The Fantasy Trove

Eldon ordered his roc to descend. The bird dropped gently to the ground and took a few steps to slow its momentum. His chariot, as he’d referred to it to Gloria, was surprisingly graceful despite its large size. Gloria let go of him, before dropping to the ground. It’d felt nice having her hold him. For a small time, he was able to forget about Jessica and his broken heart, but it was time to end the charade.

“What are we doing here?” Gloria asked as Eldon joined her on the ground. “I thought we were going to the Pillar of Earth’s capitol city for some drinks.”

“Okay, my sister is out of earshot,” Eldon said, turning to face the succubus next to him. “You can go do whatever else you want. I’ll tell Shelly that we had a great time together, or something. I’m sure if I smile enough, she’ll buy whatever I tell her.”

“Or something?” Gloria asked, raising one delicate eyebrow. Then her eyebrows drew together in anger. “You think she’s paying me to spend time with you? I’m a succubus, not a whore!”

Eldon backed away from her, holding his hands up, palm out. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just figured that since she set this whole thing up, we could stop pretending and go our separate ways. I appreciate what you said about me back there, but let’s be honest with each other. We’re both doing this as a favor to my sister.”

“I wasn’t pretending back there,” Gloria snapped, flinging her arm out to point behind her. “I really did want to meet Sheldon Lance. Why is that so hard for you to believe?”

He wanted to believe her, but wasn’t sure. He’d lived in his father’s shadow his whole life. He had no idea that anyone would want to meet him because of what he did for a living. Was he really that well known? He felt his ego puff up a bit and couldn’t deny he liked how that made him feel.

“I just assumed—“ he began to tell her, but she cut him off.

“Assumed what? That because I was a succubus, a soul sucking creature, that all I ever do is pretend?” She grabbed the red cap off her head and threw it to the ground in anger. “I thought the son of Lyden Snow would know better than that. Your father always treated the succubae with respect whenever we’ve seen him. Now there’s a man who knows how to treat a woman, and doesn’t make assumptions about them based on what species they are.”

“My father?” he asked. “My father wasn’t around very much, growing up. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I know he tried and he loves me, but with all of his wives and responsibilities, his time was stretched pretty thin.” Eldon sighed and tried to gather his thoughts. “You’re right, though. I was raised better than that, and I’m sorry. I honestly didn’t intend to offend you. I know Shelly worries about me, and I haven’t exactly been the best person to be around lately. That’s why she set this whole thing up.” He gestured between them. “I thought I was in love or something. Well, not love. I didn’t know her well enough, but she.... She treated me in a way no one ever has.” He couldn’t help but remember how she’d reacted to his deformity. Instead of ridiculing him, she accepted it and even treated it as a positive thing.

“Because of your cock?” Gloria asked. Eldon’s head snapped up at her words, his eyes wide. “I can read surface thoughts, remember? I’m a succubus?”

He felt his cheeks burn as he realized what he’d just been thinking. She’d seen all of it in his head. Jessica could read surface thoughts also, though she emphatically denied being a succubus.

“I don’t know any succubus by the name of Jessica,” Gloria said next. “Your sister told me about what you consider a deformity, and I still chose to meet you. It’s not that big a deal, really.”

“Because you’re a succubus,” he said with a hint of acid. He was getting tired of having her read his thoughts. It didn’t help that his sister was talking about his twisted penis with strangers. She had no right to talk about that.

“You need to get over your hang-up about me being a succubus,” she chided him. “I can’t control what I am, but I can control how I treat people. You don’t like people thinking something’s wrong with you because you have a different reproductive organ than everybody else. I don’t like people throwing what I am in my face.”

Eldon was speechless for a moment. “You don’t understand,” he said shaking his head and turning away.

“I don’t?” she laughed. Something in her voice made him turn back and look at her. She had her eyebrow arched again and an incredulous look on her face. “You know nothing about me. All you know is what I am, and that’s enough for you to know what I do and don’t understand?”

