Demon Rising

This was originally written for Halloween last year, but I didn't finish it. I set it aside for many months until I realized Halloween was coming again and I finally had an excuse to finish this. Thus, rewind your minds and place this in October 2002.

Thanks to: my study-buddy from high school English class. I know I never remembered your name (and I still don't), but you, mon amie, are in this. Thanks also to the real Kathryn Black for letting me use her name.

Feed me. Please.

"So, Lex, what are you doing for Halloween?" asked Clark Kent as they sat in the older man's office.

Lex Luthor looked up from his work for a moment. "I plan to get drunk," he said with great conviction.

"You do that too much. We need to find you something else to do on these holidays."

"Holidays? Clark, Halloween was once the day the dead rose from the grave. It was since taken over by the candy companies. It has fallen from a respectable holiday about ancestors and the power of the supernatural to a free-for-all involving candy, toilet paper, and eggs."

"So? That doesn't mean we can't celebrate it in an older style."

"And what did you have in mind Clark? Black robes, incense, and sacrifices?" Lex closed his laptop, interested in the direction of this conversation.

"Nah. I was thinking more along the lines of demon worship," Clark answered, sounding quite serious.

"What? Clark Kent interested in black magic? Never thought I'd see the day."

"Beware the bald voodoo doll, Lex," Clark said with a grin. "No, I was thinking something more like a party, dressing up as the demons, demanding worship."

Lex tried not to think of what that idea said about Clark's personality. "Would your parents really agree to that or were you thinking of doing it right?" Lex extended the unspoken invitation.

Clark caught it. "Doing it right, of course. A haunted castle is the perfect setting for a demon rising."

"Especially the downstairs ballroom. It's got this creepy feeling to it. Don't know why." Lex was thinking how he was going to have to change the room before he let the public in. He remembered Clark's first party, vividly.

"Lex, what should we wear?"

"You're to one who suggested demon uprising, let's stick with that."

"Right, but how would we appear as demons? It's kind of a loose interpretation and I don't think cute little red horns are going to cut it."

Lex made a face. "Most definitely not, Clark. I plan on going as the one thing everyone else sees me as: the spawn of Satan. I refuse to wear `cute little red horns,' even if I have to steal a pair from your cows."

Clark grinned. "Like in that Tenacious D video? That's a bit much, don't you think?"

"Nah. I am half human, that relegates me to small horns, claws, and a tail. A dexterous tail. You, however, are not limited. You could be a demon higher than me, you could be a brother, you could even be my slave."

"What do you think would work best, Lex?" Clark stretched as prettily as he could.

Lex gulped. The answer came to him in a flash of insight. "You'd look good as a cat, Clark," Lex said.

Clark stopped stretching. "A cat? As in, meow?"

"Meow."

"Are you sure? I'm not sure prancing around in cute little ears is right for a demon, you know?"

"I never said `cute little ears,' Clark. I said `cat.' Trust me, there are ways to make a person dressed as a cat both dangerous and sexy. I have seen sex symbols who would make good cats."

"Umm," Clark said nervously.

"Let me put it this way, Clark. You dress up as a cat and I'll allow the use of the ballroom."

"Well when you put it that way..."

"I'll get a designer I know working on this as soon as possible. Don't worry, Clark, you'll look good. I'll make sure of it."

Clark sat in thought for a few moments. Lex opened his laptop again. Just as he started to type, Clark spoke up. "You know, it's be hard to have a demon rising with only two demons. Even if one is the spawn of Satan. I mean, what about Satan himself?"

Lex closed his laptop again. "You do realize you're suggesting we bring my father into this, right?"

"Don't tell me you can't see your father as Satan, Lex."

"Oh, I've imagined him in that role many times. I'm just not sure I want to bring him into this. There will be conditions that I'm not sure either of us would enjoy."

"Enjoy what, Lex?" came the reply from the doorway. Lionel stood there, nonchalantly leaning on his cane. When no reply was forthcoming, he elaborated. "I happen to think it very fitting for the `spawn of Satan' to have a feline slave. And yes, there would be conditions."

"You were listening," Lex said. I wasn't a question.

"It wasn't hard, Lex. You two need to learn to keep it down. One never knows when a spy lurks in the midst." Lionel sauntered in and sat down in an armchair across from Clark and Lex. When nothing was said, he broke the ice. "Aren't you going to ask me?"

Clark shrugged at Lex and dove in. "Would you be Satan for us?" he asked.

"There's something you must do for me first," Lionel said.

Told you so, mouthed Lex.

"Clark, I want your father to be my slave."

Two heads turned to face him and stare incredulously. "What?" they asked.

"You heard me. I want Jonathon Kent as my slave for all of Halloween night. If you can pull this off, you'll have your Satan." Lionel got up to leave. "Oh, and Lex, you know who I want for the costuming." He left.

"That was easy," Lex said.

"Yeah. Now I have to convince my father," Clark said. An idea formed. "What if we don't really tell him what's going on? We could just tell him it's a Halloween party here and we have someone to design his costume, dress him as a demon's slave, then introduce him to his master a few minutes before the party starts."

Lex stared in awe. "You, Clark, are a manipulative genius. Should I be worried?"

Clark smiled. "Hey, a guy's gotta have a hobby."

Lionel smiled evilly from his spot outside the door. Yes, he really did like that Kent boy.

"You want me to do what?" Jonathon asked incredulously.

