A Shadowed Mind

The moon hung low in the sky as Emmeline pushed open the doors of the tavern and stepped out onto the silent streets. Though tired, and certainly full of enough mead for a small family of Dragons, she was still more than able to remember the way back to the inn she was actually staying at, and not the place she had discovered by following the guidance of an empty stomach and the smell of fresh food.

As she sauntered happily down the road she glanced around at the buildings on either side, swaying slightly as she watched those within snuffing out candles and lanterns to make ready for bed. Indeed her own bed called loudly to her now, waiting in her room at the inn for her to flop into. And with the warm breeze blowing through the street leaving goosebumps on her exposed thighs and arms, she slowly but surely made her way towards it, heading towards the town square.

She hummed quietly to herself as she entered the wide open marketplace, now devoid of the earlier bustle of the day. Bathed in moonlight she tottered past the ornate fountain that dominated the centre of it, gazing up at the cold celestial that gleamed down at her. It was then that she noticed a faint sensation in the area, like the night air was growing heavy around her. Emmeline glanced around her surroundings, peering down the empty and shadowed streets that led out from the square.

Darkness clung tightly to them, and it seemed like the moonlight dimmed ever further before her eyes. Soon the cobbled roads were swallowed up by the encroaching night, and that oppressive air began to thicken around her. Something was truly wrong, and even full of drink she could see that. She hefted her sword from her shoulder, keeping it ready should anything lunge for her.

Night crept ever closer to her, as faint whispers began to sound in the blackness. They grew in intensity as she whirled on the spot, trying to see where the source may be. Shadow swept across the square, till all that remained was her and the fountain, isolated in their island of moonlight. A thrumming sound rose in the dark, seeming to filter through her very bones as it grew louder. Though it was faint at first, soon it was nearly unbearable. Deafening almost. And still she saw nothing around her.

Her heart pounded in her chest as the noise caused her head to throb. A shadow passed over her small pocket of moonlight, and she glanced up at the full moon in time to see a shape drift across it, before the noise intensified once again. Spikes of pain lanced in her brain, and she found herself falling to her knees clutching her head. Her vision swam, and her eyelids felt like lead. Though she tried to remain awake, to fight whatever force was affecting her, the blackout took her in the end and she tumbled forward to the cobbles below, finding darkness waiting for her there.

Emmeline awoke from her dreamless sleep to find herself in near complete darkness. Her body felt stiff and cold, and when she tried to move she found almost completely herself unable to, as if her limbs were made of stone. At first she could barely even lift her head or move her shoulders. Panic rose in her chest as she tried in vain to shift her body, to thrash her arms and legs about, even to wiggle a toe, all to no avail. Even were she tied or chained she could have managed that, yet here she was completely immobilised no matter how she strained against her unknown bonds. Her helmet was missing and her hair tumbled into her face as she desperately cried out for help, shouting into the dark.

"Hey! I need some help! Anybody there?! I can't... I can't move! Somebody?? Anyone? Hello????"

Even now she tried to move and free herself, but still she couldn't figure out how she was being held so tightly and completely. With one final heave of exertion she stopped trying to rip herself free and instead tried to assess her situation. Heart still hammering in her chest, she found her eyes now beginning to adjust to the darkness she was in.

While she could still barely raise her head she was slowly regaining control, and the details of her surroundings began to take form. As her eyes adjusted she could see the floor below her, telling her she was at a slight angle, and given how far from it she seemed it became clear to her that she was being suspended aloft from the ground itself.

Beyond that details were almost impossible to discern, though she was able to see that the floor had a strange design to it. It didn't look like stone but she couldn't tell enough for now. Emmeline did her best to look around, though for now there was little she could make out and even when she strained her ears, she couldn't hear anything. It was almost like she was suspended in a void.

She turned her attention quickly to herself, and when she leant her head down her chin brushed against the top of her chestplate, so she was still armoured at least. Looking to herself she could see her shoulders, and discovered her arms were being held spread upwards, elbows bent past her head and out of sight into the darkness.

