Like A Mask Removed
Volume One: Erotic Tales of Superheroes
Edited by Bethany Zaiatz
Circlet Press, Inc.
Cambridge, MA
Like A Mask Removed
Volume One: Erotic Tales of Superheroes
Copyright © 2010 Circlet Press, Inc.
Published by
Circlet Press, Inc.
39 Hurlbut Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Smashwords Edition
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Table of Contents
Switch by Rae Flowers
Partners by Michael M. Jones
Star Crossed by David Hubbard
Times Square Alter Ego by Bianca Sinn
Merboy At Midnight by Tom Cardamone
Lawman by Angela Caperton
A Double-Edged Bomb by Lauren P. Burka
Introduction
You don't have to be an evil genius to figure it out—superheroes are hot (and I don't just mean the perfect bodies clad in spandex, leather, or stylized body armor). Film adaptations of our favorite superheroes remain on the rise and more often than not, these films prove to be staggering box office successes thanks in no small part to buzz created from now widely attended comic book conventions. Something about our old comic book heroes has taken a powerful hold over our collective imaginations, making their most recent surge in popularity so much more than a passing fad.
When I first put out the call for submissions for Like A Mask Removed back in February 2009 there had already been at least three mega huge superhero movies in recent pop culture memory, so I was expecting the subject to stimulate enough submissions for a decent sized ebook anthology. But once we'd reached the deadline, I was completely caught off guard by the sheer number and length of submissions. I was more surprised still when, after reading through each story, I found so many stories of fantastic quality, as well. In fact, there were so many sexy and powerful stories that deserved to shared, we decided to publish two volumes of Like A Mask Removed simultaneously.
In this first volume of Like A Mask Removed, you will be treated with seven new, previously unpublished, original stories of sexy superheroes, as diverse in their sexual proclivities and preferences as they are in their abilities and methods of saving the world. Ranging from vibrant and lively romps reminiscent of the colorful comic book pages they are inspired by, to modern experimental literary styles, to the dark dystopian settings with only the smallest glimpses of hope in powerfully flawed heroes, the stories in this anthology have something for everyone.
It is with great pride and pleasure that I, on behalf of Circlet Press, now offer you Like A Mask Removed, volume one: Erotic Tales of Superheroes.
Bethany Zaiatz
February 2010
Switch
She tapped her fingers on the stones as she peered off the edge of her roof to the streets below. It was her little ritual to do this before hunting. Listening to the sounds of cars and humanity in all its happiness and heartbreak helped her to prepare her mind. It was her mind that she used, primarily. She was Neuromancer, of the Dixie Defenders. The name was unfortunate, but none of the current line-up had the heart to change it so long as any of the original members still lived, even if they had long since retired.
She glanced down at her current costume, so different than her usual charcoal gray unitard with deep blue and purple electric designs. It had been designed for ease of movement. She, like other rare humans, had been born with so-called "superpowers" that were the legacy of some very close encounters with aliens somewhere in her ancestry. In a way, she was jealous of the heroes who took to the nighttime streets armed with only intense dedication and years of training. She deeply admired their drive, especially her partner. His creations were astonishing in their creativity. Of all her teammates, he was the one that most fascinated her. It had taken her years of working closely with him to convince him that making devices "for fun" was acceptable. The first had been nothing too special. It was a memory-foam padded chair with a massage function and a dice-roller for the roleplaying games he amused himself with in his off time.
Speaking of devices... Tonight she wore a leather mini, split at the sides so she could move well. Under it was only a device. While she slept, her arch-nemesis, Blue Gunner—she suppressed a wince at the wholly unoriginal name—had managed to slip undetected out of her room after locking a rather odd device onto her. She was going to have to find out how he managed that one. She hadn't thought she was that tired. The device was shiny black, all but the shiny silver bullet that rested right above her clitoris. Straps ran on either side of her nether lips and around her hips to hold it in place. As for the rest of her outfit, she wore thigh-high boots, striped silk stockings, and a corset. She carried a bag at her wrist with a few tools for picking locks and other handy items. The note that Blue Gunner had left had said:
If
you defeat me tonight, I will allow you to turn me in without a
fight. You will find me by the pillars of knowledge, two by two.
Three's the key.
