Innocent Devil’s Harem Ch. 65
Added 2021-11-21 15:35:26 +0000 UTCNovember 21, 2021
ARTWORK: As I've mentioned before, decent art can be pretty expensive ($300 to $1,000 for one piece), but it looks like enough of you guys are interested that adding art as a perk makes sense.
I've now uploaded Gabriella in Bikini and Gabriella in Leather, which both have a few variations in the color (Bikini Variations x4, Leather Variations x2).
If you haven't already, check out the Preview of Gabriella in a Bikini, so you can at least see what she looks like and the quality of the art (it's VERY good -- she looks like a real person).
In case you missed it, I had a recent announcement about connecting outside of Patreon (me following you on Twitter, or liking my Page on Facebook, etc).
I'd also appreciate it if you could leave a rating on my Google page (it helps a lot, especially with establishing my reputation as a writer).
Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter! (It's pretty intense.)
<< Chapter 64 | Ch 1 (Book1) | Ch 16 (Book 2) | Ch 31 (Book 3) | Ch 46 (Book 4) | Ch 61 (Book 5)
- CHAPTER 65: Compass -
Becoming Natalie’s alpha did not go as I’d initially planned, in so many ways. For one, I hadn’t planned on growing much larger than my seven-foot crowned state, thereby causing everyone else to transform, including Avery and Michelle miles away. However, the act of becoming Natalie’s alpha kind of forced it out of me, the requirement to dominate causing my body to react in kind.
Thankfully, despite Serenity tipping off the two blondes that we might need their help keeping an eye on the enemy once we found them, they were still at their own home. However, it had been a bit of a close call, since they decided to order pizza, and the delivery guy had literally just dropped their order off right before they both uncontrollably shifted, quickly calling Serenity up to make sure everything was okay.
It sounded like that was a bit of an awkward conversation, since Serenity decided to just tell them plainly what was going on, so that they’d feel reassured that everything truly was fine.
But then, there was the act itself, and the outcome.
An outcome I sincerely wasn’t expecting.
I knew both Miriam and Natalie had used the word ‘puppet’ when describing what it was like for the blue-haired chick to be connected to an alpha, but I hadn’t fully grasped what that might mean. At least, not until it happened to us.
Until it happened to her.
While Natalie was still aware of what was going on, she’d briefly lost all capacity to make her own choices, becoming like an extension of my own body, much like my own hand was a part of me. And just like my hand, which didn’t have thoughts of its own, and only moved in response to my thinking, the girl I’d come to know as Natalie likewise seemed to vanish, only reacting in response to my thoughts.
It really freaked me out.
Because it felt like she was gone.
Felt like she was dead.
Felt like…
I’d killed her.
If she had died under different circumstances, even by my own hand, then I might not have been too torn up, but this was different. No matter how rough it was, sex was an intimate act to me, and I’d grown pretty attached to her while fucking her. Thus, the unexpected realization, that the girl who I’d come to feel some affection for was now gone, really messed me up.
But, once I’d calmed down, Natalie reassured me that she was very much aware, even when I thought she was gone, describing it as if she became a passenger in her own body, able to see where the car was going and how it was being driven, but unable to control the vehicle herself. When she’d first became a werewolf, she explained that it was horrifying and would always cause her to silently panic, but she was pretty used to it at this point, and losing control of herself didn’t bother her.
Essentially, she was kind of numb to the experience after undergoing it repeatedly for almost a year.
Still, it had really freaked me out.
Also kind of freaked me out that I could sincerely sense the blue-haired magazine model like I might sense my hand, to the point that I could sense the pain in her body from her hidden bruising on her torso, covered up by concealing cosmetics. It didn’t hurt me like it might if it was my own body, but I was at least aware of it. And from what I could tell, her ribs especially ached, with me suspecting that the actual damage hadn’t been done recently, and it had been afforded some time to heal.
Thankfully, despite the distress I had begun experiencing, both Miriam and Gwen quickly understood what was going on, and were able to help me in a sincere time of need.
Not that I was discounting Serenity or Gabriella’s roles, since they were the ones who knew something was horribly wrong.
But my two first women sounded the alarm.
And both Miriam and Gwen responded to save the day.
Miriam used her powerful presence to calm me down enough to listen before I became too escalated, and Gwen had the knowledge necessary to help me understand how to loosen my hold on Natalie enough to allow her to be in control of herself again.
I also learned something new about Miriam.
As a succubus, I’d assumed that her entire existence was purely erotic, a sexual presence radiating from herself that defined who she was. And, while it was true that she could never subdue that sexual presence entirely, I’d discovered that the tenderness I’d felt in her aura was just the tip of the iceberg to something else entirely.
The gentle love she’d bombarded me with felt like nothing I’d experienced before, being like the comforting hug from a mother, except a thousand times more potent. The sexual nature of that presence wasn’t gone by any means, but it was briefly overwhelmed with her nurturing, affectionate, and gentle existence, which powerfully communicated that she wanted nothing more than to comfort and guide me through my emotional distress.
And unlike her eroticism, she couldn’t just turn it on whenever she wanted.
It came on without prompt when she felt the appropriate emotions.
Her sincere desire to comfort me overpowered everything else.
However, we couldn’t dwell on what happened for long, because there were still things to do, especially considering that Miriam had been in the middle of trying to use the first and most accurate of her location spells.
We were still in the guest bedroom where I’d fucked Natalie, but I was dressed now in my gym shorts and t-shirt, since Natalie had commented again about how awkward it was that we were both practically naked with everyone else in the room. And since I wanted nothing more than to do what the blue-haired vixen requested right now, to reassure her that me being her alpha didn’t mean I was going to be a dictator who did only what I wanted, I was more than happy to comply.
On the contrary, I wanted to prove to her that she still had a voice.
That her opinion, desires, and needs still mattered.
It was obvious that my reaction to her comment, quickly slipping past everyone and getting out of bed to throw on my clothes, really had an effect on her. She almost seemed somber as she hesitantly got out of bed and dressed herself, putting on her sheer black dress and vinyl thong, and then even more touched when I focused on everyone else, and acted like nothing was different.
Acted like she was still just some random girl I’d met, and like I didn’t have the capacity to exert absolute control over her now.
