A Demon in the Night

Aila gritted her teeth, focusing on the levitating boulder in front of her. Her right arm strained with the effort, the palm of her hand tingling as she worked her magic. All she had to do was push the rock away, and she would win this game.

Normally, such a task would have been easy — but not right then.

Right then, Lentashial was in control of Aila's other arm, and was pulling the boulder towards them with everything she had. Aila could barely feel the arm, but she could see it pulsing with her demon's power. The space around the arm seemed to ripple, red scales appearing and disappearing over and over as the demon worked.

The sky was clear above them, and the wild grass around them swayed gently in the breeze. It was evening, and the sun was low in the sky. Behind Aila, a wide grassy hill rose gently. In front of her, a dark forest loomed. It was a forest she had come to know intimately during her time in this place. It was a forest Aila was sure she'd be visiting again that night once the sun went down.

The boulder rose slightly, then immediately lowered, shaking slightly as Aila and Lentashial clashed. Aila grinned, air hissing in and out of her mouth.

(Ready to give up, Tash?) Aila said.

Tash - as Aila had long come to call the demon - giggled in her mind.

(Not a chance,) Tash said.

Aila could feel that her power was slipping. The giant rock was just starting to inch towards her, and she couldn't force it back again no matter how hard she pushed. She could feel her mouth curling into a triumphant grin — a grin, she knew, that would show way too many teeth.

Aila sighed, and then released her magic all at once. And as the humungous chunk of rock sailed straight towards her, she relaxed her muscles and closed her eyes, willing Tash to take her place.

For one moment, Aila's body was surrounded by an etherial fog. By the next moment, Tash was leaping towards the boulder on outstretched wings. With wide eyes and a wider smile, the demon slashed at the rock with hard glowing claws, smashing it immediately into tiny little shards. The creature flapped her wings, landed softly, and whooped in delight.

"Yeah!" Tash said. "Take that, freak!"

Aila could still feel her body clearly. She felt Tash's leathery wings flaring out from her back, and felt the warm glow of the sun on Tash's scales. But most of all, she felt Tash's simple delight radiating through her — delight at using her power in full, after an entire day of being forced to hold back.

Like all demons, Lentashial was a bundle of near-endless energy, an almost bottomless well of magic just waiting to burst out. Aila played with the demon every evening, for that very reason. Her daily magic trainings, challenging though they were, were just never enough to tire the demon out, and so never enough to truly allow Aila to rest.

Tash sniffed the air, folding her wings. (So. What now?) she asked.

Aila had just been about to answer when she heard a pointed cough from behind.

(Aw, no,) Tash said.

The demon looked behind her, without turning the rest of Aila's naked, newly-winged body. Sure enough, Magus Stromwell was right there, looking at them hard with one eyebrow raised. He was dressed in his usual elegant black gown, his silver hair brushed neatly back.

"Good evening, Aila," Stromwell said. And then, dipping his head: "Tash."

A good-natured growl escaped from Aila's throat.

Stromwell blinked "Is...everything okay here?"

Which was when Aila finally took control.

All at once, Tash's wings and scales faded away, replaced by an elegant hooded cloak. At the same time, Aila nudged Tash gently to the back of her mind, taking the demon's place. She clasped her hands in front of her, and bowed.

"Magus," Aila said.

Stromwell nodded. "Aila." He walked around her, supporting himself with his large walking stick, and surveyed the field where Aila and Tash had been playing. "Might I ask what you were doing?" he said.

Aila swallowed. "I was playing with Tash, Magus. Like I always do."

Stromwell turned back towards her, his face creased into a frown. "With the demon out in full? In complete command of your actions?"

Aila nodded. "She...gets restless easily. So I do let her out sometimes, and—"

At Stromwell's raised eyebrow, Aila lapsed into silence.

"So you're letting her dictate to you?" the magus said. "Are you sure that's—"

Tash growled again — and not, this time, in a good-natured way. The sound came from deep in Aila's throat, impossible to miss.

Aila shut her mouth hard, gritting her teeth. Tash went quiet right away, but it was already too late. The magus had heard it, and both his eyes were wide.

"N-no, I'm still in control," Aila said. "But...it calms her. It makes her easier to work with." She forced a smile. "But I keep her in line."

She stroked a finger over the metal collar clasped around her neck.

