Innocent Devil’s Harem Ch. 35

March 13, 2021

NOTE: We are entering into a mini-arc that will leave the majority of the group behind for a handful of chapters, but don’t lose hope! Serenity and Gabriella are here to stay, and we’ll get back to them once Kai returns home.

<< Chapter 34 | Chapter 1 (Book1) | Chapter 16 (Book 2)

- CHAPTER 35: Meeting -

When I pulled into the paved driveway of Mrs. Rebecca’s very nice house, which was fenced in along the borders of their property to separate they’re large green yard from the closest neighbor about a tenth of a mile away, I was surprised when she opened the fancy white door before I even parked.

The gesture made me…uncomfortable, considering the situation.

“Hey,” I said hesitantly, grabbing the black chest, uncertain if I wanted to point out the overly eager gesture.

“Hey,” she echoed warmly, seeming really happy to see me, but also acting urgent. “Come on inside. We have a lot to talk about in a short amount of time, and then we need to go.”

I hesitated briefly, deciding to just be blunt. “You are kind of making me uneasy with how you’re acting,” I admitted.

She frowned at that, only to sigh heavily. “I’m sorry, baby boy. It’s just, I don’t want my mom to get impatient, and we have an hour drive ahead of us.”

“And that’s why you were waiting on me by the door?” I wondered seriously, readjusting the wooden chest in my hands.

She grimaced at that. “Well, umm, no. Not exactly.” She paused, only to sigh. “I just feel horrible that I lost your trust, and while I still would have done it, I’m a little anxious about you never forgiving me, and…” She took a deep breath. “I was just really looking forward to you coming over again,” she admitted. “And I kind of hoped maybe I could make it up to you before we left.”

My eyes widened in surprise, suddenly realizing why she was in such a rush…

She wanted to fuck.

She wanted to hurry up and spend some time with me in bed before we headed over to take care of this other stuff.

“I-If you want,” she added hesitantly, reaching up to her vibrant red hair, wrapping one of her heavy curls anxiously around her finger. The gesture was really adorable, and made her look even younger than a woman in her thirties.

I sighed heavily, trying to ignore the escalating rush of warmth I felt in my gut. “I think I’d like to focus on this first,” I said quietly.

“O-Oh,” she replied, her expression dropping, suddenly looking sincerely dejected. “I…I understand.” She then angled herself toward the open door. “Let’s sit on the couch, and I’ll explain what you want to know.”

I nodded, walking up the fancy concrete steps, only to pause when I was closer, feeling the tension rise as I neared her. “Umm, Mrs. Rebecca?”

“What is it, honey?” she wondered, her gaze longing.

“I really like you,” I whispered. “And, umm, sorry I can’t give up Serenity for you,” I added.

She shook her head. “Don’t be sorry. You having someone in your life who is more important than me actually makes me like you more.”

“It does?” I said in surprise.

She nodded. “I’m used to men not being able to resist me. Even my husband doesn’t have anyone who is more important to him. But you can truly resist me if you want, and that makes how you feel about me seem more…genuine.”

“You mean, like it’s more real?” I wondered.

She nodded with a grimace. “Basically, yes. Being part-succubus, and being able to seduce almost anyone, male or female, makes it very much feel like real love isn’t a possibility. Like I could never have what most normal women have. Someone who sincerely loves them, and isn’t just enthralled by a supernatural magic that defines their existence.”

“Is your seduction magic?” I said in surprise.

She frowned. “Not exactly, but incubi and succubi are inherently magical creatures. We both have such energy intertwined into our very being, and it defines our supernatural traits. It’s why I can so powerfully seduce without effort, and it’s likely why you can actually transform, even if the actual process is biological.”

I nodded.

“Now, let’s go inside and have a seat,” she said warmly.

Following her through the door, and then continuing to the living room as she closed it, I sat down on the other couch where I’d sat last time I was here, trying not to focus on the sectional sofa that we fucked on the previous night.

Mrs. Rebecca took my cue and walked around the low coffee table to have a seat in her previous spot too, our knees nearly touching. I took the opportunity to distract myself by placing the wooden chest on the coffee table.

“First,” she said, pulling something out of her back pocket. “I want to show you this.”

