Incubus Inc. 3

by Randi Darren

  “A… what?” Yala asked, looking very confused.

  “Never mind, Boob-priestess,” Aster said, waving her hand back and forth in a negation gesture. Then she looked to Erv. “Lead on, my Boob-goddess.”

  To be fair, Erv is bigger than Yala.

  Slipping out of the room, they quickly moved through the facility. Everyone followed Erv as she guided them. She seemed to know exactly where she was going and had no hesitation whatsoever.

  They paused only briefly to let a patrol of soldiers pass by. They were apparently on their way somewhere and not paying much attention to anything else. It was strange, but Sam figured it fit what he personally believed was happening.

  Balahtus was in full “gloat” right now. He had assumed everything was well and done and was just enjoying his perceived victory. Never once really considering that everything could be going wrong at an alarming rate.

  Sam had been there once or twice himself.

  “Just down this way,” Erv said, gesturing with her hand towards some stairs.

  “I’ll go first,” Wren said and then moved out in front. Her sword was held out and ready.

  “Try not to kill anyone, we need to be sneaky about this,” hissed Erv at Wren’s back.

  Wren said nothing, vanishing into the stairwell as it turned to the left.

  Erv looked concerned and frustrated at the same time, then she followed after Wren, her hands held up nervously at her sides. Yala went down behind Erv, looking just as perturbed.

  “You know, it’s rather amusing being the one pulling everyone together,” Aster said, looking at Sam with raised eyebrows and a smirk. Sam had certainly noticed that a lot of what she’d been doing and saying since arriving in Hell had been calculated. Even her whining about Erv being chosen.

  It seemed that all of it had been designed to raise the others up, and bring them closer together. Or at least, closer to Sam.

  “I think Jes and Irma are gonna reward me big,” Aster said and gave him a nudge in the side. “I might even be able to talk your beautiful Imp into a three-way as a thanks. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

  Heading down the stairs with her hands on her head, Aster seemed to be enjoying herself.

  Sam could see right through Aster, though. She was nervous. Frazzled.

  Holding it all together by sheer force of will.

  She was certainly working in Sam’s benefit and doing a great job of it, but she was reaching her limit. He needed to get her to a place where she could unwind for a minute.

  Probably because she can’t feed off anything but me.

  Catching up to Aster, he laid a hand to her hip and then linked up with her by reaching into the bonds they shared with one another. A steady stream of Essence began to flow from him to her, then back to him again.

  It carried with it a warm feeling of unity. Regardless of anything else, they were the bonded of one another. Nothing would change that.

  Not even death, Hell, or the afterlife.

  “That obvious?” Aster whispered in a voice dripping with annoyance as they trooped along. Sam couldn’t see the others up ahead but he didn’t hear anything out of the ordinary.

  “Only to someone who loves you,” replied Sam honestly. He was close to all the women in his life, but Jes, Irma, and Aster, all held a special place for him.

  “Oh, well, that’s good,” she said in a voice that sounded on the edge of breaking. “Love… love you, too.”

  Sam only grinned, holding Aster, and kept marching down the stairs.

  When they hit the bottom, Sam let go of Aster and then moved into the room beyond.

  It was more or less exactly what he expected.

  A large room with a number of permanently open portals that led to elsewhere in Hell. Off to one corner was a tear in the planar fabric of Hell. It twisted in on itself, opened slightly, then closed, and reverted back to its original size. It had been stabilized through a process Sam couldn’t identify, but it didn’t seem to be breaking apart.

  “Now we… uhm… just wait,” Erv said, looking around the empty room. “It won’t be that long and with everyone out, it makes it easy to just stay here.”

  Wren stood next to her, looking on edge. Her sword was in her hand, and her eyes slowly tracked from one side of the room to the other. A feral grin curved her lips when her eyes settled on a large battle-axe that seemed to have been left behind by one of the guards. It took just a moment to swap her sword for the new weapon.

  “I have a suggestion on what we can do while we wait,” Aster said and turned to look at Sam. “But it’s going to only work for those of us who can be quiet.”

