Succubus

by Brandon Varnell

  “No! Get away from me! Don’t touch me!”

  “Lilith, you need to calm down! You’re safe now!”

  He tried to reassure her, but Lilith wasn’t listening. If anything, his words only seemed to fuel her desperation, increase her struggling. She lashed out with a fist that caught Christian straight in the nose, drawing blood. The heel of a bare foot smacked his right eye, and he knew that he’d be sporting a shiner tomorrow. Another hand crashed against his chin, his teeth clacking together harshly from the force of the blow.

  “Lilith! Stop it!”

  Lilith didn’t stop, and Christian did the only thing that he could think of. When she tried attacking him again, he grabbed the offending limb, yanked the girl off the bed, and pulled her into his chest, where his arms wrapped tightly around her. Her struggling grew even more desperate, but he continued calling out to her.

  “Lilith! It’s me! It’s Christian!”

  Lilith’s struggles lessened as the name struck a chord within her. He looked down at her as she stared at his chest, her eyes fluttering rapidly. She then looked up at him, staring into his face, her own a rictus of confusion.

  “Christian?”

  “Hey.” Christian’s heart went out to her. She seemed so small against his chest. “You finally back with me?”

  “Christian…”

  Lilith’s face scrunched up in a grimace. She sniffled once, then twice. Tears gathered in her eyes, and then spilled over, small droplets of crystalline liquid running down her perfect skin.

  Christian’s eyes widened.

  “Lilith, I…”

  “Christian!”

  Without warning, Lilith shoved against him. He fell backward as she pushed him off the bed, landing on his backside with a loud crack! Two arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and she buried her face against his chest.

  With the realization that she was in his presence, the floodgates seemed to open. Lilith lay on top of him, straddling his thighs as her fingers clutched his shirt, the front of which grew wet with tears. Her body shook, the combination of her wracking sobs, the overwhelming fear she must have felt upon realizing she’d been kidnapped and, hopefully, her relief at being rescued by him.

  Christian’s own relief was an almost palpable thing. Lilith was alive. He didn’t know what had happened to her, but in that moment, nothing mattered to him except the girl in his arms.

  He hugged her back, one arm going around her waist. With his other hand, he gently combed through her hair as he whispered reassurances in her ear, telling her that everything would be all right, that he was with her now, that she was safe. At some point, the tears stopped coming, though she still occasionally sniffled. The entire front of his shirt was soaked.

  “Are you all right now, Lilith?”

  “Idiot…”

  Whatever he had been expecting her to say, calling him idiot was not it.

  “P-pardon?”

  “You… idiot! Idiot, idiot, idiot!” The insulting words were followed by the gorgeous blond repeatedly slamming her fist into his chest. While Christian sat there, blinking like some kind of fool as he tried to discern the reason for her continuously calling him an idiot, Lilith pushed herself off his chest so she could glare at him through red-rimmed eyes. “You left me! You left me standing there in front of my apartment, you jerk!”

  Christian opened his mouth to speak, only to snap it shut before he could get a word out, when he found himself receiving the full brunt of Lilith’s glare. The fact that she had tear tracks staining her cheeks did nothing to lessen the expression, which kept him from saying something he might regret later on.

  Christian pulled Lilith back into a hug, resting his chin on the crown of her head. She didn’t resist, which he was thankful for. He was also thankful that she had stopped insulting him.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t have any excuse other than my own discomfort with the situation. I know I shouldn’t have run out on you, especially after you… after what you told me.”

  “You had better be sorry,” Lilith snapped, and then sniffled. She hugged him again, her grip surprisingly strong. She turned her head, placing her ear against his chest. “I was so scared. I was attacked by my own roommates. They knocked me unconscious somehow and brought me here. And then I found out that Damien is the one who kidnapped me and—”

  “Wait,” Christian interrupted. “Who?”

  “Damien.” Lilith shuddered, as if just saying that name brought its own special brand of fear. “Do you remember the guy I told you about? The one that I used to think I liked?”

