Chapter 1: The Succubus

It ought to have been just another day in the life of a highwayman:

Lie in wait for the carriage rolling slowly through the bright green woods, bend your bow and fire an arrow at the driver, leap out of the foliage and pull at the reins to stop the horse, and then...

And then you adjust your mask, brandish your sword, open the carriage door, and demand "Your money, or your life."

That's all there is too it, usually. This time, however, was different. As soon as the door of the small, black carriage creaked open, I knew it was all wrong.

The shoe appeared first. Black. Then the white, smooth, long leg followed it for what seemed like ages. Then the hem of the dress draped across the knees. Black.

Then her voice, like ice and fire, intimate and yet impervious. It was the first time I ever heard it. Curse that voice!

"Thank you, my good man."

I held out my hand and helped her down the steps. Yes, I did precisely that. I have never known to be gallant in my life, but now I even made a little bow as she stepped onto the ground.

She was like a fairy princess. Not very tall, but with long legs, an unbelievable hourglass figure covered by a dress that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight that seeped through the trees of the deep forest. Her hair reached down to her calves, glittering pale honey, and her eyes were blue, piercing, cold.

"Thank you, mister highwayman," she said, giving me a smile that made my heart leap.

"You're welcome, my Lady," I replied, automatically. This was all wrong. She should be terrified, yet I was I who considered running for my life.

"I assume you will want to ... ravish me now?" She stared innocently up into my face.

I swallowed. Did I? I would usually count ravishing as ample ransom, but now I was not sure.

"Come here," she whispered, and seemed to glide closer to me. All too close. "You can ravish me. But you have to kiss me first, you know."

Those full lips, those blue eyes.

"Kiss me."

Inches from my face.

"Kiss me."

What the hell. I kissed her.

Her lips were like poisoned wine on my lips. It was wonderful, it was dangerous, and I found I could not let go. I just drank that wine.

Dimly I was aware that her hands were doing something to my arms. Something. Pushing them together at the small of my back. Then, there was the feel of cold, cold metal against my wrists.

Still, the kiss continued. She pushed me now, slowly, towards the side of the carriage. I just drank deeply from that sweet wine. I could kiss her forever. I had to, had to!, kiss her forever and ever.

There was a loud clink, and the hands behind my back were stuck to the black carriage, somehow.

Then she pulled softly away. I tried to follow her, to make the kiss last. I couldn't. Our lips parted.

I groaned and shook my head, clearing it. Looking around I saw her standing two paces away from me, a cruel smile on her lips, her blue eyes alight with malice. I looked behind me as best I could. A fine silver chain encircled my wrists, and that chain was fastened to a coarse, black iron ring and nail hammered into the carriage. A fleeting insight told me that the ring was put there for this exact purpose, and that it had been used before. Many times.

I was trapped. I tried fighting to get my hands free, heaving my great muscles, but the silver chains were too strong. I was not even able move the carriage an inch: Somehow it was far too heavy than what it should have been.

I yelled at the woman, screamed at her to free me, but she just stood still and looked at me, the smile still on her lips. She looked so innocent, with those blue eyes now quiet, her eyelashes fluttering demurely.

I tried kicking her, but she neatly sidestepped me, and took a step towards me. Smiling gently, she pulled the mask away from my face. Smiling gently, she put a hand on the front of my pants, and loosened my belt.

Slowly, slowly she let the pants drop to my knees, while I shouted at her. I could no longer kick out, and she just laughed a tinkling little laugh when I tried to bite at her out of pure frustration.