  “That’d be me, then,” Yala said with a wide smile, looking over at Sam as well. “I have perfect control over that.”

  “Not hardly. You’d be the loudest,” Wren countered. Then her voice softened as she continued. “You’ve never experienced it. Experienced anything even remotely like actually being satisfied.

  “When Sam’s in control… it’s hard to control the volume. You’ll get used to it and what he does to you. In time. But not today.

  “Erv and Aster will rotate while the other holds the invisibility spell. I’ll stand guard with Yala, since my volume is often ‘broken’ as Sam tells me.”

  Sam didn’t argue.

  Instead, he grabbed Aster by the hips and began dragging her off to a dark corner. Furthest from the portals.

  “Come along, my Bonded” Sam whispered in Aster’s ear, leaning over her shoulder.

  Aster shivered from head to toe, her hands clamping down on his own. He felt her instantly reconnect to his brand and start cycling their Essence again.

  ***

  Thrusting deeply into Erv, Sam was enjoying the Water Elemental. She had an innocence and warmth to her that never seemed to end. Even now, her hands were holding onto his shoulders and pulling at him. Trying to keep him close to herself.

  “They’re coming,” Aster warned.

  Lifting his head up, Sam looked away from Erv. He couldn’t see or hear anything, but he didn’t doubt Aster at all.

  Looking back at Erv, Sam gave her an apologetic smile as he kept pumping down between her thighs. Then he spiked her with a thick rod of Essence. Lifting up his left hand, he pressed it down over her mouth as her eyes suddenly flared open.

  Quivering beneath him, Erv was dropped from halfway to an orgasm into a full blown one.

  Shuddering in jerky movements, she gazed up at him, her body spasming uncontrollably. Little whimpers escaped her but were muffled by Sam’s hand.

  Clawing her fingers into him, Erv yanked him down flat atop her. Her legs wrapped up around his hips and held him down as she rode out the sudden and violent climax.

  It wasn’t how he wanted to do it, but it was a quick and easy way to finish off what they’d been generating.

  Grinding himself against her, Sam allowed his own release as well. His member expanded and emptied into her depths. He would have regretted not finishing, otherwise.

  Locked together with Erv, they rolled against one another as they both finished.

  Seconds ticked by in silence while Sam moved back and forth slowly. He pumped her womb full of seed even as she held onto him.

  The sound of boots clumping down stone caused Sam to pull up a bit. Hilt deep in the Water Elemental, he turned his head to look back toward the steps.

  Balahtus appeared there and stomped his way toward the tear on the other side of the room. The Pit Demon seemed frustrated, but determined. As if he was running into problems but didn’t find them that annoying.

  Unsure of how to proceed, Sam stayed atop Erv, watching the Pit Demon carefully.

  “You there?” Balahtus spoke to the tear in a grumble.

  A delicate hand reached up and cupped Sam’s jaw, tilting his head downward.

  Meeting Erv’s eyes, he found she was watching him with raised eyebrows. Then she slowly unwound her legs from his hips and her free hand patted his rear end.

  Ah.
She wants up.

  Sliding out of the Water Elemental with a near-silent swish, Sam slowly got to his feet. Erv got up a second after him and then went over to her pile of clothes.

  Sam and Erv went about getting dressed as silently as they could. Wren and Aster were both watching Balahtus. Skipper had yet to respond, which likely meant she wasn’t there yet.

  Sighing, Balahtus folded his arms across his large chest and leaned his head back, staring up at the stone ceiling above him in an impatient and demanding way.

  “I’m here,” Skipper said from nowhere just as Sam was just finishing getting his boots on.

  It’s time then.

  Twenty-Three - Thinking with Portals -

  “Great. Did the messenger relay what was going on?” Balahtus asked, his head dropping back down to a normal position, his eyes fixed on the tear.

  “Honestly, no. But that’s on me for utilizing low-intelligence spirits to monitor a tear,” Skipper said and then sighed. “About the only thing I got out of them before I destroyed them was a time and who. That being now and you. So here I am. What is it?”