  “Vaguely.” Christian took a moment to recall that conversation. “You mentioned a guy that you thought was different from everyone else, kinda like me, I guess, except you found out that he was using you.”

  “He wasn’t just using me,” Lilith said. “He was obsessed with me. He was always watching me. It wasn’t noticeable at first, but it became more obvious after I turned fifteen. Sometimes, when I was doing homework in my room, he would be standing outside of my window staring at me. Other times I’d wake up, and he would be in my room watching me. I eventually began to feel uncomfortable with it and told him so, but he would just laugh it off like it wasn’t a big deal. Then he said that I was his, that I belonged to him. When I told him that I didn’t want to be with him, he… he…”

  “Lilith?” Christian tried pretending the tremor in his voice wasn’t there. He needed to be strong for Lilith’s sake. “What happened? What did he do?”

  “He killed my mom!” More sobs tore their way up Lilith’s throat. “He tore her throat open and made me watch! I ran away after that, but he told me that no matter where I ran, he would always find me! And so I kept running and running and I even changed my name in the hopes that it would throw him off my track! But it didn’t work! He found me again! And he’s controlling my friends somehow! And he’s got wings! Wings, Christian! Like some kind of monster! And I… and I…”

  “It’s okay,” Christian whispered as his fingers ran through her hair. “You don’t need to worry about your friends. I’ve already rescued them.”

  Lilith relaxed as his calloused fingers caressed her hair.

  “You did?”

  “I did. They’re currently being taken somewhere safe. All that’s left is for me to get you out of here, and take care of the guy who kidnapped you.”

  “Take care of him?” It looked like Lilith needed several seconds to wrap her mind around that statement. When she finally seemed to realize what he meant, she removed herself from his comforting embrace to stare at him in horror. “But you can’t! Listen, Christian, I don’t think Damien is human!”

  “I already know that he’s not human,” Christian admitted.

  Lilith looked startled. “You do?”

  Christian nodded.

  “Then you should know that you can’t beat him!” Lilith cried. “I know that you’re a skilled fighter. I remember when you fought those men who surrounded us, but you’re still only human! Damien was standing on the ceiling, Christian! He stood on the ceiling like he was defying gravity! And he has these big wings and sharp claws and strange powers. You can’t… fighting against him… it’s hopeless! Please don’t do it!”

  “Lilith—”

  “I love you!” Lilith blurted out. “I know that we haven’t known each other long, but I love you so much! So you can’t fight him! You can’t fight him because if you do, you’ll die! And then I’ll be all alone! And if you leave me alone, then I won’t get to see you anymore! I just can’t… I can’t bear the thought of losing you like I lost Mom!”

  Hearing Lilith’s passionate declaration of love caused Christian’s heart to throb painfully. This painful feeling, this fist that clenched his heart… it mixed with the warmth of her words, easing the doubts that he’d been facing, the dilemma that made him run out on her before. He knew what his feelings for her were now. He couldn’t deny them any longer.

  “Lilith.” Christian prepared to confess hi
s own feelings. “I―”

  “I slumber for a few short hours and look at what happens.” A voice spoke above them, and they both stiffened. “Several disgusting humans hath attempted to break into my room, my new maids were stolen from me, the bodyguard that I hath procured for my Queen was killed, and I find my Queen straddling the body of another man. I must admit, I am feeling most displeased by this recent turn of events.”

  “No… oh, please no,” Lilith whispered, her body shaking like a leaf. Her eyes, wide and frightened, looked more terrified than Christian had ever seen them. “Please don’t let it be him. Don’t let it be him.”

  As terrified tears fell from Lilith’s eyes, Christian glared up at the creature that had caused such a reaction. The person standing on the ceiling as if defying gravity was as simple as breathing looked almost human, like a young man barely into his twenties. Crimson eyes like blood glared down at him. Translucent white skin lent the creature an ethereal air, which contrasted with its dark suit. Long pointed ears sat on its head, and pinions jutted from its back.

