by Rowan Bree
As the main gates are barred shut, you look for an alternate route. In your search you find a trapdoor that seems to lead into the castle basement. Lit torches line the passage telling you the route must be regularly used. You follow it until you come to a fork, on the right-hand side a narrow staircase spiraling downwards and lit by torches and on the left a cobweb-covered passage illuminated only by pale moonlight.
Take the spiral staircase downwards.
Follow the cobwebbed passage.
You play it safe and take the long way around. When you finally make it to where you saw the bare-chested man before, he is no longer there.
As you’re looking around you spot him leaving the hall. You follow him away from the festivities, but he is already gone by the time you make it to the castle’s main entrance. To your right are the locked front gates and to your left is the main staircase up into the castle. It doesn’t look like the guards stationed at the gates have let anyone out recently, so you start up the staircase.
As you do, something comes skittering down the stairs at you at an alarming speed. It’s the spider-goblin. You turn to run but your legs get twisted in your long dress and stumble down the stairs as the thing lands on your back. It’s muggy warmth makes your skin crawl as it humps against you, its unholy appendage bumping against the bare skin of your back and making you wish your dress had a much more modest cut.
The guards run to help you, grabbing you by the arms and helping you towards the gate. They try to beat back the creature’s many limbs but the thing only clings tighter. A high chittering sound comes from its mouth every time the guards strike it. One of the guards gets the gates open while the other tries to pry the thing from your back. But no matter how hard you fight, you can’t get it off.
“Sorry,” the guard says, pushing you towards the gate.
Panic sets in as you realize he plans to throw you out with the creature. You kick and fight, sounding just like the woman from earlier tonight as you plead for them to spare you.
The guard shoves you out past the gates and closes them quickly. You hear the wooden draw bar thud into place, destroying any hope you had of making it back inside.
The creature screeches, humping furiously at you. Your back is sticky and your body aching from all the limbs grabbing at you. You fall to your knees trying desperately to pry away from its grip. One of the creature’s claws catches on your necklace chain, threatening to choke you. You grasp the heavy stone with both hands, and as soon as your fingers touch it you feel a bolt of energy and a sudden weightlessness. The goblin creature is gone.
You shakily get to your feet. The necklace has a faint red glow to it that dies back down after a few moments. Aside from your utter disgust, you seem otherwise unharmed. The only problem is that you are now locked out of the castle.
“Lost, are we?”
The Old One from the gazebo is standing there. He looks amused.
“Have you learned to wield your power yet?”
If you had, you probably wouldn’t be stuck outside the castle now.
He beckons you with a finger. “Come, my dear. I’ll help you.”
You follow him across the castle courtyard and behind the guard barracks. Caged there is a man, or at least it seems to be a man until he transforms into the shape of a tall, lean hound. As you watch he transforms back and forth a few times, finally resolving into his human form.
“What is this?” you ask the Old One.
“A test,” he says. “To see if I should help you or not. You see, I’m quite disappointed with your lack of progress and the night is drawing to a close. Soon it will be time to bring this world to heel and I want to know if you are worth having by my side.”
You ask what the test is.
“I caught this shifter stalking the dark passages of the castle. He isn’t one of mine, but he isn’t exactly pure either. It seems he has been having trouble controlling his inner beast ever since the portal opened.
“I’ll give you the key to his cage and the choice to decide his fate. Destroy him, release him, I don’t really care. The important thing is that you make the choice freely.”
Destroy the shifter.
Release the shifter.
Enter the cage.
You fumble with Jasper’s pants. You need him now, or else you won’t able to focus on tonight’s mission. A cart rumbles by on the main thoroughfare, close enough to hear the voices of the people on it.
You stroke Jasper’s member and he groans weakly. His head is already sticky with precum. You help him pull up your dress and he lifts your leg up, pulling you onto him. You gasp as he slides in and he puts a finger to your lips. You bite back your moans as you grind against him, his cock moving deep inside you. His breaths sound so loud in your ear, but you know that they won’t reach the street. You allow yourself a small whimper as Jasper’s fingers find your clit.
Far away a church bell tolls the hour. It’s nearly time for the feast to start. Jasper flips you against the wall, his hips moving faster and his breaths cut short. You arch your back and feel his mouth on your neck.
“I’m coming,” you whisper.
Another cart passes by. Jasper clamps his hand over your mouth and you do the same to him. His body stiffens. He lets out a muffled cry. You whimper into his hand as your orgasm hits a peak with each spurt of his cock. Eventually his breathing evens and you let your hand drop. He kisses you.
“Just in time,” he says.
“Barely,” you tease. “Your shortcut had better work.”
As Jasper steps away you notice a large figure behind him. Too late. The stranger swings at Jasper’s head and knocks him sprawling on the ground.
