ASTOR BACHERET’S CARNIVAL OF DREAD by Devinter

“A bouquet of tulips,” the woman said with a smirk. But despite the complexity of the object, the Ice Queen repeated her process. Tap, tap, tap – then dipped her hands into the tank, and pulled out a bouquet of tulips wrapped by a bow – and every part of it, ribbon included, was entirely made out of clear ice, transparent and gleaming. She handed it to the other side of the crowd to inspect, and before long it was passed to Raven.

“Wow..” Raven muttered, her fingers grazing the frozen ice sculpture, the coolness radiating from the bouquet. The level of detail was exquisite. Every flower in there was perfect in every way imaginable. Even the plastic bow around it had been formed from solidified water, yet it still felt like it was flowing so naturally – like it had been real, frozen in the middle of motion. “I have no idea how she did that.” She passed the flowers along to Amaya, condensation on her hands, whom in turn passed them to the stranger on her left.

“I could make a decent guess,” she whispered back. “If the objects were selected beforehand, and the crowd members not chosen at random, plus the front of the tank is like some kind of screen hiding whatever’s behind it.. Then the ice sculptures could have been made in advance, and all the lady had to do was pull them out, making it look like she conjured them on the spot. Pretty clever, huh?”

Raven pondered that for a moment. It made sense, but the theory relied on the called-upon members of the crowd being plants – and the first student in particular had to have been a great actor to pull off his nervous reaction so well. However, it seemed a more accurate explanation than the lady performing actual magic. There was no such thing, surely?

The acts got more and more bizarre as the show went on. An alligator lady – clearly human, but with soft flexible scales and a tail, not only walked through the crowd to let the people touch her unusual skin, but then also morbidly returned to centre stage and devoured a live bird in one bite, her jaws opening up unnaturally far and her teeth being pointed like a gator’s. After chewing a few times, she swallowed the fowl – feathers and all – and then opened her mouth to show it was empty, though covered in a fair bit of blood. A young woman in the audience let out a shrill scream at this sight. It was incredibly uncomfortable to watch.

On and on it went. The show was surprisingly lengthy, Raven thought, and by the 45-minute mark there didn’t seem to be a single person in the audience that wasn’t a little spooked or at the very least discomforted. That’s when Astor Bacheret returned. “We have but one final act, but it is so terrifying that I must ask any sensitive viewers to exit the tent for their own safety.” He waited for anyone who might wish to leave, but although plenty of whispers broke out between different groups, no-one got up from their seats. “Not one? You are a courageous audience.” In truth, some of the more fearful and squeamish members of the crowd had already left by that point, during earlier acts.

After a short pause, the song in the background switched to something even more uncanny than the previous haunting tune, and a couple of henchmen in simple masks wheeled two large objects onto the stage. The first, a long rectangle shape covered with a white sheet, the fabric dusty and mottled as if it had been dragged along the dirt. The second, what looked like a throne, fit for a king or queen of the night – the padded seating and backrest in black and purple in alternating diamond shapes, adorned with shiny buttons. It didn’t look particularly scary. In fact, Raven would gladly have had a chair like that in her room back home, at least until she noticed the thick leather straps meant to be fastened around someone’s wrists and ankles to lock them in place.

“Our final act for you tonight requires a volunteer. Preferably someone who has feelings of lust or love that they for one reason or another do not act upon. Find your courage tonight, and raise your hand if you wish to receive a great gift. The blessing of the incubus!” Astor spoke in his gravelled voice, then flashed a bright smile towards the audience. “I assure you, ladies and gentlemen, it won’t hurt one bit. In fact, it will be quite pleasurable!”

“Find your courage..” Amaya whispered to herself, seemingly deep in thought. Then she was on her feet in record time, waving her arms around. “Pick me!” she called out excitedly, grinning widely, her eyes practically twinkling with exhilarating lustre. Raven shrunk back into her chair, her hands clasping onto the metal frame of the seat to stop them from shaking. What was her friend thinking? Going up on stage, in front of a room full of people, sounded like a nightmare. It was so far outside of her comfort zone. But Amaya was always the more outgoing one out of the pair, and she practically skipped as Astor Bacheret accepted her onto the stage, taking her hand with his gloved one as she ascended the steps. The teddy bear was left in her seat, spectating the show like a real audience member.

