Rick tended to the flames of the small campfire, poking the coals with a stick. Lying on the ground in front of him was a glass orb, black as night, and tingling so intensely to the touch that there were no doubts, the thing was magical. Just looking at it gave Rick shudders. Dia had found the thing in the backpack. It was something Rick had taken from his attackers by accident. He’d forgotten entirely about it until they found it in his back while trekking down the road.

“That is a very dangerous thing you’ve found. A Curse of Eve is nothing to scoff at.”

The voice came as a purr, soft and silky, smooth beyond measure. There was an amused lilt about it. The figure that spoke emerged out of the darkness, naked save a cloak, the piece of cloth looking like a sin upon the beauty of the curves held beneath. The woman herself was sin personified as well.

Her long blue hair flowed freely as she made a show to look around. “You knew I was coming.”

“Monica caught your scent days ago.” Rick shook his head.

“And yet you did not hide.” She stepped closer, foregoing the cloak, revealing the pink skin underneath, plump and sculpted straight out of a master-sculptor’s very dreams. “I see you sent your girls off as well. Should I call you brave or wise?”

He tore his eyes away from her body, looking up into the sky. The mantle of stars hung overhead. “Back in my world, the stars were never this bright.” His words and deflection of attention gave her pause, the Succubus stopped next to the fire, looking at him as he sighed. “The cities are so large, with so much artificial light, and the pollution so thick, it even reaches out into the furthest corners of the wilderness.”

With barely a kick of her foot, she doused the flames with a small spray of dirt. The darkness of the forest swept across the camp, leaving in their wake the pale shadows of the maiden’s curves, a soft red glow illuminating her from underneath. Rick glanced at her, feeling a wave of heat from her that was both natural and not.

“I don’t care what world you come from.” She proclaimed, silky red lips cooing as she took another step closer. “You will be mine. Whether you make this bearable or not is your choice.”

Rick shrugged. “Everyone seems to want a piece of me.” Nonchalantly, he picked up the glass orb, the Curse of Eve. “I am curious as to why you’re on that list.”

“Power.”

“I have little of that.”

Gold eyes looked at him, glowing as they pierced the darkness more brightly than even the stars above. “I seek to shift into my genus. A Succubus only has so much power, I am to become a Dark Queen.” There was a severity to her words, her tone, a finality and determination. Like it wasn’t just a foregone conclusion but also the culmination of some great effort.

And Rick shrugged.

“Sure.”

Kiara nearly stumbled. Her eyes widened ever so slightly at him, a gesture of surprise she was quick to suppress back into smooth determination. “I take it you don’t even know what that means.”

“There’s little about Succubi or charmers in general, even in the Duke’s library. But it is easy to piece together what’s there.” He glanced at her. “The conditions for shifting aren’t well known, and vary from one maiden breed to another. Maidens that shift always do so into more powerful forms, until they reach the cusp of their genus… if they ever actually get that far. Charmers have abilities that let them manipulate those around them. ” His gaze locked onto hers. “You seem certain that I am, somehow, the key to you becoming stronger.”

“Not just stronger, I-.”

“More super powers, so long as it doesn’t involve me getting squished, then it doesn’t really matter to me.” He waved her off, almost enjoying the look of shock followed by irritation. “I want to make a deal.”

She scoffed, crossing her arms under her hefty bust. “You aren’t in a negotiating position.”

“Then consider it a request, I don’t care. You want my collaboration, I want yours. You don’t want me being complicated, I’d rather not have to go through the effort. It’s a simple enough concept.” He rolled his eyes, sighing as he picked up the glass orb. “The ones that attacked me were carrying this with them.”

“It is occupied, probably feral by now.” Kiara scowled. “What about it?”

Now it was Rick’s turn to be surprised. His eyes fell back on to the sphere, and was instantly reminded of the pokeballs. Someone was inside this thing? That certainly changed matters. But his attempt to keep a calm exterior was perturbed just enough.

