“And I count the days and the miles back home to you on that Highway 20 ride.”

Adam Jennings belted out his favorite song in the world at the top of his lungs. With all the enthusiasm of an American Idol contestant and none of the talent, his trusty Ford F-150 made for the perfect stage. No audience to be found on this stretch of I-20, not that he wanted one. Much as he loved the man’s music, Adam was no Zac Brown.

East Alabama might not have been the average person’s idea of paradise, but it was perfect for Adam, especially in late October. The massive tourist season of the summer was over, the weather was cooling down, and college football was underway. And with his favorite team, the UAB Blazers, rarely being that good, Adam was able to enjoy his favorite sport relatively stress free.

As he drove west towards Birmingham, Adam had to squint a bit due to the glare of the setting sun. It wasn’t low enough to pose a problem yet, but it wouldn’t be long. Still, his vision was good enough to see hazard lights off to the shoulder ahead of him. Much as it might not be the safest thing to do in this modern world, Adam could never bring himself to pass by someone with car troubles. After signaling and slowing down, he pulled off to the side of the road. But as he approached the vehicle, his heart sank at what he saw – a beat-up Ford Ranger with a license plate saying “RMF T1D3,” short for Roll Mother-Fucking Tide. That meant only one thing.

“Mack. Goddammit,” Adam muttered.

Adam was in no mood to deal with an asshole like Mack McDonald, but one thought of what Maria would say spurred him on. It was the right thing to do. After making sure the way was clear, he stepped out of his truck and looked around for Mack. He saw nobody at the back of the truck, but heard Mack’s thick country accent coming from the other side.

“An’ that’s the deal, missy.”

“Mack?”

Adam stepped around the truck and saw Mack leaning against the hood of his truck. God, he looked like a douchebag, especially with his wife beater and jorts. What surprised him was the young woman standing with Mack. She was quite the looker by any measure, maybe mid-twenties and a little over five feet tall. Still, she wasn’t tiny; the girl had curves in all the right places. With every slight move she made, her long golden blonde hair seemed to shimmer in the late afternoon light. Adam might’ve been tempted to drool over her, if he weren’t so worried about what she was doing with a man like Mack.

“Everything ok? Havin’ trouble with your truck?” Adam asked casually.

“Naw, nothin’ like that,” Mack said with a laugh. “Just found this little lady on the side of the road. Figured I’d do the neighborly thing and offer her a ride.”

“Uh huh.” Adam didn’t buy it. “Ma’am, did this man demand some sort of compensation in exchange for a ride?”

The look in the woman’s eyes told Adam everything he needed to know – he had hit the nail on the head.

“Now, look here!” Mack spouted in anger. He tried to puff out his chest to intimidate Adam, but all he really did was draw attention to his beer belly. “This don’t concern you none, Jennings. Y’all need to get movin’. Go on, get!”

Adam looked over Mack’s shoulder for any sign from the girl, but she remained frustratingly mute. “Ma’am, I can’t tell you what to do. All I can say is this man here is nothin’ but trouble. He’s bad news. If you need a ride, I’ll take you wherever you need to go for free, no strings attached. Just say the word.”

For some odd reason, the girl’s eyes darted back and forth, almost as if she was having a massive internal debate. In his thirty years, Adam had long since learned to get a read on most people, but this girl was something of a mystery. Maybe it was her icy blue eyes or her full pouty lips throwing him off, maybe even her sexy cropped T-shirt, but whatever it was, he found himself unable to read her completely.

“Ya best get gone,” Mack reiterated.

Adam sighed, knowing he couldn’t force the issue, much as he might want to. But as he turned to go, a sweet voice stopped him in his tracks.

“I’ll take a ride, if you’re offering.”

Adam turned and locked eyes with the young lady. She still seemed somewhat unsure of herself, like that debate in her mind was ongoing, but he wasn’t about to leave her with Mack.

“Hop in,” Adam said, opening the passenger door to his truck.

“Jennings, you’re a real asshole,” Mack sneered.

“Takes one to know one,” Adam shot back.

With that, Adam cranked up his truck and pulled back out onto the interstate. He said nothing for a few minutes, not wanting to overwhelm the poor girl. Even though she sat in silence, he did notice she would glance his way every so often. Each time she did, a little smile passed her lips. Finally, Adam decided to speak.

“You ok? Mack didn’t hurt ya, did he?”

“No,” she shook her head. “I’m fine.”