As if I wasn’t letting such power go to my head.
As if I had no desire to flaunt that power just because I could…
Granted, I had gotten out of bed quickly for another reason too.
I’d been naked the previous day when overwhelmed with lust and surrounded by Gwen, Miriam, and Mrs. Rebecca, but I hadn’t really viewed us all pleasuring Gwen as a foursome, at least not in my own perception. Maybe because I wasn’t the focus of the sexual activity at that point? Because instead, my attention was pretty much on the fact that I was buried in Miriam while she and Mrs. Rebecca helped Gwen achieve orgasm.
However, feeling naked in front of four of my women, not counting Natalie, suspecting that all of them would undress if I requested it, actually kind of made me nervous, at just the idea of the five of us getting sexual together.
I supposed it felt like it would be too much, too fast.
Especially since I didn’t know how Serenity, in particular, would react to being in a sexual situation that involved a full-blooded succubus like Miriam. And especially since having sex with a succubus could become a true addiction, like being exposed to an illegal drug, something that made me worry about it permanently shifting her priorities.
Never mind the fact that, if I really had a true experience like that -- where it felt like a real threesome or foursome, specifically where the focus was more on me -- then I kind of wanted it to be with only Serenity and Gabriella the first time.
Granted, I knew that being placed in a tempting situation might change my mind…
But, I felt as if we needed to ease into that kind of experience together, rather than just jumping headfirst into a sea of absolute bliss, due to someone like Miriam being involved. Maybe one day we’d reach that point, where we were all comfortable with such an experience, but for now I felt like taking it slower was better, specifically in regard to including Miriam and Gwen with my other women.
Alternatively, I was very happy that Serenity, Gabriella, Avery, and Michelle had all chosen to go faster with their own boundaries, and I sincerely hoped they’d continue to cross those lines, but we still had a ways to go before we were even close to being as comfortable with sex as Miriam was.
Especially sex involving multiple people.
However, thankfully, no one seemed disappointed that I got dressed, all of them appearing to be ready to focus on the task at hand, now that I was calmed down, Natalie was back to normal, and more importantly, now that Natalie had an alpha who could keep her under control and prevent her from being reclaimed by the enemy.
Unfortunately, what I hadn’t expected, was that the sexy redhead minx had some bad news.
“What do you mean, it didn’t work?” I asked seriously, concerned that doing this out of order had messed things up.
Miriam’s tone and expression were patient. “Kai, I promise that I did everything correctly, but the spell failed to help me locate those guys. And I suspect it wouldn’t have worked either way.”
“Why not?” I wondered, keeping my tone in check, since I wasn’t trying to sound angry.
She sighed. “Honestly, I’m not sure the reason.” She glanced at the blue-haired vixen. “Gwen mentioned that Natalie made a comment about them having some way to conceal themselves. That might have something to do with it.”
Natalie nodded hesitantly. “I…I don’t know what it is though. H-He never told me anything.”
“I believe you,” Miriam said reassuringly.
I sighed. “So, is that it, then?” I wondered.
She shook her head. “No, I only tried this method first, because it would have been more accurate by giving us the exact location. I do have another option. And it should work. Literally, it’s just creating a magical compass, using her blood and a spell to find the source, modified to go a step further and find the originator of her curse. There’s no reason why that one won’t work, but it’ll just be a lot less specific, only showing the direction, but not distance or anything else useful.”
I nodded, glancing at Natalie as I continued to speak to Miriam. “Sounds like what she described, about how they could find her prior to the full moon. They’d know her direction. But if you can even give me that, then I’ll find them.”
Miriam inclined her chin as well. “So, what we can do is make sure the compass spell is working, and then we can try finding that creature that attacked Gwen.” She focused on Natalie. “And now that Kai is your alpha, you are fully welcome in my home as a guest. You can go where you want without consequence, although I do ask that you still respect my home as you might anyone else’s.”
“O-Of course,” Natalie stammered. “I won’t touch anything.”
Miriam gave her a small smile, looking up at me again. “Then, come with me downstairs?”
I nodded, gesturing for her to lead the way.
She did, with Gwen hot on her heels, while I focused on Serenity, returning her somber smile and walking over to wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Sorry if I scared you,” I said softly.
She immediately shook her head, wrapping both her arms around my waist. At the same time, Gabriella grabbed my free hand, intertwining our fingers as we began walking out of the room together, with Gabriella hanging back just a little, still holding my hand, so that Serenity and I could get through the doorway, before she returned to my side.
“You didn’t scare me,” Serenity said reassuringly. “I think Gabriella and I both just felt your panic, and knew something was up.”
I sighed, being very aware that Natalie had grabbed her jacket and was right behind us now, just like I’d be aware of what my own hand was doing, even when not looking directly at it. Which meant, I was also aware that my cum was actively leaking down Natalie’s thighs in response to her walking, considering I’d unloaded so much in her snatch, with her being too nervous to even request I let her clean up a little.
I was about to stop to tell her to go ahead and clean herself up, but surprisingly it was like she read my mind, knowing I’d given her permission to do just that.
Neither Gabriella or Serenity seemed to notice her stop and turn around to head back to the guest room, with us continuing to walk down the hall.
“Thanks,” I said sincerely to Serenity, in response to her suggesting that she was only concerned about me, instead of being afraid. “I wasn’t…I just wasn’t expecting it to be like that.”
Gabriella gave my hand a gentle squeeze, prompting me to focus on her, giving her a small smile. “Love you, baby,” my busty redhead said quietly. “I know the last few days have been hectic, but I’m really happy to be with you.”
“Oh, yeah me too,” I agreed, wondering where this was coming from. “I’m extremely thankful to have both of you in my life. Sorry so much has changed so quickly.”
“I like the changes,” Gabriella admitted, as we began stepping down the nearest twin staircase. “It is a lot all at once, but I’m happy to be a part of it.”
“Me too,” Serenity agreed. “Kai, I love you so much, and I’m so happy to be with you. They usually say, ‘When it rains, it pours,’ and that couldn’t be more true right now. I’m sure things will settle down after we handle this situation.”