  This was the first time that Caspian had ever seen a No Life King. He didn't know what he should have expected, but vileness radiating from those eyes, the blackness of its wings, and the overpowering and tainted aura that it released caused a cold sweat to break out on his brow.

  “You’re Damien, I’m guessing?” Christian asked.

  Damien’s malicious grin revealed sharp fangs. “I am he. And I am assuming that thou art the one responsible for all this ruckus. You need not say anything. There is no point in denying your complicity in this. For the crimes of killing my bodyguard, stealing my maids, and attempting to take my Queen, I shall sentence thee to an eternity of suffering and damnation.”

  Chapter 25

  This was one of those times where Christian wished that his glares could cause physical harm. He stared up at the monster disguised as a handsome young man, who defied gravity by standing on the ceiling. The being met his stare with a look of bland annoyance. Lilith still lay on top of Christian, her body shaking and her face pressed into his chest. Feeling how frightened she was caused rage to well up inside of him.

  “So you’re Damien.” Christian narrowed his eyes. “The creature who treated Lilith like some kind of object and killed her mother.”

  “An object?” Damien tilted his head to the left, his hair swishing. “Of course not. Eve is to be my Queen.”

  “Don’t…” Lilith’s shaking intensified. “Don’t… call me that…”

  “Thou hath no need to be so obstinate, my Queen.” Damien said the words as if he truly meant them. “Everything that I do is for you. Now then, my dear sweet Eve, come here so that I might deal with this intruder.”

  “Stop calling me Eve!” Lilith screamed, emphatically shaking her head. “That’s not my name anymore! And stop calling me your Queen! I don’t want to be your Queen! I don’t want to be your anything!”

  Damien stared at her for several seconds, his expression bland. Then he sighed and closed his eyes.

  “You still refuse to see reason.” He sounded almost apologetic. “After I deal with these intruders—that man in particular—I will need to resume your reeducation. Your responses are most unbefitting of a Queen.”

  Lilith’s grip on Christian tightened, something that he did not fail to notice.

  “Lilith,” Christian whispered into her ear. “I want you to reach into my cloak. Find the strap that has several objects attached to it. Grab the spherical one, and hit the button on it twice.”

  Damien scowled as he watched Christian whispering into his Queen’s ear.

  “You would do well to stop acting so close to my Queen. You’re already slated for an eternity of suffering. Believe me when I say that you do not want to exacerbate your already tenuous predicament.”

  “Can you do that?” Christian continued, carefully watching as the monster’s glare intensified. Lilith nodded against his chest. “Good, then do it quickly.”

  “I’m warning you, human. Do not make your situation any worse than it already is.”

  He felt Lilith’s hand slip from around his waist and dive into his cloak. Feminine digits roamed over his chest, searching for the object he had mentioned. It didn’t take long before they closed around the spherical item in question.

  “That’s the one.” Christian’s arms loosened around Lilith as he prepared to act. “Now, the button on top, hit it twice.”

  “If you don’t stop talking so familiarly to my Queen, human, I am going to make you regret it,” Damien continued. Christian ignored him. So long as Lilith was on top of him, that creature wouldn’t do anything.

  “I’ve done it,” Lilith whispered softly.

  “Good, now give it to me.” His left hand slid around Lilith’s frame so she could place the item into it. He then tilted his head to penetrate Damien with a glare. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I will never let something like you take Lilith!”

  The scowl on Damien’s face deepened. “You’re saying that as if thou hath some kind of choice in the matter. Tell me, human, what do you think you can possibly do to me?”

  “How about this!”

  With lightning-quick speed, Christian threw the tiny sphere at Damien, whose eyes were drawn to the device in curiosity.

  “Lilith! Close your eyes!”

  Doing as she was told, Lilith shut her eyes tightly, and Christian followed suit. Moments later, the room lit up with the brilliance of a thousand suns, visible even behind his eyelids.

  “GAHHH!”