Stromwell sighed softly. "Yes, well...I do apologise, Aila. And to you, Tash. But you have to understand that I..." He lapsed into silence, rubbing at his eyes.

Tash took control of an arm, and Aila did nothing to suppress it. That arm moved up to her other arm, in a loose approximation of a hug.

(Sorry,) the demon said.

Aila closed her eyes, dipping her head. (I know. It's okay,) she said.

Aila understand the magus' concerns all too well. After all, Aila was the first of her kind: a human with magic potential, with a demon to enhance that potential, but with the demon tightly restrained. The collar around Aila's neck was enchanted, and granted Aila power over the demon that possessed her. Without the collar, there would be nothing at all to hold Tash back.

"I know that you and Tash are...close," Stromwell said at last "But she's still a demon, Aila. You must realise what she could do if she got loose."

Aila shook her head. "No. Tash wouldn't do that."

But she knew what Stromwell meant. She'd seen victims of demon possession before, as had Stromwell, as had Tash.

Stromwell opened his mouth, and Aila was sure that he was going to argue. But then, he simply sagged, and nodded without looking her way.

"I can see that you trust her," he said. "But...just be careful. That's all I ask."

Tash kept quiet that time, inwardly and outwardly, but Aila could feel that the demon was listening closely.

Stromwell nodded his head. "Well then. Good evening, Aila. Good evening, Tash."

Aila bowed. "Good evening, Magus," she said.

He turned and walked away, towards his homely little cottage just beyond the hill. Later, Aila would go back there too. She'd lived with the magus for several months, far away from the sorts of people who would do her or Tash harm.

Such people had made the collar that Aila now wore. They'd wanted to trap Tash with it, and to trap Aila in turn. They hadn't realised that Aila would be able to harness the demon's power, and use that power to escape them. Nor had they realised that, with practice, Aila would be able to let Tash out in full.

Aila sighed, and flopped down onto the grass, staring up at the evening sky.

Stromwell was trying to understand; she couldn't deny that. He acknowledged Tash and talked to Tash when so few others did, and had taken Aila as his apprentice when no other mage would have her. At over twenty years of age, she was the oldest apprentice he had ever taken on - and thanks to Tash, by far the most powerful.

She closed her eyes. And for a moment, she found her thoughts drifting back to her first days with Tash. She remembered being kidnapped from her village by masked cultists, remembered being tied up and gagged upon their altar. She remembered writhing and thrashing as they summoned Tash into her. She remembered how Tash had refused to follow their orders, flown her back to her village, only to be chased away and then—

A pair of reassuring arms wrapped around her chest: her arms, both under Tash's influence.

(You okay?) Tash asked.

Aila felt her shoulders loosen. And then she nodded that yes, she was.

It was always easier when she and Tash were alone. That way, she didn't have to worry about what anyone else thought, nor did she have to explain what she would rather not try to explain. Instead, it was just her and Tash, free to do what they wished, free to not be bothered or judged.

Aila swallowed a lump in her throat. She'd been having so much fun just then, playing with her demon in the field. Now, though, she simply felt drained.

(Hey,) Tash said then, squeezing at Aila's arms. (I know what would cheer you up.)

"Hmm?"

(Want to go heavy tonight? When we go to the forest?)

Aila's cheeks went flush, a gentle stirring rising in her loins. "Y-yeah. Yes!" she said. "But...how heavy?"

Her demon stayed quiet, stretching the moment out. (Heavy enough...for a safe-word, say?)

Aila exhaled, her mouth going wide. If Tash wanted a safe-word, that could only mean-

"Yes!" Aila said. "Let's do it! Yes!"

- - -

That night, Aila crept out of Stromwell's cottage. She shut the door behind her, locking it with a simple spell. She walked on, threw her head back, and took in a deep breath of nighttime air. She sighed softly, her arms swinging lightly at her side. The grass felt pleasant between her toes, and the air was cool against her naked skin.

She always felt more relaxed at night. At night, it was just her and Tash, with no-one to see them and no-one to question them. Stromwell would be sound asleep by now, and would remain asleep right up to dawn.

Aila, though, could never have slept — not with Tash's energy still bubbling beneath her skin, and not with what they had planned for this night.

"Ready when you are, Tash," Aila whispered.

She felt her mouth curl in a wide grin. (I'm always ready,) Tash said.

Aila could already feel the demon's desire to jump up and wing high into the starry sky. The demon was just itching to get out, like an excited dog pulling at its master's leash. The collar around Aila's neck was the only thing holding Tash back, and only because Aila had yet to release the demon's restraints.

