Author's Note – Patreon Update
Hello everyone,
Hastur here, I've recently updated my Patreon tiers with clearer benefits and pricing so that readers who want to support can enjoy more content and extras. Here is a quick breakdown:
Level 1 – $2/month
+1 chapter ahead of Occult: World of Yandere
Free Occult Item WIP post
Your name will appear in the Cult Hall of Fame in the story as an Easter Egg after it is complete at the end of each season starting from volume 2 onwards
Level 2 – $3/month
Everything from Level 1
+3 chapters ahead for all non-contracted works (Occult: World of Yandere, Supernatural Billionaire, Law of the Web)
Level 3 – $5/month
Everything from previous tiers
+6 chapters ahead for non-contracted works
First look at character sheets (1 week ahead of everyone else)
Coffee Role in Discord (default)
I appreciate every bit of support, whether you're following along here or joining Patreon, it helps me keep creating and releasing more chapters.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
Bella Zane Fan Art by Voxcell3
The people here, are definitely going to take done anything I post anyways, you can see it free on Patreon if you can't see it here.
Nier wait patiently opposite of him, the two woman began to look at their plate's, saliva dripping from there mouth.
Two plates sat before them, no, not plates, works of art.
Imani had something deep and fragrant, a slow-roasted duck breast glazed with pomegranate reduction, the skin crisped just right, juices pooling on porcelain like liquid rubies. Roasted carrots and wild mushrooms sat alongside, all drizzled with a special sweet sauce.
Tanya's plate was the opposite, delicate, and refined. A filet of sea bass, skin seared until it cracked like glass, laid over a bed of saffron risotto, steam rising, the scent buttery and floral. A crown of fresh herbs crowned the dish like a jewel.
Nier? On the other hand had nothing.
Not a single plate in front of him. He sat across the counter, his crimson eyes flicking between them like he was waiting for their hones judgment.
"What are you ladies waiting for, you can eat you know."
He said simply.
His voice was low, calm, but commanding enough that both women obeyed without question. Forks scraped softly as they dug in, silence filling the kitchen except for the clink of silverware and their muffled breaths.
Imani took her first bite and froze. Her lips parted, her lashes fluttered.
Oh, hell no…
She muttered, one hand pressing her chest.
"This is… damn. This is better than sex. Marcus, forgive me."
Nier smirked faintly, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.
Tanya hesitated, her fork trembling just slightly before she took a bite of the sea bass. The flavor hit her tongue and she nearly dropped her fork.
"¡Dios mío…
She whispered under her breath, her accent thick.
"Esto es no sé ni cómo explicarlo."
She shook her head, her flustered, cheeks glowing hot.
"I don't… I don't even have words."
Imani cackled, pointing her fork at her.
"Look at you, girl! Red as a strawberry, you love his cooking don't yah."
Tanya shoved her shoulder, flustered.
"¡Cállate! Don't make it worse."
She said, while Imani finally pushed her plate back a little, still savoring the taste on her tongue. She tilted her head at Nier, curiosity flashing in her eyes.
"This is so good, it's like the saying, once you black you never go back, but for food.
But quickly out of her Foodgasm, she looked at Nier, quickly realize what was currently off about him, as she asked.
"Why you not eatin hun? You worked all this magic and then just sit there starin you good?"
Nier's crimson eyes flicked her way, calm as ever, merely responding to her question with.
"I already ate before you came."
Imani narrowed her gaze, unconvinced, but before she could pry, an unexpected question left his mouth.
"So… what do the two of you do for a living, if you don't mind me asking!?"
It was such a simple question, but it landed heavy. Tanya stiffened, her eyes dropping to her plate like she could hide inside the saffron risotto. Imani glanced at her, feeling the same way as well, she was just better at hiding her embarrassment.
Tanya cleared her throat, finally speaking.
"Well I work for a small software company. My position is called an Email Quality Assurance Specialist. Sounds more important than it is. Basically, I monitor the inbox, sort through emails, flag things, and make sure I separate important from non important, and make sure nothing sensitive slips through or gets ignored. It pays decent enough, but…
Her voice thinned, softening.
"…It is quite the boring job. And things have been hard, especially since my husband hasn't been working lately. It has been five years now."
The air grew heavy at her news, she was a lot more open, and in her current state would reveal literally almost anything to Nier at this moment.
Imani's fork hit the marble with a sharp clink.
"Five years? Hahaha everytime I here your situation it just pisses me off."
Her voice rose with anger.
"You lettin that man sit on his ass for half a decade while you hold it down with a job you don't even like? To make things even worse the fucker even gambles away their savings. Nah, Tanya. That is not a husband, that is a damn parasite, I say dump him, and get your self a real man."
Tanya winced, recoiling as heat spread up her neck.
"Imani, don't go there, he is jus going through his own dem...
"His own what!?"
Imani raise her voice a bit
But Nier cut in, his voice cutting through the moment with a tone that made both of them freeze.
