by Eric Vall
“Well, yes. You’ve slept with both of us, and we’ve slept with each other--” she started.
“With each other?” I couldn’t believe my ears.
“Of course!” Cupi interrupted. “We’ve both been succubi for centuries. Don’t you think that’s something that’s crossed our minds before? It’s a pretty common fantasy the people who summon us have. In fact, I believe that is actually on your list.”
“Yep,” I laughed. “I’m looking forward to that.”
“So are we,” Liby giggled.
“So, when is it going to happen?” My heart beat increased rapidly at the thought of sharing my bed with both of these beautiful women at the same time.
Cupi chuckled and looked around at our musty surroundings. “Not right here. Let’s finish the training, then we’ll talk,” she smirked.
“And… You think a threesome is going to make our bond stronger?” I asked. “Not that I’m going to complain!”
Liby shrugged. “I’m not sure. But if we could find a way to speed up the physical connection… It’s worth a shot, no?”
“Uh, I’m part of the group too!” Todd piped up fearfully. “I don’t have to be in on this, do I? No homo and all that.”
“Let’s just let our connections grow naturally, Todd,” I said as the succubus smiled at him.
“You two already have a connection forged by friendship.” Liby shrugged.
“Oh thank God,” Todd said with a nod.
“We can’t spend the entire seventy-two hours working.” Cupiditas smirked as she pondered our next move. “Once we are done with this portion of the training, we need to go and try to grow our connection. Hopefully at someplace nicer than Todd’s bar or here.”
“That bar was the shit, and you know it,” the imp crossed his arms and stuck out his tongue.
“The shit? Or just shit?” the blonde retorted before she turned back to me.
“Random question before we move on to the harder stuff,” I turned to the succubi and patted my head. “Why don’t you guys have horns? Isn’t that something that’s a common trait among demons?”
“Just like our wings, it all ties back in with your power level,” Cupi explained. “You may or may not know that all of a demon’s magic is taken from Lucifer himself. As somewhat of a token of our appreciation to our Lord of Darkness, horns sprout from our head whenever we call upon him to use our powers. Kind of like a visual homage to the Devil. The stronger a demon is, the more Lucifer-like in appearance they become when using their magic.”
“When we were still under Earl, we would sprout enormous horns whenever we would do battle. But that was because we’d been serving him for eons,” Libidine added. “Now that we have started fresh, with a new master, it’s going to take some time for them to grow back to their normal size.”
“What about me? If I’m tapping into the powers of Hell, why don’t I have horns?” I asked.
“We don’t know,” Cupi shrugged. “We’ve never taken on a mortal as a master before, despite what Earl has tried to tell you.”
“Random question,” I said. “I know I have a lot of those, but is each different type of Hellfire magic a different color?”
“Yes,” Cupi said with a nod.
“So if red fire is offensive, and purple fire is defensive, what does black fire do?” I asked. “I saw Superbia use it earlier, and it seemed like Earl used it to heal.”
Cupi and Liby turned to each other, and they each took deep breaths.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Black fire is fear magic,” Liby answered. “It is very dangerous, and not something to be learned right away.”
“But what does it do?” I asked.
“It depends on the user,” Liby answered with a shrug that shook her full breasts. “We won’t know until you try it.”
“Then let’s get started,” I said as I cracked my knuckles.
“Fear is a fickle thing, Jacob,” Cupi warned. “It is by far the most difficult emotion to control, and it manifests itself differently in every being with these powers. Earl’s fear of death allowed him to heal, but I’ve seen other demons unintentionally use their fearful emotions to create havoc and chaos around them. One of them accidentally summoned an uncontrollable beast from the deepest pit of fire that took an entire army to bring down. Another one created a sinkhole that engulfed an entire island in the Mediterranean!”
I raised an eyebrow, amused. “Are you talking about Atlantis? One of your demon pals was behind the sinking of Atlantis?”
“I told you it wasn’t just a conspiracy, bro!” Todd pointed his finger at me in victory.