"Lex and I are planning a Halloween party at the castle and we were wondering if you could help us. We need people to dress up as demons," Clark said carefully.

"And you two, I suppose, are going to sit back and laugh at my pitiful costuming," Jonathon said accusingly.

"Dad, you wound me. Actually, Lex, Lionel, and I are all dressing up. Lionel has a costume designer in mind and she said she's willing to do up to 6 costumes for us. Please, Dad? I promise you're not going to end up a fool." Clark nearly pleaded.

At that point Martha walked in from her day at work. "Mr. Luthor informed me that Clark and Lex are throwing a Halloween party. They asked him to be Satan for them and he agreed. He asked me to join his ranks of evil demons for that night."

Jonathon looked at her. "Clark just asked me to join them as well," he said. "Apparently they're all going to be demons."

"Why don't you join us, Jonathon? It'd help bring us all together."

Jonathon looked from Martha to Clark, then back at Martha. "You're all conspiring against me, aren't you?"

"Is it working?" Clark asked.

"I'll do it," Jonathon said, defeated.

Martha grinned. She was genuinely happy that the five of them could get along.

Clark grinned. He had some good news to tell the Luthors. Satan was rising.

The three of them and Lex stood in one of the rooms in the castle. They were just standing around, waiting for Lionel's pick of costume designer to walk in. The sound of a stereo growing closer caught all their attentions. The door opened revealing Lionel and a short nondescript woman carrying a small stereo system, an art box, and a pad of paper. The lights glinted off her thick glasses and her hair changed colors from red to gold to brown as she moved.

She grinned at the four. She put her stuff down on a chair and moved up to embrace Lex. "Lex, honey, how you doin'? It's been what, a year?" she greeted Lex cheerfully.

Lex made no move to pull away or deepen the embrace. "Hello, Kitty," he said blandly.

"Ah, you never were the affectionate type. Oh, who's this god in flannel?" Kitty disengaged and sidled up to Clark. Clark just stood there and looked uncomfortable.

"Leave my demons alone, Kathryn," Lionel said, amused. "Make them suitable. Lex and Clark have ideas concerning the three men, follow my instructions on Martha, and you know what I expect for myself."

"Yes, Lionel. One horde of demons coming right up," Kitty said with a grin from saying the word "coming."

Lionel guessed her thoughts. "Lex, make sure she's never alone with anyone," Lionel stage-whispered. "Well, anyone other than myself."

Lex sighed. "Yes, Father," he said. As Lionel sat in a chair to observe, Lex led Kitty off into a side room, dragging Clark with.

"You do realize, Kitty, that you have to worst gutter mind I have ever seen, and I'm including my own in that comparison," Lex said as soon as the door was closed.

"I'm a Scorpio, what do you expect? Anyway, Lionel mentioned something about you two running this whole thing?" Kitty jumped quickly into the subject at hand. "Lionel plans on going as Satan, something about conditions, and wants Jonathon, I'm guessing the blond guy out there as his scantily clad slave. Any objections?"

Clark made a face. "Other than Jonathon Kent, the blond guy, is my dad and I'd rather not know what Lionel's planning for him, no objections."

Lex grinned. "Lionel's conditions were to get Jonathon as his slave for all of Halloween night. Scantily clad slave sounds about right. However, Jonathon doesn't know this and to keep him from knowing we'll need a few more scantily clad demons than just him."

Kitty nodded then looked Clark up and down. "We could dress both slaves in loincloths and really not much else. That would work, no? Heck, we could get all five of you showing some skin. Sound good?"

Before Clark could answer, Lex gave an affirmative. Plans were made so each of the five could be drawn. Kitty needed drawings of each of her subjects before she could costume them. As plans were finalized, Clark spoke up. "Out of curiosity, what does Lionel have planned for my mother?"

"Martha? Not much, just horns, hooves, tail, stockings, corset, you know the Victoria's Secret model from Hell? Kinda like that." Clark's eyebrows raised and a blush formed from the suggestion in Kitty's words.

The three of them rejoined the group and Kitty announced her drawing schedule.

"Stop stalling and get naked, Kent." Clark's jaw dropped at Kitty's comment. "I need to draw you, Clark. That means I need you naked."

Jonathon, in the background, blushed furiously. "And why do you need to draw him naked?" he asked sternly. "Why not draw him in costume?"

"Costume for the both of you consists of ears, tail, fur, and loincloth. Demons don't wear much. I don't have any loincloths handy and I need to see his legs and hips to design this correctly." Kitty stated all this very matter of factly.

Clark sighed. "Could you get someone else in here?" he asked. "Someone who isn't one of my parents?"

Jonathon looked horrified at the thought of leaving Clark alone with someone who wanted him naked so badly. He then looked annoyed as Clark shoved him out the door. "Sure," Kitty said. "I can get Lionel in here."

"Sure, fine, that works." Kitty raised an eyebrow at his agreement. "Lionel isn't my father," Clark clarified. And Lex is busy, he thought to himself as Lionel was called.

After the end of two days, there were only four days left until Halloween. Kitty had also finished the preliminary drawings of all five. The incident with Clark was the only notable problem aside from Jonathon and Martha needing to watch one another, which almost lead to a much heavier session than planned. Lex's designer was already at work in the ballroom, the balcony overlooking the main floor being converted into Satan's Lair.

The five demons and Kitty were currently in a conference room discussing Kitty's ideas.