I frowned at that, knowing Natalie was hardcore rushing to clean up in the bathroom and catch back up to us. “Well, I hope when you say ‘we,’ you mean when ‘I’ handle it. No offense, but I’m not sure if either of you are strong enough to take on one of these guys.”
Gabriella grinned. “Could wrestle you, and find out.”
I laughed, kind of liking that idea. “That could actually be fun. But still, I’m pretty sure I can handle these guys on my own, and don’t want to risk it.”
“That’s fair,” Serenity agreed, as we stepped down the last few steps. “Knowing how fast you can recover helps ease my worries a little, but I’d still like you to be careful. And we’d both like to at least be nearby, in case you needed our help.”
I frowned at that, realizing these guys were a good hour drive away, and that this magical compass thing might be too sensitive to use in the air anyway. Which meant, I might have to drive there, while also trying to navigate the roads based on a very general direction. Might actually be helpful to have someone else drive while I try to figure out where the compass was leading us using my phone’s GPS and the device.
“Maybe,” I offered, as we walked through the grand foyer and down the hall to the East Drawing Room. Natalie was done and rushing down the stairs now, the muted sounds in the house preventing Serenity or Gabriella from noticing, likely just assuming she was still right behind us. “I could probably use the help finding them with this compass thing, but you’d just have to promise to not get involved unless I really needed the help.”
“Of course,” Serenity agreed. “Trust me, Kai, we both know you’re more than capable. I just don’t want to sit around here, while we wait around all night to find out how it went.”
I nodded as Natalie silently fell in line behind us, and we finished walking to the East Drawing Room, finally seeing that Miriam was already on her knees in front of a low coffee table, using a knife to pry off the glass to an actual gold compass. I let go of Gabriella’s hand, as well as Serenity’s shoulders, while the three of us hovered around to watch her work, Gwen not in the room at the moment.
Miriam looked so small in that position, still wearing her leather pants and creamy ivory shirt, but having taken off the leather sleeves, her thin tan arms smooth, her hair still in twin French-braids, her red eyebrows slightly furrowed as she worked.
She already had the tube of Natalie’s blood on the table, as well as what appeared to be a ton of supplies on the other end, including a sketchpad, a bunch of laminated maps, and the wood chest of softly glowing opals.
She had one such opal resting next to the tube of blood and syringe, this one pretty large and flat.
Clearing my throat, I spoke hesitantly. “Do you need to focus? Or can I ask questions?”
“You can ask questions,” she replied, carefully moving the piece of glass to the side, and then gently poking at the needle inside with the knife. “What did you want to ask?”
“Well, I guess, how is this supposed to work? And is this something you came up with, or something other people already know about?”
She smirked, having gotten her finger underneath the needle while gently scraping at the tiny sliver of metal with the knife. “Kai, you may be surprised to learn this, but the compass has been around for a very long time. The Chinese were the ones to invent a magnetic compass thousands of years ago, which points to magnetic north, but the compass itself is even older than that. The spell I’m about to use is likewise very ancient, though the exact language it’s spoken in doesn’t matter.”
“Are there spells where language does matter?” I wondered.
She shrugged. “There’s sort of an ongoing debate on that. I’ve never read of anyone truly verifying that language affects the spell, but there have always been those who believe it matters. Some also argue that speaking spells in your first language is better than a foreign one, like Latin, simply because true understanding is lost when dealing with unfamiliar words. Although, I admit that there are certain spells I only use in the language I learned them.” She paused. “But as far as your first question goes, basically I just put a drop of her blood on the needle, chant the spell and make sure it follows Natalie around, and then I’ll chant the second incantation. We’ll know it worked when it stops following her and instead points in a specific direction.”
I simply nodded, watching as she set the knife down, and placed the heavy gold compass on the flat opal. She then carefully grabbed the syringe, which already had a little bit of blood in it, and slowly placed the tiniest droplet of crimson on a little groove she’d made in the needle.
Satisfied, she quickly set the needle down, and placed her thumbs and index fingers on the dimly glowing opal.
“Blood and metal bind, seek to reunite with one’s source.”
Immediately the glowing opal brightened, only to dim again, while the blood on the needle sizzled followed immediately by the sliver of metal abruptly shifting its direction.
Toward me.
Or rather, to Natalie, behind me.
“Quickly,” Miriam said to her, looking between me and Serenity. “Move in front of me so I can verify it’s following you.”
“Oh, umm, okay,” the blue-haired vixen responded, hurrying around us and to the front of the low coffee table.
Sure enough, the needle perfectly traced her movements.
“Alright,” Miriam continued, taking a deep breath. “Now for the next part.” She paused. “Curse and metal bind, seek to reunite with one’s origin.”
The opal glowed a little brighter this time, as more magic from it was used, only for it to quickly dim completely, as if it was just a normal stone again. At the same time, the needle abruptly began spinning around wildly in a circle, appearing like it was going haywire, only to come to an instant halt, pointing directly at Miriam.
Her eyes widened in surprise, prompting her to stand up to verify that it wasn’t really pointing at her. Of course, it wasn’t, but as she focused toward the wall, her brow furrowed.
“Did it work?” I wondered.
She nodded. “Yeah, it worked, but the problem is the direction it’s pointing.” She paused to gesture to the side wall with her index finger, which wasn’t where the needle was pointing, instead directing our attention more toward the grand foyer. “You guys live in that direction about fifty miles away, which means this guy has traveled pretty far away for the needle to be pointing over here.”
I was surprised at that, glancing at Natalie as I spoke generally to the room. “Do you think he actually ran away?”
“No idea,” Miriam replied, focusing on Natalie as well.
The blue-haired vixen looked uneasily from me to the redhead, and back again. “I…I don’t know. He doesn’t like to lose, so I don’t think he would run away.”
“Maybe he’s biding his time,” Serenity suggested. “After Kai broke his arm, he might have run away to ensure he has time to recover. It would be a logical move.”
Miriam nodded. “Yeah, that makes sense.” She then sighed heavily. “Well, since that’s done, let me replace the glass to ensure the needle doesn’t get damaged, and then we’ll go look for whatever bit Gwen.”
“Where is Gwen, anyway?” I wondered.
