A Succubus Awakens Ch. 01

Contrary to what one would expect, succubi experience their transition into adolescence later than normal humans, usually between 18-20 years of age. However, the effects are far more dramatic. All at once their body develops into a masterful tool, crafted to one purpose: seduction. As the physical changes manifest, the wicked nature that has lain dormant within them is unleashed in a storm that washes away their humanity and leaves them as greedy and manipulative as any demon. Often, their first victims are those closest to them. Friends, family, partners. Once viewed as equals, they are reduced to prey as empathy fades, hunger grows, and the newly born demon takes the first steps along the tragic path all their kind is forced to walk.

-Sir Arthur Thompson, The Demonic Archive

Gwen stared into the bathroom mirror and held the measuring tape awkwardly against her head, confirming what she already knew. The horns had grown longer. Nearly three inches now. They had begun to curve slightly, and small, dark ridges had formed across their surface. She flipped open the worn notebook, jotted the date in the corner, and noted the length under a line labeled "Horns." It still felt surreal to write it out. She continued her examination, there were other changes to track.

Her blonde hair continued to grow lighter. It was nearly silver now, and had developed a perpetual healthy sheen that made it look otherworldly. Before, she could barely get a comb through it in the morning. Now, soft and smooth, it parted easily as she ran a hand through, reforming into perfect wavy locks as her fingers passed. There was still no sign of the acne that had plagued her for years. Six days ago it had cleared up overnight. Then came the horns, the hair, and finally, her body itself had begun to change. Reshaping itself a little bit more each night.

Gwen eyed the numbers for today's entry, comparing them to her reflection. Just like the day before, her bust, waist, and hip measurements were quickly filling out. She had always been flat chested, short, and skinny. At 20 years, it was as if puberty had passed her by entirely. Well, except for the acne. But the girl in the mirror definitely had a figure. A subtle one, sure. Hardly something you would expect to see on the cover of a magazine, but it was a far cry from the plank she was used to seeing. She turned her head to view the horns from another angle. Unfortunate that the other changes came packaged with a freakish mutation.

Gwen turned her attention back to the notebook. There was a blank space at the bottom of the page. Enough space left, subconsciously perhaps, for a final condition. One that she had yet to acknowledge. As if summoned by her thoughts, the now familiar heat welled up within her. It had plagued her since the changes began. Growing a little bit each day, until she was in a constant state of mild arousal. She stamped it back down, but it was becoming difficult to ignore. How long before it reduced her to a lust-addled zombie? Would it ever stop? Would any of the changes? Would there be more? An all too familiar sense of panic began to overtake her. She shut her eyes and took deep breaths, reminding herself she wasn't in this alone. Eventually the panic faded. Gwen returned the tape to a drawer, snapped the notebook shut, and left with a tired sigh.

Unsurprisingly, she found Amy studying in the living room. She sat forward on the sofa cradling a steaming mug and reading a medical textbook that lay open the coffee table. Morning light drifted in through the large double window, bathing her in a golden glow and reflecting off her rounded glasses. Her hair, nearly long enough to reach her lower back, was draped like winding rivers of jet black ink, across her back, over her shoulders, and pooling in the folds of her oversized sweater. She looked up as Gwen entered, and her lips pulled into a smile that cut a single dimple into her cheek.

Butterflies filled Gwen's stomach. The ever-present warmth surged. 'Calm down.' she chided herself. It was just Amy. Although the phrase "Just Amy" was laughable. Amy had been an overachiever since they first met in elementary school. Top of the class, first chair clarinet, state science fair champion. Gwen, no slouch herself, was always in second place no matter how hard she worked. It hadn't bothered her though, not at first, because while Amy was shy and nervous, Gwen was confident and outgoing. She stood up for Amy when she couldn't stand up for herself. Made friends with the other kids, and enjoyed the spotlight while Amy shied away. They were a perfect team. Then puberty hit Amy like a truck.

Amy quickly grew into one of the most beautiful women Gwen had ever seen. Twinkling dark eyes, high cheekbones, full lips. The face of a goddess, and a body to match. Long legs, with pillowy thighs. A plump, well rounded rear that pulled into a soft, delicate waist. Not to mention a set of enormous breasts that drove boys wild. Suddenly no one could care less about Gwen. She was like a candle next to the sun. The embodiment of femininity, Amy commanded a room from the second she entered. No social graces needed. And she was still top of the class, right up to when they graduated.

A part of her, a small part, resented Amy for it, but she knew that was petty. Despite everything, Amy was still shy and humble. A loyal friend who never looked down on her. In fact, Amy seemed to find her beauty a nuisance. In an effort to hide her body, she always wore loose clothing. Today it was a long skirt that ran to the ground, and a thick, oversized sweater with sleeves longer than her arms, her fingers peeked out adorably from the wrinkled ends. Unfortunately for her though, there weren't clothes on Earth that could make Amy look bland. The overall effect was an air of innocence that boys trampled over each other to corrupt. Amy rejected all of them.