"Are you sure you really want the boys to look like this?" Martha asked. She was holding pictures of Clark and Jonathon in fur and loincloths and one of Lex in horns, tail, and a slightly more ornate butt-flap.

Kitty nodded. "You haven't even seen what Lionel planned for you, Martha," she said slyly. She handed the woman a sketch.

Martha picked up the paper and her eyes went wide at the sight of herself in a tiny leather dress, stockings and garter belt, horns, hooves, tail, claws; she looked like someone's twisted fantasy. She gaped.

Kitty leaned over to Lionel. "You've got her gaping like a fish, Lionel. In every bad romance story ever written now would be the time to smooch the living daylights out of her."

Jonathon stood up, enraged. "How dare you talk about my wife like that?!"

"Dad, hold it," Clark said sternly and hauled him back down. "Kitty is just fooling around, you know that by now."

"I won't have that woman speaking about your mother in such a way."

"Dad, she's been talking about all of us in equally twisted ways, or haven't you noticed?" Jonathon gave a blank look under his anger. "You mean you really haven't noticed? Come on, Dad, do you really think Lex is going to have an affair with his pool cue? That Mom's jealous of the cows on the farm? That Kitty herself has been sleeping with a man old enough to be her grandfather?" Clark rattled off some of the jabs that Kitty had made over the past two days.

Martha looked up. "Don't worry about it, Jonathon. Don't be so uptight. Can't have that this Halloween."

Lex grinned. "Well, now we know where Clark learned how to be so easy."

"I am not easy," Clark said half-heartedly. Everybody in the room, save Jonathon, turned to look at him. Clark blushed and sank into his chair. Lionel snorted, breaking the tension.

"Besides, Martha, I've got everyone looking like a sex symbol," Kitty said seriously.

"Are you sure you can pull this off? I mean, I'm not exactly young and firm," Martha said objectively.

Kitty nodded. "Don't worry, I've got just the thing for it."

"How?"

"Trade secret. Also known as the boned corset. I've worn one on occasion, they work wonders. They're also uncomfortable, be warned."

Martha nodded. "What about the boys? Won't they, how should I put this..."

"Won't they fall out of their costumes? Especially Clark, whom I have to say is one of the longer ones I've seen." Clark blushed fire red and tried to slip inconspicuously under the table as both Lionel and Lex gave him approving looks. "I plan on putting g-strings into each of their costumes. That'll hold them all in and allow for generous cheekage should their flaps fly."

Jonathon stared incredulously once again at Kitty. Only the thought that Clark and Lex were also submitting to this woman kept him from walking out the door that moment.

Kitty cleared her throat and grinned evilly. "Wait `till I show you what I have planned for Lionel." She passed a drawing around the table.

Each person nodded appreciatively, gawked openly, or shivered in fear. Lex spoke the one question on everyone's mind. "Is this doable in four days?"

"Two days, actually," Kitty said. "He'll need to have a couple days of wearing the main apparatus in order to get used to it and to get the movements down. But, yes, it is doable in two days. I have a friend to do the wirework, another in the leather business to supply the four dozen rabbit skins we'll need for all of you, and everything else can be found either here in Smallville or out in Metropolis. Either way, we have work to do. Let's get to it."

The others glanced nervously at her before getting up. Lex went off to check on his decorator, Martha and Lionel wandered off to get some work done, Clark started talking to Kitty about leather types, and Jonathon stood in the room, wondering what on Earth had just happened.

Costumes were finished at the end of the two days and the Kents were called over just after dinner to try them on. Each person was handed the clothing portion of their costume and told to change.

Jonathon looked at Martha in her corset-style leather dress and the tiny leather garter belt and g-string she wore underneath and realized it would all be worth it if she got to keep that costume. He didn't even mind his own tiny loincloth, complete with annoying g-string.

Then he saw Lionel come out of the dressing room. The man was wearing what must have been the apparatus that Kitty had mentioned. He had large, graceful, bat-like wings on his back, strapped on in such a way that they looked real. The harness holding them on looked much more like the network of leather straps and chains that his clothing was made of than anything artificial. The wings moved ever so slightly when he did, giving the impression that they were opening and closing with his breath. As he walked in, Jonathon got a glimpse of the long, powerful tail extending from the man's rear. It swung back and forth realistically as he walked. Jonathon's eyes traveled from the bare feet, up the long, thin legs, past the, wow even Lionel had to wear a loincloth, up the flat abs, the strong, hairy chest, the long graceful neck, to the clear, sightless eyes. Damn, he looks hot, Jonathon thought. All thought stopped. Where in Hell had that come from? He looked Lionel up and down again. Maybe Hell isn't that far off, he thought. He got the great impression that he wouldn't mind Hell if this is what it had to offer.

Lex walked out of dressing room next, perfect skin and lean muscle. He sauntered as though he knew he was the son of Satan and that nothing would phase him. The g-string he was used to from his clubbing days after getting chafed by his leather pants one too many times. He glanced at Lionel and noted how the look suited him. He did a double take at Jonathon's look of confused hunger directed at Lionel. He nodded appreciatively at Martha. He finally looked for Clark, who hadn't come out yet.

