by Eric Vall
“If you want to be a true ‘Succubus Lord’ like you say you are, then you need to at least have one full harem devoted to you,” Sia explained. “Once that happens, the other Demon Lords will look up to you as an equal, and your powers will grow even stronger.”
“As much as I like the sound of that,” I argued, “I’m not going to push Vidia into something she doesn’t want to do. If she warms up to me over time, great. If not, then we’ll find another way to gain the Demon Lords’ respect. I--”
“Who ever said I didn’t want to?” Vidia asked weakly.
Sia and I both turned around and stared at the Sister of Envy in shock.
“You--you’ve never said anything,” I gasped. “We’ve been together for months, and the most I’ve gotten out of you was a few grumpy ‘hhmphs’ and some small talk. Well, that and the way-too-deep analysis you gave me about the symbolism of the Nine Circles that one time when we were watching the mirror.”
“Small talk?” Sia scoffed. “From Invidia? Why didn’t you say so before, Jacob? The signs were all there!”
I stared at the redhead with a blank look of confusion.
“Sooooo, you are interested in me?” I pondered aloud as I turned back to Invidia.
“Ugh!” she growled, crossed her arms, and then headed for the exit. “I’m tired of talking about all this emotional shit. I’ll be in my room.”
I started to go after the succubus, but Superbia held me back.
“Now, now, Jacob,” she warned. “It’s best to just let Invidia go when she has one of her little outbursts. You’ve seen what her powers can do and trust me, you don’t want to be on the receiving end of her wrath.”
“You’re probably right,” I laughed and sat back down at the table. “I would like to keep my soul inside of my body today. So, what was so urgent you came here and had to pry me away from the Toddster?”
“I wanted to speak with you about our next steps,” the madame implored as she pulled out the bench and sat down across from me. “Somebody obviously wants you dead, and I have a very strong theory on who it is.”
“Do you now?” I chuckled. “I’m a mortal who just killed a Demon King who’s existed since the dawn of time and took his throne. Every single demon down here would like to see my head on a pike.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” the madame shot back. “They might all be selfish demons, but they aren’t stupid. You just killed one of Lucifer’s greatest generals, and that is not a feat they will take lightly. I wouldn’t be surprised if many of them were considering alliances with you as we speak.”
“Forgive me for being a little skeptical,” I admitted, “but every single demon I’ve ever encountered has tried to fuck me over and kill me. I’m nothing more than a walking target for most of these assholes. And now that I used my Divine magic on Azazel? I wouldn’t be surprised if Lucifer showed up at my doorstep sooner or later.”
“You’re right,” the redhead confirmed. “You won’t be able to avoid Lucifer’s gaze forever. That’s why it’s so important we get the other Demon Lords and Kings on our side before that happens.”
“Well, I’ve already got one secret admirer,” I groaned.
“You and I both know who it is, Jacob,” she prodded. “Think about it. What Demon King have we encountered before that’s given us trouble? I just know the demon who sent that assassin is the same one who tried to stop us from getting into Hell in the first place. The same one who seduced Uriel to the darkness.”
“Beelzebub,” I growled as I leaned forward.
“That’s what I was thinking,” Sia agreed. “His fingerprints are all over this scheme. He knew we were breaking into Hell. He’s all about creating his ‘new order’ and overthrowing the powers that be. What’s a better way to do that than create a power vacuum in Hell and watch all of his fellow Demon Lords and Kings kill each other while they try to fill the void?”
“So, it was more of a political move,” I scoffed. “And here I thought he was just jealous.”
“You’re the King of the Fourth Circle now, Jacob,” Sia sighed. “Everything you do from here on out is political. And Beelzebub? Well, he knows how to game the system. He’s the slimiest Demon King of them all.”
“Then we’ll kill him and take his kingdom too,” I growled.
“Not without help from the other Demon Kings, we won’t,” Cupi’s voice arose as she walked into the dining hall. “If we’re really dealing with Beelzebub here, then everything is on the table. He’s a master manipulator, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already started trying to get the other Demon Kings to join up against us.”