I focused down on what appeared to be a small antique ornamental hair comb made of gold, the kind that would be worn in hair as an accessory, with an amethyst stone embedded in it, looking like a diamond shape that was stretched into a teardrop, the ends pointy with the upper portion elongated.

I focused back up at her in surprise, realizing this must be the magical object she’d used previously.

“It’s called a mind stone,” she explained, her expression apologetic, as if holding this out for me to see was another act of sincerity, to show she trusted me and was asking for my forgiveness. “I actually don’t know much about it, other than the fact that it needs to be close to the head to work, hence it’s embedded in this, and that it can protect the wearer from all kinds of magic that affects the mind, including compulsion, seduction, illusions, and more.”

“Illusions?” I repeated in surprise.

She nodded. “Yes. As you might imagine, it’s a form of magic used to hide things in plain sight. A camera would actually see the object, but a person nearby wouldn’t. Not unless they were using something like this.”

I frowned. “And do you use illusion magic?”

She looked at me in surprise. “Oh, no. I can’t use magic at all. I can only sense it, as well as the energy that exists in others.” She paused. “Or rather, it would be more accurate to say I can’t manipulate magic.”

“What do you mean?” I asked seriously.

She sighed, placing her hands in her lap, the hair comb between them. “Honestly, magic isn’t what you’re probably thinking it is. It’s not some kind of separate energy that exists out there in some kind of supernatural realm. The lifeforce in a normal person is essentially what real magic is. And the lust a person generates during sex can be turned into magical energy, as can passion, and even anger. In a sense, most creatures are natural generators of magic. And that’s sort of what succubi do. They turn lust into magic, though it’s an instinctual process. I can’t actively manipulate it to do something like create an illusion spell.”

“So humans are magical then?” I said in surprise.

She shook her head. “Well, no. Or at least, that’s not how it’s perceived by those who are more magically inclined. For normal people, the energy that exists in them gives them life, and nothing else. For the rest of us, who are not human, that same energy often gives us what might seem to humans as a miraculous gift. It also often gives us an extended life, and some can even manipulate the energy to do some very amazing, and sometimes very dangerous, things.”

I nodded as I considered that. “So I guess human sacrifices were really a thing then?” I randomly realized.

She grimaced. “I’m sure it was, at least at one point in time. After all, if a supernatural creature is able to sense and manipulate lifeforce energy, but cannot generate enough on their own to actually do anything with it, then those seeking power might have killed humans to extract the energy in their moment of death.”

I cleared my throat, visibly seeing that the subject was kind of making her depressed. “Sorry to get so dark on you,” I apologized.

She shook her head. “No, it’s fine. This is a topic that is not all sunshine and roses, although I’m afraid I’ve told you about the extent of what I know. My mother wouldn’t teach me much about it, largely because I didn’t have any capacity to manipulate it.” She grimaced. “Honestly, I didn’t even know incubi could control people, but I realize now why she gave me the mind stone while neglecting to explain the danger.”

“And why is that?” I wondered, knowing that when she said ‘mom,’ she was actually talking about her great-grandmother, Gabriella’s great-great-grandmother, the full-blooded succubus.

“Because it’s honestly terrifying, and I probably would have lived my life in fear, always looking over my shoulder for an existence that I’ll probably never meet.”

“I don’t count?” I said playfully.

She gave me a small smile. “No, baby boy. You aren’t evil.”

I grimaced, only to nod as I glanced away.

She moved her hands then, setting the gold ornamental hair comb to the side.

I focused up at her in surprise, knowing what she was silently saying, but uncertain if I really wanted to compel her now, in order to make sure she was being honest with me -- simply because I didn’t want her to feel bitter about it later, thinking I didn’t trust her.

So instead, I just held her gaze.

After a few long seconds, she gave me a small smile, and continued. “Okay, so I guess let me tell you the plan. I have some equipment upstairs that I occasionally use for foreplay, but I’m going to use it on you instead, so my mom feels safer. First, I’ll cover your eyes with a leather blindfold.” She paused to gauge my expression briefly. “And then, I also need to put a bag over your head, and then I’ll handcuff your hands behind your back, and I’ll put you in the trunk of my car, and--”

“Fuck,” I hissed in disbelief, having gone from ‘This is fine’ to ‘What the fuck?’ in half a second. “Are you serious right now?”