The opening of a door announced the final arrival. Clark stepped gingerly into the room, feeling, well, naked. He glanced at everyone else, eyes landing on Lex. Wow, the man looked like he should be the cat, all lean power. He looked as though his skin were made to draw stripes on. His muscles twanged with stored power even as he stood still. Clark's eyes drifted from the small feet to the pale, hairless, perfect legs, the bulging crotch, the finely muscled chest, over the strong shoulders, finally up the long neck to his silver eyes. Clark swallowed a mouthful of drool and willed his erection to stay low.

Lex couldn't help but stare at Clark. The younger man had no tan lines, anywhere. Golden skin as far as the eye could see. Muscled like a Chippendale's dancer. Broad chest sparsely dotted with hair. Washboard abs. A round, firm, tanned rear that had a habit of throwing the leather cloth aside as he walked, showing generous cheekage. Long, powerful legs built for running, perfect for wrapping around a slender waist. Large hands and feet making for perfect paws. And that face, even nearly naked standing next to Lionel who looked like a twisted gargoyle, he looked like an angel. Specifically an angel waiting to be debauched. Lex grinned; knowing that if all went well he would debauch that angel before this Halloween passed.

Kitty walked in under a pile of stockings, furs, claws, ears, steer horns, and sewing supplies. She dropped everything in a grand gesture onto a table to one side and gestured for her first victim to take the floor.

Lex walked up proudly. She grinned and adjusted his loincloth while telling him how hot he looked. She removed from the pile a spiked tail and held it up to his rear. She ordered him to wiggle his hips a little and made note of how the tail swayed as he moved. She picked a pair of horns out of the pile and held them up to his head before dropping them back in and getting a different pair. She found a pair; jet-black fading to beige brown that fit his tones perfectly. She fitted a foot with a latex prosthetic claw, giving his foot the "eagle's talon" look. She found the foot's match and handed everything to Lex, telling him to wait until she was finished so she could describe everything to him. She then motioned for her next victim.

Martha walked into the center. Kitty whistled approvingly as she adjusted Martha's breasts and mussed her hair slightly. She removed from the pile a spiked tail similar to Lex's, a pair of dark brown horns, a pair of shimmery stockings, and a pair of heels that gave the illusion of hoofed feet. She made sure everything moved correctly and then handed it all to her, giving her the same instructions as Lex.

Lionel walked up next without having to be asked. Kitty straightened the wings and tail and tested them for realistic-ness. She tested horns and clawed feet on him then handed them to him and sent him off with the other two.

Kitty turned to Clark and Jonathon. "Now, it gets difficult," she said with a sigh.

She spent the better part of three hours on Clark alone, holding rabbit skins against his legs, arms, body, and head, marking them and several pieces of fabric. She took all sorts of measurements wrapping all around his body. She even took a washable marker and made several marks round his body, mainly along the front of his torso. She refused to answer any questions as to why she was drawing there, only swatted him with the pen and told him to shut up and stand still. After measuring, and marking both him and all 2 dozen black pelts, she held a furry black tail against his rear and told him to sway. The tail moved well so she put it in the pile, said he'd get it when his fur was done, and sent him off with the others.

She motioned Jonathon to come stand in the center of the room and put him to the exact same process as his son, only these were gray furs instead of black. He didn't get to keep his tail either as he was sent toward the others. Kitty followed.

By now it was well past 200 am. In the common room, Lionel was lying on his belly asleep. Lex was sitting in a chair, dozing. Clark was curled on the floor almost as a real cat. Martha was in another chair, sleeping as soundly as the confining corset would allow. Jonathon yawned and found another chair and curled up to get some sleep before he had to wake up in two-and-a-half hours.

Kitty walked into the room, intent on discussing a few things with them, but found everyone asleep. She looked at them all and shrugged slightly before walking out to find her computer and get some work done. Some people, she thought, cannot handle being nocturnal.

The next morning, costumes were discussed as Kitty began the handwork on Clark and Jonathon's furs. It would take nearly the entire two days left so she holed herself up in a room in the castle and set to work. No one saw her again until the morning of the 31st when a loud cry of triumph rose from the depths of the castle, scaring several servants.

The call came before Clark could disappear off to school. After an argument it was agreed that Clark could skip school for the day to prepare for the coming night. Chores around the farm were completed and the Kent family appeared at the steps of Luthor Manor.

A bleary eyed Kitty let them in. She led them through the ballroom, which had finally taken shape. The floor was cleared for dancing. Tables around the edges were ready to hold candy and other junk foods. The walls were decked in cobwebby decorations. One wall held over it a scene of a graveyard with drifting ghosts that seemed to move as you did even though it was a still painting. The chandelier that normally hung glinting in the sunlight was decked in flickering lights resembling torches along with more cobwebs and several large spiders and bats. The steps to the balcony were wreathed in false flames. The balcony itself was draped with several tapestries depicting scenes of evil and devilry. The railing around the balcony was lined with more false flames. Above the railing and leading to about 9 feet above the floor were three guy lines in case acrobatics were called for. In the center of the balcony sat a chair, well throne actually, with the Luthor Coat of Arms carved into the back.

Martha, Clark, and Jonathon stopped in the middle of the room and marveled at the decorating. Clark noticed the strobe and laser lighting in the ceiling and pointed it out to the others. Martha noticed the twin fog machines on opposite sides of the room. Jonathon just gaped.

"Impressive, isn't it?" came a voice from the balcony. Lex stood there, dressed normally but still looking quite devilish because of his surroundings.

The three looked up quickly as Kitty turned slowly, betraying her exhaustion. Lex noticed it. "Well, then, Kitty, don't work for days on end without food nor sleep and you won't get this tired."