As Gloria’s words sunk in, Eldon couldn’t stop a soft laugh from bubbling up. Gloria’s face went an angry shade of red as she glared at him.

“I can’t believe this!” She stomped her foot. She bent over, picked up her red hat and brushed it off before putting it back on her head, pulling her blue and blonde ponytail through the back. “You’re right, there’s no sense in continuing this.” She turned to go and already had her leathery black wings out to fly away when Eldon found his voice to stop her.

“I’m not laughing at you,” he told her. “I’m laughing at how foolish I was being.” She stopped with her wings spread wide, but didn’t turn around. Shouldn’t she know what was in his head? “You’re right, of course. I made assumptions that I shouldn’t have. I don’t know anything about you, other than what you are, and I let that rule how I treated you.” Eldon watched as she tucked her wings against her body and turned to face him. She didn’t put them away, however, and he knew he had more work to do. “I’m sorry. You mentioned getting drinks. I can’t think of a better way to get to know who you are. That is, if you’re still willing?”

He held his hand out to her. She looked at it with skepticism. For a moment he was sure she was going to turn away. When she finally stepped forward and took it, he couldn’t hide his relief.

“One condition,” she told him.

“Name it,” he replied. He felt terrible for the way he’d treated her and wanted to make it up to her.

“Make any comments or remarks about me being a succubus, and I’ll make sure all my friends will know.”

Eldon wasn’t sure what her threat meant, but suspected that having the wrath of the succubae would be a bad thing.

*    *    *    *

Eldon’s laughter boomed off the rafters in the tavern. “You’re kidding me!” he gasped, looking at Gloria with shock. “You didn’t really do that, did you?”

Gloria’s smile was broad as it split her lips. “Yeah, and you should have seen her face. Of course, that was before she became the Pillar of Fire, or even met your father.”

“What happened after that?” Eldon asked.

“Well, we were on Earth, so we couldn’t really talk about what we were. I took her under my wing and taught her a trick or twenty. As old as I am, she taught me a thing or two as well.”

“Did you ever meet my grandfather?” He’d heard a lot about the man that at one time ruled over the succubae. He thought he would have gotten along with him and regretted that he’d died before Eldon was born.

“Now there was a man who knew how to please a woman,” Gloria laughed. “Shemhazau was a lot of fun before he disappeared. I was sorry to hear what happened to him.” She took a sip of her wine. “To friends and family,” she toasted, holding her glass up.

“Friends and family,” he parroted, clinking his earthenware mug against her glass. He took a sip of his beer, looking at the woman across from him. Even knowing what she was—he refused to think the word, lest he offend her again—he couldn’t deny her personality was attractive. She wasn’t hard to look at either, but he knew she could look however she wanted.

“What about you?” Gloria asked him. Her cheeks were a bit rosy, but she didn’t sound or act drunk in any way. “I’m sure that living with your sister, there have to be a few embarrassing stories.”

“Shelly?” he asked, trying to think. He couldn’t think of anything as embarrassing as one succubus accidentally seducing another one. “Not really.”

“Oh, come on,” Gloria pressed. “Your sister is quite the good looking woman. You mean to tell me the two of you never....”

“No!” he shot back. “She’s my sister. That’s just plain gross.” The thought of doing anything with his sister didn’t nauseate him, but it didn’t appeal either. As far as he was concerned, Shelly was a human that he fought alongside. She was a companion and a friend. Yes, she was his twin sister, but there were only familial feelings there. Nothing more.

“Sorry,” she said, mollified. “I meant no offense. It wouldn’t bother me in the least if you—okay, okay. Forget I mentioned it.”

“I’m not offended,” he said. The mood had perceptibly changed and he tried to figure out how to get her to smile again. “I don’t get out much, so there isn’t a lot of opportunity for embarrassing situations. Unless you count last week when I got caught kissing a girl while I looked like her boyfriend. He seemed pretty pissed about it, but she didn’t mind too much. She even admitted I was a better kisser!”