“I know it’s extreme,” she agreed, her expression sympathetic. “But she doesn’t want you to know where she lives, absolutely doesn’t want you to be able to see, and let’s be honest, you’re probably stronger than her, which is why she would like your hands to be bound.”

I took a deep breath, realizing all that made sincere sense. From this woman’s perspective, I was the threat here, and she was only meeting me under the terms that the threat I posed was neutralized.

Still…

I focused on her sympathetic green eyes. “Okay, look. I get it. I understand why she wants this to happen. But I’m also not going to just blindly place my life in this person’s hands, so…” I grimaced. “I’m going to have to do it. I’m going to have to make sure you’re being fully honest with me.”

Mrs. Rebecca immediately reached over for the mind stone…

Only to push it further away on the leather couch, her gaze firmly set on mine. “I understand.”

I sighed, feeling my body transform.

I then hesitated briefly, before focusing on her intently, unsurprised when her expression unexpectedly changed to one of awe, her pupils visibly dilating.

“Mrs. Rebecca,” I said firmly.

“Yes?” she whispered.

“This woman I’m about to see, is she controlling you somehow?”

She immediately shook her head. “No, but she’s also not someone I can lie to.”

I frowned at that, knowing she’d said as much before. “Is it because of magic?” I asked seriously.

She shook her head again. “It’s because she’s my mother, the woman who raised me.”

“Genetic control?” I said in disbelief.

“Respect,” she replied. “The highest form of respect I can offer. For me to lie to her would feel like lying to God, straight to his face. I’d never dare do it, no matter what.”

“So then, how did she figure out my secret?”

She sighed, still holding my gaze. “When I told her you were someone she might be hesitant to meet, she guessed right on her own, and I couldn’t respond.” She grimaced then, her green eyes looking pained. “I didn’t want to admit to any of your secrets, but I also couldn’t deny them either. Not to her. I’d lie to anyone else for you, but not her.”

I nodded. “And you truly believe she doesn’t want to hurt me?”

“Yes, I truly believe that,” she agreed. “More than that. I know it. She’s a very curious person by nature, and really the reason why she’s taking these precautions is only because I wouldn’t admit to her what you are.”

I frowned at that. “What do you mean?” I asked seriously.

She grimaced again. “Well, I’ve always told her what she wanted to know. Always. So the fact that I wouldn’t admit what you are has led her to believe you might be controlling me.”

“Oh shit,” I hissed.

She quickly continued. “I promised her you aren’t controlling me. And I even recounted the test I did, and how I used the mind stone to protect myself, but that you refused to try to manipulate me and left.”

“So you did confirm her suspicions then,” I realized. “That it’s something I can do.”

She was immediately apologetic. “I’m sorry, but she was already convinced at that point. I was doing my best to mitigate the situation before she came to incorrect assumptions.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath, only to focus on her again hesitantly. “And what about you?” I wondered. “After having done this to you just now, are you going to be able to forgive me? Are you going to trust me after this?”

She glanced away, seeming to really consider her response. “If it’s just this one time, and if you never do it without my permission, then yes.” She focused back on me. “I’ll hold no ill will toward you for this. I just hope you’ll be able to trust me from now on, without using this ability.”

“I want to trust you,” I replied gently, no longer using my compulsion, even though I was still transformed. “But it might take me some time.” I glanced away. “I kind of have trust issues to begin with, so my heart feels reluctant to trust you like I did before.”

“I understand,” she said sincerely, reaching out to rest her hand on my knee.

Instantly, it felt like a warmth was flowing up my leg and into the pit of my stomach, loosening my tension as my cock began to stiffen slightly.

“Are you doing that on purpose?” I whispered, suddenly not feeling like I was so opposed to taking a short break in her room before we left.

She gave me a confused look briefly, only to glance down at my lap, abruptly taking her hand back. “Oh! I’m sorry,” she replied, suddenly looking ashamed. “No, I wasn’t doing anything intentionally. I was just trying to show you some affection is all,” she added with a grimace.

I sighed. “Sorry. I think I’m starting to overthink everything. I just don’t want to be manipulated again.”

