Incubus Inc. 3

by Randi Darren

  Then he did so, shoving the tip of the weapon right through the Demon-Knight’s chest. The tip lodged itself neatly against a rib bone.

  In a second, Sam had drained the knight of their Life Essence. Taking them all the way to the point of death and then yanking his blade free. Turning, he locked eyes with the closest Demon-Knight. They were already slashing wildly at Sam.

  Deflecting the blade away with his own, Sam sent it high and to the side. The blade slammed into the stone wall and stopped.

  Grabbing the Demon-Knight at the elbow, Sam drained them just as easily as the first. They crumpled to the dirt in a heap. The other three guards were now moving toward Sam.

  “Are you willing to talk yet, or do I need to drop the rest of you before I go see your boss?” Sam asked, lifting his blade up.

  In response, the three Demon-Knights closed on Sam in a flash.

  Flicking out his left hand, Sam threw a blade of Essence with a trailing line of Essence that connected back to Sam. As soon as it struck the Demon-Knight in the leg, Sam emptied them of Life Essence. At the same time, he’d struck low with his rapier. The tip punched into another guard’s hip.

  They were drained almost as quickly as the other one, both of them collapsing to the ground.

  Before the third could reach him, they were caught in a massive ball of water.

  Suspended in midair, they struggled inside. However, like an ant trapped in a water droplet, there was nothing they could do to get out. Which left them thrashing about for all they were worth without the possibility of escape.

  Sam reached up with his rapier and pushed it into the leg of the Demon-Knight. Drinking them right up to the point of death, Sam stopped and withdrew his weapon. His victim went limp and floated unmoving inside the blob of water.

  Erv apparently took that as her cue to let them go. The water vanished and returned to wherever it came from. It left the ground littered with Demon-Knights who were drained of their Essence, but not dead.

  “Okay,” Sam said and then dismissed his weapon. Reaching out for the door, he pulled it open. “Time we went and met the city lord, I suppose. Governor. Whatever they call themselves.”

  Aster, Erv, and Wren all trooped in behind him. Wren took a moment to close the door behind herself. They had entered a long hallway that led to a door at the other end. There were no guards at it and it seemed as if there wasn’t anyone nearby either.

  Moving to the door, Sam could hear grunting and moaning coming from beyond it. As well as what sounded like someone giving commands.

  Smiling, Sam turned and looked at his group gathering behind him.

  “Seems we’ve caught them in the middle of my specialty,” Sam commented with a chuckle, then opened the door. Pushing it wide, he stepped into a large chamber.

  Sure enough, they’d walked in on a rather slim Demon with brown horns, dark-red eyes, and bright-red skin. He was atop of and thrusting into a very beautiful looking female Demon with a full figure, incredibly pale skin, black hair that appeared to be long enough to reach her rear end, and glowing vibrant-yellow eyes.

  Despite the loud moans she’d been making before they entered and just as they had, Sam detected no sexual arousal from her at all. Not a trace of an orgasm.

  She was putting on a grand act for the man who’d been working away at her without even a hint of skill.

  “Hello, there,” Sam said, walking straight toward the couple. “There’s no need to stop on my account. I’m an Incubus, after all, and I’ve seen my fair share of sex.”

  Almost immediately, the man came off the woman and raised his hands into a defensive stance. Almost as if he planned to fight Sam unarmed.

  “Ah, no. None of that,” said Sam and then held his hand up. Essence coiled around the man and woman both, trapping their arms to their sides and their legs together. With a thump, the man landed on the ground, the woman simply settled onto the ground where she already was. “Now, let’s chat.”

  Twenty - On the Road Again -

  “Fight me you coward!” screamed the man.

  Sam laughed at that, coming to a stop next to the woman. Looking her over once, Sam found she was extremely curvaceous in a way similar to Jes. She didn’t look anything like his succubus partner in the face, but she was equally stunning to look upon.

  What an incredibly lovely thing.

  Looking back at the man, Sam couldn’t help himself and started to laugh all over again. Shaking his head, he put his hands on his hips and tilted his head to one side.