“In the main basement. I can actually hear her walking up the stairs now. She requested that I allow her to undress and burst into flames, as it can help speed the healing process up, as well as ensure that her body eliminates any toxins that might have been in the bite.”
“Why not just use a spell to heal her?”
Miriam hesitated at that, choosing her words carefully. “Gwen…has certain wards placed on her. Magical defenses that protect her from being harmed by magic, but also prevent even helpful magic from being used on her.”
My eyes widened in sincere surprise. “Can you elaborate on that? Or is that something you’d prefer she share?”
Miriam sighed. “That information is for her to share, if she chooses. Honestly though, there isn’t much more to say. If someone were to stab her with a knife, it would obviously hurt her, but if someone hit her with a spell, it would basically just bounce off no matter how powerful it was”
I really wanted to know more, but I knew she was just going to respond the same way, indicating I should ask Gwen directly. Still, it really sounded like someone had gone through a lot of effort to keep the tall maid alive and safe, obviously viewing protection against magic as a higher priority than physical damage, assuming that it was the same person responsible for the other mysteries surrounding the sexy imp.
I glanced over my shoulder just as I finally heard Gwen’s hoof-steps, only for Gabriella to speak up in alarm.
“Umm, guys, did the needle move?!” she asked seriously.
We all immediately focused on the compass, left undisturbed on the table. Sure enough, it did look as if the needle had shifted slightly…
No, it looked as if the needle was actively moving.
“That’s not possible,” Miriam exclaimed in disbelief.
“What’s not possible?” I asked seriously.
“If this guy is fifty miles away, then he would have to be traveling thousands of miles per hour for the needle to move that much. Which means…”
Miriam immediately looked up at me, our eyes locking as we undoubtedly came to the same conclusion. However, it was Serenity who blurted it out.
“He’s not fifty miles away! He must be much closer!”
We all looked down again when the needle abruptly began moving even faster, going from pointing almost south to pointing almost completely west.
“He’s fucking here!” Miriam yelled.
Unexpectedly, the lights in the room went out, only for them to pop back on at a much dimmer level. It didn’t affect my capacity to see clearly, since I could see in the dark anyway, but it very much was like someone had cut the power and backup generators had come on to make up for it.
Immediately, everyone was panicking, Natalie especially.
“Fuck!” Miriam exclaimed, rushing away from us to grab the tablet that was still lying on the table where we’d talked when we first got here. At the same time, Gwen rushed over to the ‘normally blank’ screen on the wall, which had lit up when the lights went out.
“Did someone cut the power?” Serenity asked urgently.
“No, this is basically defense mode,” Miriam replied, seeming to try to collect herself as she tapped on the screen. “All magical and electrical energy is being diverted to my enchanted and physical defenses. That bastard isn’t actually right outside the mansion, but it’s very obvious someone uninvited is trying to invade my domain.”
Glancing at Gwen in one direction, and then Miriam in the other, I hesitated briefly, before deciding to move over to Miriam to take a look at the screen. Sure enough, it was literally something like twenty camera feeds, which she swiped in order to look at another twenty, all of them showing nothing significant.
“Mistress, panel six!” Gwen unexpectedly yelled.
Miriam quickly swiped over twice, apparently already being on panel four, just in time to see something very large and pale dash past the tiny screen on the bottom, with the outline of the image flashing blue, as if to indicate it sensed motion. I half expected her to tap on that particular camera feed to make the screen larger, maybe to rewind the video a little, but she didn’t, her eyes instead darting to the video feed above it…
Only for nothing else to show.
“What was that?” I whispered seriously, noticing Gabriella move to Miriam’s other side in the corner of my eye. Alternatively, Serenity and Natalie had moved over to the screen Gwen was looking at.
“Might have been a spooked deer,” Miriam admitted. “My wards should keep both uninvited people and supernatural creatures out. But there’s no doubt someone tried to get through. The problem is, the compass is indicating that this werewolf bastard is really close, like just on the edge of my property, yet he shouldn’t have the capacity to even trip my system’s defense mode. Especially not while he’s in his human form.”
“So what does that mean?” I asked seriously. “If he couldn’t trip it, then what could?”
“Usually, I’d assume it was someone, or something, much more powerful. Not a werewolf. Especially not when we have almost a week until the full moon, even if such creatures do have a track record of slipping past wards.”
“Shit,” I hissed, watching as she finally flipped to another panel. I assumed the deer hadn’t shown up on another camera because even a couple hundred or so cameras wasn’t enough to have a visual feed of every inch of her property. Not when she potentially had thousands of acres. I mean, from what I could tell, her property was on several square miles, which would definitely be well over a thousand acres. Enough space to fit dozens of individual subdivisions and streets, if this area was allowed to be urbanized.
“So what do we do?” I wondered. “Should I try to go figure out who is trying to get in, and get rid of them? I mean, what would you do normally?”
Miriam finally focused up at me then, only to look at the low coffee table at the compass. “Normally, my wards are strong enough that anything trying to get through would just go away eventually. And even if those assholes somehow tripped the system, there are few threats that could actually break through.” She paused. “There are actually three layers of barriers, with the rock wall surrounding the mansion being the inner most, forming an invisible dome of protection over my house. Of course, invited guests can still come and go without even noticing the wards, but the uninvited would be stuck with no way in, like hitting an impenetrable rock wall, even at an open gate.” She sighed. “If anything, we might be overreacting to this, and if the compass is accurately pointing to our enemy, then it just means that he made it a lot easier to find and eliminate him.” She lowered the tablet to her side and slipped by me to walk over to the table. “Let me go ahead and put the glass back on the compass. Then you can safely use it to track him down, without worrying about accidentally messing up the needle.”
“So our plans haven’t changed then?” I clarified, Gabriella and I moving to follow her. Natalie turned away from the screen on the wall as well, and walked over hesitantly too, with Serenity and Gwen still sifting through the camera feeds. “We just got lucky by him coming to us?” I added.
Miriam sighed again, resting the tablet on the low table and carefully picking up both the compass and glass covering. “I would have preferred for this place to not end up on anyone’s radar,” she admitted while carefully putting the two pieces back together. “But as long as you capture him and kill all his puppets, then it should be fine. Just means we’ll have to worry about whatever bit Gwen at a later time.”