You shout his name and run to him. There is blood on his temple. His eyes struggle to focus on your face.
“No,” he groans.
You feel yourself being wrenched backwards. The stranger aims a kick square at Jasper’s stomach. The thud of impact makes you sick. Jasper puts out his hand to stop the stranger but is only kicked again, and again.
You yell at the stranger to stop and he turns around. He looks like any bully thug, all muscle and meanness, though there is an odd glint when the light catches his eyes like that of an animal’s. Jasper moans weakly on the ground.
“What do you want?” you ask.
The stranger smiles. “I couldn’t just watch, could I?”
He grabs you by the hair and pulls it taut. You struggle to get away but your strength is no match for his.
“Now you can make this worse for him,” he nods towards Jasper. “Or you can play nice and it will all be over soon.”
Give yourself up.
Resist.
You fumble with Jasper’s pants. You need him now, or else you won’t able to focus on tonight’s mission. A cart rumbles by on the main thoroughfare, close enough to hear the voices of the people on it.
You stroke Jasper’s member and he groans weakly. His head is already sticky with precum. You help him pull up your dress and he lifts your leg up, pulling you onto him. You gasp as he slides in and he puts a finger to your lips. You bite back your moans as you grind against him, his cock moving deep inside you. His breaths sound so loud in your ear, but you know that they won’t reach the street. You allow yourself a small whimper as Jasper’s fingers find your clit.
Far away a church bell tolls the hour. It’s nearly time for the feast to start. Jasper flips you against the wall, his hips moving faster and his breaths cut short. You arch your back and feel his mouth on your neck.
“I’m coming,” you whisper.
Another cart passes by. Jasper clamps his hand over your mouth and you do the same to him. His body stiffens. He lets out a muffled cry. You whimper into his hand as your orgasm hits a peak with each spurt of his cock. Eventually his breathing evens and you let your hand drop. He kisses you.
“Just in time,” he says.
“Barely,” you tease. “Your shortcut had bet
ter work.”
As Jasper steps away you notice a large figure behind him. Too late. The stranger swings at Jasper’s head and knocks him sprawling on the ground.
You shout his name and run to him. There is blood on his temple. His eyes struggle to focus on your face.
“No,” he groans.
You feel yourself being wrenched backwards. The stranger aims a kick square at Jasper’s stomach. The thud of impact makes you sick. Jasper puts out his hand to stop the stranger but is only kicked again, and again.
You yell at the stranger to stop and he turns around. He looks like any bully thug, all muscle and meanness, though there is an odd glint when the light catches his eyes like that of an animal’s. It wasn’t the monsters you had to be worried about after all. Jasper moans weakly on the ground.
“What do you want?” you ask.
The stranger smiles. “I couldn’t just watch, could I?”
He grabs you by the hair and pulls it taut. You struggle to get away but your strength is no match for his.
“Now you can make this worse for him,” he nods towards Jasper. “Or you can play nice and it will all be over soon.”
Give yourself up.
Resist.
You want Jasper to know how you feel. You pull him towards you and kiss him. His lips taste faintly of peppermint leaves. For a moment he kisses you back, but stops himself.
You let him pull away from you, feeling a sting in your heart.
“We have to get to the feast,” he says.
As he turns to leave you see a large man further down the alley. “Didn’t mean to interrupt the lovebirds,” the man sneers.
Jasper pulls you back the other way, but you hear a thud and he suddenly stops. He doubles over.
“I didn’t say you could leave,” the man says.
Jasper falls to the ground and you notice a large rock lying beside him. Blood trickles from Jasper’s temple as the stranger comes towards you. He looks like any bully thug, all muscle and meanness, though there is an odd glint when the light catches his eyes like that of an animal’s. Jasper moans weakly on the ground.
“What do you want?” you ask.
The stranger smiles. “What your boyfriend doesn’t. That clean little pussy of yours.”
He grabs you by the hair and pulls it taut. You struggle to get away but your strength is no match for his.
“Now you can make this worse for him,” he nods towards Jasper. “Or you can play nice and it will all be over soon.”
Give yourself up.
Resist.
You want Jasper to know how you feel. You pull him towards you and kiss him. His lips taste faintly of peppermint leaves. For a moment he kisses you back, but stops himself.
You let him pull away from you, feeling a sting in your heart.
“We have to get to the feast,” he says.
As he turns to leave you see a large man further down the alley. “Didn’t mean to interrupt the lovebirds,” the man sneers.
Jasper pulls you back the other way, but you hear a thud and he suddenly stops. He doubles over.
“I didn’t say you could leave,” the man says.
Jasper falls to the ground and you notice a large rock lying beside him. Blood trickles from Jasper’s temple as the stranger comes towards you. He looks like any bully thug, all muscle and meanness, though there is an odd glint when the light catches his eyes like that of an animal’s. It wasn’t the creatures you had to fear after all. Jasper moans weakly on the ground.