“Welcome, welcome. What is your name, pretty lady?” the host asked, escorting Amaya towards the oversized chair. She answered him as she was seated, and he continued with: “Are you a student here at the local college?” To Raven, it felt almost as if the small talk was there to either distract Amaya from the fact that she was being strapped down to the strange throne, or maybe just to fill the dead air during the process – as though it didn’t really matter either way. But after she was properly secured, and couldn’t move anywhere, the last question was asked with much more gravity. “Why did you volunteer for this blessing? Do you have feelings of love or lust that go unanswered, or that you for whatever reason hesitate to act upon?”

Amaya shot Raven a devious smile. “I do! For a friend of mine,” she said unabashedly, and with a flirtatious lilt in her voice. “Will you help me overcome those inhibitions?” Her golden eyes stared back at Astor.

The man seemed satisfied with her answer. “Very well,” he responded. “I will help you. All you have to do is to sit here, and I’ll take care of the rest! But I must ask that you refrain from talking until after the act is complete. Can you promise me that, young lady?” Amaya nodded with an enthusiastic expression. Astor made his way over to the rectangular object carefully placed right behind the chair – the sheet still covering it. He took hold of the edge of the fabric and slowly pulled it off. “Behold!” Mr. Bacheret yelled with a dramatic touch, and the whole audience gasped.

Towering but lean, the creature underneath must have been at least eight feet tall – and while his limbs were muscular, humanoid, he had a face that reminded Raven of a lion – his glowing eyes, with slitted pupils, shining in the dark. Two tails whipped behind him, and jet scales with an aureate outline covered his hands hands and feet, stretching up into his elbows and to his shins where they transitioned into mane-like hair, and then to a more human torso, ebony in colouration. It was contained within a transparent glass box wide enough for him to move around a little bit – and with the help of his henchmen, Astor wheeled the creature first to the left and then to the right to make sure every audience member got a good look at it. Raven had to admit it looked incredibly real, but there must have been some manner of trick behind it – some sort of puppetry. That’s what she tried telling herself. There couldn’t be an actual demonic entity in the tent with them.

From where Amaya was seated, she couldn’t see what the object behind her was – not even if she turned her head. So instead she stared at Raven, as if to hope that they could silently communicate with one another just by sharing a look, and Raven tried to wipe the feeling of unease off of her face mostly for Amaya’s sake.

Astor took a small bow like he had been the one that conjured the creature on stage out of thin air. “Young lady, behind you is a living demon of lust. It is imperative that you do not lay your eyes upon it, no matter how curious you are – otherwise, the spell will not work as intended. Just remain perfectly still.”

The host then turned towards the creature and began speaking to it in a foreign language that sounded almost reptilian, lisping words so fast they seemed like gibberish – and Raven stared with wide eyes at the strange looking specimen as it listened to Astor’s commands, barely believing what she saw before her own eyes. She doubted any of those who sat in the crowd could really make sense of what they were seeing either. The entire situation was utterly surreal. If it was some sort of prop or costume, it was incredibly well-made. Or maybe it was the chilling tune and the evocative atmosphere that made it seem more realistic than it would have otherwise.

“Witness its power!” Mr. Bacheret yelled, and the creature raised its arms up as if reaching for the sky – and its chest expanded and retracted rapidly, almost as if it was trying to hyperventilate. The music became even louder, making Amaya shrink back in the chair, looking smaller and more vulnerable than Raven could recall ever seeing the girl. A smoke-like substance started drifting from the demon’s mouth – and the black mist flowed down towards the seated girl, and across the stage at large.

Raven gripped the chair harder – feeling her nails threaten to bend or break against the cold metal. She looked around at all the faces, seeing them frozen with utter terror or disbelief – watching without blinking or breathing for so long that it made her own lungs feel fit to burst. All the while the dark mist settled over Amaya like a blanket – covering every part of her body. The tempo of the song quickened. And then, with almost no warning, it came to an abrupt end – just as the lights went out. For the first time since they’d entered the tent, there was utter darkness surrounding them. For a second, it was so quiet inside it felt like time itself had stopped.