I frowned at that, reminding myself that the lurking creature might already be dead. And, at the very least, it hadn’t done any major damage while Gwen and Miriam were alone all night, indicating that it probably was only seeking food and was otherwise harmless.
“Okay, well--”
Miriam unexpectedly hissed loudly, dropping the compass onto the table, cracking the glass, her visible tan skin abruptly lighting up with bright blue markings similar to what I’d seen appear when she called for Gwen, by tracing a circle on her shoulder.
Except, these marking seemed like they might cover her entire body, even underneath her clothes, glowing brightly through her ivory shirt, with patterns even forming on her face.
“Mistress!” Gwen yelled, whirling around where she stood, a single vibrant blue circle lit up on the side of her pale neck.
“Shit!” Miriam snapped, going from calm and collected, to panicked and urgent. “Change of plans! Something broke through! This is not a normal threat!”
“The cameras!” Serenity unexpectedly yelled, having focused back on the screen.
We all looked at the nearest panel of cameras, just in time to see something large flash by way faster than the first time, only for something else large to follow…
Followed by another, and another, and another, and then two more.
“Fuck!” Miriam yelled, only to start barking out orders. “I don’t know how it’s possible, but we’re assuming werewolves! Kai, you’re coming with me! Gwen, take everyone else to the armory, and then to the tower!”
Serenity was still focused on the screen. “I think there’s a lot more than five!”
Miriam abruptly bent for the tablet, snatching it off the table, the blue symbols on her skin still glowing brightly, her eyes widening as more and more blue outlines lit up around the cameras, seemingly dozens of pale blurs zipping past at an alarming rate, beginning to fill the entire panel of camera feeds, even though the actual cameras were undoubtedly spaced hundreds of feet apart.
“Oh my God,” Miriam exclaimed. “This is a full-scale assault! There’s got to be multiple packs! Gwen!”
The maid practically flew over to her mistress, grabbing her arm roughly, only for brilliant crimson symbols to begin flying up the maid’s own arm, Gwen’s midnight horns lighting on fire, her breath unexpectedly coming out with a plume of vapor.
At the same time, Miriam’s wings shot out, one of them shoving into me with surprising force and pushing me back, the succubus’ hands clasped together now like she was praying, her already vibrant red hair beginning to glow red, the twin French-braids starting to unravel.
The succubus’ tone was suddenly full of power and authority as she spoke.
“Vires naturae collige!” she yelled in another language, with it sounding like a violent storm appeared out of nowhere right above the mansion. “Vim tempestatis ostende!” she continued, a flash of lightning and the ensuing sound of thunder erupting above us. “Cognosce inimicos, ET PERCUTE!”
Instantly, it was daytime outside as the world around us lit up in a blinding white light, the entire room starting to vibrate with invisible energy, even as it felt like someone unexpectedly unplugged my ears, the eavesdropping spell all but vanishing as an uncountable number of earsplitting CRACKS erupted in the distance.
Then, the blinding light instantly vanished just as fast, the world around us completely silent for what felt like an infinitely long second…
Followed immediately by a deep rumbling that rapidly escalated to the point that we all slammed our hands over our ears, everyone except Miriam and Gwen, the intense noise being like a bomb going off right outside.
The floor and walls around us vibrated beneath us like an earthquake, the intensity only growing as if it was never going to stop, before it broke into waves of rumbling that slowly began to spread out until only a lingering vibration remained.
“Mistress,” Gwen hissed, holding tightly on to Miriam’s arm as the succubus dropped to one knee, grabbing onto the low table for support.
The short redhead was breathing heavily now, gasping for breath like she’d run a marathon, beads of sweat dripping off her face as the blue symbols all over her body faded. Her creamy shirt was rapidly soaking through, already beginning to reveal her naked torso beneath in certain spots, her short red hair now hanging loosely, no longer braided.
I looked up to meet Serenity’s wide black and crimson eyes, with her having shifted in response to the startle, her hand still covering her ears, only to glance at Natalie and then meet Gabriella’s emerald gaze too, all of us completely stunned by what we’d just experienced.
Truly, we were shell-shocked after witnessing such a violent explosion of force and power, shaken by how loud and extreme it was despite us being safely within the walls of the mansion.
More than that, we were safely within the shield of an invisible inner barrier to Miriam’s property, and yet it still felt as if we’d just survived a literal bomb going off and lived to tell the tale.
Had Miriam just called forth hundreds of lightning strikes from the sky?
Because that’s what it felt like, but I couldn’t imagine how she could have such power to do so. Was it because we were on her property? Did she wield godlike power here, in particular? Was this just a part of her defenses? Or could she call forth a storm out of nothing anywhere?
Glancing at the tablet again, the flickering screen starting to clear up, I realized the spots of light in each of the camera feeds appeared to be small fires that were rapidly dying out, as if someone was pouring water on them, though I didn’t see any sign that it was raining.
“Forty-three targets,” Miriam finally gasped, sucking in a deep breath. “Truly, an army of cursed creatures if I ever saw one. We’ll have to verify later if they were truly werewolves, or something else.” She took a deep breath, letting go of the table and straightening up, still on her knee. “But I’m confident I got them al-AHH!”
Instantly, the blue symbols reappeared on her body, glowing just as bright as before, causing her trembling arms to grab the low table again for support. At the exact same time, a pale blur zipped past one of the cameras on the tablet, only to be immediately followed by another, and another, and another!
Just like before, the video feeds began filling with a seemingly uncountable number of enemies flooding onto her property.
“Fuck!” Miriam exclaimed. “What the hell is going on?! Gwen, back to the original plan! Take everyone to the armory!”
Gwen immediately stood up and gestured at Serenity, Gabriella, and Natalie. “Come! Now! We have no time, so do as I tell you.”
All three women immediately glanced at me, before hurrying after Gwen when she marched out of the room, heading to the right, leaving me and Miriam alone.
The redhead minx then focused up at me, her entire body trembling. “Kai, pick me up and take me to the main basement. We have to hurry.”
“Shouldn’t I go out, and try to fight them off?” I asked seriously, assuming she couldn’t cast that lightning storm spell again.
Her tone was firm. “Yes, Kai, but first I need to make you an owner to my home. Only then can you fight completely unhindered by my wards.”