  “I’ve captured Sameerixis. I’d like to sell him to you,” Balahtus said with more than a little pride.

  “You… you captured… Sam,” said Skipper. From her tone alone, it sounded as if she couldn’t really believe what she’d just heard.

  Not that Sam blamed her.

  Looking back, it’d been rather foolhardy to travel as he had. He would have been better served taking Yala and the city lord’s army. Or going back and waiting for Abrah to take the Whore’s Ridge stronghold now that he had a foothold.

  Instead, he’d rushed on ahead and had been well punished for it.

  “Indeed. I have him locked away in a cold-iron dungeon. It was incredibly expensive to have constructed,” Balahtus said, nodding his head as if Skipper could see him. “I even went to the trouble of capturing all his old comrades after our last encounter, if you’d like them. They’ve been… incredibly fun, but they’ve lost their appeal.”

  “Ugh, disgusting as ever, I see,” Skipper said in a voice dripping with undisguised hatred. “I should have killed you before the planes were locked.

  “Well, anyway, in regards to Sameerixis, I might be interested in what you have to say. Depending on what it is you want and what you’re offering. You’ve yet to mention either of those things.”

  “It’s very simple. I give him to you, and throw in his old lieutenants as a bonus prize,” Balahtus said. He sounded considerably less sure of himself. Even Sam wasn’t really sure how this would play out given that Skipper didn’t seem that interested. “I’d also be willing to throw in my assistance to find the Hub. I assume you haven’t found it yet, since… well… nothing’s changed.”

  “Mm. Yes, I assumed that was what you were offering. Sam and his old comrades, that is. There’s no need for your help with the Hub. Yet you’ve so far failed to establish your price for all these… riches,” Skipper said in a bored tone. “By the way, did you happen to ask how he ended up in Hell? Was he with anyone when you caught him?”

  Hub? She’s looking for a Hub?

  What’s a Hub?

  Actually, he said “the” Hub. Didn’t he? So it’s a singular thing that’s a title.

  Something in particular. I need to talk to Miles about that.

  “Ah, no. I didn’t ask and yes, he was alone,” said Balahtus, his words taking on a confused tone. “Uhm, why?”

  “No reason. Anyway, price?” Skipper asked in a bored, flat tone.

  Strange. It was like she wanted him to answer in a different way, but stopped just short of it. Almost as if— oh, she has better control of her Imp-pulses now. Doesn’t she?

  She can peek ahead into the future to see what his answers would be. She already knows where this is all going.

  She already knows what he’s going to ask and is just going through the motions.

  She doesn’t want me?

  That’s… odd.

  “A portal. From Hell to the prime,” Balahtus stated clearly, his tone firming up considerably. “That’s all I want. I’m tired of Hell. I had a chance to have a few morsels on the prime and I find I have a taste for them now.

  “Hell is so… boring. Stale. Bland. Nothing here has any flavor to me anymore. There’s nothing that—”

  “No,” Skipper said simply, stopping Balahtus mid-sentence.

  “I— what?” Balahtus asked, his entire thought process clearly falling down around him in disarray.

  “No,” repeated Skipper.

  “No,” said Balahtus. “What do you mean… no? Wh— you don’t want Sameerixis?”

  “I wouldn’t mind him being delivered to me, but I can’t pay your price. The simple reality is that I can’t open a plane from Hell to the prime,” replied Skipper in the same bored tone. “Can’t open a portal to collect Sam, can’t open a portal for the price. No portals allowed to or from Hell. That’s just the way it is.”

  Huh.

  Nicodimus is stronger than I thought. Far stronger.

  He’s able to shut Skipper out entirely.

  Though… that does leave a rather large question mark open as to how I really got here. Moving through the Void worked but… was that different than opening a portal to another plane?

  Something to test at a later time.

  “—there’s a way to make it happen. Isn’t there? Surely you or Zeus could do something about it,” argued Balahtus. Sam had missed whatever the first part of his complaint had been while lost in his own thoughts.