Craning her neck to look down she could see her legs were held in a similar way, knees bent into the dark behind her. When she leant her head back it connected with something, presumably whatever wall she was bound to. Its surface was hard and yet oddly flexible, if only a little, and as she pressed against it the back of her head was left feeling disconcertingly damp and slimey.

As she opened her mouth once again to all out she was cut off by a noise behind her. It sounded like something cracking open and suddenly the room changed. Surrounding her the walls of the room began to pulse, as thick strands of purple light ignited throughout them. They curl in seemingly random patterns, twisted and tapering out. Revealed now, the walls themselves were made of a black material with ridges and grooves across their surfaces. In many places the walls were slick with a black substance, dripping and pooling throughout the chamber.

With this newfound light Emmeline glanced around herself, and found that she was suspended high off the floor in a circular room, her arms and legs sunken into a pillar formed of the same black material as the walls, explaining why she couldn't move. Above her there were several small openings and recesses in the roof, including one directly above her. And on the floor were several misshapen circles arranged beneath the others, all surrounding a small podium in the centre.

Even though the light brought her some relief, the fact it had been preceded by an unknown noise worried her still. Moreover an oppressive feeling once more pervaded the air, and she had no doubt that something had just entered the room. The thrumming that had stunned her in the village returned, and though far less intense it was slowly getting louder. Even though she was convinced of a presence in the room, the lack of footsteps disturbed her and she tried once again to look around past her arms and saw the lights on one wall dimming slowly, before her eyes widened in shock and horror at the cause.

Slowly a creature drifted into her field of view. The more she saw of it the more her eyes widened- it was like nothing she had ever seen before. Entering her sight was an unnervingly thin creature, spindly hands hanging loosely at its sides. Its frame was tall, easily taller than she was, and a flowing black robe covered most of its body. Where its onyx skin was visible she could see wisps of some dark essence drifting off of it. Its head resembled a squid or some kind of octopus, with a long face and an elongated, rounded skull covered in ridges.

It had no visible nose, and bottomless black eyes gazed at her from beneath plated eyebrows. She couldn't see a mouth either, for it was likely obscured by the six long tentacles that hung from its face, twitching and flexing subtly. Stunned by its ghastly visage and finding her words failing her, Emmeline could do little but look it up and down. She noticed that not only was it tall, it hovered a foot or so off the ground, clawed feet dangling to the floor.

Finding her voice she tried to stammer out a sentence: "I-I- I don't know what you want with me, but you'd better let me go right no-"

She was cut off as the creature lazily raised a hand and gestured with a clawed finger in her direction, sending a flare of pain through her head. It drifted closer to her, arm still raised and Emmeline's head was forced backwards by the will of the beast in front of her.

"Silence."

The word boomed in her mind, drowning out all other thoughts and leaving her head fuzzy for a few moments as it regarded her. It took hold of her jaw with its hand, turning her head sideways and inspecting her features momentarily. A deep feeling of hunger washed over her from the creature, but without saying anything else it released its hold, letting Emmeline's head roll forwards again as it traced its clawed finger down her neck and across her shoulder to her well toned arms.

Held as they were, her muscles were flexed and tight and as it ran its hand over her arms a vision of herself sprang into her mind. She saw herself with her sword and armour once more, cleaving through an orc that threatened this, her benevolent master, blood splattering over the pair of them. Every fibre of her being told her to seek nothing more than his-

"Protection."

The word sounded like the best idea she'd ever heard, and a sense of pride filled her and she smiled at the beast. Though soon she frowned, shaking her head before yelling and lunging at the creature. Her sword sunk in and brought her back to reality, returning her mind to herself and forcing out the invading thoughts put there.

"Get out of my head you rotten bastard." She said, spitting the words through a curled lip. It simply ignored her and ran the claw across the edge of her chestplate, a scraping sound emanating from its touch as Emmeline found her tongue again.

