A pretty college-aged girl showed Danielle and her (friends/allies/cohorts?) into the mansion. It was everything someone like Natalie would love. Marble floors, mirrors everywhere. Red carpeting, even a spiral staircase.
The girl was dressed like a French maid, with a dangerously short skirt. She was a few inches taller than Dani, with short, curly blonde hair, and ample padding in the right places. She seemed sweet, and offered them all refreshments after leading them into the sitting room.
Nervously, she sat down on a couch, and her companions joined her, though Amielle seemed quite interested in the Steinway and Sons baby grand piano. “Do you think anyone ever plays it?”
Gemory rolled her eyes. “Angels. Always with the music.”
“Weren't you an Angel once, Boss?” Toni asked.
“Yes, a long time ago. Oh go ahead, Amielle, knock yourself out.”
Amielle gave Toni a quick peck on the cheek, then jumped up to sit at the piano, and started to play Chopin's 'Nocturnes'.
“Wow. She's really good.” Dani noted.
“Angels. Annoyingly perfect at everything. So Toni, what do you think about the maid? Care to make a wager?” Gemory looked to her Succubus.
Toni was staring at Ami, but came back to her senses to look at Gemory. “No point, I can smell it on her. She's fucking Danielle's Mom.”
Dani blinked. “What? I mean, I heard the rumors but...”
“Didn't think your Mother could be bi? Thought telling her you were getting married to a girl would be more shocking?” Gemory grinned.
“...something like that.” Danielle looked down at her feet.
Gemory frowned. This wasn't like her fiancee at all. This Natalie woman had done quite a number on her beloved! She took the taller girl's hand and squeezed it gently.
That got a small smile out of Danielle, at least.
“I think she's in love with her too. I wouldn't have noticed that before.” Toni continued.
“No, it's hard for demons to comprehend love. Lust, now that's easy.” Gemory nodded.
“Francesca told me you're known for being able to get women to fall in love with people.” Danielle looked to her lover.
“Mm, yes. I have a knack for it. Ironic, since I haven't felt the emotion for thousands of years. Until...recently.” Gemory smiled at Danielle.
Dani squeezed Gem's hand back.
“I guess it's something you have to experience to understand, huh?” Toni was looking at Amielle again. The Angel was playing with her eyes closed. A sunbeam had struck her in such a way to make it look like a golden light was emanating from her head.
Dani wondered if the girl really had a halo. She'd ask about that later.
Natalie entered the room then. She was wearing a red sundress that showed off her long legs. Despiter herself, her heart caught in her throat. Her Mother was as beautiful as ever, like a flawless work of art. And she radiated sexiness in a way that no doubt put some demons to shame!
Indeed, she heard Toni suck in a breath.
“My, what divine talent you have.” Natalie looked to Ami, noticeably averting her gaze from her daughter.
Ami paused and bowed her head. “Thank you, Miss! I hope you don't mind, I just saw this lovely instrument all alone, and thought it was a shame no one was playing it!”
“It's perfectly alright. I don't have the time for it myself much anymore. Please, continue. I'm Natalie, by the way.”
“Ami, Miss. And I'd be happy to!” Ami then shot a glance to Toni.
The tiny girl hopped up. “A pleasure, Miss. I'm Toni.” She then moved to sit next to Ami on the piano bench.
And now Natalie had to look to her daughter and the other girl.
Natalie had rarely seen such beautiful girls in one place. Ami had the fresh faced perfection of an angel, while the tiny girl had that mixture of innocence and sex appeal that only debutantes of her age possessed.
But the other two! She had no idea what a beautiful young lady her daughter had blossomed into! Still too short to be a model, but she would turn many heads regardless. Still lacking confidence, though.
But the shorter girl at her side was a completely different story. It wasn't her physical beauty, though it was easily a match for Natalie's own, despite her small frame. Long golden hair, and eyes so deep blue you could get lost in them. No, it was something ephemeral. Like an aura.
Confidence, yes. Resolve like she had never seen in another woman. And, oddly, strength. Like, somehow, despite her slight build, the girl could break a grown man in half! Natalie felt unmistakable lust overtake her, just by looking at the girl...but those eyes! They seemed like two cold flames.