“That’s good. I’m Adam, by the way.”

She smiled that little smile again. “Evelyn. Thanks for the ride, Adam.”

“My pleasure. Where you headed?”

Evelyn shrugged. “West. Birmingham’s good, if that’s ok.”

“Fine by me,” said Adam. “Let’s see, we’re commin’ up on Talladega, so it’ll be about forty-five minutes.”

“Thanks.” Evelyn paused, then continued, “So, when do you want me?”

Adam’s eyebrows shot up at this. “Beg pardon?”

Evelyn just smiled and ran her fingers through her hair. “I don’t have any money, but I’ll gladly pull my weight, if you know what I mean.”

“Is that what Mack wanted you to do?”

“Yeah. He said he’d take me as far as Pell City for a blowjob or to Birmingham if I’d go all the way. I mean, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, but you’re much cuter than that fat slob. So, like I said, when do you want me?”

“Flattering, but I don’t operate like that.”

“What do you mean? You don’t want me?” she replied teasingly. “Wait, you’re not gay, are you?”

“Definitely not gay!” Adam chuckled. “Still, it’d be pretty shitty of me to take you up on that. The whole reason I said what I did back with Mack was so you wouldn’t have to do somethin’ like that. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t judge you for whatever you’ve had to do to survive up ‘til now, but you won’t ever have to do that for me.”

“Even if I wanted to?”

“Ya ain’t gotta be so forward with me, Evelyn,” Adam said with a warm smile. “I’m happy to get ya goin’ where ya need to be outta the goodness of my heart. It’s the right thing to do.”

Evelyn eyed him for several long seconds, almost as if she were trying to read his mind. It should’ve made Adam uncomfortable, but he felt strangely at ease. Finally, she gave a smile and a flirty little hair flip.

“If you say so.”

Try as he might, Adam was finding it very hard to resist Evelyn’s natural charm. He was sorely tempted to take her up on her offer, but he knew he’d regret it in the end. After a few more minutes of silence, he heard the distinct sound of her stomach growling.

“You hungry, Evelyn?”

“I’m fine,” she shrugged.

“Wow, nobody in this truck believed that whopper of a lie,” Adam laughed. “When’s the last time you ate?”

Evelyn sighed. “Ok, I could eat. Been since yesterday morning. But like I said, I don’t have any money.”

“Don’t worry about it. I got it.”

“And you’re still not interested in my offer?”

“Nope.”

“The right thing to do?” Evelyn asked, rolling her eyes melodramatically.

“Good girl! You’re catchin’ on!”

A little bit later, Evelyn sat in a Waffle House booth in Pell City. As they waited for their food, she studied Adam intently. She’d meant what she said in the car – he was very good-looking. Cleanshaven and fit, he seemed the complete opposite of that slob, Mack. He kept his hair high and tight in a buzzcut, and his jeans and polo lacked any stains or holes. Adam didn’t press her too much for conversation, but always had a warm smile to give her. Every time a server would walk by, he had a kind word for them, too. Each of the workers seemed to know Adam personally. Everything about him surprised her. If only...

“Waffles are up!” said the waitress, interrupting her thoughts.

“Thanks, Miss Tameka.”

“My pleasure, Mr. Jennings,” replied the bubbly black girl. “Earl’s got your check at the register whenever you’re ready. No rush.”

Much as Evelyn didn’t want to admit it, she was starving. As good as her waffle smelled, she could only pick at it for so long before pouring on the syrup and diving right in. Thankfully, Adam didn’t seem to mind her fervor. The way he attacked his scrambled eggs, he seemed almost as hungry as she was. They ate in silence, though she sensed he was dying to ask her more questions. She’d have to figure out how to respond when he finally did.

“I’m gonna go settle up. Be right back,” said Adam.

A few moments later, Evelyn saw Tameka walk up with a Styrofoam cup in hand.

“Here ya go. Brought ya a Coke for the road.”

“Thanks,” said Evelyn.

As she placed the cup on the table, Tameka leaned in close and whispered, “Listen, it ain’t my business how you two know each other, but I feel the need to tell you the truth. Adam Jennings is good people, wouldn’t hurt a fly. So, you’d best not hurt him.”

Evelyn didn’t even have time to reply before Tameka was already off to another table, consoling a toddler that had tripped. Thankfully, she got the kid laughing again by scolding the floor for being bad and naughty, tripping people up and such. Evelyn couldn’t help but smile at that exchange. Unfortunately, her smile was short lived as she saw a customer walk in the front door. It was Mack McDonald.