He was rewarded by a smile on her lips, though he tried to hide the pang that went through him. Jessica had saved him from that situation before it became violent.

“Well, that doesn’t sound very embarrassing,” Gloria smirked at him. “She thought you were a good kisser, huh? A regular human girl like her likely doesn’t know what a real kiss can be like.”

“Are you implying that I can’t really kiss, or just that she was naive?” he asked, his ego feeling challenged.

She regarded him over the lip of her glass, sipping more at her wine before answering. “Oh, I’m sure you know how to kiss. Any fool can kiss. But not every person can make their partner’s knees weak.” Her voice dropped an octave as she caressed every word. “Can you kiss well enough to fill a woman with desire and need? Can you make her gasp for air, but not want to let go? Can you kiss a woman and make her forget about everything around her? Make her want to rip off her clothing no matter who is around or watching?”

Eldon shifted in his seat, his pants uncomfortably tight after her pointed questions. Her sultry voice worked up conflicting emotions. Desire for her welled up, while indignation at her assumption that he didn’t know how to please a woman tried to take dominance. Of course he knew how to please a woman! Just because she was a succubus, didn’t mean that he was incapable of....

It dawned on him what she was up to. She’d raised one eyebrow when he thought about her being a succubus, but she hadn’t said anything. He smiled at her, took a sip of his beer and sat back in his seat.

“I guess there’s only one way to find out,” he said, answering her question with a confident statement. “Come here,” he commanded her.

Her smile broadened as she stood up and walked around the table. When she was right next to where he sat, she raised an eyebrow in question. He patted his leg as he looked her in the eyes. “I don’t want to have to catch you when your knees grow weak.”

“You think so?” she challenged, but sat in his lap. She had a small rear and wriggled it against the bulge pressing against his zipper. He was thankful that he was still in another man’s form. His real phallus wouldn’t fit within the tight confines of the trousers he wore.

“So? Are you going to kiss me, or what?” She wrapped her arms around his neck, but made no other moves.

“Some things shouldn’t be rushed,” he told her. Reaching forward, he picked up her glass of wine. She looked at him, waiting to see where he was going. He kept his mind blank, not wanting to tip her off to what he was planning.

He took a sip of her wine, but didn’t swallow. He wasn’t a fan of the liquid, but enjoyed the way it made his tongue tingle with its tangy flavor. He waited a couple more seconds before swallowing.

“You know, there is such a thing as too much preperat—“ She was cut off as Eldon leaned in and brushed her lips with his. He pulled back, looked her in the eyes and smiled. Before she could speak again, he brought his right hand up to cup her chin and brought her face to his. Her grin turned into a soft moan as their lips met again.

He used his lips to separate hers, but didn’t bring his tongue into play yet. His left arm slipped around her waist, and he pulled her to him. He felt her tongue venture out to tease along his lips, but he didn’t take the bait. She tilted her head some more, allowing him to drop his right hand to her waist. Her arms tightened around his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss, but still his tongue remained in his mouth.

Her tongue slid across his teeth, but he didn’t let it pass. When she groaned in frustration, he opened up. She shivered as her muscle entered his mouth and was met with is. For a moment the two instruments battled against each other, both seeking dominance.

He had to admit that she was talented with her mouth. Her lips writhed against his, bringing lascivious thoughts of what else she might be capable of. His cock was growing almost painful, filled with blood and desire for the delicious woman wiggling in his lap. His left hand travelled up her back, his fingers curling into her shirt, pulling them even closer together.

He wanted to lay her down and rip off her clothing. He couldn’t remember the last time he was turned on to this degree. Some portion of his brain that wasn’t overcome with lust knew that they had an audience, but he didn’t care. The other patrons in the tavern were going to see just how good he was at kissing.

...how good he was. He realized he was falling under her spell, allowing her to win, and brought his thoughts back into focus. Clearing his mind, he twisted his tongue around to caress the invading one in his mouth. She moaned again as their bodies rubbed together along with their mouths. He moved his right hand around to her rear, giving the muscles there a firm massage.