My eyes widened in shock.
“Now Kai,” she demanded, grabbing the knife on the table, and trying to stand. Her tone was more urgent. “They still have two more barriers to get through, but we don’t have long!”
Moving to action when it looked like she might fall back to her knee, I quickly scooped her up in my arms, her shirt pretty much transparent now from the sweat, her tan perky tits completely visible underneath. I then turned toward the entrance, intending to rush out of the room, only to freeze solid in my tracks so fast that Miriam looked up at me in confusion, before focusing ahead of us with wide emerald eyes.
Standing in the doorway were two cloaked individuals, over half a foot height difference between them, one extremely petite while the other figure was large and muscular, their faces coming into focus as they both lowered their dark hoods in sync.
The man was visibly old, with thick gray hair, but also looked like he might be ripped as hell, his muscles bulging underneath his clothing, while the girl was young and thin, her nose and mouth covered by a black veil, hiding half her face while leaving her blonde hair and eyes completely exposed.
But not just any eyes.
Bright crimson eyes.
They both had vibrant red eyes.
“What the fuck?!” Miriam exclaimed.
The codger immediately held up his gloved hands.
“We mean you no harm,” he said in a deep aged voice. “We only wish to leave your domain, and are willing to offer our support in defending your realm of authority, if you permit us passage.”
I could barely hear him speak though, the room around me blurring, my gaze locked on the blonde girl, focused on her crimson eyes that were now wide with obvious fear as she stared directly at me.
I couldn’t look away, everything dark now except flashes of blonde and red.
Because I’d seen those eyes before, registering a memory of witnessing her gaze looking down at me sympathetically…
…Right after I’d had my heart ripped out.
Right after I’d died.
Right before…
Right before I woke up.
FEEDBACK: Did you enjoy this chapter?
Chapter 66 >>
Comments
With some more time to cool off and reading your well organized response all I can say is, thanks a ton for being professional about it. It means more than you realize for someone’s words to be heard. I totally agree on the boundaries and self respect points, as they are paramount for healthy living (not even necessarily relationship stuff)
Chosen Juan
2022-01-14 18:30:37 +0000 UTCWhen writing any story, in general, it's important to have a clear target audience in mind, and I know exactly who my target audience is. Sure, there are some people who wouldn't care that the succubi retain their lifestyles (and personally, I also would not care if Miriam and Rebecca continued to sleep around -- this is where there is a separation between the author and character), but my target audience does care, and they have a strong preference. Also, there are some (sounds like you) who think it's manipulative to expect differently. But the vast majority of the people who I'm 'targeting' with this story would expect nothing less than the MC expecting the succubi to give up that type of lifestyle. And that's who I primarily have in mind when writing this story. Many readers, who like harem, won't consider it 'harem' if the girls sleep around with other guys (or people not in the harem), even if they have a valid reason. Now, that doesn't meant that other people won't enjoy this story, just because they aren't my target audience, but as a writer, I can't aim to please everyone, nor should any writer attempt to do so. For example, the author of Twilight (Stephenie Meyer), wrote her story with a very particular audience in mind, and part of the reason why it became so popular was because it specifically pandered to a very particular type of person. It didn't try to appeal to the masses, and found success by just aiming for it's target audience. If Twilight had tried to be something that would appeal to everyone, then it would have been a lackluster story and failed. Ironically, Twilight wasn't trying to aim for women in their 30's, 40's and 50's, but because it was something so unique and special by being what it was, and not trying to be something it wasn't, it still hooked that audience too. Now, as far as your assertion that his behavior is manipulative, I don't see how you think that. It is quite normal for any person to say, "I'm not going to date you if you do this kind of thing" and you know what? That person can choose to walk away from the situation. So that's not manipulative. They are laying out their boundaries and expectations at the beginning of a relationship, which is a very healthy thing to do, and then Miriam/Rebecca can either accept those boundaries and expectations, or they can walk away if they want. And he very much has 'a Right' to HAVE boundaries and expectations for his relationships, even if those expectations aren't 100% even. A man can still be a 'good guy,' while having some self-respect. Similarly, a woman can still be a good person, while having some self-respect and refusing to get involved in a relationship where the guy does things that she doesn't like. The idea that a 'good person' would just put up with anyone's crap, no matter how bad it was, is absolutely ridiculous. A good person is going to respect others, but doesn't have to sacrifice their own self-respect to do so. And that's probably the biggest point I could make: A good person doesn't have to sacrifice their own self-respect in order to respect others. If anything, the reason why the MC 'isn't' manipulative is because he is allowing them to choose what they want to do. If they decide to walk away from him, because they don't want to adjust their lifestyle, they are more than welcome to do that, and he would allow them to do that without putting up a huge fuss, and that right there is the definition of 'not' being manipulative. He's not trying to control them. They can walk away if they want. But he is trying to establish his boundaries up-front, which is a healthy thing to do. And the women can also do the same, if they wish -- set boundaries and expect him to keep them if they are going to pursue a relationship together. That's normal healthy relationship stuff. In fact, some of the women have already done so, by telling Kai that they don't want him to have sex with someone 'not in the harem' unless one of them is with him and it's needed for some reason (since he does have a biological need for sexual energy). Anyway, with Miriam, the reason why this story is written this way, is to show just how potent a true succubus really is. Because you're right. The moment that Miriam is around, everything becomes about her, and that's the point. Her presence is that powerful, and it isn't enough to just say it. This is very much 'showing' how potent she is. The very definition of 'show don't tell' (though personally, I think that rule is ridiculous and oversimply things -- I show AND tell, prioritizing storytelling over ridiculous rules). Also, I'm not trying to justify that the foursome didn't count. It is normal for people (and characters) to try to justify their own actions to themselves, and just because Kai has a moment where he's like 'I don't feel like that counted' doesn't mean he won't later admit that it was his first major sexual experience with multiple people. As far as you not liking the MC as the story goes on, that's perfectly fine, but understand that the more you don't like Kai, the more my target audience is liking him. That's not to say that you can't enjoy this story, or that you won't enjoy where it's going, but a lot of your complaints are very intentionally written the way they are, indicating that you're not the 'model reader' who I'm writing this for. Again, doesn't mean you can't enjoy it. After all, I (as a male) was definitely not the target audience for Twilight, but really enjoy that story. I do appreciate the compliments. And if you decide this story isn't for you, that's okay. I have mentioned several times now (to others) that, after his death, he's going to be a bit of pendulum swinging as he sort of evens out, but at the end of the day, character growth is also important, and he's not going to end the story 100% as the person he started it. Also, I can't see how many times you edited, lol. I just know you did at least once, since this edited version is different then the original you posted (which gets emailed to me). Anyway, hope you continue to enjoy the story, and if not, no hard feelings. Not every story is for every person.