“How you, Earl?”

“Can’t complain, Adam. You?”

“Ah, same old same old.”

“Uh huh. Sure,” Earl chuckled. Lowering his voice, he then asked, “Who’s the girl?”

Adam shrugged. “Hitchhiker. She was about to hitch a ride with Mack McDonald, but I convinced her she’d be askin’ for trouble.”

“Uh oh, that might come back to bite ya. Look.”

Adam turned in the direction Earl was pointing and let out an exasperated sigh. Mack had just walked in and was strolling up to Evelyn and Tameka with a smug grin on his face. Adam might’ve laughed at Mack’s missing tooth if it weren’t for what he saw and heard next.

“Evenin’, ladies! Did ya already ditch that needle-dick Jennings?” Mack chortled. “Just as well. I’m a hell of a lot better company than that dumbass. You can ask Miss Tameka. She sees me here all the time!” he continued, grabbing the waitress on the ass for good measure.

“Mack, you’re an asshole,” Tameka growled, trying to maintain her composure.

“Want me to handle this?” Earl asked Adam. “It’s my place, after all.”

“Naw, I got it,” Adam grinned.

“C’mon, gals. All I’m lookin’ for is a little coffee an’ cream!” Mack continued, his voice echoing through the diner.

It looked to Adam like Mack hadn’t even seen him when he came in, instead going straight for the girls. That was good; he had his back turned and had no idea Adam was coming up behind him. In one swift motion, Adam grabbed Mack’s hand from Tameka’s behind and twisted it into an armlock.

“Mack,” Adam hissed in his ear, “I’m gonna give you one chance to apologize to the ladies for actin’ like a racist, sexist piece of shit.”

“Ugh ... fuck you, Jennings.”

“Do it,” Adam said, applying a bit more pressure to Mack’s arm.

“Gah! I-I apologize, ladies. Won’t happen again.”

“Good boy,” Adam replied, releasing Mack and spinning him around to place himself between Mack and the women. “Now, why don’t you mosey on outta here?”

“Jennings, you’re such a goddamn buttinsky,” Mack seethed.

“Go on, now! Get your dinner someplace else tonight!” Earl shouted from behind the counter. “Unless ya want me to call the law?”

“Wouldn’t be your first run-in with the sheriff, would it?” Adam asked with a smug grin.

Mack stared Adam down for a second before saying, “You can piss on me all you want, Jennings, but it don’t change a thing, and you know it.” With that, Mack turned and beat a hasty retreat into the parking lot.

“Either of you hurt?” Adam asked.

“Only my pride,” said Tameka. “Thanks for that.”

“What the hell is his problem?” Evelyn asked.

“Mack’s basically the town miscreant here in Pell City,” Tameka explained. “Rarely does enough to get him in bad with the sheriff, but just enough to be a royal pain.”

“Yeah, and I’ve had two too many encounters with him for one day,” Adam agreed. “What say we head on out ‘fore number three rears its ugly head?”

“Sounds good,” said Evelyn.

Evelyn followed Adam back out to the parking lot to his truck. As she was climbing in, she caught a glimpse of Tameka through the window. She glared daggers at Evelyn, reminding her of the waitress’ words from earlier.

“Hey, you ok?” Adam asked.

“Yeah, fine. Just staring off into space. So, Birmingham?” Evelyn asked.

“Yeah, about that. It’s gettin’ pretty late, be dark by the time we get there. May I ask what your plan is? Got somewhere to stay?”

She shrugged. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it. You’ve done plenty.”

Adam said, “Like I said earlier, I can’t tell ya what to do. What I can tell ya is I wouldn’t be able to sleep a bit tonight thinkin’ ‘bout you sleeping on the street somewhere, or worse. If you really want me to take you all the way to Birmingham tonight, I’m happy to oblige. If I’m startin’ to get creepy and you want to go on your own from here, I won’t stop you, either. All I’m sayin’ is I’ve got a spare bedroom at my place, no charge.”

Evelyn eyed him for a long time, her face looking more and more confused. “And you seriously don’t want anything from me in return? I mean, as nice as you’ve been to me, I’d be more than willing.”

“Nope. Not how I operate,” Adam smiled.

“And your girlfriend won’t mind?”

“No girlfriend. So, whaddaya say?”