His mind started going over thoughts of what he could do with that small rear. He was certain that if he could just get her pants off, he could be within her in seconds, making her moan even more. He didn’t care about their audience. He wanted to feel her. A moan escaped his lips as he imagined what she would feel like, wrapped around his hardness. The look on her face as he slipped in and out of her, bringing them both closer to—

He cut the thought off, sensing himself growing close to losing this battle in more ways than one. Her resulting moan was half frustration, half need.

Both tongues still writhed, still sought some weakness to exploit and gain dominance. It was time for the finishing move.

He was careful as he closed his teeth. Her tongue abandoned the fight, fleeing back into its home safety. He charged after, penetrating her mouth.

Her body convulsed in his lap, a throaty moan escaping her mouth and resonating into him.

“Enough!” she gasped, trying to catch her breath. Her chest heaved as she looked at him with wild eyes. She leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips, another moan escaping her before she could pull back. “We’re getting out of here, now.”

The tavern erupted in cheers and applause as Gloria pulled Eldon up by the wrist and hauled him out.

“I cheated and you still got me off first,” she complained. Before he had a chance to respond, she shoved him up against the wall, plastering her body against his and kissed him with passion. “Argh,” she grunted after a second. “If you don’t get us out of here, I’m going to end up raping you right here.”

He was about to comment that she could do whatever she wanted to, but he noticed a couple passersby, and decided to get out of there. The last thing he needed was for Gaia to get word of this and pass it on to his mother. He knew Gaia saw everything that happened in her domain, but that didn’t mean she paid attention to it all.

“You cheated?” he asked after whistling for his roc. He was having a hard time thinking straight as he watched her small rear swaying before him.

She giggled guiltily and flashed him a smile. “How quickly you forget what I am, Eldon. I cranked up my pheromones and did my best to flood your system with lust. I’ve only ever known one person with enough self control to resist me, but that was ages ago. You’re just full of surprises.”

His bird was waiting for them on the edge of the city, and they clambered onto her back. Gloria sat in front of him. He kept her fire stoked as they flew to his home, both of them on edge, remaining on the precipice, but neither stepping over that ledge.

*    *    *    *

Eldon’s front door slammed open with two bodies entwined, forcing their way in. Gloria’s hands were on his cheeks, their mouths working against and with each other. Eldon grabbed the hem of her shirt, tugging it up and off. There was no bra. Their mouths had to separate momentarily, but the hunger between them could not be denied. As soon as the shirt was free, their passion continued to envelope them.

Eldon’s hands dropped down the succubus’s back to her tiny rear. Cupping a cheek in each hand, he lifted her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her pelvis beginning a rhythmic grinding against his. He moaned as wanton lust flooded his system, making him want more. Needing more. His bedroom was too far away, but the couch was right there.

She was light in his arms as he walked over to the furniture. Feeling mischievous, having no doubt that some of his desire was being induced by the succubus’s skills, he dumped her on the couch without warning or preamble.

He laughed as she squealed. Her chest bounced as she landed, but there was a twinkle in her eyes as she smiled up at him. He took a moment to take in her beauty, getting a good look at her chest for the first time. Her nipples were small and hard on top of her grapefruit sized breasts.

“Are you just going to stare, or are you going to come here and take advantage of me?” She asked. She bit her bottom lip in a way that made him want to jump on top of her and ravish her in every way.

Through some unknown reserve he held back, stepping up to the couch. He unbuttoned his pants, and let them slide to the floor, freeing his hard phallus. The man he’d copied would never be a porn star, but it was plenty thick and hard. Veins pulsed along it in time with his heartbeat.

“Why don’t you come here and take care of me first?” He asked. She smiled as she met his eyes, but it faded as she looked down at his manhood.

“That’s a fine specimen,” she said, her voice thoughtful, “but I want to see the real Eldon’s Lance.”