Natalie flinched, but quickly recovered. Such hatred! She noted how close the two girls sat with one another. The way they held hands. And...were those engagement rings? Well that explained it. The girl was very much in love with Danielle.
She steeled herself, because no doubt Danielle had told the girl her version of their past (which, she admitted, was no doubt very close to the truth. She had hurt Danielle, and now she was going to reap what she had sowed).
“Danielle, you look lovely.” Natalie sat in a chair facing her daughter, trying to avoid the other girl's gaze. Ami continued to play, but had been joined by Toni (though, to be fair, the tiny girl was only playing very simple chords- but the humble addition added a great deal of depth to Ami's performance).
“Thank you, Mother.” Danielle forced herself to meet her mother's gaze. Green eyes looked into matching green eyes.
'Oh, there is strength there.' Natalie felt proud of her daughter, but knew this wasn't a simple social call. “I guess this has been a long time coming. You're angry with me, and you have every right to be.”
Danielle blinked. That was -not- what she was expecting to hear! But then Gem squeezed her hand, and she remembered why she was here. “Not that you'd ever apologize. What was that you always told me? Regrets are for the weak.”
That hurt. Natalie felt it, like a dagger to the heart. Her own mother's words. 'Is it any wonder I became a monster, having been raised by one?'
“I did say that, yes.” In for a penny, in for a pound. “So I won't apologize- you wouldn't accept it anyways. But by all means, say your piece.”
Danielle rose to her feet. As much as she hated them, the heels giving her a little extra height gave her an extra boost of confidence. “There was a lot I wanted to say to you. I wanted to call you a self-serving bitch, and more of the same. I wanted to say how much I hate you.
I wanted to blame you for not being there. For not being the mother I wanted. For denying me the love I needed. For hurting Dad. But now, I realize you wouldn't care about any of that.”
She raised the hand with the ring on it. “None of that matters anymore. I don't need you. I have someone who loves me more fiercely than you ever could! Someone you couldn't hold a candle to in your wildest dreams! Her name is Gemory, and I'm going to marry her. It's going to be a huge wedding, not that you'll ever see it, and then I'm going to go live in a palace! A real one, not this piece of pretend garbage! And I'll have a career, and I'll be successful, and she'll support me like a real woman should!”
All those years of anger and resentment were shining through now. Danielle was crying openly, and Natalie felt her own eyes mist up. This is what she had done. She'd taken a beautiful, kind girl, and filled her with hate.
Natalie lowered her head. “I'm...happy for you.”
“Ha! You don't know what that word means! You never loved me! But now...” Suddenly Danielle grabbed Natalie's hand. “I could make you love me. I could make you forget all about that sexy maid of yours. I could make you beg for me to give you the time of day. I could make you grovel at my feet!”
Danielle started to smile, but it was a cruel, terrible thing, and despite herself, Natalie felt fear. “But I won't, and do you know why? Because that girl loves you. I don't know how anyone could love a heartless bitch like you! But she does, and that would destroy her, and she doesn't deserve that. So instead...I'm going to make you completely dependent on her. I'm going to take your life away from you, all of this, and you had better pray she loves you enough to take care of you!” Danielle spat.
Natalie tried to free her hand from her daughter's, but years of hard work had made Dani strong. “Look at, so proud of your long legs, how other women have to look up to you. Well now, you'll have to look up to children! I wish you were 4 feet tall!”
With a gasp, Natalie felt like she was being crushed. Her dress started to loosen on her body, and she rapidly dwindled in size. This was impossible! But yet, it was happening. Within minutes, she was the size of a child, her sundress having completely slipped off her shoulders, leaving her naked from the waist up, and her heels hit the floor, one after the other, with a soft thump.
“No...it's impossible...” Her voice sounded higher pitched to her own ears as she stared up at her daughter, who still had a strong grip on her now-tiny hand.
“Oh it's very possible. Very real. But I'm not done!” Danielle growled.
The music had stopped, as Ami and Toni stared in shock. They hadn't known Danielle long, but this anger seemed very out of character!
Gemory was torn. Danielle was getting very close to crossing a line. And she'd have to do some damage control after this. But at the same time...seeing Danielle's fury...was really turning her on!