Kitty glared at him and flipped him off. He dismissed it. "How do you guys like it?" he asked.

"It's quite impressive," Martha said in awe. She turned and voiced her approval on certain details and apprehension on others.

Clark waited for his mother to stop talking before adding his two cents. "It's a bit tamer than we had thought of, but it's very suitable for our purposes, don't you think?"

Lex nodded. "I would have made it a bit darker."

"Exactly."

"But all things considered I doubt we could have asked for a better job than this." Clark nodded at Lex's final word on the subject.

"I approve as well," came another voice from the balcony. Lionel limped up to the edge of the balcony. He was still mostly naked, wings and tail moving even more naturally than before.

Kitty squinted up at the dragon-like form above her. A thought struck her mind. "That reminds me," she said dreamily. "Everyone, not you Lionel, shower, now. You'll be putting your costumes on as soon as you're dry. You all need time to get used to it all. Go, shoo." Lex and Clark headed off in the direction of Lex's bathroom.

The elder Kents looked at her oddly. "What?" she asked. "I said shower, now. We don't have time for this. Git." The pair shrugged and were led by Enrique, who had refused to play a part in this, to a bathroom to shower.

Kitty sighed and climbed the stairs to the balcony. She found Lionel sitting in his throne, looking evil and expectant. "Your slave doesn't yet know his tasks, Lionel. Give me time," she said as she stretched.

"I am only prepared to wait so long, Kathryn," Lionel said coldly.

"Hey, this time you get an added bonus. You get Martha thrown in there along with and everyone around here knows how you've been eyeing her."

"I am no longer capable of `eyeing her' as you are suggesting."

"I am not suggesting, I am declaring outright. And you can still eye her; you can send expression-filled looks in her general direction as you have been since hiring her. Trust me, Lionel, you send out so much I'm surprised no one's called you or her on it." A pause. "Actually, I'm not surprised considering how used these people are about being discreet about and around Lex and Clark."

"What is between them, might I ask. Or do you not know?"

"You know exactly what's between them, sexual tension so thick you could cut it with a knife, double entendres in every third thought, a casualness neither of them have ever known, despite all outward appearances. I've watched them. Clark is as solitary as Lex, in some ways even more so. He's got something about him, something he's hiding and has obviously hidden for quite some time. I don't know what and I doubt that matters much but it seems to matter to Clark. Either Lex knows or Lex doesn't care that he doesn't know. They might accept that each of them has secrets hidden from each other and they're using that as a commonality between them. I dunno, maybe I'm just tired and these are the rantings of an exhausted genius at the end of a caffeine high."

"Tell me, did you ever take a philosophy or psychology course?"

"Yes. Both, introduction to each. I received perfect scores in each class. I also took them early in the morning so I would be an exhausted genius at the end of a caffeine high for every class."

"You see? Being exhausted like that works wonders for your reasoning skills. That, my dear Kathryn, is why I keep coming to you for little favors like this. Thus, I am leaving it up to you to figure out how we are going to break it to Jonathon his forced servitude."

Kitty groaned.

Jonathon and Martha were the first ones done. Kitty looked up from securing one of Lionel's claws. "Martha, could you get two of those hairdryers over there and could you and your husband get dried off for me, please? Thanks."

Martha shrugged as Kitty returned to work and started blow-drying her hair.

After Lionel's clawed feet were done and looking properly devilish, Kitty looked around for the boys. She called for Enrique. "Enrique, where are the boys?" she asked.

"They are still in the shower, Miss Kathryn," Enrique said blandly.

Jonathon paled, Lionel raised an eyebrow, Martha raised two, and Kitty pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. "I knew I shouldn't have let those two go off alone," she said, both annoyed and amused. "I take it they're still going at it?" Enrique nodded; growing amused as he watched Jonathon slowly turn green. "Could you drag them out here as soon as they're done?"

Enrique grinned. "I shall, Miss Kathryn." He disappeared.

Kitty looked around. Lionel looked amused more than anything. Martha looked surprised yet happy. Jonathon looked rather ill.

"Why, Jonathon," Kitty asked innocently, "what's wrong?"

Jonathon gave her an incredulous look. It wasn't really the idea of Clark having sex with another man that bothered him, it was the much more the fact that the idea of two men together turned him on, badly. He had spent years repressing these urges, even going so far as falling in love with and marrying a woman and raising a child with her. Now, it was all coming back to him, brought by the presence of the one man he had always been attracted to and the fact that his son was without question with another man.

Shouting in the hallway interrupted Jonathon's introspection. The door opened and Enrique shoved a pair of wet, disheveled young men into the room, barely covered by hastily arranged towels.

"Aaah," screamed Kitty. "You get your wet, naked hides out of here!" She handed them each a hairdryer. "Dry off, then we'll talk." They left, grumbling. "Jonathon!" she yelled, "you're up."

Lionel climbed down from the table as Jonathon took his place. Kitty ran her hands over his hair, declared him dry, and ordered him naked. He prayed no one would notice his by now obvious hard-on. Everyone noticed but no one commented, at least not in front of him.

Jonathon put on his loincloth quickly and stood there. He did a double take when he saw Lionel. He could have sworn the blind man exuded ill-disguised hunger, directed at him. Jonathon gulped and turned back to Kitty.