He wilted inside for a moment. He couldn’t do that. She might be a succubus, but he was too self-conscious to show that to her.

“Please!” she pleaded with him. Her hands rubbed up her sides to her mammaries. Cupping her flesh, Eldon could see how firm her breasts were as she massaged them. She met his eyes as she pinched her nipples. “I already know from your mind, Eldon. I’m not afraid.” Her hands dropped to her pants, quickly undoing the fastenings and shoved them down and off. “I want to see it. I want to feel it. I want to have you right here. Mmm,” she moaned as she slipped a finger into her slit. Her labia were small, but it already glistened with her fluids and desire.

That did it. There was something inside him that went nuts when he saw a woman fingering herself. He knew that she was aware of his decision before he changed because of her triumphant smile.

He felt the change in his body as he grew a little taller and a lot fuller in the crotch. His muscles thickened, becoming more defined.

He watched her face for reaction. Her eyes grew wide, her mouth dropping open in an ‘O’. Embarrassed, he covered himself up.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. She blurred as she sat up and grabbed his wrists. She tried to pull his arms away, but he was stronger than her. “Please,” she begged again. “It’s bigger than I thought, but I want it. Please lemme have it?”

“It’s deformed,” he said, shaking his head.

“Deformed? No. It’s beautiful. My mouth is watering, I want to taste it.” She looked up into his eyes. “Please?” she asked again.

His resolve crumbled and he let his hands be pulled aside.

“Thank you,” she said, full of sincerity. He could feel her warm breath on his twisted member. “Mmm,” she moaned, and then leaned forward to lick along its bumpy length.

“Ah.” The sound escaped him before he could stop it. After all the foreplay in the tavern, and then the long flight, he was sensitive and ready for action. His rod thrummed with potent energy as she brought her mouth to his scrotum, kissing the sensitive organ, and then returned to the tip.

Gloria stretched her mouth wide to allow the large head past her lips. He was surprised to see her fit the monster into her slim face. His shock increased as her head continued moving, swallowing more and more of him. He was sure she would stop when he felt the back of her throat. Instead, she started humming and taking him even deeper. Her nose brushed up against his pubic hair. It took all his concentration to keep from exploding right there.

“H-how?” he asked. Looking down at her, he couldn’t see how his cock was able to fit.

Her blue eyes lifted to meet his. He could see the smile in them as she winked. A second later, her throat undulated around his flesh, sending new waves of pleasure through him. It was too much. He felt her fingers digging into his rear as she pulled him tighter to him. He had to lock his knees as he fired strings of semen into her stomach.

Even when he was done, she didn’t let go. Eldon knew she needed to breathe, but she kept him lodged in her mouth. After a few seconds of trying to gather his thoughts, he realized he wasn’t softening.

Gloria pulled her head back, letting him slowly slip from her mouth with a satisfied smile. “I like you like this,” she said. There was still a thick string of saliva connecting her bottom lip to his shaft. She used her right hand to gather it up and return it to her mouth. “Yum! I hope you can return the favor, but right now, I want this thing inside me. I can’t wait to find out what it feels like!”

“You want it?” he growled, ripping his shirt off. He tossed it aside before bending over, grabbing her under her arms and pulling her to her feet. She turned in his arms and pressed her crack against his shaft, sliding herself up and down its length. He moaned, enjoying the feel of her firm globes gliding up and down his schlong.

“You better believe I want it,” she confessed. With her back pressed against him, she snaked her left arm up behind his head and pulled his head down. Their lips met. This time he didn’t hesitate before meeting her tongue with his.  “Damn, you’re good at that!” she gasped.

She moved to the couch, bent over and shook her delectable rump at him. “Stick it in. Please stick it in!” He was more than happy to accept that invitation. Stepping forward, he gripped himself at the base and rubbed the head against her. Heat radiated from where they touched. She was slick with desire, but he tried to tease her before doing what they both so desperately wanted.