“Good night!” Astor’s voice boomed through the tent after a moment of pause. And when the lights came back on a few seconds later, greatly dimmed, the curtain had fallen and everyone had left the stage. The only thing that remained was Amaya in her chair, but the transparent rectangle that the demon had been contained within now stood empty behind her. No trace of the strange entity or any of the performers could be found. Everyone just stared at each other – wide-eyed and pale as ghost. Then, some of the crowd started clapping loudly. Was that it? Raven thought it felt like an odd and anti-climactic finish after all the strange things they had witnessed during the show.

As people eventually collected themselves, and started to shuffle out of the tent one by one, Amaya looked at Raven with a pleading expression. “Can you help me out?” she asked sheepishly, a flush across her cheeks from embarrassment. “Kind of strapped down here..”

Raven rushed onto the stage to free Amaya from the restraints, the teddy bear brought with her. “Do you feel any different?” she inquired when her friend was finally standing. She wasn’t entirely sure what exactly the incubus did – if anything. Maybe it was just all made-up and no more than trickery and illusion, but if not, what were the side-effects?

Amaya grabbed hold of Raven’s shoulders, squeezing tight. “I feel great!” she exclaimed with a beaming grin. “It worked. I’m sure of it. I think this is what the fortune teller was trying to say! About being courageous, to find love.”

“Uhh.. It sure looked like a demon,” Raven answered with an awkward laugh. “But it was probably just some really elaborate puppet or something.”

But Amaya stared at her friend, and shook her head. “Nuh-Uh.” Then, she caressed Raven’s milky skin with the back of her hand, rubbing it against the shorter woman’s cheek. “Don’t you feel it, Birdie? Doesn’t it feel.. different?” She had a weirdly dreamy look about her, but in a way that made Raven very concerned.

“I don’t feel any-” Raven got interrupted as Amaya forced her pillowy lips onto Raven’s, kissing her unapologetically. The taller girl seemed to be almost feverish with desire, grabbing hold of the petite woman tightly even as she struggled to escape. A moan escaped her lips – more so as a complaint than out of arousal – but Amaya didn’t seem to take it that way, and instead used the opportunity to shove her tongue deeper into Raven’s mouth. Their teeth clashed slightly – Raven had never been kissed like this before. It was too intense. Eventually, she managed to pull away just enough to catch her breath. “What are you doing?” she asked, staring wide-eyed at the girl before her.

“Something I should have done long ago,” she purred with delight, then gently bit Raven on the bottom lip. “Come on, let’s fuck.” Her voice was huskier than usual – sensual in tone. It made Raven’s legs feel weak and almost gave her an urge to give in to Amaya’s desires, despite herself. But then she realized that a few of the other carnival goers still remaining in the tent watched them with lecherous eyes, and her embarrassment surged to new levels.

“What’s gotten into you? People are watching us!” Raven squeaked as she pivoted away from her friend. Amaya was acting so unlike herself. “Amaya! Get a hold of yourself.”

But the woman did not relent. “Darling, you have no idea what you’re doing to me. You’re too precious. Too innocent.” She reached out and placed her hands onto Raven’s shoulders. “Let me show you what it means to be filthy.”

“But-” Raven attempted once more, only to have her words interrupted by another kiss from the lustful woman. It had a more desperate feeling this time around – as if she wasn’t merely trying to coax Raven into submission through some sensual assault. Her hand came up to tangle itself in her friend’s locks, pulling slightly at them to intensify the kiss. “Hah…” Raven let out an almost stifled gasp of air, and felt her heart beating hard in her chest. “Not here!” she caught herself saying.

The taller girl’s face filled with glee, her amber eyes sparkling. “Fine, I’ll agree to go back to my place if you promise me that you’ll let me do whatever I want to you once we get there, without complaints..”

Raven could tell from the look in her friend’s eyes that she would use that ‘whatever I want’ to the fullest effect if she’d agree to the terms – yet the words just slipped out of her. “I.. uhm… Okay,” she responded, and watched Amaya’s eyes flash with excitement. The air was supercharged with sexual tension, threatening to explode into fireworks at any moment. Then Amaya grabbed her hand, and led her outside the tent, after picking up Clarice Josephine Amayasdóttir the third which dangled from her other hand. Raven wasn’t sure why she had agreed to go along with it at all. Part of her thought that when they were behind closed doors, her friend would come to her senses and everything would go back to normal. A bigger part of her – one that she tried to ignore – was aware that she was getting terribly aroused. Only once or twice had she ever had a fantasy of being with another woman, but when those thoughts had occurred, it was Amaya that she had pictured in her mind’s eye. And now it was all bubbling to the surface. Amaya wanted her – had wanted her for ages probably – and something about the moment just felt inevitable.

