Chapter 8: The Second Betrayal

Calyndi was happy to see the sun drop below the horizon. She'd regained enough of her strength to leave Linki's place following a delightful, blonde meal. Linki had thankfully not made any overt attempts to engage Calyndi sexually, instead focusing her energies on driving the young blonde girl as wild with sexual need as possible. Sometimes stealing a girl away like Linki had done with the blonde would result in a meal filled with the bitterness of fear, but with two succubi working her over, the blonde had quickly given in to the sheer power of her need, making the feast that Calyndi and Linki shared almost sickening in its sweetness. When it was over, Linki put the girl back into a deep trance.

"I'll take her back home in a minute," Linki said.

"Thanks, for everything," Calyndi replied. "After what I did last night, I don't deserve your kindness."

"Oh, don't worry about it. We're succubi. Lying to get our pleasure is what we do. But I did want to offer you a deal."

Calyndi looked at Linki skeptically.

"I want you to take the ring. For now."

"Why would you do that?" Calyndi was surprised, but the thought of being with Devin again blinded.

"Devin bit me each of the last two nights, if he bites me again tonight, I'll be a vampire. As great as the sex is, I can resist the urge to spend eternity with him. But I'm worried that he might get his teeth into you again tonight, and I want you to be safe."

Calyndi didn't even put up a token resistance as Linki handed the ring over. The facets on its gemstones seemed so flat and unimpressive for a device that could allow Calyndi to feel such heat and passion. "Thank you," Calyndi said. "Really, we should work out some kind of system – trade the ring back and forth."

"Sounds good," Linki said. "Though I'm not sure Devin could keep up with both of us for long."

"That's probably true."

"Well, I'd better get this one home." Linki returned to the blonde standing blankly in the middle of the room, her flushed cheeks and taught nipples – visible through her shirt – the only real proof that she was even alive.

While Linki was out, Calyndi slipped away. She wanted to prowl the city a bit, perhaps even take human form for once. It was rare, after all, for her hunger to be sated before the night even started, and while she doubted that there was a human who could satisfy her, the sex of the previous night made her almost want to feel the tease of near release. She wanted to warm herself up for a return to Devin's chambers some future night. And the ring on her finger assured her that such a night would come.

Stretching her wings, she soared over the city and found her usual perch on the highest building. Never before had the city teemed with such possibility. And the dark patch of the cemetery – for so long a forbidden symbol of frustration – now seemed a deep void into which she could pour her passions and her needs without fear of consequence. She was about to step off the edge of the building, to enjoy a long free fall before sailing around the city again, when a strange tingle entered her mind.

"Calyndi," she heard Devin's voice say. "Come to me. Why not see if we can surpass last night."

An odd feeling of disappointment settled in Calyndi's chest. She had been looking forward to the moment that Devin tried to call her back believing that his vampiric powers would compel her to obey. She had looked forward to the moment she resisted him, proving that she was free of his influence and that she shared of his bed only when she chose.

But he wasn't assaulting her with an attempt at control. Her ability to reject him was finding a rather sorry outlet. She wanted more.

"Are you sure you could handle another night?" Calyndi replied through her thoughts.

"Come closer to me. Let me find out."

Calyndi took to the skies, making her way towards the cemetery at a casual pace. Maybe Devin had already learned his lesson with Linki. If Calyndi was going to enjoy this game, she'd have to get a bit more of a rise out Devin to coax him to try to use his powers.

When she neared the cemetery she banked and began circling the dark blot on the city's bright landscape. "You're going to need to convince me to walk past all of your little tramps down there," she projected with her thoughts.

"They are jealous of my attentions, but they wouldn't dare harm you. Land at the gate, walk through my realm. Let their jealous eyes stroke your naked body as they dream of what you are about to experience."

Thoughts of the previous night swirled in Calyndi's mind, and she landed in front of the gate, tucking her wings behind her. As she strode beneath the arc of metal over the entrance to the rows of graves she willed her clothes to disappear, letting the vampiresses lurking in the shadows take in the beauty of her body. She could hear their hisses and even saw a few take threatening steps towards her, but none dared come near her.