She wasn’t willing to wait. As he brought the head into position, she shoved back. Her hole swallowed the first couple inches before he was even aware of what she’d done. She felt like a felt vise sliding up his twisted length. He smiled as he moved his hands to her hips.

“If that’s the way you want to play it....” he trailed off. With one quick motion, he pulled back with his hands and thrust with his hips. She took him to the hilt with little more than a grunt, followed by a long low moan.

“Oh, damn! I’ve never felt anything like that before,” she cried out. Her inner walls constricted around him, massaging every inch of his organ. Even the folds and bumps of his length were compressed by her hot tightness. “Hold on for a second. I need to get used to this.” He waited, relishing the way she fit him like a glove. He couldn’t believe that not only had he fit inside her, but that she was even enjoying his deformity. “Okay,” she said, sounding out of breath, “I think I’ve conformed. Let’s see what you can do.”

He wasn’t sure what she meant by getting conformed, but he understood the rest of it. He pulled back, looking down at where they were joined. Her pussy didn’t seem to want to let go, sliding along his skin while moving around to follow the twisted length of him. Light glistened off his wet cock. Her opening stretched tight around the head when he reversed directions, shoving himself back to the hilt into her.

“Mmm, don’t stop,” she panted as he repeated the process. “Right there. Mmm, you hit all my spots.” She started to move against him, so he picked up his pace. “Mmm, I’m going to cum. Are you ready?”

Being asked if he was ready for her to cum sent a jolt through him. Not only was she not turned off by his cock, but she was about to get off on it!

“Yeah,” he told her. “Give it to me!”

She shuddered as he spoke, her insides rippling around him. Her juices flooded out and around his pole, but what he noticed most was the energy flooding into him. In the heat of his lust, he’d forgotten that she was a succubus, and that she could choose to give energy as well as receive. As new strength flowed into him, he moved his arms under her, lifted her off the ground, turned, and sat back on the couch. The impact drove him deeper into her.

She spun around in a blur without losing their connection. Her eyes grew serious as she looked down at him, her chest still heaving from her climax.

“I think we need to make this a weekly thing,” she told him. “I’ve never felt anything like this before!” As she spoke, she wriggled in his lap, eliciting a soft moan of pleasure from him.

“Just once a week?” he asked with a grin.

“Shut up and fuck me!” she ordered, bending over and kissing him.

Eldon’s hands moved to her breasts, rubbing her tiny nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, while swiveling his hips. A steady clapping noise reverberated through the small house as he sensed her getting close to a next orgasm. He was only moments away from his second climax.

Neither one of them heard the door open over the sounds of their combined moans. Neither one saw the shocked expressions painted on two female faces.

“Sheldon! You’ve got a room to do that in!” Shelly screamed.

“Well, I didn’t expect to see this when I walked in,” Jessica drawled right afterwards.

Eldon froze, shock gripping his system, but Gloria climaxed right then. As her orgasm washed over him, he started firing deep into the succubus, horrified to be caught by the woman he’d been moping over just a few short hours ago.

*    *    *    *

“I’m sorry, Sheldon, but how was I supposed to know you would be in the front room?” Shelly demanded of her brother.

“You’re the one that set us up,” Eldon shot back. He was angrier with himself than he was with his sister, but had to vent. He only wished that Jessica wasn’t standing off to the side with that smirk on her face.

“It’s really not a problem,” Jessica said. Her arms were folded as she regarded the siblings. “We were never official. You can do as you like, Eldon.”

“That’s not—!” He started to protest. Jessica raised one delicate eyebrow, but never lost that smirk. “I mean, I know, but it’s just embarrassing to have my sister walk in on me while I—”

“While you give a succubus one helluva orgasm and fill me full of cum?” Gloria laughed, talking for the first time since they got dressed. By the look on her face, he didn’t know who was enjoying the encounter more; Gloria or Jessica. The twins were red-faced by comparison.