She focused on me with a nod. “Same,” she agreed. “I don’t like feeling as if someone’s manipulating me either.”

“Do you feel that way?” I wondered hesitantly.

She paused, her red eyebrows knitting together slightly as she thought about it. “Last night was…well, breathtaking. But with that, I also realize you did things to me, even if unintentionally. You made me feel passionate, beyond what I’ve ever felt before.”

I frowned, uncertain if that was something I should be apologizing for.

“So then?” I prompted hesitantly.

She sighed. “I think that as long as I can trust you, then I’m okay with a little bit of manipulation, since I have the same kind of problem, and it’s not exactly something you can control to begin with, and…” She sighed. “Well, I very much want to experience it again.”

“Me too,” I whispered. “And I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad. I’m okay with you making me feel so much lust, although I’m not sure if I want to feel it right now. Like, kinda do, and kinda don’t.”

She nodded, giving me another sympathetic expression. “I understand, and honestly I trust and respect you even more for it.” She then smirked, seeming to lighten up some. “Like, I really kind of want to just jump you and get that wonderful cock in me again, but it also makes me happy that your life doesn’t now revolve around having sex with me, as it has done for so many men.”

I cleared my throat. “Umm, right,” I agreed, ready to change the subject. “So, I guess are you ready to tie me up?” I said playfully.

She grinned even wider. “Oh, I’ve been ready, baby boy. Let me grab the stuff, and then we’ll go to the garage to do it. The neighbors don’t live close enough that they’d see, but I don’t want to chance someone asking questions.”

I smirked. “No witnesses, huh? Dang, I definitely feel better now.”

She laughed, knowing I was teasing her, beginning to stand back up.

“Oh,” I quickly said. “And obviously both your daughter and Serenity are really worried. Can you send them messages to kind of keep them up to date?”

She frowned at that. “Yeah, Gabby requested the same earlier, while you were on your way. I’ll have to keep it vague, but yeah, I can do that.”

“And you definitely aren’t leading me to my death, right?” I added, my tone still lighthearted, but still feeling nervous.

She laughed again. “Oh, baby boy, I want to keep you too much to let that happen.” She sighed. “And I’ll be honest with you. As much as I love the woman who raised me, I’d fight her to the death if she tried harming you.”

Dang.

“Wow, umm, thank you,” I replied in surprise. “That actually makes me feel a lot better.”

“Good,” she said warmly, reaching down to grab the golden antique comb with the amethyst mind stone. “Now, you wait right here while I grab the stuff, and then we can be on our way shortly.”

I nodded, leaning back more into the couch as I watched her walk around and begin heading upstairs. Taking a deep breath, I shifted back to my normal coloring and attempted to relax, realizing I did at least have one ace up my sleeve in the event that I had to defend myself.

Well, technically two aces.

First, I had my strength, which I knew for a fact Mrs. Rebecca didn’t fully comprehend, considering she sincerely believed that I wouldn’t be able to break out of handcuffs. Because I could, without a doubt. However, more importantly, I had an even bigger secret that Gabriella’s mom obviously didn’t know about…

I had wings.

And I could grow them very rapidly, allowing me to have an extra set of arms to stretch significantly further than my normal reach, in the event I needed to take action quickly.

Still, I couldn’t help but be nervous, especially when the unknown element of magic was involved. I just hoped this person was truly as good-intentioned as Mrs. Watson seemed to believe.

Taking another deep breath, I stood up when she came back downstairs about five minutes later, carrying a black leather bag, looking like it didn’t have much in it. I then grabbed the wooden chest, containing the letter and stone, and followed her through the kitchen for the first time, surprised by how nice and cozy it looked with all the gentle shades of mostly light browns and blacks, only to follow her out a glass side-door that led out into the warm April air.

At least it was a really nice day out, the sun high in the bright blue sky, with lush vegetation and fancy landscaping making the already nice space look even more enriched.

She then proceeded on a stone walkway leading to the garage’s side-door, holding it open for me, before turning on the lights once I’d stepped inside.

Holy fuck.

My jaw dropped.