And with that very thought in mind, Aila swung her arms behind her and bent her knees, silently willing her demon to come.

The transformation was almost instantaneous that time. One moment, Aila was standing there with her her soft human skin; the next, Tash stood in her place, with her armor-like scales and her wings open wide. The demon leapt up, flapped her wings, and soared higher and higher into the sky.

(Yeah! Yeah!) Tash said.

The demon turned, winging Aila towards the forest. And on no time at all, the demon was flying over the trees, flapping her great wings over and over, eyes darting all around. The sky was clear above them, the stars shining down along with the near-full moon, illuminating the forest below.

Aila could have stopped this. She could have taken control of the flight, forced Tash to land, forced Tash to change her back altogether. But she did nothing of the kind. This was Tash's time now, not hers. This was Tash's chance to truly go wild.

And go wild, Tash certainly did. The demon dived, spun, and corkscrewed through the air, whooping in pure delight. The stars and moon and forest spun in Aila's vision, the air loud against her ears. The demon darted over the tree line again and again, air streaking through her scales.

Finally, Tash flew a wide loop in the air, and then dived towards the ground. She pulled up at the final moment and beat her wings hard, before lightly touching down.

(Ok, that...) Tash said, breathing hard. (That was fun.)

Aila could feel Tash's wings - no, their wings - aching pleasantly from the exertion. Tash had worked them hard, just as Aila had expected.

And then, Aila properly took in their surroundings.

The demon had landed her in a clearing complete with a pretty little lake. The water was quiet and still, the stars and moon reflecting off its surface. All around it, plants and grass blew gently in the nighttime breeze.

Tash sat down, wings and scales slowly melting back into Aila's skin. She laid back, spreading Aila's arms wide. She breathed slowly, filling Aila's lungs with air and then slowly exhaling, gazing up at the stars above.

(It's so nice to be a real demon again,) Tash said then. She stretched luxuriously, and then rolled onto Aila's side. (Just me and my vessel, with no-one to bother us.)

Aila would have smiled, but that would have pushed Tash back, and that in turn would have broken the moment.

(My helpless vessel,) Tash said. (Open to my every whim.)

The demon grinned wide, softly biting Aila's lip. She rolled Aila onto her back, and traced Aila's hands over her naked human body. One hand settled atop a breast, while the stroked down towards her waiting womanhood.

The collar was still there, of course. Aila could feel it against her skin - a constant reminder of her ability to break the demon's influence.

It was a reminder she intended to ignore as best as she could.

They played this particular game almost every night now. Time after time, Aila would hand over the proverbial reigns, playing at being truly trapped under her demon's power. And Tash would play along, talking to Aila as though she were nothing but a helpless human thrall, teasing and stroking her all the while.

But tonight, Aila knew, they'd be taking it further. They'd be taking it so much further that Tash was actually insisting on—

(So then,) Tash said lightly. (Safe-word?)

Silence stretched between them, and Aila was sure she could feel Tash grinning in her mind.

(Apple,) Aila said.

It was the word she always used for this, easy to remember and easy to say.

(Apple it is,) Tash said, licking Aila's lips.

And then, Tash eagerly went to work.

The demon began to expertly massage Aila's breast, while oh-so-gently stroking a finger over her clit. Aila heard herself gasp, little whimpers escaping from her throat. The demon knew Aila's body just as intimately as Aila herself, and Aila could already feel herself getting wet.

Tash closed Aila's eyes slowly, working Aila's body up and up and up.

And when Aila's eyes opened, she was no longer in the forest.

Instead, she was on a luxuriously soft bed, surrounded by dark stone walls. Leather cuffs secured her ankles and wrists, forcing Aila to keep her limbs spread wide.

And to one side, Tash knelt on the mattress next to her, looking down sweetly at her human captive.

Tash didn't have scales now. But she was still undeniably Tash, with her flame-red hair and her two small horns. She smiled down at Aila, even as she moved to tease Aila's nipples. Aila groaned, twisting from side to side as Tash stroked her sensitive nubs, a fresh need building between her legs.

Aila knew what was happening. She'd been pulled into an illusion, her every sense being deceived. In reality, she'd still be at the pond, with Tash in complete command of her body's actions. And still, the collar would allow Aila to break out, if only Aila made use of the collar's power.