“You’re a succubus?” Jessica’s mien changed faster than anything Eldon had ever seen. He’d forgotten about her dislike of the succubae. Anger now forced storm clouds to cross her eyes. Those storm clouds turned on Eldon. “I can accept you sleeping with another woman, but how could you stoop so low as to sleep with a succubus? They’re worse than prostitutes!”

“Wait, I—“ Eldon began, but Gloria got to her feet, matching Jessica glare for glare.

“Stoop so low? What’s wrong with being a succubus? You know, Shelly told me about you. Told me how you broke Eldon’s heart. How dare you come in here and treat him like that! At least I have enough decency to—“

“Decency?” Jessica cut her off with a sneer. “What does a succubus know about decency? All you care about is your next victim. About whom you can get between your legs and drain of life.”

“Victim!” Gloria choked on the word. “Does Eldon look like a victim to you? Tell her, Eldon. Do you feel weak or victimized?”

Eldon’s heart sank as two sets of angry eyes turned on him. How did things get here? If he told the truth, Jessica would get pissed at him, but he couldn’t lie. Too late he remembered that both women could read surface thoughts.

“That’s how it’s going to be?” Gloria stamped her foot. “I thought better of you, Eldon. I don’t know what her grudge is against my kind, but someone needs to set her straight. Obviously it’s not going to be you.” She turned and stormed out of the house, slamming the front door.

“It’s going to take days to get that stink out of my nose,” Jessica sneered, looking at the closed door.

“I can’t believe you,” Eldon stated. He got to his feet, anger burning in his chest as he finally found his voice. Some of the blame rested with him for not stopping this earlier, but Gloria hadn’t deserved to be treated like that.

“Me?” Jessica asked, turning a confused stare on Eldon. “What’d I do?”

“What—?” Eldon was exasperated. “You storm out of my life without even a backwards glance, and then waltz in and insult the one person that treated me like a human being since you left? What right do you have to berate or choose who I sleep with?”

“I treated you like a human,” Shelly spoke up. Eldon ignored her.

Jessica’s face twisted into one of confusion. “I don’t understand. She’s a succubus. You don’t think she really has feelings, do you? She was faking everything. You can’t trust their kind.”

“That is the most racist thing I’ve ever heard,” Eldon snapped. “I thought only normal humans could be that narrow minded.” He turned to his sister. “And how can you be silent during all this? I thought Gloria was your friend.”

Shelly opened her mouth to speak, but she never got the chance. The front door banged open, drawing everyone’s attention.

“It’s not often I come here and find you two fighting,” a deep voice intoned. A solid man with brown and gray hair stepped through the door a moment after Gloria. The succubus looked bothered and not happy about being back in the room. The man looked tired.

He’s getting old, Eldon thought.

“I ran into this young lady outside. I thought I taught you how to treat women better that that, son.” Lyden Snow’s gray eyes looked grave as he stared at his children.

“Son?” Jessica whispered. Eldon saw that her face had changed from its dark complexion to sheet white. He wondered what it must be like for someone to meet the legendary Lyden Snow like this. Eldon had grown up with Lyden as his father and had a different view of the man.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t intimidated when his dad was angry with him.

“I’m sorry for my children’s behavior, Master,” Eldon’s and Shelly’s mom said entering the room. It was getting crowded in their small house again. “Shall I punish them for you?”

“No, love,” Lyden turned to one of his wives. His smile was filled with love as he looked at her. That smile vanished as he looked around the room. “There are more important things right now.”

Eldon watched as his father closed his eyes, took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Eldon had never seen his father this shaken before. He even noticed that Lyden’s hand was shaking.

“What’s wrong, Dad?” Shelly asked, concern in her voice and eyes.

Their dad opened his eyes, and Eldon saw tears forming in them. If anything, this struck Eldon to his core. He’d seen his father cry before, but only when the situation was dire.

“Brooke has been kidnapped,” he said, his voice cracking.