“Is everybody just eavesdropping on me today?” I chuckled. “I just wanted to eat my breakfast in peace … ”
The fit blonde succubus walked over and plopped down next to Sia.
“How is the Shade army coming along, Cupiditas?” the redhead asked curiously.
Cupi shook her head. “They’re coming along,” she sighed. “They’ve got basic weapons handling down, and they can do simple battle formations, but you have to remember what we’re working with here. They’re just the souls of regular humans. They’re a good lot, but they don’t have any sort of magical abilities whatsoever.”
“An even better reason to form an alliance with a King who has actual demon grunts at their disposal,” Superbia added.
“And another reason to go back to Earth Realm,” I continued. “We have hundreds of Cultists up there, all of whom are powerful magic users.”
“Why not both?” Cupi insisted. “We can try to form an alliance with the other Demon Kings, and hopefully we can figure out a way to get the rest of our friends down here in the meantime. One thing is for sure … what happened with the assassin out there was a declaration of War.”
“Do you think it’s Beelzebub, too?” I asked my blonde general.
“I don’t see how it could be anyone else,” she hissed. “Uriel sent assassins after us too, remember? And he shared that same dumb-ass ‘behind-the-scenes’ mentality as the King of the Eighth Circle does.”
“Alright, so Beelzebub is against us,” I confirmed. “What does that mean in terms of potential allies?”
“Well, Abbadon and Baphomet are completely out of the question,” Sia explained. “Baphomet, the King of the Fifth Circle, is very close with Beelzebub. And Abbadon? The King of the Seventh Circle? Well, he’s … ”
“Certifiably insane,” Cupi finished. “I’ve never met the fucker, but he’s the most twisted and sadistic Demon King in the Nine Circles. If what I’ve heard is true, he really, really doesn’t like to play well with others.”
“What have you heard?” I questioned, now curious.
“Just that the last time a Demon King sent one of his lords to him, the lord was dragged across hot coals, had his flesh flayed from his bones, and then was kept in a box full of salt for nearly a week,” she explained.
“Jesus … ” I gasped. “What did he do?”
“Absolutely nothing,” Cupi said matter-of-factly. “It was a simple diplomatic trip, and the poor sap was tortured to near death and tossed back into the wilderness in his own circle.”
“Yeah … ” I admitted. “Probably not somebody we want to try and woo.”
“I think our best shot might be Asmodeus,” Sia interjected.
“The Demon King of Lust?” I questioned.
“He’s somewhat flamboyant and grating, but he has quite a large army,” the madame continued. “Besides, he’s the Demon King ‘aligned’ with Lilith, and I’m sure she’s put in a good word for you after what you’ve done for her.”
“He’s also the King of the First Circle,” Cupi added. “It’s the least dangerous of the circles, and it’s also one we have the ability to ‘fast travel’ to.”
“Asmodeus might not be the most fearsome Demon King,” I agreed, “but it sounds like that’s our best place to start. So, do I send one of you as a messenger, or … ”
“Of course not!” Sia g
asped. “We need to be as discreet as we can possibly be if we’re truly trying to build an army against our fellow Demon Kings. Sending one of your trusted succubi out there would draw far too much attention. If any of the other Kings intercept the message, that would certainly draw the attention of Lucifer.”
I rubbed the stubble on my chin as I weighed my options.
Todd could turn invisible and try to get the message to Asmodeus. That would give him something to do, and it would certainly be much more inconspicuous. However, my little imp friend wasn’t exactly the strongest fighter. If somebody tried to give him trouble, he’d be up shit creek without a paddle.
I wondered if I could send Daniel or one of the other Shades, but they weren’t allowed to exit their Circles unless they were under the spell of--
Charon. The great Ferryman of Hell.
The last time we encountered the bearded man in the deep purple robe, he had mentioned he wished to assist us in any way he possibly could.
“Charon!” I exclaimed. “Nobody will ever suspect him.”