“You have a Corvette?” I said in complete disbelief, staring at the cherry-red two-seater luxury car from heaven. There was also a very fancy four-door black sedan beside it, but it took backstage even though it was closer. And then there was an empty space beyond that, since this was a three-car garage.

Mrs. Rebecca chuckled. “Yeah, she’s pretty, isn’t she? I haven’t taken her out recently, but she’s fun to ride.”

Damn, that sure sounded sexual.

But wait…

“Is this your car?” I said in surprise, focusing on her over my shoulder as she began pulling a leather blindfold out of her bag, already having a pair of real metal handcuffs hooked on two of her fingers.

“Yep,” she replied warmly, glancing up at me. “My husband’s car is at the airport. I saw him off for his flight, but we drove separately, since he wanted to make sure he had transportation in the event his plans changed and he came back at an odd time.” She then grinned. “Maybe I’ll be your sugar momma and take you on a nice date sometime.”

Holy fuck!

I cleared my throat. “Umm, yeah, I’d actually really like that a lot,” I admitted, kind of starting to wonder how Gabriella’s parents were so well off financially.

“Me too,” she agreed with an affectionate smile. “Now, let me get this blindfold on you, and start getting you ready to stuff in my trunk. We’re taking the black car.”

I laughed. “You’re having way too much fun with this,” I said playfully.

She grinned. “I’d be lying if this wasn’t a little fun for me. Kind of wish we were doing this in my bedroom instead, but oh well. Now, turn around, young man.”

I did so as she approached and reached up to secure the leather blindfold over my eyes, feeling a lot like a comfy sleep mask, that was buckled and pulled tight in the back. And then, she took the black chest from me to put in her bag, having me put my arms behind my back, so she could get the handcuffs on as well, ensuring they were pretty tight, while checking with me to make sure they weren’t too bad.

She made a comment about us waiting a few minutes to make sure my hands didn’t start falling asleep, all while she put a silky bag over my head that she then proceeded to strap into place with a built-in buckle.

Shit, she really did have some kinky stuff, because even the bag was obviously made for foreplay.

After that, she stood in front of me, just lingering there for a long few seconds, her overwhelming maple syrup-like scent beginning to have a twinge of guilt and regret.

“I really wish we could socialize on the way there,” she said quietly, reaching out to gently touch my arm. “But obviously conversation will be a little difficult with you in the trunk.” She sighed. “But I’ll be thinking about you the whole time.”

I frowned, though I knew she couldn’t see, kind of wishing she had above average hearing, so that it would be possible. “Do the back seats fold down or anything?” I wondered.

She sighed. “They do, actually,” she admitted. “But my mom doesn’t want you to know where she lives, so I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you completely in the dark.”

I nodded. “Okay, well my hands feel fine, so I guess let’s go.”

She didn’t respond at first, possibly nodding as well and not remembering I couldn’t see her, only to lean forward and tug down on my Polo shirt a little. She then gently placed her lips on my collar bone, sending a wave of warmth up and down my body.

“Okay,” she agreed, pulling away and grabbing my arm to lead me. “Let’s go.”

I allowed her to walk me to the back of the black sedan, hearing the trunk pop open, and then awkwardly climbed in with only my legs currently having free motion. Thankfully, the soft interior was actually pretty comfortable, with it almost feeling as if this was a brand-new car with how potent it smelt.

Indicating I was ready, she closed the trunk and then grabbed her bag, followed by climbing into the driver’s seat as the garage door began to open. We were then on our way a handful of seconds later, the sound of the garage door closing again growing more distant as we headed down the paved driveway.

Then once we were on the road, I focused entirely on my sense of hearing and strong spatial perception, doing what few normal people were capable of -- I laid out a map for where we were going, doing my best to pay attention to the slight turns and angles of the road to maintain and idea of which way we were heading.

It helped occupy my time as the trip slowly passed, but I had to admit that it was boring as hell. At one point, toward the beginning of the trip, Mrs. Rebecca turned on the radio briefly, only to turn it back off, almost seeming as if she was determined to not enjoy herself while I obviously didn’t have anything to do to occupy my time.

Thankfully, she kept me up to date though, letting me know when fifteen minutes had passed, calling out loudly in hopes I’d hear her, and then also telling me when we were halfway there. However, it became obvious she started feeling bad about the situation as we got a lot closer.