Until now Gwen hadn't had much interest in sex either. Instead she had chosen to focus on her studies in an effort to surpass Amy. She'd only had a single boyfriend, which resulted in a handful of disappointing sexual encounters before they broke it off, and only on rare occasions found herself fantasizing about more. But it was invariably men she fantasized about. Now however, not only was she constantly horny, but she found herself fantasizing about men, women, and more and more: Amy. Her roommate, her best friend.

"Well?" Amy's voice pulled Gwen from her thoughts.

"Almost three inches."

"They're growing faster."

"Seems that way."

"Measurements?"

"Thirty-one, twenty-three, thirty-two."

Gwen crossed her arms in front of her, hiding her body as she spoke.

"Same pace as last night. Anything else new?"

Amy tilted her head and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes were piercing. Gwen loved the way she looked when she was focused on solving a problem. Her cheeks felt hot.

"Nope."

"I still can't see the horns."

"Good."

That had come as a surprise. When the horns appeared, just fuzzy lumps at first, Gwen had skipped class for the first time in her life. The next day she'd worn an old headband she found in the bottom of a box in her closet. Looking like an idiot was better than everyone finding out she was some kind of mutant. It had worked until her stuffy Calculus professor demanded she remove it. Reluctant to make a scene, she'd complied and was surprised when no one said anything out of the usual. When she returned to the dorm, Amy likewise said nothing about the growths. Even when pressed, in case she was being polite, there was no indication she could see them. Just concerned looks and inquiries about Gwen's mental state. Fair enough. The next day the horns were bigger, and after a panic attack, she'd broken down and told Amy everything.

She'd been worried Amy wouldn't believe her. Needlessly, it turned out. Amy was pre-med, and approached it like she would any other medical condition. Documenting the changes, and attempting to determine the underlying cause. The current hypothesis was Cutaneous Horns and constitutional delayed puberty, possibly inherited from the birth mother Gwen had never met. Neither of them had a good answer for why no one else could see the horns though, and when her hair color had started changing it threw another wrench in that theory.

"Any new ideas, doctor?"

"Not without new symptoms."

"I've been spending some time researching. Rare diseases, maybe an unusual combination of some, that sort of thing. I don't think it'll be much help though. Not until we get something concrete to go on." She frowned. "I still think you should see a real doctor."

"And tell them what? I have invisible horns, my tits are getting bigger, and I'm constantly-"

"Constantly what?"

"It doesn't matter. It's Berkely, everyone here knows a doctor. I don't want it to get out and become the... goat girl or something."

"It won't get out, doctor patient confidentiality prevents that."

"It's only been six days, if it gets serious I'll see a doctor. Besides, I trust your medical opinion."

"In that case, it's my medical opinion that you should see a real doctor."

"No." The idea of showing the horns to someone besides Amy terrified her.

"What about my dad?"

"No."

Amy rolled her eyes. Gwen knew she was being stubborn, whatever was happening to her wasn't normal, but it had only been six days and she still hoped that the changes would stop and everything would go back to normal. However unlikely that was.

"Can I touch them again?"

"...Sure."

Gwen reluctantly sat next to Amy, who shifted closer until their legs were touching. The contact sent a shiver of excitement through her. Amy leaned forward, hands outstretched. Gwen's rebellious mind pictured them continuing past her, wrapping around her to meet. Pulling her in as Amy continued forward until she felt those luscious lips against her own. A sudden need filled her, startling her with its intensity. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut to drown it out. Her cheeks were burning. Amy's hands made contact with her forehead, then drifted, searching, until they found the solid masses at her temples.

"Hmm. It feels like there are ridges forming?"

Gwen didn't trust herself to reply. Luckily Amy continued.

"They're also symmetrical. Both atypical of Cutaneous Horns. I really think we're dealing with something else... Are you okay? Do you have a fever?"

"No! I'm fine."

Her face must be crimson, she kept her eyes closed. Deep breaths.

"Be honest. If it's a new symptom it could help us figure this out. Here."

Suddenly, Gwen felt Amy's forehead against her own. Amy was just checking her temperature, but all Gwen could think about was the faint scent of her lavender shampoo. Those dark eyes. Those soft inviting lips, inches from her own. All she had to do was lean in, shift ever so slightly, and they would meet. She ached for it. She squeezed her thighs together, and the movement sent a jolt of pleasure through her. She moaned aloud.

Her eyes snapped open to find Amy's starting back, wide with shock. For a moment time stood still. Her left arm was raised, paused in the middle of a subconscious move to Amy's waist. She scrambled to the edge of the sofa, snatched up a pillow, and buried her face in it. Amy sat frozen, looking away and blushing profusely. Neither girl spoke. Several minutes, or what felt like it, passed. She had been moments away from kissing her best friend. She was losing control. Eventually, Gwen broke the silence.