  “There really isn’t. Sorry,” Skipper said with a smacking noise. It sounded like she was eating something at the same time. “Like I said, no portals allowed. It’s just not something we can do right now. You’re welcome to—oh. I guess it doesn’t matter. Huh. That’s not terribly surprising, I suppose.”

  “What? I don’t even understand what you’re talking about anymore,” Balahtus complained.

  “Wow. Okay. I didn’t see that one coming. She looks like Luke,” Skipper said in a much more interested tone. “And Erv, too? Wow. Who’s that, though?”

  The shit is she—ah!

  Sam summoned his Essence weapon and charged forward. Skipper had clearly seen the future and at some point in the near future, they would attack Balahtus.

  Of course, by seeing the event, Skipper could be the precipitating event, or she could change the future entirely by speaking about it. Fate and the future were fickle things that could often get confused in the places between events.

  “You’re babbling. What are you babbling about that—”

  At the same instant that Sam reached Balahtus, the Pit Demon’s head whipped around toward him. In doing so, he shifted his torso to one side.

  Catching the large Demon in the shoulder, rather than the heart, Sam’s weapon slid right through until it struck bone. Getting stuck there, his blade went no further.

  Sam didn’t bother to try and drain the Pit Demon. He already felt the undeath that was inside the Demon. He’d prepared himself well for fighting an Incubus. Ready to counteract what Sam would probably do.

  Roaring, Balahtus casually snapped Sam’s Essence weapon in half and then backhanded him. The blow sent him soaring across the room toward the stairwell.

  “Intruders! Portal room!” shouted Balahtus at the top of his lungs. An unseen ripple of power spread out from Balahtus at the same time, sending massive amounts of power rippling out to everything around them.

  It was a call to action.

  Shit. There’s no way I can fight him one on one and he just summoned every goon he has in the keep that’s bound to him, didn’t he?

  He’s a High Heaven’s damned Pit Demon! There are few who—

  Wren flew toward Balahtus at high speed. Her wings propelled her in a rapid dash across the short distance. Her red breath trailed out behind her creating a strange glittering trail. In her hands, the massive battle-axe she’d taken was coming around. Aimed for Balahtus’ neck
, it was on a clear line to decapitate him.

  “What?” shouted the Pit Demon.

  Drawing the weapon from his side in a flash, he brought it up just in time to block Wren’s strike.

  Except instead of blocking it, all it did was deflect it. His own weapon rebounded into his temple and sent the Demon stumbling sideways.

  Shit. She’s gotten a lot stronger.

  Gaining his footing, Balahtus glared at Wren.

  “I know you. I ate you,” Balahtus said in a dark chuckle. “You were… succulent.”

  Wren roared wordlessly, her eyes and horns glowing in equal measure as she chased after the Pit Demon. Her battle-axe whirled out once again, though Balahtus was able to defend himself better this time. He brought Wren to a standstill with him, but it didn’t seem as if he had the upper hand.

  In fact, it seemed Wren did.

  Through the portals, Sam could see a mass of soldiers rushing toward them. All of them would soon be flooding in from the other side of wherever the portals led. Erv had said that only two of them connected to other strongholds, so the remaining portals likely went to other places within the Annulus stronghold.

  That summons went through the portals, too. Damn!

  “Ast—”

  Before Sam could even finish the statement, Aster and Erv had already stepped up and dropped a number of spells over the portals. It was as if they’d thrown the lock on the door and were now holding it closed bodily as well.

  “Watch the stairs, Sam!” Erv called, standing side by side with Aster.

  Turning, Sam looked up the stairwell next to where he’d landed. He could distantly hear the rattle and clank of people in armor coming down the steps.

  “I have no idea what I’m doing!” shouted Yala, coming to stand next to him. She had nothing in her hands and not a stitch of armor on her person. Other than confidence and determination, she was unarmed and unarmored. “But I refuse to stand behind and just watch.”

  Smirking, Sam found he rather liked the spunky new city lord.

  Summoning an Essence weapon in the form of a spear, he held it out to Yala.