“Because even at this size, you're still a woman. You can still take care of yourself. And we can't have that- you've always been so proud of that mature body. And so afraid of time. You'd give anything to stay young, wouldn't you? What, collagen treatments? Ice cold baths? Moisturizers? Quack medicines and herbal remedies? Strange diets?
Well, you won't need any of that anymore! I wish you were eight years old...forever!” Danielle showed her teeth in a predatory grin.
Natalie began to shrink again, though thankfully, only a few more inches. Her features softened, and her breasts shrank away to nothing, leaving her completely flat chested. Her curves faded away, leaving her a skinny little child.
She shrieked and wailed, and tried to get free, but she was too small. Too weak. Too young to fight back.
To Danielle's annoyance, her mother was still a beauty. She'd been hoping the young Natalie would have some flaw. Freckles? Uneven teeth? Bah. Then she thought of something, and decided more irony was needed.
She picked up the wailing little girl, tearing her dress off her, revealing her nude, child's body. Then she sat down, putting the girl over her knee, and started to spank her. “You've had this coming for a long time, little girl! You thought being pretty meant you could do whatever you want! Well now look at you! So pretty! Well I wish you were the prettiest, sexiest little girl in the world! Everywhere you go, wolves will be after you. Wanting to take you. Wanting to FUCK you! And you'll be helpless! Helpless!”
Her magic washed over Natalie, giving the girl an oddly mature beauty. Her hips flared every so slightly, her pelvic bones seemed to stand out more. Her behind gained some extra padding. No tits, of course, but she now had an incredible figure for a child. Those with deviant and perverted desires would be drawn to her like a magnet, completely obsessed.
That was enough. Gemory grabbed Danielle's hand as she was about to deliver another swat to the wailing child. “You asked me to stop you if you went too far.”
Danielle felt her righteous anger slip away under Gemory's cold gaze. Was she angry? Or...disappointed? She let Natalie go and put her face in her hands, weeping.
“What kind of monsters are you people?!” A female voice. The maid. She stood in the doorway, a revolver in her hands. She had the stance of a professional. “What have you done to Miss Natalie?!”
Natalie ran from her daughter and clung to Camille's leg. “Help me, Camille, look what they did to me!”
“Mon Dieu...incroyable..” Camille lapsed into her native French.
Gemory walked up to Camille, who, rattled, fired off two shots. They struck the demoness, who didn't even flinch. She reached up and snatched the gun from the maid's hand and, without even looking, deftly threw it to Toni, who caught it with equal grace.
She locked gazes with the maid, who seemed petrified. “Camille, isn't it? Listen, Camille. You know you can never tell anyone what you saw. No one would ever believe it.”
Camille nodded slowly. “No, no one would.”
“Do you love Natalie, Camille?” Gemory pressed.
“Oui...yes, I do. Very much.” The maid replied.
“Then this is what you must do. You must take her with you, away from here. Take whatever you can, you'll need the money. You'll have to care for her. She's never going to grow. Never going to get any older than she is now. At least, not for a very long time. But I'm going to help you.” Gemory smiled.
“As long as you care for Natalie, you will never age. You'll stay healthy and young and pretty. And your enemies will never find you.”
She paused, then looked at the crying child who had, minutes before, been one of the most beautiful women in the world. “One day, I hope your daughter can forgive you. I want you to remember every day, every time you can't reach the top shelf. Every time you look in the mirror, to remember that this is YOUR fault. YOU did this. YOU brought this on yourself. YOU filled the woman I love with so much hatred, that she almost became a monster, just like YOU. And you had better treat Camille right. You had better pray she never wises up and leaves your bitch ass. Because then, you will be truly alone.”
She held that glare for a moment longer, then turned, as if no longer interested. “Now go, get the hell out of here before I change my mind and let Danielle turn you into an infant.”
Quickly picking up her diminished lover, Camille beat a hasty retreat. She knew where the valuables were kept, things she could easily take. She knew where Natalie's private bungalow was, upstate, that even her husband didn't know about. “Don't worry, little one. I have you. I'll take care of you. Forever.”
Natalie clung to the young woman like a life preserver, her confidence completely shattered, and wept.