Exiting the show tent, Raven’s heart skipped a beat as the two goth girls hastily made their way through the carnival grounds. Some of the stalls were starting to close up, and there was significantly less people walking around compared to before. It was late, and the dark night had grown darker still. They paid little attention to what was going on around them, having a clear goal in mind.

For several minutes, they walked in silence. Foolishly, Raven asked the burning question just before they reached Amaya’s flat. “What are you really planning to do to me once we get inside?” Her voice was timid, soft like the gentle wind. “And what really happened up on that stage?”

Amaya stopped abruptly. “Don’t run away now,” the taller girl said with a pout to her lips. “You promised.” There was a need in the woman’s eyes that transcended mere sexual desires. Something more akin to love. Raven saw it. In that moment, she realized that it didn’t matter what the sweet but frustrated woman would ask for. She would do it. Anything. Everything! For how could she possibly say no to someone that adorable?

This time, Raven was the one that closed the tiny distance between them. “I don’t know what that demon thing did to you, but I won’t leave your side. I’m right here.” Then she put her mouth against Amaya’s and kissed her deeply – tasting her with passion. Raven knew there was no going back. It was exciting, but also a little bit frightening. Once they had crossed that threshold once, could they ever go back to just being friends?

Barely paying attention to the world around her, Raven followed the dark-haired beauty into her dorm room – the empty glasses from their earlier drinks still sitting on the table where they had been left behind. The petite girl felt completely exposed to her friend, despite being fully dressed. Her heartbeat quickened at the thrill of it all. It was as if her very soul had come undone when she saw that feral look in Amaya’s eyes, and she was helpless before the fire-touched desire burning within. Only a few hours had passed since they were in this place last, but it felt so different now. So many emotions raged within her, confusing her brain beyond recognition.

When Amaya closed the door, and turned the lock with an audible click, there was something about the finality of that gesture which set Raven on edge. But when her friend’s slender, delicate hands begun to undress Raven – unwrap her like a delicate Christmas present where you wanted to keep the wrapping intact – the shorter woman just let it happen. She raised her hands up into the air, making it easier for her friend to slip her out of her sweater, while keeping her sapphire eyes locked on Amaya’s amber ones. The garment fell to the floor with the pink hibiscus upwards.

“I’ve wanted you for so long,” Amaya whispered. Her dark hair looked like flowing midnight locks, cascading around her face and down past her shoulders. “You’ve no idea how hard it’s been to pretend I didn’t notice your curves in those tight jeans, or your plump lips which make my mind go wild, imagining how they would feel against mine..” She unhooked Raven’s bra deftly before pressing her mouth against the tiny breasts, sucking gently at first but biting harder as she lost some of her self-control. Raven gasped from the mix of pain and pleasure, but Amaya paid no mind – instead, her nimble fingers caressed her entire upper body as if trying to memorize every little inch.

Then the jeans came off, and Raven found herself on the older woman’s squeaky mattress moments later. Her cheeks burned crimson as Amaya’s gaze scanned her almost naked figure, lingering here and there. The black-rose corsage remained around her wrist. “Look at how beautiful you are…” Amaya purred, then placed her new teddy bear upon the sofa so it could watch the show unfolding on the bed with a giggle. Moments later, she ran her painted fingernails across Raven’s thigh with one hand, and then tugged at the hem of her panties teasingly with the other, before finally sliding them down. “Don’t look so scared, my little Birdie. You have nothing to fear from me.” She slowly traced the line of Raven’s pubic bone until her fingertips were just brushing against the small patch of trimmed curls which crowned Raven’s pink nether region.

The short woman opened her mouth to respond but only a strangled moan came out when Amaya plunged two fingers inside – her pussy wet enough to allow for easy entrance. Her eyes fluttered closed, unable to withstand the sensory overload. A tongue lashed at her nipples while the fingers inside explored every inch, and made sure to bring the slickness to her clit – circling it slowly in tight spirals at first then gradually increasing speed. It felt incredibly good. Almost too good. The stimulation was making her mind hazy. “You’re.. so..ahh…nngghhhh,” she tried to speak but failed. Raven dug her nails into Amaya’s shoulder as the pleasure kept building.