"Do that again, and I swear when I get out of this I'll-"

Once again she cried out in pain as another white-hot flare ignited in her skull. Returning to its examination, the creature waved its hand and the buckles and straps holding her armour in place sprang undone suddenly, and with another gesture the metal plating came away entirely leaving her in little but her undershirt and her barely modest loincloth. It ran its hand down her side and over her exposed hip. It paused here, squeezing her flesh tightly in its grasp and Emmeline's mind blurred again.

She saw herself again, this time embedded in the wall of another chamber, naked with her legs spread wide open for easy access. Something sticky was wrapped around her mouth, locking a tentacle into her throat that fed her something, heat blossoming in her as it reached her stomach. Two more were attached to her newly, yet permanently milk-filled breasts, draining her constantly. Her belly was swollen and full, and she felt something deep within her, stirring and wriggling. Several things in fact. It felt right, pure. Like all she has ever wanted was to be held in this place, thinking of nothing else except being used to-

"Breed."

Yes, exactly. Her eyelids drifted shut, no cares left in her mind as she gave a muffled sigh of contentedness. Though something was wrong, this wasn't her. This wasn't her fate, and she wouldn't let it be. Her eyes snapped open again and by flexing her muscles to the limit she ripped her arms free from the wall and tore the tentacle from her mouth. With this vision too fought off, she returned to reality. Emmeline glared and gritted her teeth as the creature continued to examine her body.

Where it touched her a warmth and tingling arose in her body, even as she tried to recoil from its grasping fingers. With another curl of its fingers her undershirt flexed and was torn to shreds, exposing her exceptionally ample chest. The red handprints painted on her breasts were stark against the paler skin, and Emmeline's cheeks flushed a similar indignant red at this sudden stripping, especially once the creature took hold of her tits in both hands and began to squeeze and knead them.

"Hang on just a minute, what the fuck do you think you're doing? Get your freakish hands off me!" she yelled as she did her best to squirm and wriggle free of its groping. Alas it was to little avail as her bonds prevented her from escaping its clutching hands. The creature simply ignored her protests and continued to fondle her breasts, its clawed hands pressing into her flesh as it did so.

For a moment the creature stopped squeezing, and Emmeline watched it think unknowable thoughts as it tilted its head. For a moment she was confused before a flash of intention flickered through its mind and into hers, and her eyes widened at the revelation.

"Don't you dare you perverted squid- oh for fucks sake." The creature's tentacles flexed momentarily before it latched its mouth onto her breast. She felt a ring of teeth beneath the tendrils press against her as it drew her nipple into its maw and gently sucked and nipped at it, as well as what felt like a tongue that snaked out and teased her. She stopped her unheeded protests, letting her head fall back against the pillar as she knew it wouldn't listen anyway.

"Good luck getting anything out of there, creep. Not in a million years." She muttered half to herself.

Against herself she couldn't help but enjoy the sensation that was upon her, as the suckling of the creature was far from unpleasurable even if it was truly unwanted. Even as she continued to try shaking herself free she felt her cheeks flush further, especially when two of its spare tentacles wrapped around her other breast and began to knead it again, playing tantalisingly with her other hardening nipple.

And once again that lingering, spreading tingle rippled through her body at its touch. She felt a warmth growing below as she bit her lip, turning her head away in embarrassment- mostly at her own feelings than the unwanted advances of whatever this creature was.

Her embarrassment was soon interrupted when the loincloth around her waist was ripped away as well, leaving her entirely naked while at the mercy of this monster. Her head snapped back to the front as her protests were renewed again.

"Hey hey now wait a minute, you keep your face and fingers away from there before I kick your- Ah!!"

Emmeline was once again silenced by pain from the creature's magic, and as she came back to reality from the pain it caused she silently cursed the beast to the Gods. Shaking her head to clear the fog it caused she attempted once again to wriggle free from her bonds. Unfortunately she only succeeded in wiggling her hips a tiny amount. Slowly, feeling was returning to her limbs, but still she lacked the control over them she sought. Looking down Emmeline watched as the creature drew away from her breast, leaving a trail of black saliva linking the two momentarily.