“That’s a risky gamble, Jacob,” Sia said with a frown. “The Ferryman of Hell is supposed to be a neutral party. If Asmodeus decides to decline your offer, then he will know Charon is on our side.”
“I don’t see many other options,” I sighed. “We could try to give it to Plato, but he probably wouldn’t even be allowed near Asmodeus’ castle. Charon is the only one who can get in and out without arousing suspicion.”
“Jacob’s right,” Cupi agreed. “It’s our best option. Once we have Asmodeus on our side, communication won’t be as much of an issue.”
I stood up from the table and placed both of my palms against the top excitedly.
“Then what are we waiting for?” I asked rhetorically. “Charon hasn’t made his daily stop yet. If somebody gets out there quickly, we can still catch him and ask him to deliver our message today!”
“I’m on it,” Cupiditas said with a smirk. “I’m the fastest flier around here, anyways.”
“Always the humble one, aren’t we?” Sia giggled with a playful smack on the blonde’s arm.
“What shall I tell him?” Cupi asked as she rose from her seat.
“Exactly what we talked about here,” I explained. “Tell Charon we wish for him to deliver a message to Asmodeus, King of the First Circle. Jacob Ralston, Succubus Lord and King of the Fourth Circle, wishes to speak with him about our ‘place’ in Hell now that the landscape has been shaken up. Inform him we come in peace, and that we only wish to discuss possible … mutually beneficial scenarios.”
“Damn,” Cupi whistled. “Are you sure Ira didn’t write that speech for you? And you said you were bad at this whole ‘political thing.’”
The fit blonde laughed as she turned around, sprouted her dark black angel wings, and then took off at a full sprint out the door and into the hallway of the castle.
There was no doubt in my mind she would get my message to Charon on time, and I was fully confident the Ferryman would accept.
Now all there was left to do was sit back and see if Asmodeus was as generous.
Chapter 5
It’d been nearly half an hour since Cupi departed to find Charon, and I was now starting to get somewhat worried about the succubus.
Immediately after the blonde woman left, Sia and I headed up to the second story of the castle so we could hang out in our main living quarters. Originally, Azazel had this whole floor decked out as if it were some sort of medieval “man cave,” with neon signs and pinup posters galore.
Those were the very first things to go when we took over the castle. Libidine made sure of it.
Now, the interior had been redesigned so it had a more modern aesthetic. The walls were still made up of the shiny black brimstone that made up every structure in the Fourth Circle, but now it was accented with a white couch and a series of white strips of wood along its edges. There was a roaring fireplace carved into the dark wall, right next to the magic mirror that showed us anything and everything going on in the universe. The floors had been redone with a sleek, light-colored wood, and there were furry accent rugs strewn all about the floor.
Liby had outdone herself on this one, that was for sure.
Luckily for Todd and I, the Sister of Lust didn’t forget about our needs. Even though the room was “modern” and “chic,” there was still a large pool table at the back of the room, right next to a built-in bar and a dartboard. Most importantly of all, there was a gaming table that could be used for any card or tabletop game we thought of.
Libidine and Ira were sitting at the table when we arrived, matching wits in a game of chess. Meanwhile, Tris and Gula were snuggled up close on the couch as they took in the glow of the fireplace in the wall. Invidia, of course, was nowhere to be found.
“It looks like the real party’s up here,” I chuckled as I walked over and placed my hands on Liby’s shoulders. “Who’s winning?”
“As much as it pains me to say it,” Libidine sighed, “Sister Ira has won all of the matches we’ve played so far.”
“You could even say I’ve been dominating?” Ira joked with a wink. “Don’t feel bad, Sister. Chess is the tool I used to bond with most of my political colleagues back on Earth Realm. I’ve played hundreds, if not thousands, of games over the years, especially once ‘Marvin’s’ career took off. I will say, you’ve gotten way, waaaay better since we first started.”
“I don’t want to be better,” Libidine hissed playfully and moved her knight. “I want to be the best! Check!”