“We’re almost there, baby boy,” she reassured me. “Another ten minutes and I can get you out of there.”

Of course, I didn’t bother responding, since I doubted she’d be able to hear me anyway.

But finally we were pulling up to an unknown location, the sounds of birds chirping in the trees, leaves flowing in the breeze, the noise of metal creaking as she pulled up to a gate, which opened automatically as if there were motion sensors controlling it.

I also heard the gurgling noise of a fountain as we began slowly driving down a paved lane, wondering if this was some kind of mansion, or a different kind of place entirely. Either way, from the sounds, I imagined it to be very fancy, and possibly old looking, while also clearly being well-kempt.

After we pulled to a stop, Mrs. Rebecca turned off the car and climbed out, beginning to speak on her phone as she walked around to the back, the trunk having just popped open, likely from a button she pushed.

“Yes, we’re here,” she said simply, only to rush to help me when I started climbing out of the trunk myself.

“Very well,” a surprisingly youthful voice responded. “I’ll send Gwen out to get him. In the meantime, I’d like to see you in the East Drawing Room, if you please.”

“Of course,” Mrs. Rebecca replied. “Do you want me to wait for Gwen to get here, or--”

“She will be out shortly,” the young voice cut her off firmly. “Please come see me now.”

“Okay,” she replied uneasily. “Be right there.”

She then hung up and moved to stand in front of me. “You doing alright?” she asked gently.

“Umm, yeah,” I replied, sitting on the edge of the trunk now with my feet on the ground, my hands still handcuffed behind my back. “Was that her? She sounded really young, like my age. And she didn’t seem like she was in a very good mood,” I added, starting to feel anxious again.

Mrs. Rebecca sighed, reaching out to gently touch my arm. “She’s just stressed, even though I reassured her you were safe. She usually gets a little snippy when she’s stressed, but that’s about the worst of it.”

I nodded. “Okay, well, I should be fine here,” I replied. “Better go before she gets any more irritated. You have the black chest with you right?”

“Yep, I do, baby boy,” she replied quietly, sounding almost as if she wanted to say more. “Umm, if you need to use the bathroom or anything, just let Gwen know, and she’ll help you out.”

I tried not to scoff at the idea of trying to use the bathroom in handcuffs, wondering if Mrs. Rebecca was being literal when she said this person would help. As in, she’d pull my cock out for me and hold it while I took a piss.

However, thankfully I didn’t need to use the bathroom right now, even despite my anxiety.

Oddly enough, unlike what seemed to be normal for most people, anxiousness didn’t make me have to pee. Instead, it made most normal sensations vanish entirely, to the point that even things like sleep and hunger became almost unnecessary the more anxious I grew.

“I’m good,” I said simply. “Oh, but can I ask what her name is?”

Mrs. Rebecca hesitated briefly before sighing. “It’s Miriam, and that’s all I should tell you. I’ll leave it up to her if she wants to share her last name.”

Dang, such a normal sounding name. But then again, I supposed technically Miriam was a really old name too, since it had been around for like a couple of millennia or something. Granted, it was also possible she’d changed her name several times to fit with the current era.

“Thank you,” I replied simply.

She didn’t respond verbally, gently rubbing my arm again and then sounding like she was tapping her phone as she began walking away, I assumed to maybe give her daughter an update. Listening carefully to her as she moved, I heard her walk up a set of concrete stairs, only to open a door that made almost no noise at all, followed by her tapping on a hard floor, maybe marble or something, as she made her way to the right to another room.

Oddly enough, the sound of her steps began to feel significantly quieter as she walked.

In the meantime, I caught a couple of other people talking all the way at the back right of the house, immediately paying closer attention when I heard Gwen’s name.

It was a man’s voice.

“Ms. Gwen, I’m about to leave early, as requested. Did you need anything else before I go?”

“No,” a surprisingly sexy female voice said, sounding a little deeper than average while also very feminine. Kind of reminded me of the voice coming from a chick in a screamo band, who perpetually sounded a little hoarse due to her career choice, yet also sounded enticing as hell. “You may leave,” she continued. “And take the rear exit. Under no circumstances are you to leave through the front gate.”