"He sounds like a total loser."
Tanya's mouth opened in shock.
She wanted to deny it, but honestly she couldn't.
"You… you sound like Imani now."
She whispered softly, trying to smile, trying to defend herself, but her hands betrayed her, clutching her glass a little too tight.
Nier didn't move, but he didn't even seem interested in the topic related to her husband in a positive light.
"Then maybe you are right, sorry for the disrespect, but the guy seem like a joke, a man child, hahaha... An adult bibi."
Imani laughed, bitter and sharp, like she had been waiting to hear another fellow man say what she had been saying all along for years.
"Thank you so much Nier! Finally, somebody calls it like it is. Five years? Hell no. Maybe if she hear it from some a successful as you, she will wake the fuck up, Tanya my bet friend. It hurts me to see that she is being taken advantage of, and honestly I think it's because of the fact her husband is her first lover, she call me and my boo highschool sweetheart, but honestly we have only been together for fourteen years, while he has been with that leech for 22 years."
"Hmmm...
Nier groaned as she looked at Tanya and said to himself.
'Ohhh, so she basically has a boring married life, hell I dare say even a boring love life as a whole. Given she has only know the touch of a single man.'
Tanya’s lips trembled.
She shifted fast, desperate to steer the conversation away from her crumbling pride.
"What about you, Nier? What do you do?"
At the question he shrugged, and answered honestly.
"I used to work at a call center Esther BPO... A High-paying one at that. I dealt with a lot of international clients. Nothing interesting to be honest."
The women blinked at him. Tanya's brow furrowed; Imani tilted her head like she was trying to peel back his layers.
"A call center?"
Imani scoffed.
"Boy, don't tell me some call center gig bought all this?"
Nier only looked at her, unreadable. And deep down, both women felt the same: he wasn't telling the whole story. And it was clear he didn't want to. That privacy hung heavy, and though they understood, it left them aching to know more. Especially Imani.
That aside however, his eyes lingered on her, as Nier then asked steering the spot light from him to her.
"And how about you? What do you do for a living?"
Imani leaned back in her seat, swirling what was left of her drink.
"Me? I float around here and there, I am one of the crazy bitches that dares to go out and work when I can. Albeit I must say it is just a collection of part-time jobs, here and there. But my real skill's are cars, my dad is a mechanic that lives in the country side with my step mom. It was from him that I learn how to repair, rebuilds, and tune engines for cars, all that grease-monkey work. Surprises people, but yeah, I am really good at it."
Tanya looked at her like, she knew she go out and work, mostly at restaurants as a waitress, or a janitor at the library, but she didn't know she was a mechanic, as such she just learned something new about her best friend.
But at the same time, Nier looked at Imani who got up, and leaned forward, whispering something in his ears.
It was clear that she for some reason did not want Tanya to hear what she was about to say.
At this moment Imani's lips where close enough to brush Nier's ear. Her voice dropped low, as prep to tell him a little dark secret of hers, trembling in spite of her boldness.
"…Look baby, I don't know why I am doing this, given this was something I plan to take to grave with me, but... Marcy hooked me up with OnlyFanservice a couple months back. And yes, my husband doesn't know. Working at the Military has it's benefits, and the pay he makes is good, but alas It is not enough. Especially after we had to take out a massive loan recently for his mom's heart surgery... Your interested search me Up. Ms-Temptation3961."
Her breath shivered as she pulled back, sitting upright again, trying to look normal, but her chest felt tight.
Deep down she knew that wasn't supposed to slip. That was supposed to stay buried, shared only with Marcy.
But under Nier's gaze and presence, it had come out like a confession she couldn't hold back.
Tanya was too lost in her own storm to notice.
But Nier? He noticed. And the faint curve of his lips said he wasn't going to let it go.
With that, he looked at her and said.
"Why don't you girls finish your meals, and we can go to the pool, and take a swim."
"Ha, but we didn't bring anything, beside we don't want to overstay our welcome, you have offered, and done so much for us already."
"Hmmm.... I don't mind skinny dipping!?"
Imani said, biting her lips, suddenly she feels so comfortable, for some reason she want to impress Nier.
'Ah, why are my thoughts just full of him right now, W-What is happening to me!?'
She said to herself.
But ultimately the time she had to question herself was gone. As in the next moment, Nier asked and said.
"You ok Imani, you look flustered!"
"Ahh, yeah, this is some strong stuff, I think I will call it quits for the time being, but yeah, I don't mind spending the rest of the day swimming. But before that, I would need to go home a grab a swim suit though."
She said, but Nier just commented.
"No need."
"Hmmm.... My mother has a wide array of swim suit upstairs in the dress room, it an entire closest with a series of clothes, basically her private collection, she even has different sizes for some reason. You two can check and see if anything up there fit's you first."
"Really!?'
Imani asked with a smile, and Nier responded with.
"Yes really."