“Huh. I guess a free bed does sound good.”

“Sounds like a ‘yes’ to me!”

Adam shifted into gear and drove them south for about ten minutes, eventually pulling off into a neighborhood with a gravel road. After a few twists and turns, they arrived at a dirt driveway leading down an embankment to a house near the river. Evelyn marveled at how isolated the area felt, even with it being less than half an hour from the interstate. At Adam’s beckoning, she followed him up the stairs and into the house.

While the outside looked exactly as one would expect from a lake house, the inside was more of a surprise to Evelyn. This was no barebones river shack – this was a warm, inviting home. The main area was a massive open concept with a kitchen, eating nook, and a living room with two huge leather sofas. A vaulted ceiling made the room look even larger than it already was. Across the living room, she saw a door leading to a screened in porch, which itself gave access to the boat dock on the river.

“Welcome in! Take a seat, make yourself at home,” said Adam.

“It’s beautiful,” she replied, sitting on one of the two sofas.

“Thanks. Want anything to drink?”

“No, I’m fine.” As Adam sat on the sofa across from her, Evelyn continued to eye him with great curiosity. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t really get you, Adam.”

“How so?”

“Well, you see some random girl on the side of the road, offer her a ride, and constantly refuse to accept any compensation when she offers. Then, you bring this stranger into your home and offer her a free bed for the night. I mean, how do you know I’m not going to rob you blind, or worse, try to kill you in your sleep?”

Adam laughed. “I don’t believe you’d try anything like that.”

“How do you know? You don’t really know anything about me, after all. You haven’t even tried to find out where I’m from or what my story is.”

“Not my place to pry. I’m curious, of course, but I figure the ball’s in your court on when and if you wanna open up about all that. You won’t get no pressure from me.”

“But again, how can you trust me without knowing any of that?” Evelyn pressed.

“In a word, my gut. It’s never steered me wrong. Trust me, I thought about walkin’ away or just takin’ you to Birmingham and lettin’ that be the end of it, but I couldn’t. My gut kept on and kept on, and I knew it wouldn’t be right to do that, even not knowing anything about your past. Of course, if you wanna talk about anything, I’m more than happy to listen.”

Evelyn pursed her lips at that. “Maybe in the morning, if that’s ok. For now, I could use a good night’s sleep.”

“No prob. Follow me.” Adam led the way down a short hallway off the main living room. “Here’s your room, bathroom is right next door. Mine are on the other side of the house, so no worries about anyone walkin’ in on ya. No obligations for me tomorrow, so feel free to sleep as late as you like.”

As Adam turned to leave, Evelyn grabbed his arm and pulled him in close, planting a kiss on his cheek as she did so.

“You sure I can’t interest you in a bedmate for the night?” she purred in his ear.

Adam gritted his teeth, feeling the uncomfortable confines of his jeans. “Shit, girl. Gettin’ harder and harder to say no every time you ask. But you said it best: you could use a good night’s sleep.” Then, in a move that surprised Evelyn, he leaned in and kissed her softly on the forehead. “I’ll see ya in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Mr. Jennings,” Evelyn replied with a sultry grin before closing the door behind her.

With that, Adam took a seat back in the living room and switched on the TV. He tried several channels – local news, ESPN, a sitcom – but nothing managed to distract him. All he could think about was the blonde bombshell sleeping in the next room. Much as he knew he was doing the right thing by declining her advances, he had to admit to being tempted. There was something irresistible about Evelyn. She was enchanting and mesmerizing, almost otherworldly.

“Only one other gal ever could get to me this bad,” he muttered to himself with a grin.

After a while, Adam gave up and decided to turn in. First, he made sure all the doors were securely locked, then activated the alarm system. After that, he made for his bedroom and locked the door behind him. The last thing he always did before crawling into bed was to safety check the handgun in his nightstand. He didn’t think Evelyn was a danger to him, but better safe than sorry. As Adam drifted off into unconsciousness, he couldn’t help but remember the touch of Evelyn’s lips to his cheek from before.

“Damn, she is somethin’ else...”

Adam awoke early the next day, his sleep more restless than he had expected. After showering to clear his head, he went through his usual morning routine, making coffee and going over local and national news on his laptop. An hour or two later, he heard the sounds of Evelyn stirring in her room and decided to fry up some bacon for breakfast. As he finished making the food, Evelyn joined him in the kitchen, clad only in her crop top and a pair of panties.