“I understand, Ms. Gwen,” he replied. “I’ll be here early in the morning to finish trimming the north hedges. You have a nice day.”

“You as well,” she replied simply, sounding aloof, despite what should be kind words.

I could then hear her walking through a doorway, this one creaking just barely, before she made her way toward the front of the building, sounding as if she might be wearing high heels with how her feet clicked on the flooring. Her clothing kind of sounded odd as she walked, almost swooshing like silk, though I couldn’t imagine she was wearing something silky, unless it was something like a silk maid outfit.

Hard to say, but I really began picturing her in a black and white silk maid outfit as she walked, feeling like that fit well enough with what I was hearing.

Having followed her with my ears through the house, I couldn’t help but turn my head in her direction when she opened the front door, listening to her pause briefly when she likely focused on me, before making her way down the stone steps.

“Umm, hello,” I greeted when she was close enough, wanting to start on the right foot, if possible. “Are you Gwen? It’s nice to meet you.”

“Don’t talk to me,” she snapped, sounding irritated now. “In fact, don’t talk to anyone,” she added. “You are only to speak if asked a direct question by me, or my mistress. Understand?”

“Umm, yeah, I get it,” I replied, trying to not get frustrated myself. “No need to be rude about it.”

She abruptly grabbed me roughly by the arm then, yanking me to my feet with surprising force, her thin fingers feeling really warm. I only then realized that she was almost as tall as me -- being able to perceive where her head was due to the spot where her voice was coming from -- her grip somehow delicate yet shockingly powerful on my bicep.

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” she snapped, in response to my free speech. “Now walk.”

Deciding not to get into a fight over nothing, I obeyed, a little surprised when she began telling me when to step, so as to avoid me tripping, although I couldn’t be sure if she was actually being hospitable, or just didn’t want to have me inconveniencing her by falling.

However, what she didn’t know was that I’d listened to two people take these steps at this point, and been able to get a pretty decent picture of their general spacing, thanks to the distance of the sound origin combined with the length of time it took to take them.

Meaning, I would have been perfectly fine on my own, but I wasn’t about to tell her that.

Because I felt like the less they knew about what I was capable of, the better.

Gwen then proceeded to walk me through an echoing space, possibly a grand foyer if this was truly a mansion, only to take me down a hallway underneath the potential staircases, leading me to a doorway that opened into a really tight space.

“Stand still,” Gwen muttered as she slipped past me in the cramped area, unexpectedly telling me two qualities about her when she brushed against me.

One, she was really skinny, including in her chest area, her breasts feeling like they couldn’t be larger than B-cups as they brushed against my arm. And two, she was definitely wearing something silky, but also poofy, which only reinforced my maid outfit idea. I also began to suspect that her hair might be shoulder length, because I could occasionally hear a different kind of swooshing when she would turn her head quickly, like hair brushing over shoulders, or possibly just brushing over the collar of her outfit if her hair was actually more chin-length.

I then heard her press a button and the back wall unexpectedly began rising, revealing an echoey space beyond.

“Look,” I blurted out seriously, feeling nervous again. “I just came because I need help. I didn’t come so you guys could lock me in your dungeon and keep me as your prisoner.”

Surprisingly, Gwen made an amused noise at that, only to speak firmly. “Just shut up, and come on,” she hissed. “We have more stairs, this time down, so watch your step.”

“Umm, sure,” I agreed as she grabbed me firmly by the arm again, tugging me forward as the heat in her fingers seeped into my skin, with me beginning to wonder if I could speak more freely now that I’d amused her a little. “So, just wondering, but are you a normal person?” I asked hesitantly.

She scoffed. “Just shut up, and step,” she snapped. “Step,” she repeated. “Step.”

“Okay, I’ve got it,” I snapped back. “These feel like normal stairs.”

Although, they were again concrete steps.

She was quiet then, her thin fingers still tight on my arm as we continued down, going quite a bit further than I was expecting for a normal basement. When we reached the bottom, she then stopped, holding onto me as we stood there in silence.

Confused, I finally spoke up. “Something wrong?”

“Why did you come here?” she asked firmly, the heat from her body beginning to feel like a radiator, in a really good way.