They spent the next two hours like that as Kitty glued pieces of rabbit pelt to his skin. Soon his calves and forearms were covered in gray fur. The fur was glued in erratic patches over his belly, thighs, back, and biceps before Kitty stretched and then removed a gray tail and a gray headpiece from under the table. The tail extended from a piece of pelt that was quickly glued to Jonathon's rear. The headpiece, including pointed gray wolfish ears, was slipped over his head and glued to the skin around the scalp to avoid any hair-pulling. It gave the illusion that the furry pointed ears belonged there, that his human ears didn't exist, and that his hair really was a shaggy gray that grew over his scalp, neck, and shoulders.

By now Clark and Lex had dried off completely and were sitting on opposite sides of the room sending lustful looks to each other as they were kept separated by glares and threats from Lionel and Martha.

After Jonathon, Clark was next to be costumed. After over an hour of watching Clark slowly transform in the same manner as his father, the other four took time for a lunch of sandwiches and coffee.

As they finished eating Kitty and Clark walked in and sat down to eat. Clark was decked out in a soft black fur, fully covered on his arms from the middle of the biceps down and on his legs from mid thigh down. He wore a headpiece and tail similar to his father's but in black. The patterning of the erratic furs was another difference. Clark's patterns followed his figure much better, making him look like a very graceful sex machine.

Lex watched Clark walk in from his perch on the arm of a chair. As Clark sauntered in, his hips weaving slightly, Lex couldn't help but stare. The fur really did bring out certain aspects of his physique, giving him a longer, leaner look than normal. The ears and tail made him look exotic, beautiful with an almost alien quality that he pulled off well. Unlike Jonathan whom one could tell was a man in a really good costume, Clark looked realistic.

Kitty ate fast. Within 5 minutes she had finished two sandwiches and a cup of coffee. She stood, belched, and dragged Martha back into the dressing room without much conversation.

Martha appeared about an hour later, a pair of horns adorning her head, long acrylic black nails acting as claws, long realistic tail following her curving saunter, shimmering stockings, and cloven hooves. The others stared at her as she sent Lex in.

Lex reappeared a little less than an hour later with similar horns and tail but with an added pair of clawed feet. He grinned, flashing realistic fangs.

Kitty walked in, exhausted. She squinted at the others, looking them over. "Don't do anything before show-time," she said sleepily. She made as though to leave.

"Wait, Kitty, what are you going to be doing while we're out there tonight?" Clark asked quickly.

She turned toward him. "I am going to be checking your costumes from time to time, making sure you haven't ruined anything. Before then, I am going to get dressed myself. You didn't think I'd let you guys have all the fun, did you?"

Clark blushed sheepishly as she weaved out the door.

"Wait a minute, what are you saying?" Jonathon gaped.

"Dad, the only way we could get Lionel to agree to this was with conditions." Clark started to explain the conditions slowly.

Jonathon sat back, careful not to ruin his tail. "Wait a minute. You're telling me I have been sold to Lionel Luthor for the night so you could have Satan for your party?"

"Sold is such a strong word."

Jonathon gave him a venomous look. "What on Earth makes you think I'm going to go along with this?"

"Instinct."

Jonathon stormed out of the room.

Lex came out of the shadows. "Give him a minute. Let him run into Martha and Lionel. Let him watch them in their costumes. Let his sex drive make his decision for him."

"I didn't need to know that, but, yeah."

Chloe sat down with Lana and Pete in the school cafeteria. She bounced for a few seconds before bursting into speech. "There's a Halloween party at the Luthor Castle tonight. It starts at 7. Do you want to go?"

Lana cocked her head. "I was going to hang around the Talon tonight, but Susie's going to be there anyway. Why? Who told you this?"

"Clark and Lex told me. They've been planning this for a week now and they have basically invited the whole town. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it, Lana."

"I heard about it," Pete muttered. "I wasn't planning on going, but since it's partially Clark's idea, you know..."

"Are you going or aren't you?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah. For Clark. `Cause, you know, he'll need moral support and all."

"What's the theme?" Lana asked.

"No one knows," said one of the football players as he passed by them and leered at Lana. "They never told anyone any detail other than to come and to be afraid."

"Are you going, Bryce?" Chloe asked the guy.

"Might as well check it out. I mean, Metropolis legend says Luthor used to throw the greatest parties known to the teenage underground."

Chloe grinned. "Time to meet the legend, eh?"

Bryce nodded and walked off.

She looked around. "So, who's going?"

Lana adjusted her princess costume. She looked over at Chloe, dressed as a superhero, and Pete, dressed as a vampire. "You guys ready?"

Pete grinned, flashing plastic fangs. "Ready."

Chloe flared her bright yellow cape. "Ready."

They raised their hands to knock on the door.

The door opened before they touched it to reveal a pale, long haired, humpbacked butler. He grinned. "The Master is waiting," he said creepily as he led them into the main hall and seemed to disappear, heading back to the door to greet the next batch of victims.

"Ok, now what?" Chloe asked.

A creepy giggle sounded from the balcony. "Look, Father, humans."

A second voice answered. "The Master will be so pleased. Go tell the others, more humans have arrived."

"Yes, Father." The voice laughed manically as a black figure jumped from the balcony, sailed over their heads, and landed on all fours before running off like an animal, shrieking laughter wafting behind.

"Ok..." Lana said. "Are we sure we want to be here?"

"Why is that?" asked a voice behind. They turned to see Bryce and most of the football team. They were all dressed as...