And the Succubus had picked up on it.

“Ah, I see.” She cooed, stepping closer, hand darting out and snatching the glass orb from his grip. “You want me to break her in, make her into a tool for your revenge. Here I thought you’d ask for something actually complicated.”

Rick looked at her and frowned. “What? No. What I want is knowledge.”

Just like that, the half-step she’d been taking in his direction hesitated once more, she was glaring now, but there was an edge of caution.

“You’re old.” He broke the moment of silence.

“What.”

“You’re old. Succubi have extremely prolonged lives, and every source I could look on the matter claims the youngest maiden to become one ever recorded was eighty. That means you’re at least double my age if not far more than that.” He leaned back, hands laying on the dirt for balance so he could more comfortably look up at her. “And it’s years spent outside this kingdom. I want to know more.”

Kiara’s tone became more guarded, contemplative. “More about… what?”

“Maidens. Humans. The bond.”

After the fight, it had been clear as day to Rick. The bond was not what the locals thought it was. It’d been the second time he’d been drawing in pain from her, he’d even felt as if she’d lent him knowledge in some way. And all he could find about the matter was that maidens were restrained and bound, made subservient by the bond.

The maiden looked at him, slowly bouncing the dark sphere from one hand to the other, considering his words. She decided with little fanfare. Her movement was smooth, practiced to perfection, her plump thighs caressing his legs as she came to occupy his lap. With a flick of her wrist, the glass orb was tossed aside, forgotten, her golden eyes consuming the entirety of Rick’s vision.

“You do not seem to comprehend what I can offer.” Her husky whisper brushed against his ear, it sent delicious spicy shivers up and down, all over his body. She reached down, pulling his hand up to her breast.

The skin was pliant, inviting his hand to sink into it, her nipple the only hardness therein, pressing against his palm like a little nub of texture within the pillowy embrace. The effects were easy enough to predict, his pants had been strained for a while already, and now they felt like he’d rather tear them off.

“All the pleasure you could ever want or need. For yourself, and your girls. Addicting pleasure, none would tell you no.” Kiara reached to his chest, a single finger tracing a line down his chest, burning the shirt, but leaving his skin unblemished, unhurt.

She lingered over his lips, close enough for her warm breath to brush against his cheeks. There was something spicy in the air, the temptation burned hotter, his mouth growing dry as his body urged him to seek moisture from her mouth.

“No.”

The word took more out of him than he thought it would. Like a parched man having crossed the desert and refusing the fountain of cool refreshing water.

“If you need sex to live, I’ll provide.” He swallowed, prying his hand off of her breast, glaring into her gaze. “But that’s as far as it goes.”

“Really now.” Her hand pressed against his chest, slamming him against the dirt, forcing him to lay on his back as her hands pressured his shoulders tightly. “And what’s stopping me from taking what I want?”

“Nothing, really. I’m just human, after all.” He laughed, Monica had been rougher than this even when she’d been gentle.

This time her glare was serious, lips drawing thin. It took her a second to look away, glancing around the camp-site, clearly searching for something. Rather than wait for her to comment, he laughed harder, feeling as if the spell had broken. Laying on the ground, pinned, darkness all around, his every nerve screamed he should be running, that there were so many things in the shadows that could get to him.

“That’s right, I’m alone, defenseless. Feel free to prove how capable you are by overpowering me with those superpowers of yours.” And what a challenge it’d been to get Dia and Monica to leave him alone. Even now he could feel their concern, nearby but not enough to be easily detectable, definitely not close enough to be able to stop anything.

“I could kill you.”

“Big whoop. Every maiden on this planet can do that, hell, a well motivated child could do it.” Snarling, he didn’t even struggle, glaring right back up at her. “I sleep with one who can kill me with a sneeze. You don’t scare me.”

She reacted brusquely. “Really now.” Her hand reached down, burning away a hole through his pants, her fingers reaching for his crotch. “Let’s see how long that courage lasts you.”

It was on.