  “Fight you. Uh-huh,” said Sam with an ugly chuckle. “Why would I do that? Huh? I’ve already beaten you. What’s the point in releasing you, just to fight you?”

  “Because you’re not a man if you don’t!” yelled what Sam assumed was the city lord, struggling against his bonds. “Coward! Frightened little child!”

  Unable to contain it, Sam started to laugh even harder this time. Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes and just let himself enjoy it.

  For the first time since coming to Hell, he was able to genuinely laugh. In seconds, he felt a lot of his stress fall away.

  After nearly half a minute, Sam managed to get himself under control. Looking back at the man, Sam snickered and shook his head, nearly bursting into laughter again.

  “You sound just like the Church of One and All,” said Sam. “They’d scream and curse at me as I flew around them and laid waste to them with Essence sorcery.

  “As if I’d ever fight them fairly. Or give you a chance to fight your way to freedom. What kind of idiocy is that, even? Hmph, well, whatever.”

  Turning his head to the woman lying on her back at his feet, Sam stared at her for several seconds.

  “Yes?” she asked in a warm voice and fun tone.

  “You here cause you want to be?” asked Sam. “He wasn’t raping you, or anything, was he? You weren’t really into it, but you were acting magnificently so… have to ask.”

  The woman blinked her long lashes slowly and continued to gaze up at Sam. Then she gave him a beautiful smile. Her body completely relaxed and the look on her face implied genuine interest.

  She was tired, amused, and bored.

  “Do I want to be here? Not particularly,” she said. “Was he raping me? No. I’m afraid I work the only profession available to someone such as me.

  “It isn’t so bad. I only take on one client for years at a time and I’m paid and protected very well. He’s actually much kinder than my last boss, too. As I said, do I want to be here, no. It is my job, though.

  “It isn’t even that bad, when I’m honest about it. In my entire life I’ve only had six partners. Though that’s been spread across something akin to forty years now.”

  “You know… I get that, and respect it,” Sam said in complete understanding. He was no different than her. He’d spent uncounted years sexing his way through an endless client list. Sometimes two or three times in a single mortal’s night. Summoned from one end of the world to the other and back again. “When I was working the sheets, I didn’t get the chance to only have one client though. I’m a little envious.”

  “It was kinda never-ending. After a while, they all just blended together into a mass of arms, legs, smiles, and moans.”

  “Definitely something I’ve tried to avoid. Though I wouldn’t mind being hired by you,” offered the woman. “I’d only charge a mana pearl a month.”

  “I’ll have to decline, I’m afraid. I work more on bartering sex for Life Essence,” apologized Sam with a shrug of his shoulders.

  “Yes, I could see that being an issue for us. Pity,” lamented the woman.

  Blinking several times, Sam shook his head to clear his thoughts. He wasn’t here to talk shop with the working mistress.

  “Anyway,” Sam said, looking back at the man. “I want passage through your city and into the lands beyond. That’s all.

  “And before you fret, I didn’t kill your guards. I just drained them of their Essence. They’ll be fine in a f
ew days, though they’ll be tired for a week or so. Aren’t I benevolent?”

  “I’d say so,” said the woman with a long sigh. “If it were anyone else, he’d already be dead, and I’d be giving out a freebie.

  “And hey, since you’re being benevolent? Can I get up? These stones are ice cold and not very soft.”

  Sam stared at the woman for several seconds, then dismissed the Essence that was binding her. Taking a handful of steps away from her, he distanced himself. Before he could consider doing anything else, Wren placed herself between Sam and the woman.

  “Anyway, I need—”

  “I’ll kill you! I’ll end your life! Kill you and your women!” screamed the Demon, thrashing wildly back and forth.

  “I don’t think he wants to assist us. Nor does he seem like the kind to forgive,” Erv deadpanned, standing just at Sam’s right side. The man continued to promise them death while shouting obscenities at them.

  “That’ll cause problems for us as soon as we leave. That means we’ll have to clean up and leave quietly,” Wren said, watching the woman who was now standing up and brushing at her rear end with her hands.