Tonight she was off-duty from the city patrol. She and her partner, both, so there would be no one to spoil the fun. It took very little time to realize that the pillars of knowledge must be the columns in front of the city library. She snorted at how obvious it was. She jumped off the edge of her roof and began to fly. She wondered what her partner was up to and brushed gently against his mind. He was accustomed to her checking up on him. Given their line of work, it was a good safety measure for both of them. She would know he was in trouble because he would be distressed; he would know something had happened to her because the checks would not come. It had saved them both before and he'd long since learned how not to give anything private away. He was taking a shower and she shivered to think of how delicious he would look in the water.
At this time of night, the library was deserted. She found more of Blue Gunner's devices attached to each pillar near the top, these resembling brown spiders. The third one, but from the left or the right? She was likely to get a nasty surprise if she chose the wrong one. Most people would count left to right, so she went to the third from the right. The spider held a small capsule which had to contain the next clue. She carefully removed the device and popped open the capsule. The spider's eyes flashed red.
She dropped four feet in sheer surprise when the device between her legs began to vibrate. She made a soft sound of appreciation. It was soft enough she could ignore it if she had to, but if it went on long enough, it would feel very good indeed. Within the capsule was a strip of paper, which she withdrew before tucking the spider into her bag.
Splat theory forgot us.
Well, that was a much more challenging clue. There was a theory in anthropology that primate vision and the dexterity of their extremities was due to the need to move easily through trees without falling and going "splat." However, squirrels and other creatures did fine without it. She frowned. There were squirrels everywhere in town and there was no museum that seemed likely. Another possibility occurred to her. This was the library she went to, so the next place was also likely to have a personal connection to her. She supposed she should not be surprised. Blue Gunner had every reason to know the details of her life.
Despite being a flying telepath, she had undergone rigorous physical training. Her old mentor, Mind's Eye, had said not to keep in top physical condition was a great mistake. It invited proving her splat theory: people who relied on their powers alone were likely to fall off a roof. Mind's Eye had retired and moved to Florida but the building she had lived in and trained Neuromancer in still remained.
Neuromancer found nothing there... at first. Standing on the roof where she had first learned to fly, she noticed an oak tree across the street, all that was left of what had been a park only a few years before. Again blessing her lucky stars that she could fly, she searched the tree. She couldn't imagine trying to climb it in these boots. At a crook between two branches she found another spider. This time, the spider was purple. Given what had occurred the last time she had opened the capsule, she thought it wise to land before she opened it. Again, she brushed against the mind of her partner. She caught a flash of him leaning over his sink, brushing his teeth and seeing his own bright blue eyes in the mirror. She popped the capsule and fell back against the rough bark of the tree. She had to suppress a low moan. She fought to think clearly. The buzzing was much stronger now and she vaguely considered finishing herself off. But then Blue Gunner would have won. Her nipples hardened, now very sensitive to the silk lining of her corset. She squeezed her thighs tight. It switched to the lower setting and she was able to think. She looked at the next clue.
I always call early.
She flew high above the buildings to look around. A clock tower tolled. Early. It always tolls early! Well, that had been ridiculously easy. The flight to the tower was intense. Each time the device came on, she came right to the edge of orgasm before it shut off again. Her upper thighs were slick when she landed and she was very frustrated. The door appeared to be chained and padlocked shut. Close examination revealed that the entire frame swung out using a recessed lever and the "door" was merely a facade. Inside, there was little to see, only the stairs leading up to the clock so it could be serviced. Screamingly obvious to her, however, was a panel of wood that had been worn smoother than the rest by the pressing of many hands over the years. She pressed it and the panel recessed and slid aside to reveal a keypad. He was the type to have his code be a message to her, but with numerals standing in for letters for security's sake. It took three tries to figure out it was W8TIN94U. She had to chuckle a bit. He really was so very obvious.
Another panel slid aside to reveal an elevator. She stepped inside and it descended. There were no buttons within. The base seemed deserted, most of the hallways off the entryway completely dark. Only one hall had a line of lights. She saw no choice but to follow them if she was to reach her goal. Fifty feet down the hall was an open door. Inside was a training room with a mattress, silk sheets, and a couple of pillows tossed in the corner. The spider resting on top, bright blue, flashed once. The buzzing returned, stronger than before, and she almost collapsed to her knees. This time there was no suppressing her moans and her gasps for breath. She balled her hands into fists and slammed them against the floor in frustration. She staggered to her feet and wheeled to face the door when someone gasped.
"You're early." Blue Gunner entered the room, holding a remote in his left hand. His suit was old, the many places it had been patched obvious. She had personally caused most of the damage to it.
She snorted, "Your clues were really easy."