Libidine didn’t find it as funny. She grabbed my face and stared deeply into my eyes with her deep purple pools. As she pulled me in close, her eyes felt like they were piercing into my very soul. Liby was supposed to be the fun one, and seeing her in this state was jarring, to say the least.
“Jacob, this is serious business,” she calmly explained. “I was there the last time somebody tested out their fear-based powers, and it was not pretty.”
“What happ--” the word started to leave my mouth before Cupi cut them off.
“I was in a coma for days.” Cupiditas looked up and zoned out into the ceiling. “It was about ten thousand years ago, right after I had fallen. The two of us thought it would be fun to try out all of my new powers, so I tapped into all the negative emotions I had about my future as a fallen angel. How the world was going to look at me. If other succubi were going to accept me as one of their own. The horrible things I was going to have to do for some of my demon lords. It took me to a dark place. Literally. I was trapped in what I assumed was Purgatory for four days before I finally woke up.”
“Jacob’s a tough cookie,” Todd proclaimed. “I know he can handle it. And if not, the Toddster’s always right here to help!”
As always, baked-Todd was my roommate at his most philosophical. I was glad that Cupi and Liby cared enough to tell me these horror stories, but he was right. I’d already faced down a demon pimp and lived to tell the tale. I had convinced two of the most treasured succubi in the universe to stay with me on Earth at the risk of eternal torture. Now I was learning to harness powers that most men would only dream of. I was Jacob Ralston, and I could do anything.
“I want to do it.” I nodded to Cupi.
“Then you know what to do,” the blonde reluctantly agreed.
My eyes slammed shut, and for the first time in my life, I let all of my doubts, insecurities, and fears take hold of me. Normally, I was the kind of guy who pushed away his worries for another time. Life was too short to fret about trivial shit like your rent being due or your job being shit or getting cheated on by your girlfriend. But now, if I really wanted to see what I could do, I needed to let it all bubble to the surface. I let myself get lost in the negativity, and I felt it for the first time in years, true fear.
I hesitated to open my eyes. The sounds of harrowed screams pounded in my eardrums in the distance, and I was now even more wary to see what I had done. My eyes popped open. The scene was surreal, like something out of a Dali painting. I was still in the house with Cupi, Liby, and Todd, but the entire world appeared to be distorted and staticky. The images of my three friends were frozen in place. Todd looked like I was seeing him in a funhouse mirror as the normally three-foot tall imp towered above me. Cupi’s athletic frame was widened to the extreme, and Libidine’s face looked like it was melting. Was this purgatory?
“Jacob…” an unseen voice whispered through the sounds of the screaming.
“Who’s there?” I called out though I figured it was probably in vain.
“Come with us, Jacob…” The voice was distinctly female, but I still couldn’t see anybody.
Then I saw it. Out of the corner of my eye, the figure of a woman dashed past my position. I couldn’t get a good look at her, but she must have been some sort of superhuman to run faster than the eye could perceive. She rushed past me once mor
e, and this time I could faintly make out her shadow as she passed. As she made a third attempt to elude me, I reached out and summoned the wall of purple flame to stop her in her tracks. Instead of colliding with the barrier, the form of the woman passed straight through.
“Jacob, we are yours,” the haunting voice continued. “We only wish to help you.”
“Who the fuck are you?” I demanded the darkness.
“You know who we are, Jacob,” the disembodied voice eerily called out. “We are the forms you see in your dreams. We are the figures that stare at you in your room while you sleep. We are the ones that are everywhere at once.”
“Jacob!” I heard Cupi’s voice yell as I suddenly awoke back in the real world. Both the blonde and the dark-haired succubi had wrapped their arms around me.
“We thought we had lost you!” Liby’s voice trembled with fear. “You were out for almost an hour.”
“An hour?” I rubbed my eyes groggily, “I was only there for, like, ten seconds.”
“Where did you go?” Cupi demanded as she fought back tears.