  Christian couldn’t see anything, but he didn’t need eyes to hear the screams of anguish as Damien’s corneas were burned.

  “Time to run,” he shouted as he scooped Lilith into his arms and shot to his feet. Even without his eyesight, Christian’s spatial awareness showed him the door’s location, and he burst through it without a backward glance. Several seconds later, the brilliant white light abruptly vanished, and darkness returned.

  Christian opened his eyes. He raced down the darkened hallway. The lights had blown out. He could scarcely see where he was going, but he didn’t rely on his eyesight to move. He rushed through dark corridors, taking turns seemingly at random, yet knowing exactly where he was going, having memorized the route out.

  “What was that?” Lilith asked as she clung to Christian’s neck.

  “Sun grenade,” Christian answered. Even from this distance, he could hear the pained wails of the No Life King. “It’s a new invention that captures and releases sunlight. It works quite well on vampires and, as you can see, it works just as well on No Life Kings. I doubt it hurt him, but it’s definitely going to leave him blinded for a while.”

  “Oh.” Lilith’s voice told Christian that she clearly didn’t understand what he was talking about. “Wait. Did you say vampires?”

  “DAMN HUMAN!!” The roar that echoed through the hall kept Christian from answering.

  “Tch! I guess this guy really is a No Life King. No regular vampire could have survived getting hit with what amounts to a supernova-worth of UV rays.” Christian grunted as he put on a burst of speed. “Hang on, Lilith!”

  Lilith did hang on. She tightened her arms around his neck as Christian burst through into the foyer, dashed across the open space, and then peeled out of the entrance like Cerberus was nipping at his heels.

  The midday sun stung Christian’s eyes after spending nearly three hours in the darkened corridors of the mansion. Catherine stood near the fountain along with squads Alpha and Omega. Several large transport vehicles, including an emergency ambulance, gleamed brightly as the sun reflected off their metal hulls.

  “I take it this is the girl,” Catherine stated more than asked, as Christian ran up to them. Lilith’s grip on his neck tightened when they entered the large circle of men surrounding the SIU captain.

  “She is.” Christian glared at all the men when he saw how they were affecting Lilith. “And I would like to suggest that you order your men to
stop looking at her.”

  Catherine turned to glance at her men. All of them stared at Lilith with the hungry leers of a teenager visiting his first porn shop. They appeared to have completely forgotten their purpose.

  “Don’t you all have something that you need to be doing?!” Before Christian could even blink, the men ogling Lilith were suddenly doing something else. Wearing a rather prominent smirk, Catherine turned back to look at him. “Better?”

  “Much.” Christian nodded as Lilith relaxed in his arms. “Thank you.”

  “So, you’re Lilith.” Catherine leaned down to get a closer look at Lilith, who buried her face against Christian’s chest, causing the SIU captain to laugh. “She’s awfully shy.”

  “Yes, well, getting kidnapped by a madman would make anyone a little skittish, I think,” Christian replied.

  “Yes, I can see how that would make a person wary of others.” Catherine straightened up and dusted off her suit. “Did you take care of that No Life King?”

  “No.” Christian shook his head. “I can’t fight a No Life King and protect Lilith at the same time. I decided that getting her to safety took precedence over fighting off a creature that I may not even be able to defeat on my own.”

  Catherine raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure that was a wise idea?”

  “Yes,” Christian said. “I’m sure. Now that Lilith is safe, we can begin making plans to dispose of the No Life King, and I can fight without holding back.”

  “And what if he decides to flee?”

  “He won’t.” For the first time since she and Christian joined Catherine, Lilith spoke up. “Damien’s egotistical and arrogant, and Christian humiliated him by escaping with me. There’s no way he’ll just cut his losses and run. He’s going to come looking for revenge.”

  Christian didn’t know Damien, but he knew that No Life Kings were generally an arrogant bunch. It came with the territory. Living as long as they did and becoming as powerful as they were would make anyone arrogant.