Chapter Four: The Afterparty

“I really dislike this pain thing.” Donna held an ice pack to her head, leaning back in the hotel chair. “I don’t see why you put up with it.”

“Sort of a package deal with the pleasure, sweetie.” Lola patted the girl’s thigh from the floor, dressed in the stolen hoodie and a pair of Zoey’s panties. She poked and prodded at the contents of the backpack with Dom, the pair trying to make sense of the gibberish inside.

Zoey sat above on the bed, legs resting on Lola’s shoulders. “Any luck?”

“I don’t know shit about deconfig-a-mabobs, much less whatever the hell this is. Master?”

Dom shook his head. “It’s all Greek to me.”

“You don’t need to understand the machine.” All eyes turned to Wyatt. “You just need to understand the person who made it.”

“What do we know? The chick with the blue hair is well-meaning, paranoid, and smart enough to bash together several of those backpack thingies. She’s trying to save this Alex dude and she’s afraid of Donna. She’s crazy as a shithouse rat, but charismatic enough to recruit others. Plus, she’s probably living in the dorms with the rest of her cultists.”

Everyone stared at him, waiting for more. Eventually, Violet spoke. “What does it add up to, Wyatt?”

“Fuck if I know. I got roped into all this an hour ago.”

Dom rolled his eyes. “Thanks Wyatt.”

“I know you’re a Bruja, lady, but forget the witchy shit for a sec.” Wyatt stood up, adamant. “This is all lameass college drama. Sarah and Alex - they’re dating or siblings or something. Everyone’s probably bitching about it on Instagram right now.”

“You might have a point there.” Zoey stretched and grabbed Lola’s laptop from the desk. “Gonna have to bother Dave again. I hope he’s not in the middle of something.”

“Like Lorraine’s legs,” Lola snickered.

Zoey ignored the filthy comment and started typing. She worked for several minutes as Dom and Lola continued to prod the backpack. Donna got bored, so Wyatt fired up YouTube on his phone.

“This is Fires in the Distance,” he explained, the girl jumping as blaring guitars blasted into an earbud. “They’re a melodic death metal band, which is a sub-genre…”

“Check this out.” Zoey turned the laptop to show the room. Alex did indeed have an Instagram, filled with carefully curated pictures of frat life. The most recent were from the Hot Girls Party, nearly a hundred pics of Alex, the Deltas, and an ocean of slightly nervous hot girls.

There was no mention of the attack or the stampede at all, and the most recent picture was from twenty minutes ago.

Violet raised an eyebrow. “He rolled back the mayhem once everyone left. Probably a wise move from his end.”

Lola looked down at herself, then put her hands up in frustration. “Then how come I’m still powered down!?”

“Sorry hon, de-configing trumps re-configing.” Dominick reached out and put a hand on her thigh. “We gotta get the gizmo back to fix this.”

She sighed but got thoughtful. “What happened to all the hot girls who got flipped back?”

“If I’m following this, I’d guess they wound up back at the party, as dudes in dresses.”

Everyone stared at Wyatt, and he continued. “That’s what happened, right? This Alex guy has a machine that makes dudes into chicks, and Sarah’s mad about it?”

“You’re taking all this very nonchalantly,” Zoey replied.

Wyatt leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling. “We Treadwells are seekers of mystery and strange delights. It’s a big weird universe; you gotta expect the unexpected.”

Lola raised an eyebrow. “Are you high?” She asked the question sarcastically.

He nodded, eyes still skyward. “Dropped before the crazy chick crashed the party. Trip’s just starting to ramp up.” He offered up the plastic bag from his pocket to her. “Want a hit?”

“Um, Ms Zoey?” Donna was staring at her hands, eyes wide as saucers. “I think something’s wrong with the suit. I’m starting to see into the fifth dimension…”

“YOU GAVE HER ACID!?” Dom stood up, furious.

“Easy, lady.” Wyatt put hands up for calm. “I gave her a quarter tab, and I’ve stuck with her the whole time - I never let anyone take their first trip alone.”

“You don’t understand…” Zoey pinched the bridge of her nose. “Donna’s not like other girls.”

“I’ve tripped with plenty of autistics, it’s fine.” Wyatt started to say more, but then he sat up and looked at Donna. His eyes went wide with shock, leaning back in the chair. “Oh wow.”

He stood up, put a hand to Donna’s cheek, while staring above her head. “You’re… You’re an angel. I never thought I’d see an angel again…”

Donna turned, all nerves. “Ms Zoey, am I an angel? Is that good, or should I be insulted?”

Probing him with questions, it soon became clear that Wyatt could see Donna - her true, ninth-dimensional form - floating above her human “body”. But what they saw as a nightmare of tentacles and teeth, he saw as a vision of golden light.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured. Donna blushed and turned away, smiling.

“Wyatt, you said ‘again.’” Lola looked between the two kids. “When did you see an angel before?”