“Morning,” she said, running her hand through her tousled hair.

“Mornin’ to you, too,” Adam grinned. “Sleep well?”

“Surprisingly, yes.”

“Glad to hear. Breakfast is ready, I got some extra crispy pieces and some juicier pieces, whichever ya like.”

“Thanks.”

The pair stood at the kitchen island and munched on their food in comfortable silence for a while. Adam tried his best not to ogle Evelyn’s gorgeous body, but he had to sneak a glance or two. She really was a unicorn, being relatively short but with ample curves. Evelyn was definitely no stick figure, and it suited her. She caught him peeking once or twice, but gave no objections. Once she had finished her breakfast, Evelyn sauntered around the island to stand close to Adam.

“I really do have to thank you for giving me a place to sleep last night,” she said, running her fingers across Adam’s chest. “I feel so much better. I’m ready for anything today might bring. Anything.”

As Evelyn leaned in for a kiss, Adam managed, “Evelyn, you don’t have to-”

“Don’t have to what?” she whispered, her lips centimeters from his. “Don’t you like me? I mean, a girl can only try so hard before she gets her feelings hurt.”

Adam’s mouth dried out as his logical side started to lose the battle of wills. She was right – he did like her. Still, he tried to keep from following his baser urges and ripping her clothes off. But as she stood there, Evelyn cupped Adam’s face in her hands and stared into his eyes. Her icy blue eyes were so enchanting, they seemed to hold him prisoner. After a moment, he could’ve sworn he saw them start to glow.

“You want me, Adam. Take me.”

Adam saw her lips moving and heard Evelyn speak those words, but he also felt them in his mind for some odd reason. His brain knew something was wrong, but he was powerless to do anything else. Adam relaxed and allowed Evelyn to have complete control over him. But just as she began tilting his head down to kiss him, she broke away completely, snapping Adam back to reality.

“Huh? What the hell?!”

Adam’s limbs felt numb, like he had been sitting on them for too long. He shook them a few times, at last feeling his blood flow return to normal. It was then that he realized Evelyn was lying on the floor in the fetal position. For some reason, she was bawling her eyes out, as if the entire world was coming to an end.

“I can’t ... I can’t...”

“Hey, it’s ok, Evelyn. You don’t gotta feel the need to do anything like that for me,” Adam said, kneeling beside her crumpled form.

“No, you don’t understand,” she wailed.

“I’d like to, if you’ll talk to me,” he replied, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “C’mon, let’s go have a sit.”

Adam helped Evelyn to her feet and led her back to the living room, sitting her on one of the sofas. He moved to sit on the other sofa, but before he could, felt Evelyn grab him by the arm and pull him down to sit next to her. Her eyes were beginning to dry out, but he could tell she was still distressed about something.

“Talk to me. What is it I don’t understand?”

Evelyn gulped. “Gods, I’m going to be in so much trouble for this...”

“In trouble with who, Evelyn?”

After a few long seconds, she took a deep breath. “Adam, I’ve been lying to you. Well, not exactly lying, but lying by omission. I’m not what you think I am. I’m not some random girl who ran into you by happenstance. The truth is ... I’m not human, Adam. I’m a demon.”

Adam’s eyebrows shot up at this. “A demon?”

“Yes. Specifically, a Succubus.”

Adam stood and paced the floor for a minute as he tried to comprehend this. He saw the sincerity in Evelyn’s eyes. She truly believed what she was telling him, but how could he believe her? There was no possible way it could be true. Worse, he now worried about her mental state and wondered if she might be dangerous.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Evelyn said. “You’ve got to be thinking I’m crazy and need to be locked up.”

“Uh...”

“It’s ok, I get it. It sounds impossible.”

“I mean ... I try not to say things are impossible,” Adam replied as politely as he could, “but it’s really farfetched. A demon? Seriously?”

“Is it really so farfetched, though? I mean, you were looking right into my eyes a minute ago when they started glowing.”

Adam took a step back at that. “I thought I imagined that,” he replied, the fear apparent in his voice.

“And your body? Don’t you think it’s strange how you felt powerless until I looked away? Even then, you had to regain your strength, didn’t you?”

“You’re crazy, lady!” Adam shouted, turning to leave.

“I’m telling you the truth! I swear!” Evelyn yelled back, now in tears once again.