But Aila had no intention of breaking out. Instead, she simply squirmed and moaned as her demon teased her. And when Tash brought two fingers to Aila's mouth, Aila submissively opened it, allowing Tash to slip them in.

"Suck," Tash said.

Aila obeyed, sucking Tash's fingers without delay. And as soon as she did, she felt a delightful sucking against her clit, as though it was being serviced by a tiny phantom mouth. Aila moaned as she realised the rules of this game, opening her legs just a tiny bit more.

Aila bobbed her head up and down, groaning in pleasure the whole time. And then, she felt two more fingers penetrate her cunt, and she practically screamed in lust. Those fingers worked expertly inside of her, bringing her libido up and up and up, her clit being sucked on all the while.

"Ah, but I only have two hands," Tash said then. "But that doesn't matter, does it? Not here."

A pair of phantom hands began to rub around her breasts, while others began to rub up her legs and thighs. Aila bit her lip, squirming under their ministrations. Two more invisble hands started to toy with her hair, combing gently and lovingly across her head, while pair of phantom tongues began to lick at her sensitive tits.

Aila moaned, and tugged weakly at her bonds. She was going to be pleasured all over, and helpless in every which way, in exactly the manner she liked. She was in paradise just then, bound and controlled by a lover who knew her body as well as she knew it herself. She moaned loudly, still sucking obediently, moving her head in time with the fingers stroking her pussy.

And then, all at once, Tash pulled her fingers out, the phantom sensations fading to nothing at the same instant. Aila arched her back and cried out in need, tugging against her leather bonds.

"Hey, you can't come yet, sweetie," Tash said. "After all, we've only just begun." She smirked, her sharp teeth plainly visible in her mouth. "I have plans for you, Aila. So many plans."

She stroked Aila's erect nipples, one by one. Aila bit back a moan, opening her legs invitingly wide.

"And now, you're trapped. Truly trapped," Tash said. "With no way at all to make it stop."

"W-what?"

Aila tried to break Tash's spell on her senses, calling upon the collar's power at last. But the illusion remained stubbornly in place, the leather bonds still tying her down.

"Like I said, truly trapped," Tash said, as she stroked a finger over Aila's engorged clit.

Aila threw her head back, lost in the sensation. "Ooooooh..."

Tash smirked again, a hand pressing lightly on Aila's womanhood. "I removed the collar, silly. While you were distracted" She stroked at Aila's folds, eliciting a fresh groan of need.

"But...how could...how didn't I—"

"Shh," Tash went, placing a single finger over Aila's mouth. "No need to worry, my little vessel. I'll show you. I'll show you right now."

And then, just like that, the illusion faded.

Aila found herself sitting by the lake in the forest, the moon still high over her head. She looked around her, her cheeks flushed, her juices running down her thighs. Almost right away, she saw it: her metal collar with its softly glowing sigils, lying atop the grass just a little ways away.

She instinctively reached for her neck, and found nothing but naked human skin.

The collar was off.

Her demon was loose.

(Like I said, I took it off) Tash said. (And then I tossed it away. Such a simple trick, yet it worked so well.)

Aila clambered to her hands and knees. But already, thick fog was surrounding her, a fresh illusion enveloping her senses.

(Nuh-uh.) Tash said. (You're mine now.)

Aila's eyes closed entirely on their own. And when they opened again, the fog was gone. The collar was gone, too - as was almost everything else. All Aila could see now was a patch of grass below her, with darkness surrounding her all around.

So, Aila thought: another illusion. Another illusion, in which she'd be teased and pleasured and fucked. With the collar off, there'd be no getting away from this, and no way at all to make Tash stop.

No way, that was, except for her safe-word.

She'd known that Tash would slip the collar off. She'd known as soon as Tash had mentioned the need for a safe-word. The collar could be unlocked with a simple incantation, that Aila and Tash had long known how to perform.

And Aila knew, with no doubt at all, that Tash would return the collar if Aila merely spoke her safe-word out.

(Well then, my little vessel,) Tash said. (Let us begin.)

- - -

A surge of need exploded out of Aila's cunt.

Aila cried out, biting her lip. She got onto her knees, reaching for her womanhood. She shoved her fingers into herself, fucking her inner walls without a moment's thought. With her free hand, she rubbed at her clit and then rubbed at her tits, desperate to be touched all over, yet only able to touch so much at once.