His eyes never left Donna as he spoke. “When I was fourteen, I hitched a ride to Burning Man. Six days in, I’m fixing a dirt bike for a lesbian polycule, when I run into these three old dudes with a real cool vibe. We go back to their yurt, split a handle of Wild Turkey, drop a few peyote buttons and shoot the shit.”

“Next thing I know, I’m seeing three angels, floating above their human shells. They tell me how we’re all just people, connected to the great arc of the universe, and that we need to be cool and chill to each other, and not harsh anyone’s mellow.”

Donna took his hand. “That’s so deep, Wyatt.” He gave her a dopey grin and she blushed again.

“Ho-kay!” Dominick clapped his hands together and stretched theatrically. “I think maybe the kids need a little air. Some exercise and a slice of pizza might help them burn off the hallucinogens. Violet, would you help me chaperone?” She was slightly baffled at the request, but stood up.

“Good idea - I know just the place.” Wyatt gave Donna a hand as she rose. “A quality slice for a quality trip.”

Lola nodded, attention fixed on the instagram photos. “Bring me back some garlic knots, please.”

“Yes dear.” Dom kissed her on the forehead then herded everyone out. As he shut the door, Zoey mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ to him.

“I like that Wyatt guy.” Lola continued to poke at the computer. “He’s my kind of dirtbag.”

Then the laptop was gently pulled from her hands, and Zoey sat in her lap, legs straddling the surprised woman. Zoey held Lola’s face, silently staring into her eyes, radiating love and gratitude.

“You’re so beautiful,” she murmured. Lola blushed, the sincerity of the words taking her aback.

It took Lola a moment to speak. “I love you, Zoey. I’d die before I’d let anyone hurt you.”

Zoey kept hold of her face. “People say that all the time. You meant it. It’s the bravest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

Lola gave her a saucy smile. “It’s easy to be brave when you’re properly motivated.”

Zoey matched her smile, then grabbed Lola’s hoodie and pulled. There were a few seconds of fumbling, the pair laughing as they struggled, and then Lola was topless.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever had to do that,” Zoey noted.

“Hopefully the last time,” Lola growled. “It’s humiliating - wearing clothes. My sex slave ancestors are shaking their heads in sex slave heaven.”

“We gotta fix that - next thing you know, you’ll be wearing pants!” Zoey dropped down, eyes full of lust, and grabbed Lola’s panties with her teeth. She tried to pull them down, but it’s harder than it looks in porn - especially if your lover is sitting on the floor.

Lola let her struggle for a bit, then sat up to give her a hand. “Good try, beanpole.”

Zoey wrinkled her nose as she stood up, pulling her shirt over her head. “God forbid a woman try to be slutty for her wife! Get on the bed!”

They fell into each other’s arms, smiling and laughing, which gave way to kissing and panting. Lips locked, they sank fingers into each other’s sex, pressing together and breathing as one. 

Zoey was soon whispering to God, eyes closed and flush with lust. She scrambled down to eat Lola out, moving a free hand to her own pussy, staring up from the woman’s legs with eyes full of joy. Lola lay back, curling her fingers in Zoey’s red hair, and let her work.

She went slow, drew it out, tried to show Lola the depths of her gratitude. Zoey figured the arching back, shaking legs and wordless cries of pleasure probably meant she’d gotten her point across.

Lola dragged her up as the orgasm crested, kissing her deep between ragged breaths, and added her hand to Zoey’s own so they could get her off together, Lola pumping into her pussy as Zoey rubbed at her clit. The small woman came quickly after that, squirming and babbling about her perfect wife.

Soon they were snuggled up on the bed, huffing contentedly and staring at the ceiling.

“Thank god Nicky got Donna and Wyatt out of here.” Zoey held her hands in prayer for a moment. “I’ve been wanting to do that for hours.”

Lola agreed. “It’s a very special kind of husband that takes the kids for pizza so his wife can get laid.” Zoey snorted and Lola tickled her ribs, drawing further laughter.

“So,” Lola gestured at her lithe naked body. “What do you think of Lola version 1.0?”

Zoey considered. “It’s a different look, for sure. Were you on the track team? You look like someone who knows their way around a pole vault.”

“Uh, yeah - I got bronze in pole vault and silver in triple jump at the state championship senior year. You don’t remember?” Lola sat up on an elbow, confused.

“Sweetie, I don’t remember this version of you at all. I was driving to work when you made your wish. Lola 2.0 was the teenage sex bomb with the biggest tits in school - teachers included - that all the boys lusted after.” 

“The day you turned eighteen, you bought your collar, burned your clothes, and showed up on Nicky’s doorstep. Your dad nearly killed him, and you took the school to court over their ‘draconian’ dress code. Commencement was a fucking circus.”

“HAH! Sounds like some shit I’d do.” Lola smiled at the thought for a moment, then paused and touched her neck. “Oh that bitch! She took my collar!” Her fists curled reflexively. “Attacking my wife is one thing - but you DON’T FUCK with the collar!”