“Who took her?” Eldon asked, stepping forward. “Why haven’t you gone after her yet?” Brooke was another one of his father’s wives. She was also a mermaid. “What about Brock or Bridget?” Brock, or Bridget, was Brooke’s child with their father. He, or she, was one person able to switch genders. Eldon usually got a headache when he thought about that sibling and his, or her, issues.

“Brooke was visiting him when she was taken. He’s staying as Brock for the moment, trying to deal with it. I was hoping you could help him get Brooke back.” Lyden walked over to the couch—that Eldon had just had sex on—and sat down. Eldon glanced at Gloria and saw her blushing at him. He also saw Jessica glaring at them.

Damned women who can read minds, he thought, knowing both of them would pick up on the thought.

“Who took her?” Shelly pressed.

Their dad just shook his head, unable to speak. It was their mom who answered. When she spoke, her voice was filled with acid and poison. “Varun took her. He left Brock with the message that if Master enters the Pillar of Water’s domain, she’ll be killed.”

“What did he say he wanted in order to get her back?” Eldon asked. He knew Varun held a grudge for the way Lyden had defeated the Pillar of Water during the Chaos War. The Pillar had remained paranoid after Brooke saved him from the previous Pillar of Fire, and ended up fighting on the Outsider’s side during the war. Lyden went toe-to-toe with the Pillar and left Varun frozen in a block of ice, but alive. Very little was heard from the Pillar of Water after that. Apparently the large seahorse finally decided to strike.

“Nothing,” Lyden croaked. “He wants me to know that she is under his protection, and that he can kill her at any moment. He wants me to suffer.” Lyden was human now. He no longer held the power and strength that allowed him to take on a Pillar of this world and survive.

“Master and I thought you could go in and save her,” Sheila said. “Brock is waiting for you on the border.”

“Pardon me,” Jessica piped up, speaking out loud for the first time since Lyden showed up, “But this looks like a family issue. I—”

“I would like to help, if you’ll let me,” Gloria spoke up, cutting Jessica short. “I know how to fight, and would like to offer my aid to the savior of the Chaos War.”

“I’m no savior,” Lyden said in a soft tone. Despite how famous and important his father was, Eldon knew he was also humble. He hated being treated as anything other than a normal person. “Your help will be appreciated. I would go myself, but I can’t risk Varun killing her outright, and I have a meeting with the U.N. about continued relations with the Shadow World coming up.”

“I was about to say,” Jessica piped in with a glare for Gloria, “that I would like to help.”

Eldon knew it was a lie, and that the only reason she was willing to help, was that she didn’t want to be shown up by a succubus. Gloria’s nod to him let him know that he was right. Could they read each other’s minds? Gloria shook her head slightly. He really was going to have to watch his thoughts around these women.

Sheila glanced between the other two women. From the look on her face, Eldon knew his mother was picking up on the tension as well. He didn't expect Shelly to step forward and take Jessica’s hand in hers. He remembered the two coming in together, and wondered if something had happened between them. For a moment, he felt the rare bit of jealousy enter him, but he shoved it aside. Jessica wasn’t his, and from her behavior towards Gloria, he wasn't sure he wanted her.

Jessica turned a hurt eye on him, while Gloria smiled smugly. If these two women were coming along, then he was going to get himself into some serious trouble.

“Dad,” Eldon spoke up, “I want to save Brooke, but I think Shelly and I can do it alone. Or rather, with Brock’s help. I don’t want to put these women in any danger they don’t need to be in.” He knew both women would know the real reason for him not wanting them to come along, but didn’t care.

Lyden shook his head, though. “I’m glad to see you being a gentleman, son, but no. If you’re going into Varun’s demesne, you’ll need all the help you can get. All I will say is: be careful. If he finds out what you’re up to, he may kill Brooke right then. I hate to say it, but you’re going to need Marchosias’s help as well.”

Eldon groaned inside. He was stuck going into battle with two women who despised each other, and could read his mind. This mission was going to be interesting. Marchosias and Varun were the least of his worries.