Surprised, I cleared my throat. “I thought Mrs. Rebecca told you guys. My parents left me a weird stone, and we think there’s something bad going on with it, and I don’t really have anyone else I can ask.”

“This isn’t a trick?” she asked seriously.

I scoffed. “Of course not. I didn’t even know Miriam--”

“Mistress,” she snapped firmly. “You will not call her by her name, unless she gives you permission to do so.”

I sighed. “I didn’t even know your mistress was alive, until Mrs. Rebecca mentioned it.” I paused. “And she didn’t even tell me that right away. She just said that she knew someone who might be able to help, and only after she spoke with your mistress did she mention who it was.”

“Are you trying to get me to believe that you didn’t know succubi are immortal?” she demanded, sounding skeptical now.

I paused as I considered that, kind of surprised she was being so open about what her mistress was, knowing she was skeptical that I didn’t automatically assume that Miriam was alive.

“I mean, yeah,” I agreed. “No one has ever actually told me they’re truly immortal. I just kind of assumed that based on something I read, but never really thought that this particular woman that I’m here to meet was still around.” I then paused again, suspecting she still didn’t believe me. “Look, I’ve never met my real parents, okay? I have no one who I can ask about this stuff. That’s it. I’m just here because I need help, and if she doesn’t think she can help me, then I’d be happy to leave without even meeting her.”

Gwen didn’t respond, but after a few seconds she began tugging on my arm again, leading me around a sharp corner to my right and then down another hallway, this one sounding echoey even if it wasn’t very large. I suspected the bare concrete walls were the cause for the ricocheting noise.

I cleared my throat. “You aren’t really going to put me in a dungeon, are you?” I finally asked, trying to sound lighthearted.

“No,” she replied simply. “But I am putting you in a room that might feel like one. My mistress is not thrilled to be meeting with the scion of an incubus, and is taking every precaution she can.”

“Not thrilled?” I repeated in surprise. “Then why does she even want to meet me?”

“Because she loves her children,” she said firmly. “And she will not tolerate you harming them.”

Oh fuck.

“I would never,” I said quietly, feeling really uneasy now, wondering if I should just make a run for it while I still could, or wait and see how this played out.

Gwen didn’t respond, but oddly enough, her fingers squeezed slightly on my arm as if she’d heard my thoughts and was preparing to stop me from escaping. And then, even more strange, when I decided I’d just wait it out, her grip loosened just a little.

I knew I had to be imagining it, but still it felt very coincidental.

Although something as crazy as mind-reading could explain why she was being a bit more social and nicer now.

Finally stopping to open a noisy metal door, she tugged me inside, proceeding to instruct me to sit, while guiding me a little, almost as if she wanted to continue touching me, only to readjust my arms behind the back of the metal chair I’d found myself in, beginning to secure the handcuffs to a chain.

A chain that was undoubtedly attached to a bolt in the floor.

“Hey,” I said seriously, just as she finished and began standing up. “She’s not going to try to hurt me, is she?”

Gwen hesitated briefly, before resting her hand on my shoulder, and leaning down a little. Her tone was surprisingly friendly. “I cannot speak on behalf of my mistress’s intentions…but I will admit she does have a soft spot for the orphaned.”

I turned my head slightly toward her, though of course I couldn’t see anything with the bag over my head and blindfold over my eyes. Still, I felt an increased warmth coming from her, even if it was only brief.

“I didn’t know my parents either,” she said quietly, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze, only to speak more firmly again, raising her voice. “However, I can promise you that her family is very important to her. Make her feel even a little threatened, and it might be the last thing you do.”

“Fuck,” I hissed as she let go and began walking away. “Hey, I’m not a threat to anyone,” I said seriously. “I would never--” I stopped talking when the door slammed shut, an audible clicking sound occurring as it locked, suddenly finding myself completely alone in a concrete space.

Fuck.

‘Okay, deep breath,’ I told myself, still feeling confident I could escape if I needed.

I just needed to give this some time, wait to have this meeting with the woman who raised Mrs. Rebecca, and hopefully walk out of here peacefully…instead of fighting for my life.

But shit, what kind of situation had I found myself in?

Dammit, this was bad.

Chapter 36 >>