  Though, that does mean we probably need to take care of the woman as well.

  Doesn’t it?

  “It does seem that way,” Erv said with a glance to the woman nearby, then the male Demon. He didn’t seem to be listening at all now and was shrieking in an incomprehensible way. “Oh well.”

  For someone so flustered about sex and being complimented, she certainly doesn’t have any qualms about deciding someone’s death.

  “Ah,” said the woman with a heavy sigh. Then she gave Sam a pained look. “Must you? I mean, I know you said you wouldn’t hire me but I’m sure I’d be more useful alive than dead.”

  Aster had already walked over to the writhing Demon and held a hand up above him. Pulling her right foot out of its boot, she laid her bare sole on the man’s shoulder.

  There was a clack as lightning began to move from her hand into the man, and up to Aster’s foot. She’d created a loop for her power that would cause her minimal loss of Essence.

  All eyes were on Aster as she executed the Demon by electrocution. His whole body was tense and rigid, his teeth locked together, and smoke was coming out of the top of his head. There was no sound other than the crackle and hiss of the lightning.

  Stopping after what felt like a full minute, Aster pulled her foot away from the Demon and peered at him. He was unmoving, his chest neither rose nor fell, and there was a distinct smell of burnt hair in the room.

  “Surely I could be more useful alive than as that,” said the woman, gesturing at the dead Demon. Aster was moving toward her now, a flat look on her face. “In fact, what if I wanted to contract you? We have sex in exchange for me giving you Life Essence? I’m sure we can work something out. I’m sure the two of us could generate some great Essence together.

  “I mean, you’re an Incubus, right? I’m sure making me actually have an orgasm would be an incredible feast. Right? I’ve never had one before despite the experiences I’ve had.”

  “Lord Lust, you could always just brand her,” Erv said, turning fully toward Sam. “Just as you did myself and Abrah. Would she not be forced to follow your commands? Make her the city leader under your name, give her your brand, and allow her to brand others under her.”

  Aster paused and turned to look at Sam. She didn’t seem to care one way or the other about what they did to the woman other than needing a direction.

  “Yes! Brand me, L-Lord Lust,” said the woman suddenly, her eyes bright and quite wide. “My name is Yala Dasi Xaro Gunn. That’s my full and true name. Brand me, and make me the city lord. I have more than enough connections in the city that I could brand others and take control in three days.

  “I’ll dedicate myself to you and your cause. Also, you mentioned Abrah? The Demon-Knight? I’ve met her! I can easily work with her! It wouldn’t be an issue!”

  I don’t know. This feels a bit too much—

  “Okay,” Aster said, looking back at Yala. Holding up her left hand, she summoned Sam’s brand. She had perfect control over it as she was his bonded. His brand was hers. “Take this and become ours.”

  Yala nodded excitedly, grabbed Aster’s hand with her own and slammed it to her chest. Sam’s brand vanished into Yala completely.

  Shivering uncontrollably, she ended up dropping to her knees. Aster’s hand fell away from her, though Yala held both of her hands to her chest. Sam’s brand was being fully incorporated into her being.

  “That’ll work well,” Erv said excitedly. She then reached up to grab Sam’s forearm with her left hand again. “Yala, we’re on our way to Balahtus’ stronghold. The Vigilant stronghold. We need you to make sure no news that could endanger us leaves the city.

  “Also, do you think you can give us a map? And clear directions on the fastest way there?”

  “Yes,” groaned Yala in a chattering voice. “I’ll do all I c-can to protect Lord Lust and his s-s-secrets. Map, passage, mounts, no concerns.

  “Can’t get the Winged Abominations to s-stop. Balahtus controls them directly. S-sorry.”

  “Congratulations on the promotion, City Lord Yala. Now, here’s what you need to know,” Aster said in a laughing tone and then patted Yala on the shoulder. She knelt down next to the other woman and began whispering to her.