Adam stopped short of the hallway to his bedroom, cursing himself for being so harsh with her. He might not believe her, but that was no reason to treat her like that. He was better than that, and he damn well knew it. Keeping a close eye on Evelyn, he walked slowly back to the sofa and sat next to her.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“It’s ok,” she sniffled through her tears. “I know it’s a lot.”

“I wanna believe you’re tellin’ me the truth, but you’ve gotta give me somethin’ more concrete, ya understand.”

She took a deep breath. “I can do that.”

Evelyn then stood and moved to the center of the room. At first, nothing appeared to be happening, but her body soon started shaking ever so slightly. After a few seconds, a row of tiny flesh-colored spikes began protruding from her forearms and thighs. Her face was next, which now bore a number of black whisker-like objects that gave her the appearance of an eye mask. The final change was a pair of tiny black horns emerging from her mess of blonde hair on the top of her head. Her transformation complete, Evelyn turned to face Adam once more, her eyes showing more than a little shame.

“This is the real me.”

“Um ... wow,” was all Adam could say.

“I know – I’ve got to be hideous by your human standards,” she replied, hanging her head a bit.

“I didn’t say that.” After a long pause, Adam continued, “A Succubus?”

“That’s right.”

“So, I guess you’re here to kill me? Steal my soul?”

Evelyn sighed. “That was my mission, but ... I couldn’t do it. Gods, you must hate me right now. I’d probably better go...”

As she turned to leave, Adam said, “Your mission was to kill me. Why? And why didn’t you?”

The look of surprise on Evelyn’s face was apparent. “You don’t want me to leave?”

Adam shrugged. “The way I see it, you could’ve killed me at any time. And, well, color me curious. I wanna know what’s really going on.”

“It’s such a long story.”

“Well, better get some fresh coffee!” Adam said with a grin.

After Adam refreshed both their cups, they again sat on the sofa. Evelyn said nothing and just circled her finger along the rim of her mug, unsure of where to begin. All the while, Adam never pried or pushed her for more information, despite his desire to.

“I’d better start from the beginning,” Evelyn said. “I live on Earth, but not the Earth you know. My Earth is in a parallel universe from this one. In my world, humans never came into being at all, that is, they never evolved. Instead, we demons became the dominant species on the planet. My ancestors were incredibly advanced, able to have their equivalent of the Industrial Revolution around the same time as your Bronze Age. Unfortunately, for all their brilliance, our predecessors also lacked any semblance of self-control. This was almost our undoing.

“We demons feed differently from you humans. We eat food, yes, but our bodies also require a different form of sustenance – life. Every demon needs life energy, be it Vampires, Werewolves, Harpies, or even we Succubi. Feeding on life energy is the defining genetic trait that makes one a demon. Different subsets of demons feed on life energy in different ways. This energy is not only what sustains us physically, but also what powers our technology. With their newfound technological prowess, my ancestors embarked upon the Great Harvest, intending to gather enough life energy from the world that their people would never go hungry again. By the time they were done, nearly all living creatures and every natural resource had been destroyed. It took them a mere two decades from the start of our Industrial Revolution to destroy the planet.”

“Two decades?!” Adam exclaimed.

Evelyn nodded sadly. “Like I said, my ancestors lacked any semblance of self-control.”

“So, how have you survived this long? You said your Industrial Revolution happened around our Bronze Age. That’s about five-thousand years!”

Evelyn continued, “The generation following the Great Harvest, led by the great Succubus Lilith, quickly realized they would outlive the amount of life energy their parents had collected unless drastic changes were made. They could not continue to consume energy at the same gluttonous rate, so Lilith proposed mandatory rations on life energy. Not a solution I’m proud of, but a necessary one. Even so, that would only delay the inevitable; we needed a new source of life energy. By good luck, one positive of this situation was that our technology grew exponentially in the years following. Within a century of the Great Harvest, our top scientists had developed a permanent solution to our energy crisis by creating a wormhole to a parallel universe – your universe.

“When our first explorers stepped into your universe, they discovered an Earth still teaming with life and rich with natural resources. The original plan was for us to simply move in and take command of this second Earth, but that was ruled out when Lilith realized this would only continue the cycle of destruction. She developed our current system of using this new Earth as a farm from which we could collect life energy to sustain our own people. This was particularly successful when we discovered that you humans produce far more life energy than any other animal on the planet, no matter how big or powerful. Lilith is so revered for her wisdom that her family line continues to lead the Succubi to this day.”