then.”

  “Leveling up… like a game?” Meher asked.

  “Long story,” I said. “I’ll fill you in on the way. Speaking of…?”

  “We need to build the team,” Ria said. “The gladiator—she’s next, unless we still want the waitress.”

  “The petite little thing down at your diner?” Meher asked.

  “I mean, maybe—” I started, but was interrupted as she stepped forward, finger to my mouth.

  “Yes,” Meher threw out. “A big, fat, yes.”

  I looked at Ria, who smiled and motioned to the car. It looked like we had our next mission.

  8

  “I’m beginning to wonder if you’re part lesbian,” I said to Meher as we drove toward downtown. “Politically incorrect, but also into women.”

  Meher considered this a moment, then shrugged. “I’m not not into women.”

  “Well, that’s not a very clear statement,” Ria said from the back.

  “I just mean, guys do it for me. If it was just a woman, maybe not? But the idea of a guy and a woman together? Sure.”

  Ria thought about this, then shrugged. “Either way for me. Penis, vagina, asshole, they’re all good for having fun with.”

  I laughed. “Wow.”

  “Don’t judge me. Where I’m from, you don’t even have to have those.”

  “How’s that work?” I asked.

  “There are other types of beings, those who are without the characteristics we’re used to. If you fall for one of them, you make do.”

  Meher and I both shared a very confused look, but kept on.

  “So how much time do we have, exactly?” Meher asked, seemingly glad to change the subject. “I want to get an idea of how much time I’ll have to practice with this magic.”

  “Not magic, powers,” Ria corrected her.

  “It’s different,” I explained. “Something to do with how you get the powers or magic, what it takes to call on them. That sort of stuff.”

  Meher looked even more confused, but nodded for Ria to go on.

  “The rest of my people aren’t likely to show up until tomorrow night, we figure. Though they could get here at any moment, based on the scout and—”

  “Wait, there was already one here?”

  “Back at my house,” I said. “We, um… killed it.”

  When Meher looked at me, it was with a newfound respect. “You… killed an alien superbeing?”

  “With her help,” I admitted.

  “And more are coming. A whole invasion of them—also, possibly tomorrow night, though maybe longer. It’s hard to say.”

  “Not much time to practice, then” Meher said.

  “And not enough time to get you strong enough to handle multiple powers either, which is why we’ll need to find those other teammates.” Ria went on to explain her story to Meher, about how she’d been given the gift and couldn’t access the majority of her powers anymore, but could give them away.

  “Well that’s fucking… weird,” Meher said. “Everyone can give away powers?”

  “No. They’re not usually transferrable.”

  Ria was still trying to process all this, when Meher pulled the vehicle back into the city, carefully checking the streets. “If the cops saw us earlier, they’ll be on the lookout.”

  “Which way should we go looking?” Ria asked.

  I was about to choose a way, though Meher knew it well enough, when I spotted her. “Doesn’t matter, there she is.”

  “So… Barbie.” Meher clicked her tongue. “We’re definitely sticking to that?”

  “You know anyone tougher in town, I’m all ears,” I shot back. “First, we know Barbie isn’t her real name, and the fact that she’s kept that charade going this long without letting anyone in on her real name has to mean something. Right?”

  “I’m not following,” Ria said. “Is this someone we want on the team or not?”

  I turned to Meher. “Your call. My stance is just that I’ve seen her at work, and she doesn’t take shit. Once, a customer tried to grab her ass and she brought him to the floor with a fork to his neck. Almost got us in trouble there, but you know how it is here. And when the cops tried to get in her face, she put Officer Dellier in his place, too.”

  “Sounds like a winner to me,” Ria admitted.

  “You have a thing for her, too?” Meher asked me, pointedly.

  I opened my mouth to say no, but thought about it. Honestly, the thought hadn’t really crossed my mind, but Barbie wasn’t bad to look at. And strong women had always turned me on almost as much as the sexy librarian look Meher sported. Instead of saying all that though, I shook my head.

  “Not really, but would it matter? We’re building up a team to fight aliens and supervillains.”