  “Good, good. This works perfectly. And we didn’t have to kill people who weren’t involved or anything,” Erv said, giving Sam’s arm a tug and moving in front of him. “Now, let’s have a quick go of it so we can put some more Essence in your tank. Then it’s off we go again. We need to start heading toward Vigilant today, so we can go from there to Annulus.”

  Sam was still unsure about the fact that Yala had been given his brand, but it seemed they were past the point of concern for that. He was somewhat grateful that they wouldn’t have to kill her, despite his misgivings.

  He identified with her.

  Which wasn’t very surprising when he put a thought to it. He’d been in situations very similar to her own. Except even if killed by a jealous lover or interloper, he’d just ended up back home.

  ***

  Walking slowly along the road through endless red dirt plains, Sam and his people looked like a group of refugees. With only the clothes on their backs and the single backpack, they seemed as though they were fleeing something.

  They’d decided against the wagon and Essence automaton as it would probably trigger a response from the Abominations, or make the group stand out as a unique set of people.

  Refugees with almost nothing on them were far more common. Especially heading towards Vigilant and its lord. Essence was always on hand being near a Pit Demon.

  Essence was literally generated by them out of suffering by itself.

  And there was always a lot of suffering in Hell.

  The only change they’d made before leaving was buying and selling a few goods.

  The backpack that had once held provisions for Wren, no longer did. Ever since coming to this plane, Wren hadn’t eaten or drank anything. She was much more like Sam and the Elementals now.

  Her diet consisted of planar Essence and little else.

  It only further pushed Sam towards the belief that Wren truly was a descendant of “The Devil” himself. Somewhere along the line, they had escaped Hell and made a home on the prime material plane. Submerging themselves in the world and letting their history vanish around them.

  Exactly as Sam had done when he’d left Hell. Never looking back.

  “Are we gonna talk about the fact that Wren is the spawn of The Devil himself?” Aster asked, one hand in her shirt and scratching at her underboob. “I hate Hell, by the way. It’s always way too hot and there isn’t even a sun. My boob-sweat is giving me a rash and I don’t have that much boob.

  “Unlike Erv, who’s our boob-goddess right now. Are you a giant rash, Erv? Please tell me you are. That you have lakes of sweat hiding unde
r those lovely big tits of yours. That if I pulled them up, sweat would just roll down. Tell me your secrets.”

  Oooof course, she went there. Because it’s something we probably shouldn’t bring up. Especially in Hell.

  “What? What about me?” demanded Wren.

  Erv laughed a bit uneasily, then sighed, letting her head hang forward.

  “I’m not sure which conversation I wish to discuss less, Wren’s heritage, or my boob-sweat,” grumbled the Water Elemental. Seemingly unconsciously, she reached up and adjusted her clothes. At the same time, she adjusted her breasts for perhaps the third time in ten minutes.

  “I’d much rather not discuss Wren,” Sam admitted. “So get talking ‘bout the boob-sweat.”

  “Wait, why not?” demanded Wren, her volume getting much louder since she’d been ignored. “What do you mean ‘The Devil’? You’ve all said Hell wasn’t real. Doesn’t that mean the Devil isn’t real?”

  Neither Erv nor Aster replied. Both were staring at Erv’s boobs as if wanting to discuss that instead. Leaving the whole thing to Sam.

  “The Devil was real, once upon a time. He was a very special Demon. He claimed his race was ‘Devil’ and that there were only a handful of them,” explained Sam, trying to keep it as simple as he could. “He single-handedly united Hell into one giant empire. Organization. Country. However you want to call it.

  “He did it through a combination of strength of arms, politicking, and betrayal. He never ran out of power, never ran out of stamina, and no one could ever stand up to him once he got going.

  “In every classical piece of literature, he had red horns, wings, and goat legs. There isn’t another species in Hell that has all of that at the same time. It’s why we pushed you so hard to keep all of it under wraps. Especially your horns. There is no other species in Hell with red horns.”

  “Okay, whoopee-fucking-doo,” Wren said with a grunt. “I’d rather talk about our boob-goddess than my parentage. Doesn’t matter who I’m related to.”