Author Kaizer Wolf
2022-01-14 16:07:29 +0000 UTCThe werewolf compass sequence really is excellently suspenseful, but if I can focus on an earlier excerpt for a moment, I gotta rant, sorry KW. Kai internally stating he doesn’t count his foursome with Miriam, Gwen, and Rebecca as valid is straight up infuriating. Him justifying it, because he wasn’t the center of attention and therefore it doesn’t count seriously lowers my opinion of him, something he constantly lowers himself because of his internal logic. In particular, his reluctance to pursue the succubi (Rebecca and Miriam) unless they give up their current way of life is kinda what a manipulative person does before they build up confidence to abuse their partner. Expecting someone to change their life in order to accustom to your liking is not what a ‘good guy’ does, contrary to what you want us to believe about Kai so far from everyone sucking his ego off by calling him good. I wasn’t bothered by Kai’s manipulative tendencies on my second read through, up until this arc (funnily enough it has nothing to do with Natalie tho this is supposedly her arc. Also funny that she’s barely in the story once they get to Miriam’s house, a common trend, characters outside Miriam don’t matter based on how little they speak or are even acknowledged. It’s also off putting when other characters opinions or preferences go out the window in the face of an immortal succubus. Like no one has any reservations about Kai being associated/soulmates with someone he hasn’t even known for a full 24 hours? Miriam is literally replacing Serenity in Kai’s heart and Ren is just like, “do what you gotta do.”) Back to the lack of foursome argument, Kai and Miriam gave oral sex to Gwen (something Kai himself admits IS sex when he thinks it to be intimate and not forced. (see ch2 discussion with Gabriella on virginity/loss of)) (From Gwen’s perspective it was 100% a foursome with her Mistress and Kai both eating her out/fingering/fisting her all while she makes out with Rebecca, who she just boned, and while also getting her tits fondled by said Rebecca. This is legit just another sex in Gwen’s book and without a doubt, she had a foursome.) I understand if you’re trying to back track and save the “first threesome/foursome” experience for some “in house” women, but trying to justify why it didn’t count 15+ chapters after the fact doesn’t change the fact that it happened. Again, I do mostly enjoy this story, but as time goes on I enjoy Kai less and less, especially since the death sequence in chapter 43-44. Book 1 and 2 Kai was a better person and more relatable character as well as just more likable. Outside his dick being magical, I don’t see why several characters have any interest in him. It feels like his core character has gone downhill ever since you introduced Rebecca and Miriam. The succubi characters feel less like characters, and more like distractions from the established characters as they actively suck up screen time and dialogue that could be spent on other characters. I understand Miriam is your favorite character to write, and I admit she has lots of interesting moments and traits, but damn does she make this feel less like a harem and more like a romance story. I signed up for this patreon based off of what little of this story is on scribble hub, and I’m not sure if this is even the same story sometimes. I love your more subtle world building and excellent character interactions as well as fantastic dialogue, like even without context it’s easy to follow any given conversation because it’s so well written, but this feels sometimes like a departure from the innocent devil finds companionship story I was initially led to believe I was getting into. I really do hope the story improves getting past chapter 70, and I know you’ll continue to improve your writing overall @Kaizer Wolf Again, sorry to rant but you just gotta let things out sometimes. Also, stay hydrated and posture checks for anyone who reads this dumbass comment I left. Edit: I certainly hope you can’t see how many times I hit the edit button due to typos. I also kept this rant spoiler free of the next chapters but my opinion pretty much still stands up to ch. 70
Chosen Juan
2022-01-13 22:45:31 +0000 UTCOh yeah definitely. Hearing 'I want more' is always a good thing. Only reason I brought it up was because 'usually' when someone says that, they aren't aware of how much work actually goes into even a single chapter, so I always make a point to let them know what's realistic. That being said, out of all the possible complaints I might receive, those kind are always preferable. That's cool that you write too. Is it under a pen-name, or do you just mean more casually? I looked up your name but didn't find anything, so I'm guessing you either use a pseudonym or its more just a hobby you occasionally enjoy whenever you get hit with a bit of inspiration, etc. I've got a ton of short-stories that will probably never see the light of day, just because it started off as a hobby for me. Edit: Oh, actually I found what you were talking about (I think). Looks like you've done affiliate marketing books, articles, and such.
Author Kaizer Wolf
2021-12-22 01:46:37 +0000 UTCI understand as I write also, just pointing out a fact and if all your complaints are "I want more" You are doing great. :)
Rob Thiebeau
2021-12-22 01:20:30 +0000 UTCMy minimum word count is 5k words per chapter, and this one is 6,700 words (almost 2k words more than my minimum or about 35% more). Also, each of these chapters takes 15 to 30 hours to write and edit (that's 10 hours on Saturday and another 10 hours on Sunday if I squish it into 2 days, as I've sometime had to do), so making a chapter even a 'bit longer' is actually a lot of work. Some of these chapters are closer to my minimum 5k words, and others are 7k or even 8k words, but you're still getting a solid 5k words every week, which is equivalent to 2 chapters in the average 'traditionally published' book (most books only have about 2.5k words per chapter, though some have as many as 4k -- depends on the author). As far as being late goes, as part of my tiers, I promise 1 chapter of 'something' per week (often 20 hours of work), which doesn't always mean it'll be the same story. When I was focused on the Naughty Friend story (which is up to Ch 19), I was alternating every week, but everyone was still getting a new chapter of something regularly (usually 2 chapters of this story and 2 chapters of NF per month). If you haven't tried out the Combat Healer story, then definitely give it a try, because there are quite a few people who are saying they love it even more than this story (or at least as much). Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying this one, but please understand just how much work it actually is to write these chapters. If I were to write even just 2 chapters per week, that would be at least 40 hours of writing and editing right there (and when some chapters sincerely take 30 hours to write, that could turn into 50 to 60 hours -- think about that in terms of a full-time job). Obviously that wouldn't be feasible, but even just doing 1 chapter is a lot of work, and even adding an extra 1k words is a lot of extra hours to add to it.
