Page 31 of Vanessa’s Bravery

Cole blinked once, twice, but the image didn’t change. The grotesque growth he’d been living with for thirty-eight years was gone. In its place, an inch or so above his regular cock, was a perfectly formed second cock, which he assumed was working just like his other one. And the reason he assumed this was, because this new cock was just as hard as his old one. In fact, two erections were currently pointing upward, ready for action.

He touched the new cock, wrapping his hand around it. It felt the same as his regular cock, though its girth was a little less, and, naturally, it wasn’t circumcised like the other one.

Thoughts and questions ping-ponged around his brain, searching for answers and looking for confirmation that he wasn’t hallucinating. Everything Gabriel had said to him last night came back to the forefront of his mind.

Genetic mutation.

A second cock.

Satyr.

The woman you’re meant to be with.

He recalled that Gabriel had mentioned that he needed to have sex with the woman who was meant for him for the growth to transform into a second cock. But he didn’t remember whether he’d stated how long it would take to grow his second cock. Surely, it wouldn’t happen within a few hours. No, no, such a complicated organ couldn’t just be conjured up overnight. He’d been with a prostitute a little over a week ago, just before he’d left Chicago for San Francisco. So, maybe this had taken a week. Because if it had really sprouted overnight after he’d had sex with Vanessa, then wouldn’t that mean that she was the one he was meant to be with? He rubbed his scalp, trying to make his brain work faster. Or was it the prostitute in Chicago who’d caused this change in him?

Did it even matter? Wouldn’t it mean in either case that the woman he was supposed to be with was a prostitute? But it did matter. It mattered to him. Why hadn’t he asked Gabriel more details about how this process worked? And did this mean that only the woman who’d caused this change in him would accept him? Would he be happy with her? Or could he find happiness with someone else?

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

He pressed his hands to his temples, and exhaled a shaky breath. What now? He needed help to deal with this. But first and foremost, he needed more information. And since the internet wasn’t any help, he had to speak to Gabriel again.

In the bedroom, he found the jacket he’d worn the previous night, and searched its pockets, until he found the card Gabriel had given him. He read it.

Gabriel Giles, Scanguards, Private Security.

Below it was a number. Cole snatched his cell phone from the nightstand, and punched in the number. It rang. Impatiently, he paced in front of his closet. Why the hell wasn’t he picking up? It rang a fourth time, before the call was finally connected.

“Yeah?”

The voice was male and groggy.

“Gabriel? Gabriel Giles?”

“Yes? Who is this?”

“Cole, Cole Whitlock from last night. You told me about…” He dropped his voice as if somebody could overhear him. “…me being a satyr…”

“I know who you are. What’s going on?” He sounded a little more alert now.

For a second, Cole felt a twinge of guilt. Had he woken the man? The previous night, he’d mentioned that he had to get back to work. Perhaps he’d worked all night.

“I’m sorry if I woke you. But this is really important. And urgent.” The words fairly tumbled over his lips.

“Tell me what’s going on.”

“I need to speak to you in person. I can’t… over the phone it’s just too… Please, can we meet? I don’t care where. I’m freaked out.”

He heard a loud breath through the phone, then a second voice, this one female and more distant.

“What’s wrong, babe?” the woman asked.

“Go back to sleep, baby,” Gabriel replied. “Nothing to worry about.”

Then Gabriel’s voice came through a little louder. “I can’t leave the house right now.”

“But it’s really important. I can come to you. Gabriel, please, my head is exploding, and you’re the only one who can help me.”

There was a short pause, then Gabriel said, “Fine, come to my house. I live in Pacific Heights. I’ll text you my address.”