“I… I don’t know,” I admitted. “Everything was distorted like a funhouse mirror. And everybody was frozen. I could see you guys, but you couldn’t see me. Is that what Purgatory is?”
Cupi, Liby, and Todd all looked at each other as their eyes widened in terror.
“Jacob, you… you were in the Shadow World,” Cupi said as she shook her head in disbelief. “That’s the dwelling of the Shadow People, creatures that even us demons don’t quite understand. I’m glad you got out of there while you could.”
“Shadow People are no bueno,” Todd shook his head back and forth and shuttered.
“Do you mean that my black magic power… uhhhh… takes me to the shadow world?” I asked. “That doesn’t seem like that great of a power.”
“It is strange,” Cupi said as she looked to Liby. “I have never heard of such a thing.”
“Maybe Jacob’s innate ability lies in mass manipulation?” Liby asked her sister.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“Everyone has a power they are innately powerful with,” Liby said. “Mine is mind control, and Cupi’s is elemental manipulation.”
“Okay,” I said as I glanced between them. “What is mass manipulation?”
“It is moving items or people,” Cupi said. “Either through teleporting or telekinesis. If that is your innate ability, then it would kinda sorta make sense for your black magic to take you to another world.”
“But we aren’t going to know until we test out those powers,” Cupi said.
“Then why don’t we start with teleporting?” I asked.
“Sure,” Liby said, “all you need to do is--”
“Wait,” Cupi interrupted. “Jacob, we aren’t done talking about the black magic.”
“Okay?” I said.
“The shadow world is terribly dangerous,” she continued. “Even more dangerous than hell. The beings that live there have no rules, and their powers are not understood. Please, please, please, don’t try to use your black magic again. You might not come back next time.”
“I won’t,” I said. “Believe me. I don’t want to go back there, and I don’t see any reason to.”
“Good,” The blonde woman sighed with relief.
“What emotion do I need for teleporting?” I asked.
“Disgust,” Cupiditas said with a laugh.
“That shouldn’t be hard with this place.” Todd blurted out as he ran off down the hallway and up the rotting staircase.
“Not exactly a ‘happy’ emotion, but anything will do after that nightmare that I just experienced,” I chuckled.
The blonde succubus’ expression returned to one of determination, and she began to walk around me in a circular pattern as she cooed into my eardrums. “Think about something that upsets you to your very core. Think about Earl, and what he’ll do to us if he ever gets his hands on us again. He’ll torture us. He’ll force us to do things to him that you couldn’t even begin to fathom. Then he’ll make us go out and sleep with other men. We don’t want to have sex with other men. We just want to be with you. Forever.”
“But don’t be afraid or angry,” Liby added. “Just be disgusted.”
“Got it.” As much as I was subconsciously trying to fight the imagery of Earl and my succubi, Cupi’s last comment drove me over the edge. My hands pulsated with green flames as I thought about the two women under the sheets with somebody who wasn’t me. Libidine could tell how much I was rattled and as she tried to come over to comfort me, Cupi held up a hand to keep her back and pointed at the molded yellow couch that sat across from us in the living room of the house.
“The Hellfire that goes with disgust has similar origins to the purple flames,” the athletic succubus explained carefully. “This is the stuff that allows physical and metaphysical objects, including souls, to be transported to the Netherrealm. Here on Earth, it’s not quite as strong, but it can still be used to transport objects short distances through other dimensions. I think you are ready, so try it.”
I reached out the hand engulfed in emerald fire and waved it with my palm open. As I tried to picture where I wanted the couch to go, I made a sweeping gesture. The fabric lit up with the glow of the flame briefly before it disappeared into the unknown. For a moment, I wondered if I had screwed up and forgot to open a return portal, and the demons of Hell now had a new piece of furniture for their lounge area. However, from above, we heard a loud crash on the second floor of the house.