"Zombies?" Chloe asked. "The entire football team dressed as zombies?"

"Why not?" asked a voice in the back.

"'Tis true, why not?" said a voice in front of them. They all turned to see a woman standing before them. She had wild green eyes and hair that changed color from red to gold to brown as she moved. She wore ripped linen clothing and tapped the ground with a wooden staff entwined with serpents. She smiled and walked toward the door. "Follow me if you want to stay safe. Otherwise, the Master's pets might find you."

"Pets?" Bryce asked with a grin.

"I believe she saw one," she answered, gesturing toward Lana. "You did see something running, did you not?"

"Yes, there was something that leapt from the balcony, seemed to fly over us, landed on all fours, and ran off like that, all while laughing manically." Chloe recounted the event quickly, excitedly. "It called someone else `Father.'"

"What was its coloring?"

"It was black," Lana said.

The woman nodded sagely. "The cat is dangerous. He can leap from one balcony to the other. He's the killer you must watch out for. His father, the wolf, is more mischievous than dangerous. Either way, beware them both for where one lurks, the other is only a cry away."

"Who are you?" asked a zombie linebacker.

"I am Kathryn. The blind of my family have served the Master for a thousand generations. We lead the lost and the curious through the labyrinths of confusion and death to the chambers of the Master."

"Like Charon led the souls of the dead over the river Styx to the Underworld," Chloe said, remembering something Clark had learned from Lex.

"Charon was the first of my family."

Something clicked in Chloe's mind. "Oh, so you're taking us to Hell to see Satan. Now I see."

Bryce nodded. "If it continues to be well done, I'll continue to be impressed."

Kathryn stopped tapping her way through the corridors. She turned around to face them, for the first time truly appearing blind. "Most mortals fear the Master." She shrugged and continued to lead them on through the darkness.

Lana looked around. "This really is a labyrinth of confusion," she murmured. "What's keeping us from wandering into the darkness?"

"The Master keeps pets along these corridors. When a human does wander, his pets feed on the foolish one."

Bryce smirked and walked into the darkness. Kathryn slowed, listening, until she heard a scream. Bryce appeared quickly. "There's a huge dog out there," he gasped. "It had to be, like, three feet high. And then it reared and it was taller than I am."

Kathryn nodded, then continued. "I warned thee. Feel grateful you can run."

No one wandered from her presence the rest of the way.

Soon, the group heard the commotion of a large number of gathered people. They flocked toward the sound. Before she let them through the doors, she made an announcement. "The Master appears tonight at 730. The festivities begin at that time, not before. The Lair is patrolled by his pets, so show respect for the Master, else you shall not survive the night."

The maniacal laughter of the cat filled the corridor. Kathryn let them in and returned to the entryway to lead in another batch. She met up with Clark on the way. "Get back with Lionel at 725, no later. You know what to do."

"Of course." Clark grinned and leapt off, laughing manically.

"That boy is having too much fun with this," she said to herself before appearing in front of the next batch.

In the Lair, the people mulled around, keeping away from the walls as the lights gave the illusion of life to the ghosts and flames on the walls. Bryce told the rest about his encounter with the dog and the people began looking around, eyeing the shadows warily, expecting anything and fearing everything.

At 725, Clark and Jonathon collected backstage. "Where's Lionel?" Jonathon asked.

"Right here." Lionel limped into the room, leaning on a wooden staff topped by a dragon with folded wings. His own wings were folded around his frame, clawed hands and feet gripping staff and floor menacingly. His tail trailed behind him and above the pointed ears sat a pair of very real horns. He cocked his head at their silence. "Well?"

"Damn," Clark whispered in awe.

Lionel smiled. "Good." He tapped over to Clark who lifted the older man onto his right shoulder. Jonathon draped the tail around Clark's neck and waist. Lionel tapped the tip of his staff against Clark's chest. "Let's go."

Jonathon nodded then moved out first to announce Satan's rising.

The people in the Lair grew didn't notice the figure on the balcony until it roared. The wolf grinned at the sudden silence. He looked back toward the darkness as the lesser demon stalked out, small horns glinting on the bald head. The lesser demon stood at the edge of the balcony and began to speak loudly in archaic Latin. The wolf translated.

"Since the dawn of time, there have existed the two realms; the realm of the Living, and the realm of the Spirit. On this night of All Hallows Eve, the boundaries between our two realms have faded. Tonight, may the spirits rise. Tonight, may the living fall to their knees."

The wolf and the lesser demon backed away into the shadows as the cat strode forward with Satan on his shoulder. The cat bent down as the wolf and lesser demon each extended a claw to help him off the cat's shoulder. Satan quickly found his footing, then shooed all three away. They stepped back into the shadow as Satan stepped forward.

Satan puffed out his chest and flared his wings. "Come, young mortals. Join the demon's dance, while you still can." He spread his arms and extended his wings outward to the sides as the cat jumped over his horned head and flew off the balcony into the crowd of impressed humans. Satan turned away as pounding music started to play somewhere and settled himself into his throne. "Yes, let the party begin," he mumbled to himself.

Martha sauntered onto the balcony behind Lionel's throne. She leaned over, showing cheekage to some of the audience. "Not bad for an opening," she whispered into his ear. She looked back as she felt Jonathon's furry hand slide under her skirt and over her bare ass. She smiled seductively as he grinned, baring teeth, and nuzzled her.