Slowly, achingly so, it trailed one of its hands down her body. It lingered over her chiselled abs, and flickers of her in her armour echoed through both their minds as it was reminded of her strength and warrior lifestyle.

However the seeking fingers of the monster slunk ever lower, eventually reaching her nethers. To her shame the groping and fondling Emmeline had endured had turned her on, and as its fingers slipped between her legs they found her already wet to the touch.

"Now don't get too flattered, it's only natural you undercooked calamari." She scoffed in an attempt to save face and lied to herself about the enjoyment she had been feeling. Especially against those infernal tingles that still ran through her body at will. "Unfortunately for you I'm not one for seafood so I guess we'll h-ah-ve to call it a da-y there. Oh you... fuck."

Even as she spoke and tried to deny her body's reactions, the creature had begun massaging her lips. It was gentle, far more than she would have expected it to be, and this only fueled her fires more. Soon it sank its fingers into her hole, drawing a gasp from the woman as it started to slide them in and out. The length of its fingers let it reach far into her, and they pressed against all the right places. Emmeline's initial gasp turned into quiet moans as she found herself unable to contain them. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy the sensations.

After all it had been some time since she'd had any contact like this, and fuck if this beast didn't know exactly what it was doing as it worked her over. The feelings intensified as the creature began to massage her clit with its thumb, its other fingers driving ever deeper into her. With its renewed assault on her weak spots, Emmeline began to feel a familiar fire kindling within her, and every touch of the beast added to the flames.

And as it built, her defences fell ever further.

Lost as she was in the pleasure she was experiencing, she barely registered the further mental probing of her captor. Little flickers of memories or thoughts long past surfaced here and there but she paid them no mind. And she fell from her reverie soon, as the creature withdrew its fingers from within her, slowly, dragging out the movement painfully slowly to ensure that Emmeline felt every inch of them slipping free.

Emmeline lets out an unwilling moan as they do, before she opens her eyes again and bites the inside of her lip, trying to mask the fact that she'd been enjoying it now that she was brought back to the fact that she was still a captive, held at things intent. She looks at the creature as it raises its hand to its face, and even in the dim light she could see how slick they were, despite the creature's dark skin.

Feeling her body still twitching and reacting, it became clear that there were lingering effects of its mental probing. She could see flashes, images blurring through her head. All of them alien to her, but undecidedly lascivious and licentious in nature.

And things took a definite and unexpected turn when the creature lowered itself to the floor. No longer floating off the ground, its head was threateningly close to her defenceless slit.

It laid its hands on her thighs, gripping her tightly, and as it pulled the material of the pillar she was embedded in relaxed somewhat, and it drew her legs out partially. She was now hanging there, her legs spread wider than ever before yet still held back, the pillar sealing again around her ankles and holding her in place once more. Its grip tightened, and as Emmeline craned her neck to see down at it she witnessed a worrisome sight. A tremor ran through its body, and the tentacles on its face curled and flexed with an unknown intent.

It was only when the beast's claws gripped her thighs tightly that she was privy to its plan, as a wave of thoughts ran through her from its touch. Her vision was blurred briefly as another word ran through her brain, though this one wasn't accompanied by pain like some of the others.

"Taste."

Emmeline barely had time to process it before the creature's tentacles splayed out wide and it lunged forwards and wrapped them around her hips and thighs. It was like a vice pressing down around her, but she didn't care as she immediately knew what was coming. The mouth that was hidden beneath the tentacles opened, and she felt as its tongue snaked out and began to lick against her wet and waiting hole.

Immediately that unholy tingling rose in intensity, seeking to drive her mad on top of the pleasure she was feeling as it teased at her. Frustrated at her lack of release, Emmeline bucks her hips reflexively, her body silently bidding the creature continue its work even as her mind screams at her to stop.

And to her carnal joy the creature replied in turn.