Devin was right, it was arousing to feel their hostility sliding along her skin, and with each step her arousal grew both from knowing what awaited her in Devin's crypt and knowing that the undead beauties around her were trapped in his thrall in a way that she would never be. She fingered the ring to remind herself of her freedom.

At the entrance to the crypt two vampiresses waited, wearing nothing but their dangerous yet enticing fangs. They prowled towards her, showing none of the reticence that the previous undead women had shown, and Calyndi was almost glad – they were easily the most beautiful of Devin's minions. Still, she tensed, ready for a fight if that was what was in store.

"Relax," Devin spoke to her mind. "There is no need to fear them, they will only add to tonight's experience."

Even as Calyndi wondered if she should trust those words she felt the hands of the two women upon her, but there was nothing violent or sinister in their touch. Instead, they were soft and caressing, and within moments Calyndi closed her eyes and reveled in the way they stimulated her body.

Two tongues played over her flesh. One lingered on the two wounds on her neck where Devin had tasted her the night before. The other traced down to her breasts and began to nibble and suck teasingly. Meanwhile, the women's hands rubbed up and down her body, tickling along her ribs and stroking at her thighs. Calyndi's breath began to quicken as fingers drew tantalizingly close to her sex.

There was a subtle shift in the vampiresses's actions, and while their erotic assault on Calyndi's body never stopped, they somehow managed to lead her forward – drawing her, stumbling, into the crypt.

Then, without warning, they were gone. Calyndi stood at the top of the stairs, the light of many candles fluttering just out of sight around the curve of stone. Her heart was racing and her sex was wet with the craving she now felt, and she knew that if she descended those stairs she would satisfy all of her desires. Yet something suddenly began tickling at the back of her neck – some fear that she worried should have come upon her sooner.

She checked to make sure the ring was still on her finger, and it was, but somehow that gave her no solace. Devin's words returned to her mind.

"Come to me, Calyndi. Kneel at the foot of the bed, my slave."

The fear that was slowly creeping over her increased, but her anger at his words drowned out those warnings. The arousal was still deep within her, but she used it to fuel her indignation – she would stalk down those stairs and confront Devin, mock him for his fruitless arrogance.

But as she started down the stairs her blood ran cold. He had told her to come to him, and she was doing just that. She ran through the events of the evening, replaying his commands in her head and realized that she had followed every single one of them. She had never felt the strong mental pull or the psychic attack upon her will that she expected, but somehow he had manipulated her into doing his bidding at every turn.

It had to stop. She had to stop. She needed to leave the crypt. She'd resisted Devin's allure in the past – perhaps the ring had left her overconfident. Whatever the reason, she realized that she needed to regain control of the situation, and the only way to do that would be to spend the night away from the vampire. There would be other nights for them to share their passions. For now she had to protect her self-control.

But when she rounded the curve of the stairs and saw him reclining confidently atop his bed, naked and ready for her, her sex pulsed and, for just a moment, her resolve faltered. Only then did it occur to her that the very fact that she had continued to descend the stairs was cause for even greater concern.

"That's it," Devin spoke with his mouth rather than his mind now. "Come to me, my slave. Kneel upon the foot of my bed. I have something to show you."

His exposed sex, the strength and beauty of his body, the seductive light of the candles, Calyndi's burning need – all of these things spurred her on. She wanted this – she wanted him. She would take her pleasure. But she would not kneel – that is how she would prove that he had failed to control her.

But when she reached the bed, she realized how erotic it would be to play along – to let him think he was in control...

Calyndi shook her head. How was he doing this? She needed to leave – to flee. But every time that thought came into her mind she convinced herself otherwise. He was doing something to her. She was certain.

"Hold up your hand, let me see that pretty little ring of yours." Devin stared at her with mockery in his eyes.

The ring was proof of his inability to control her, so she saw no reason not to flaunt it in front of his face. No, she thought, that meant she would be obeying him yet again.

The ring raised into her view – her hand before her, displaying the thin band and the dull opal set upon it.

She nearly jumped straight out of the crypt in surprise when she felt a body press against hers from behind, taught nipples on top of soft breasts pressing in her back. A hand wrapped around her, pinching her own hard nipple and eliciting a groan, while another hand caressed Calyndi's outstretched arm, giving her chills.