Lionel nodded. "Yes, not bad at all. Now if only my slaves would stop enjoying themselves and start enjoying me, all would be well."

Jonathon looked at Lionel from under Martha's skirt. He then looked up at her. "Should we?"

Martha grew an evil grin and climbed into Lionel's lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, taking care not to jostle his wings. She nuzzled under his chin. "How's this?" she asked.

Jonathon took Lionel's other side, leaning over the arm of the throne and licking his chest as he shimmied his rear enough to make his tail wag. "And this?" he asked between licks.

Lionel wrapped his arms around both of them. "Perfect," he growled as he stroked the hair of both of his pets. It's good to be Satan, he thought as Jonathon licked his left nipple in time to the pounding music.

Clark searched the crowd, alternating between walking on his hind legs and bounding on all fours. He rather enjoyed leaping from ceiling to floor like a deranged cat, so he kept doing it until he found what, or rather who he was looking for. He found them lingering near a table, wondering what to do. "Lana, Pete, Chloe!" he called. He bounded over to them as they searched for the owner of the voice.

Lana shrieked as the cat appeared silently behind her and grabbed her arms. She whipped around and prepared to beat it off with her scepter.

"Gee, you really like me that much?" Clark asked deadpanned.

"Clark!" Lana cried as she wrapped her arms around his furry form. "Oh my god, Clark, I had no idea. I thought--"

"You thought all this was serious?" he asked, cocking his head.

Chloe finally found her voice. "Wow, Clark, how did you do all this? I don't just mean the party, how did you, wait, in the entryway, that was you?"

Clark laughed. "Yes, Chloe, that was me in the entryway. I've been bounding around the castle like a deranged cat." He looked down at himself. "Yep, definitely like a deranged cat."

Pete raised his eyebrows, prepared to just go with it until he glanced up at the balcony and saw the wolf and a female demon sexually fawning over Satan. "Um, what Kathryn said about the wolf being the cat's father..." He trailed off.

"Yes, Pete, my dad is playing the wolf. Why?" He looked up at the balcony. "Yes, Pete, my father is Satan's slave for the night. That woman with them, the one with the chest, that's Mom."

Pete's jaw dropped as he watched the elder Kents rub against Satan's incredibly furry chest. "I do hope I never catch my parents doing anything like that."

Clark nodded. "Which would be why I'm not looking."

Chloe watched as Clark finally managed to squirm out of Lana's grasp. "So, Clark, where are the Luthors? After all, this is their castle."

"Lionel's up there with the horns and the wings and Lex is somewhere around here mumbling in Latin."

Pete looked at him in horror and then back to the balcony. "I don't know whether to laugh or to scream."

Clark shoved Lana at him. "Here, amuse yourself." He turned to Chloe. "Care to dance?"

Chloe looked after Lana and Pete as they disappeared into the gyrating crowd. She looked back at Clark. "Sure."

Clark grinned and led her out under the chandelier. He placed his hands on her hips and led her into a swaying beat. He ran his hands up her spandex costume to rest on her shoulder blades under her cape as he pulled her close to his hard, furry body. He licked his lips as Chloe stared at them, unsure what to do except follow his movements. He reached up and ran a furry finger over her cheek and grinned as she leaned into the touch.

"It's so soft," she mumbled as she ran her hands through the fur patterned over his chest.

He leaned over and rubbed his furry cheek over hers. "I know," he whispered as he nuzzled her.

Chloe stroked up his chest and over his shoulders to his neck. "I love your fur." She stuck her face under his neck to try and find more.

Clark chuckled. It felt like a purr to Chloe. She pulled out of his neck and looked into his eyes. "You are still human under there, aren't you, Clark?" she asked, strangely worried.

Clark leaned forward, eyes almost glowing in the strobe light. "No less than I originally was. No more, either." He straightened up and eyed the balcony. "I've got to go, Chloe. Have fun." He disentangled himself from her embrace and dropped to all fours before bounding off up the stairs to the balcony.

Chloe watched his stance change as he leapt away like an animal. "Human. Right. He's still human under there, Chloe. There's nothing different about that. Who am I kidding? That fur was real and it was really stuck to his skin. There's something weird here, something Smallvillian weird. I need some sugar." She wandered off toward one of the candy tables to try to drown her worries in chocolate.

Lex stood at the top of the stairs, surveying the crowd. He straightened up as he saw Clark bounding across the floor to him. He watched impassively as Clark took the stairs 7 at a time in his leaps. He held out a hand and waited.

Clark reached the top of the balcony and started nuzzling the hand Lex held out. Lex moved his hand to stroke and scratch Clark behind the ears. Clark looked up lazily. "I have spoken with the humans, Master."

Lex moved his hand under Clark's chin and urged him to stand up. He glanced toward the balcony and moved to lean over it, expecting Clark to follow his movements. "How did we do, my pet?"

Clark looked over the balcony at the writing masses of humans. He looked at the entrance to see Kathryn with her own pets, two mastiffs she had let wander around the halls to keep the humans on the path in. He looked behind him at the disturbing sight of both his parents sitting in Lionel's lap as he stroked them lovingly and called them his precious demons. He looked at Lex, taking in his costume and the wild, happily smug expression beneath. He looked down at himself and couldn't help but purr. "It's wonderful, Lex. I wish we could have this much fun more often."

Lex looked down and watched as Kathryn led her dogs away from the party, taking in the weave of her step. "So do I, Clark. So do I."