Laughing, Zoey took Lola’s hands, unclenching them. “Good to know where I stand on the hierarchy.” She started to nuzzle Lola’s neck. “...You think we’ve got time for round two?”

Lola nodded, excited. “If I know Master, he’s got all them planning and theorizing somewhere, eating their pizza nice and slow. He knew exactly what he was doing.”

“We’ll have to thank him in the shower tomorrow morning.”

It was a disconcerting experience to wake up without a penis, but Dominick rebounded quickly when the girls dragged him into the shower. He emerged in an excellent mood, rubbing his auburn hair with the towel and whistling.

“Mornin’, Vasquez.” Wyatt waved at the (from his perspective) naked woman, then offered a can. “Beer?”

Dom shrieked and scrambled to cover himself. “What are you doing here!? How did you get in!?”

“Brought some breakfast.” He gestured to the table, where a box of donuts and a 12-pack of Roger’s Pilsner awaited. “And I got in through the connecting door - crashed with Donna last night. We’ve got work to do, and I didn’t want to waste time.”

Wyatt put his hands up at Dom’s outraged expression. “I was a perfect gentleman the whole night. We Treadwells are famed for our gallantry. And it’s not like I’ve never seen a naked lady before…”

“AAAH!” Zoey shrieked and scrambled to cover herself. “Wyatt!?”

“Morning. Beer?”

“I’ll take a beer!” Lola strolled in, naked as a jaybird. Wyatt slung a brew and she caught it one handed, flopping into a chair and grabbing a chocolate frosted.

“Mistress!” Violet stuck her head around the bathroom door. “Be careful with the carbohydrates! You’re not immune to weight gain at present.”

Wyatt looked from Violet to Lola, eyebrow raised. “Your coven’s got a real weird energy.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” She took a bite out of the donut and washed it down with the beer. “So what’s the plan, Master?”

“Fuck if I know. Try to find Sarah, then go to night two of the Hot Girls Party and find Alex. One of them must be willing to see reason.”

“Reason seems in short supply, Mr. Vasquez.” Violet emerged and knelt beside Lola, who started cutting up a donut for her. “I think emotions will be running high on both sides after last night.”

“Mr. Vasquez?” Wyatt looked Dom up and down, then caught the wristband. “Oh! My bad, dawg. You’re a Brujo, not a Bruja.”

“And don’t forget it.” Dom turned to Zoey. “What do you think, hon?”

“I think Sarah's a good kid, but she's absolutely freaked out right now. In her mind, the Body Snatchers have come to town.” She stared at the ceiling for a moment, thinking.

“Maybe we’re being too aggro about all this. What if we just wrote her a letter, and tried to explain? Give her a safe way to reach out?”

Lola finished her beer and tossed the can into the trash. “I mean, it might work, but it lacks the pizazz of Master shooting lightning bolts and calling down interdimensional gods.”

“I haven’t figured out lightning bolts yet,” Dom retorted, tongue sticking out from kissable lips. “But I’m pretty sure I could force push a bitch, if I needed to.”

Zoey gave him the side-eye. “We’ll leave ‘force push a bitch’ as Plan B.”

Sarah,

I know you’re scared, but I promise things aren’t as bad as you think. No one is being changed against their will - it’s all consensual and reversible. Donna is very scary to see, but she’s not a monster - she’s just a girl from another dimension who screwed up.

We’re trying to help her, and trying to help you.

Call me, text me, email me - whatever makes you feel safe. We’ll figure it out.

Zoey grabbed a rock to hold down the envelope, then placed it on a picnic table in the dorm courtyard. She’d come alone to deliver it, no show of force - which made the walk back to the car very intimidating. It felt like there was a hooded face behind every window, a crackling lightning fist waiting to strike just out of sight. 

When she got back in the car, Zoey let out a deep sigh and wiped the sweat away. “Ok, letter sent. Hopefully she’ll see it. Now let’s get the hell outta here.”

“Yeah, it’s time for the fun part of the day!” Lola turned eager eyes to Dom as he drove. “Clothes shopping for Master!”

He rolled his eyes and smiled. “You three always find an excuse to get me in a dress.”

“We have to strike while the iron is hot, sir,” Violet added. “And you are incredibly hot right now.”

“Thank you for indulging us, Nicky.” Zoey pecked him on the cheek.

“All good, hon. Gonna need something nicer for this next party anyway. No heels though - I’ve never been able to walk in the damn things.”

“I mean, you could practice for a few weeks and get the hang of it,” Lola helpfully offered. “I’m sure we’d find the strength to endure your perfect tits and sweet, sweet pussy.”

“Yeah!” Donna nodded eagerly. “I want to try too!”

Everyone turned to her, shocked, and she shrank back. “What? I’ve never worn heels before. I want to practice…”