“What do you want?” you ask.
The stranger smiles. “What your boyfriend doesn’t. That clean little pussy of yours.”
He grabs you by the hair and pulls it taut. You struggle to get away but your strength is no match for his.
“Now you can make this worse for him,” he nods towards Jasper. “Or you can play nice and it will all be over soon.”
Give yourself up.
Resist.
You give him one last kiss then draw away. You catch a glimpse of longing in his eyes before he regains composure.
“We should get going,” you say.
“Right,” Jasper replies. “This is no place for such nonsense. We have a city to save.”
As you turn to leave you see a man blocking the way. “Didn’t mean to interrupt the lovebirds,” he sneers.
Jasper pulls you back the other way, but you hear a thud and he suddenly stops.
“I didn’t say you could leave,” the man says.
He kicks Jasper to the ground and you notice a large rock lying on the ground. Blood trickles from Jasper’s temple as the stranger keeps kicking him.
You yell at the stranger to stop and he turns around. He looks like any bully thug, all muscle and meanness, though there is an odd glint when the light catches his eyes like that of an animal’s. Jasper moans weakly on the ground.
“What do you want?” you ask.
The stranger smiles. “What your boyfriend couldn’t get. That clean little pussy of yours.”
He grabs you by the hair and pulls it taut. You struggle to get away but your strength is no match for his.
“Now you can make this worse for him,” he nods towards Jasper. “Or you can play nice and it will all be over soon.”
Give yourself up.
Resist.
You give him one last kiss then draw away. You catch a glimpse of longing in his eyes before he regains composure. But it’s better to be safe than sorry.
“We should get going,” you say.
“Right,” Jasper replies. “This is no place for such nonsense. We have a city to save.”
As you turn to leave you see a man blocking the way. “Didn’t mean to interrupt the lovebirds,” he sneers.
Jasper pulls you back the other way, but you hear a thud and he suddenly stops.
“I didn’t say you could leave,” the man says.
He kicks Jasper to the ground and you notice a large rock lying on the ground. Blood trickles from Jasper’s temple as the stranger keeps kicking him.
You yell at the stranger to stop and he turns around. He looks like any bully thug, all muscle and meanness, though there is an odd glint when the light catches his eyes like that of an animal’s. It wasn’t the monsters you had to be worried about after all. Jasper moans weakly on the ground.
“What do you want?” you ask.
The stranger smiles. “What your boyfriend couldn’t get. That clean little pussy of yours.”
He grabs you by the hair and pulls it taut. You struggle to get away but your strength is no match for his.
“Now you can make this worse for him,” he nods towards Jasper. “Or you can play nice and it will all be over soon.”
Give yourself up.
Resist.
Now’s not the time to tell Jasper how you feel. You need to focus on the job at hand, namely getting to the feast and finding out what you can about the Order. You let go of Jasper’s hand.
Further down alley you run into a large man standing in your way. “Are you two together or is the girl up for grabs?” the man asks.
Jasper pulls you back the other way, but you hear a thud and he suddenly stops.
“I didn’t say you could leave,” the man says.
Jasper falls to the ground and you notice a large rock lying beside him. Blood trickles from Jasper’s temple as the stranger comes towards you. He looks like any bully thug, all muscle and meanness, though there is an odd glint when the light catches his eyes like that of an animal’s. Jasper moans weakly on the ground.
“What do you want?” you ask.
The stranger smiles. “What any man wants. That clean little pussy of yours.”
He grabs you by the hair and pulls it taut. You struggle to get away but your strength is no match for his.
“Now you can make this worse for him,” he nods towards Jasper. “Or you can play nice and it will all be over soon.”
G
ive yourself up.
Resist.
Now’s not the time to tell Jasper how you feel. You need to focus on the job at hand, namely getting to the feast and finding out what you can about the Order. You let go of Jasper’s hand.
Further down alley you run into a large man standing in your way. “Are you two together or is the girl up for grabs?” the man asks.
Jasper pulls you back the other way, but you hear a thud and he suddenly stops.
“I didn’t say you could leave,” the man says.
Jasper falls to the ground and you notice a large rock lying beside him. Blood trickles from Jasper’s temple as the stranger comes towards you. He looks like any bully thug, all muscle and meanness, though there is an odd glint when the light catches his eyes like that of an animal’s. It wasn’t the creatures you had to fear after all. Jasper moans weakly on the ground.
“What do you want?” you ask.
The stranger smiles. “What any man wants. That clean little pussy of yours before the monsters destroy it.”
He grabs you by the hair and pulls it taut. You struggle to get away but your strength is no match for his.
“Now you can make this worse for him,” he nods towards Jasper. “Or you can play nice and it will all be over soon.”
Give yourself up.
Resist.