Author Kaizer Wolf
2021-12-20 17:55:54 +0000 UTCA recap followed by a lead in; I dig the series but this one could have been a bit longer if the next will be late.
Rob Thiebeau
2021-12-20 17:16:05 +0000 UTCSo the wolves must be afraid of Kai and his power. To send that many, thats crazy. Good cliffhanger. So something happened with the blonde (I bet vampire) girl. Maybe sh3 bit him and he was able to come back.
J Bone
2021-12-05 08:04:58 +0000 UTCThanks for the compliment! Really glad you're enjoying the story.
Author Kaizer Wolf
2021-11-28 16:26:57 +0000 UTCYou truly are a great writer I can't predict your story which makes it much better
Jake
2021-11-23 23:31:24 +0000 UTCNice, much more consistent. Gives a much better picture of what Miriam was actually seeing.
Christopher Miller
2021-11-22 16:16:22 +0000 UTCIt's just that some people can't handle the suspense well, which is why I put the warning. There are already a few comments saying as much. Of course, it doesn't bother everyone, and a little suspense is certainly good, but some would rather wait to read two chapters next week.
Author Kaizer Wolf
2021-11-22 13:05:28 +0000 UTCRight. That's what will happen in the next chapter. And, for two entirely different reasons, both Miriam and Kai know what's going on. She's initially shocked to find strangers in her house, but she very quickly comprehends what's happening, and handles it probably in a way you're not expecting.
Author Kaizer Wolf
2021-11-22 13:02:56 +0000 UTCGood point. I tried dozens at first, but the MC thinks that right before, and it just seems weird that she'd basically echo his thoughts, so I switched it to "There’s got to be multiple packs!" instead.
Author Kaizer Wolf
2021-11-22 12:58:51 +0000 UTCOh, BTW Kaiser, at one point Miriam says "there must be hundreds of them", then after unleashing her blitzkrieg on them she announced that there were 43 of them, but she's sure she got them all. Then she's stunned when more of them start bumrushing the mansion. It's true she might have panicked when she said "hundreds" and not meant it, but you still might want edit it to "dozens" if she actually originally saw less than fifty originally. Just a thought.
Christopher Miller
2021-11-22 05:47:30 +0000 UTCWell, Kai did say he felt "sympathy" from her when he died, but no other indication there was anything maternal there. Plus other than possibly the Codger being muscular there is no real physical resemblance, unless Kai's white hair would be considered platinum blonde. Plus in the letter from his sperm donor there was no indication that he and Kai's mother were together. He didn't even mention her name, just that she was curiously unaffected by his compulsion. That said, is it possible? Sure, KW is good at throwing us a steady diet of curveballs.
Christopher Miller
2021-11-22 05:24:28 +0000 UTCI think it was a fine cliffhanger :) Also this makes me wonder if those are Kai's parents. It would be an interesting development if true..
OG__OG
2021-11-22 04:53:44 +0000 UTCIf it is a werewolf assault I could see how it could happen. Miriam and Kai assumed the pack was an isolated group with no significant ties to other cursed beings. What if werewolves have become more sophisticated in how they operate since the 1600's? To be less noticeable when preying on humans they are organized into packs of a half dozen or less, and several packs form a clan with loose communication? A clan could be spread over a large area like a state or two. What if several clans form a tribe ruled by a werewolf lord who could immediately marshal the tribe to be able to destroy a rival supernatural threat? What would happen if the head of one of these tribes learns from one of his pack alphas that there is a being capable of freeing the betas of any of his packs instantly and that he is formidable enough to easily physically best one of his pack alphas? Just how big of threat would Kai be perceived by a werewolf tribe, and just how desperate would they be to neutralize someone who threatened their whole way of life? Panicked enough to commit to a massive military assault on a magically reinforced target? I'd say most definitely.
Christopher Miller
2021-11-22 04:32:23 +0000 UTCPersonally I think these are two that escaped behind the big guy that broke through the barrier just like the creature that bit Gwen. Except I get the feeling they want to go back. As for the cliffhanger it was a really good one but curses you are an evil mistress for doing it. 😉 😝
cisaac76
2021-11-22 03:28:13 +0000 UTCI definitely was not expecting such an action packed chapter, but it was fantastic because of the dramatic change! The cliffhanger is definitely a strong one, much more so than Gwen being bitten or discovering Natalie. This cliffhanger is on par with Serenity being kidnapped. But, it's great because it just leaves me wanting the next part of the story. This is the kind of writing that brings people to your top Patreon tiers, Kaizer. Great work! P.S. If we can get some detail on who these cloaked individuals are, and why they would stick around after Kai's resurrection, rather than just approving or denying their offer of defense would be greatly appreciated.
Grant
2021-11-21 23:18:51 +0000 UTCRather than say cliffhangers, I'll go with suspense is my kryptonite. So cliffhangers are, by their nature, kryptonite bullets. When I say I can't handle suspense I'm probably under estimating just how badly it effects me. Either way, I agree with everyone saying cliffhangers aren't inherently bad and should be used. I, also, won't be reading for a few weeks so I don't climbs the walls and whimper into my pillow due to said suspense. Thanks for the chapter!
Darth Mole
2021-11-21 21:08:34 +0000 UTCWelp this is one of the worst cliffhangers you've dropped but it's done oh so well. In super excited for the next bit and overall great chapter.
SovietDegendays
2021-11-21 20:51:31 +0000 UTCYou gotta stop worrying about how bad your cliffhangers are. I don’t think you’ve ever had one that would be considered “bad”. Like, they’re supposed to make you anxious and slightly annoyed that you have to wait to see what happens. That’s just what they do 🤷♂️
Marcus with a Q
2021-11-21 20:07:24 +0000 UTC