Ira simply clicked her tongue, shook her head, and captured the knight with her rook.
“You took the bait quicker than my sub jumps at the word ‘vaginal torture,’” she mused. “Checkmate!”
“Damn it,” Libidine sighed with a frown. “Let’s go again. I have to beat you eventually. I’ve got to prove my worth somehow. Sometimes I feel like I’ll always be destined to be lost in the shadows of my much more talented Sisters.”
“Oh, Libidine,” Sia cooed as she put her hands on her hips and smiled. “There’s a reason for your name. You’re always so passionate and kind.”
“If anything, most of us want to be more like you,” Ira admitted. “Having your own specialized, crazy personality quirks can be exhausting sometimes.”
“You’re tellin’ me,” Tris spoke up from the couch. “You’d think being lazy all the time would be easy, but it’s most certainly not. It actually takes a shit-ton of effort to weasel out of all my daily duties.”
“It’s true,” Gula added. “Being a master chef isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, you know. There’s a ton of responsibility that goes along with it.”
Liby let out a slight giggle and looked down at the chess board.
“You all are too much,” she said in a fluster. “But I still want to figure out a way I can bring value to the team against non-Earthly foes.”
“We’ll figure it out,” I said as I gave her head a gentle kiss. “I promise.”
“I hate to interrupt your tender moment,” Cupi’s voice announced from the stairwell, “but the deed is done. Charon has agreed to deliver our message to Asmodeus when he’s making his way back through the First Circle.”
“That gives us what, five or six more hours?” I asked as I looked at the clock been mounted to the stony wall. “He’s usually pretty punctual with his rounds.”
“Give or take an hour.” Cupi shrugged. “I hear it’s pretty easy to get tied up in the Fifth Circle, especially when you’re traveling by boat.”
I looked at my watch again, and a wave of exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks. The battle with Sora last night took a lot out of me, but the adrenaline high refused to wear off until the wee hours of the morning rolled around. I’d got up and made my daily announcements to my loyal subjects as usual, but all in all, I probably only got three hours of sleep total.
“If it’s okay with you guys, I may go lay down for a bit,” I announced as I stifled a yawn. �
�Is everybody good? Anyone need anything before I start catching some Z’s?”
“We’re fine, Jacob,” Sia reassured me. “We are more than capable of entertaining ourselves. In fact, the blueprints for the new development in Merek should be coming in today. That’ll keep me occupied for at least half the day!”
“I’m not going anywhere until I figure out how to defeat Ira,” Libidine challenged as she looked at Ira with gritted teeth.
“Oh, we’re going to be here a while, then,” the Sister of Wrath said as she grinned back at Liby.
“We’re all hunky dory over here,” Tris’ voice called out. “Laying on Gula’s chest is like sleeping on two huge memory foam pillows. I could stay here for hours.”
“I know all about that,” I laughed, and then I began to walk toward my quarters before I stopped and looked at Cupi. “What about you? Are you preoccupied, or would you like to join me?”
“As much as I’d love to go ‘take a nap’ with you,” the blonde grinned, “those soldiers out there are still far from battle-ready, and we’ll need someone here to talk to Charon or whoever Asmodeus sends as a messenger. I’d really prefer if that person were me.”
“Fair enough,” I said with a shrug. “Let me know when you’ve heard anything.”
“Will do, ‘my liege,’” the blonde shot back sarcastically.
“Very funny,” I muttered as I turned and headed toward my section of the castle.
Calling it “my section” was probably a bit of a stretch, since most of the succubi ended up sharing my bed with me every night. Still, this wing was built from my own personal tastes, so it was mine in every sense of the word.
As I walked through the corridors of the castle, the decor on the walls grew stranger and darker. Invidia’s wing was located caddy-corner to my own, and I could hear the thrashing beat of her screamo music blaring from the other side of her door as I walked closer. The second I passed by the succubus’ door, the music abruptly stopped, and I heard the creak of ancient metal hinges.