  “And fooling around might be part of it,” Meher countered. “So, let me ask this plainly, do you want to fuck her?”

  Ria cleared her throat. “Excuse me, but—”

  “Do you want to fuck her?” Meher repeated, ignoring Ria. A smile showed for a second, then was gone.

  “What was that?” I said, pointing at her face.

  “Do you—” Meher started, but then couldn’t keep it under control anymore, bursting into laughter. As she guffawed, she said, “Do you want to? Because I think that would be hot as fuck. I could totally see you now, balls flapping as you slap together, and then I get in there and—”

  “Oh, wow,” Ria interrupted. “This… yeah, that took a different turn than I expected. But,” she pointed, and we saw that Barbie had just turned a corner, walking away, “we’re going to lose her if we sit around playing this game.”

  I was still too stunned by Meher’s reversal to respond, but luckily she was the one driving.

  “On it,” she said, and pulled out, going in the direction Barbie had walked off.

  As we turned, she quickly pulled over and into an alley.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, finally back to the moment. Well, mostly, since it would likely take hours, if not days, to get the image of me, Barbie, and Meher having a threesome out of my head.

  “Cops, up ahead,” she said. “They saw the car before, but probably didn’t see us. What can we do about…?” She indicated Ria.

  “Don’t worry about me,” Ria said, showing her illusion power. “Best not to have to use it for too long, but it’s night, so we should be good.”

  We emerged from the car, going to the corner, where I spotted Barbie walking up the street. I motioned and we darted out, Ria applying her illusion.

  “You two act like old friends,” Ria said as we walked.

  “Do we?” I asked.

  She nodded. “Friends or lovers. This is seriously the first time you two got together? Tonight?”

  I nodded.

  Meher glanced over, smiled, and took my hand. “We’ve talked once or twice, but always normal pleasantries. Small talk stuff… I have a feeling he was always imagining the day when it would become more.”

  “Hoping, more like it,” I said.

  Ria nodded, smiling at us. It was interesting being part of a sex-situation with a being who didn’t seem to be the least bit jealous.

  “She’s turning,” Meher noted, and then frowned. “Wait, down that street…”

  I glanced up to see Cummings Ave., and knew it well enough. My buddies and I had joked many a long night about how the one strip club in town happened to be on that street. Other than that, it boasted a couple of fast food joints and some homeless tent areas at the end of an underpass, but not much else.

  “A short cut home?” I suggested.

  “We’re about to find out.”

  Sure enough, we turned just in time to see no sign of Barbie, but the door to the strip club closing. The street wasn’t one I frequented often, and seeing it that night reminded me why. Earth had come a long ways, what with hover cars and holo-screens, people going off to live on Paradise Planets and living off of who the hell knows what sort of tech up there. Some people, it was rumored actually had androids, and other robots to do housework. Hell, there’d probably be an android or two in the strip club giving lap dances at that moment, for people into that sort of thing.

  And yet, Earth had become a shit stain on the underwear of the universe. This street? A prime example. Garbage littered through old tarps and bundles of blankets, homeless people with their rifles and blades at the ready in case anyone tried to tell them to move. The cops had given up on them long ago, and really, much of Earth cops at that point were lost to corruption or worse. The best of them were granted ascension to the Paradise Planets once they proved themselves, leaving us with leftovers and fresh meat, easily corruptible or killed off.

  What the fuck was Barbie doing coming this way?

  I led the way, Meher and Ria close behind, and of course we got the cat calls we all knew were coming. That didn’t bother us though, not until one was accompanied by a large guy with a nose that was so crooked I doubted he’d ever gotten it fixed the many times he’d broken it. He stood in our way, eyed Meher up and down, and said, “I’ll take the double whammy.”

  “Fuck you,” I said, knowing full well he was making a reference to one of our signature dishes at the diner. He knew me, and was still being a dick.

  “Step aside,” he said, showing his pistol, and then grabbing his crotch. “Someone here’s getting my gun tonight, so who’s it gonna be?”

  “Can I just ice this guy’s nuts?” Meher hissed.

  Ria shook her head. “Better avoided.”