Like a kid on Christmas day, I bolted upstairs in a rush to marvel at my work, and the two succubi followed close behind me. I threw open the door to what I assumed was a second-story bedroom, and there it was. Todd was sitting on the old couch, blowing smoke from the joint he had probably rolled while he was away. Liby and Cupi looked at each other and then jumped up and down joyfully in celebration at what I had done.
“Thanks for the couch, man.” the imp slurred. “I think this is nicer than the one we have at home.”
“Holy shit,” I stuttered. “It actually worked! What else can I teleport?”
“Todd?” Libidine half-joked as she motioned to the imp.
The small red demon barely understood her words, or if he did, he just didn’t give a damn. He just looked at us with bloodshot eyes before shrugging and taking another hit. That must have been some really strong stuff. I summoned up my negative emotions once more and aimed at my friend. As he inhaled, the emerald fire conformed around his body and made him vanish. The joint appeared to freeze in the air like it was a prop in an old cartoon before it fell down onto the couch. Seconds later, Todd stumbled into the doorway behind us.
“Woooaaaaahhh, duuuudddeee,” Todd gasped. “That is the best shit I’ve ever had, man. I totally don’t even remember how I got into the bathroom.”
“Should we tell him?” Libidine asked innocently.
“No, no. Let him figure it out on his own,” I chuckled at Todd’s confusion and then turned to Cupi. “You mentioned I could also have telekinesis if I specialize in mass manipulation?”
“Of course,” Libidine smiled. “I have an innate ability with mind control magic, but I’m also pretty good with telekinesis.”
“You are?” I asked. “I haven’t seen you lift or move--”
“How do you think I did that one thing to you last night?”
“That was--”
“I don’t have three hands, do I?” the dark-haired succubus purred.
“Telekinesis is similar to the teleportation spell,” Cupi interrupted. “It’s derived from the same place, but has different properties. Let’s try this. Close your eyes and focus. Think about the things that make you envious and disgusted, but this time, instead of thinking of where you want your target to go, think about how it is now bending to your will. You are its master now, just like you are the master of the two of us.”
I liked the sound of that. Digging deep down, I thought about the
terrible things that Earl has done to not just my women, but everyone he had encountered over time. How many people had he killed? What about all the people he tortured? It took all of my willpower not to let my disgust turn into rage.
As the thoughts splashed across my brain, the couch was once again engulfed in an emerald flame. This time it didn’t disappear. Instead, I thought about how I was in full control. The succubi and I were going to destroy anything and anyone who would possibly get in our way. The couch lifted up into the air and dangled there as if it were held by invisible strings. In awe, I moved my green flamed-filled hand back and forth in front of my body, and the couch moved with it. I lowered my arm towards the ground, and the piece of moldy furniture returned to the rotting wood floors with a harmless thud.
“So, this might sound crazy,” the stoned imp tugged at my pant leg. “I swear that couch just floated in the air. What kinda stuff am I smoking?”
“Relax, Todd,” I chuckled. “Your boy Jacob here has just discovered his telekinesis powers, that’s all.”
“Bro…” Todd smiled through the baked-out haze. “You could totally use that to cheat at roulette or craps. We should go somewhere and gamble.”
“I don’t think that will work,” I said. “When I moved the couch, it was on fire. The pit bosses at any casino would see that and kick us--”
“They don’t see it,” Cupi interrupted me.
“Huh?” I asked.
“Mortals don’t see your fire from telekinesis or teleportation. They can see the Hellfire, but that is because it does damage.
“Sooo… What about Las Vegas?” I asked. “We need to have a good time to grow our connection, and I can use my newfound powers to make sure we become filthy rich at the tables. It’s only an eight-hour drive from here. We could get there by the morning, make a bunch of money gambling, get a sweet room, have tons of sex, and then come back and face down your ex-boss. Not to mention, the city is in the middle of the Nevada desert. We wouldn’t have to drive very far to avoid civilian casualties when we face Earl again.”
“I like that idea!” Liby bounced at the words. “Sin City would be quite fitting! It would also be a great place to further grow our connection…”