"I think... I think there's another symptom."

Gwen peeked over her pillow. Amy was on the other end of the sofa looking toward the window, blushing. Gwen waited for a response. Eventually Amy closed her eyes, pursed her lips, and turned to face her with a mask of determined professionalism. It wasn't very convincing.

"Go on."

"I've been... having thoughts. About you. And not just you." It all came spilling out in a rush. "Strangers, classmates, anyone really. I'm..horny. Pretty much all the time, and it's getting worse. I feel like I can't control my body. And when you got so close, I just... I'm sorry."

She studied Amy's face, searching for traces of betrayal. Instead, Amy was deep in thought. Staring at nothing with her mouth turned down slightly. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she gave Gwen a wry smile.

"Occam's Razor."

Gwen blinked. "What?"

"Occam's Razor. The simplest explanation is usually the right one. You're constantly aroused. Your body is changing to be more in line with conventional beauty. You've got horns."

She swept an arm toward Gwen as though the conclusion should be obvious, but Gwen wasn't following. She continued.

"Delayed puberty may explain the bodily changes, and the arousal if you stretch it, but yours don't fit the profile for Cutaneous Horns. And we have to factor in that no one but you can see them."

She was speaking faster with each passing word. The way she did whenever she figured out a hard problem. It was cute.

"I can't think of a scientific explanation for that. Some kind of hallucination maybe? But then why can I feel them? We're both having the same hallucination? Even if that was possible, what are the chances of that and you having two other rare conditions simultaneously? Even then they don't line up cleanly with the symptoms. Let's not forget about your hair. Changing color this fast can't be attributed to any of those. There's no rational medical explanation."

Amy smiled at her. Her earlier embarrassment erased by the single minded pursuit of a solution to the puzzle.

"But there is an explanation that fits everything. There's a condition, or a creature rather, known for several of your symptoms."

Gwen tilted her head and tried to follow.

"Did you just say creature?"

"It fits the facts. I wouldn't have considered it before now, but we go where the evidence takes us. Sometimes you need to think outside the box."

Gwen thought for a moment. She couldn't mean...

"No way. That's not outside the box. That's on the other side of the planet from the box. The box is in another dimension."

"The evidence says otherwise."

"You think I'm..." Gwen forced the last words out. "A succubus?"

Amy shrugged. "Occam's Razor."

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Gwen sat through the day's classes in an odd haze of arousal and worry. Unable to focus, she couldn't force thoughts of Amy's ridiculous theory from her mind. Which, in turn, made it difficult to ignore the constant hum of arousal. As she hurried across campus to meet Amy at the commons, she resolved to start bringing a change of underwear to school. Gwen arrived first, and took a small table in the corner. It was just past noon, and the place was quickly filling up. She wasn't hungry, so she pulled out her laptop intending to get some homework done while she waited, but her mind quickly wandered.

Suggesting that mythical creatures could be real wasn't the type of thing she expected to hear from her friend. Amy was so smart, so analytical, always a beat ahead and rarely wrong. She quickly and efficiently whittled a problem away until only the solution remained. Her theory was insane, but what if that's exactly what she was doing? Admittedly, it did have a certain logic to it. Her growing lust, her changing body, the horns especially tied everything together, but she just couldn't bring herself to take it seriously.

She had done some cursory searching on the internet during class, but everything seemed to conflict. In some stories succubi were fae creatures, in others they were demons. They had wings, or claws, or cloven feet. They could read minds, or inspire lust, or use dark magic. The common denominator was that they seemed to seduce and control others, yet Gwen seemed to be anything but in control. There had to be some other explanation for her predicament.

Unfortunately, once Amy latched onto an idea she wouldn't let go until she'd disproved it. How long would it take to disprove a mythical creature's existence? Amy had set herself to an impossible task. Either she'd prove the unprovable, or die of old age, whichever came first. Gwen stared at the blinking cursor on her screen. Her only confidant was busy chasing fairy-tales. Maybe it really was time to see a doctor. She didn't have any reason to mistrust medical professionals, but for some reason, the idea terrified her. Something deep inside her was warning her against it. An instinct...

Her eyes snapped back into focus. She closed the text editor and pulled up her browsing history, clicked through sites until she found it. A page she had quickly dismissed earlier in the day. In no small part because it looked like a tacky webpage from the early 2000s. A grey image of a biblical demon was tiled across the black background, contrasting poorly with white Courier New. She squinted and skimmed through the most recent posts, dated 5 years earlier, until she found what she was looking for. 'Demons are creatures of instinct. They possess a sixth sense that cuts through the distractions of the mundane, and affords them a supernatural ability to sense both danger and opportunity.' Well shit. It certainly wasn't conclusive, but it did seem to line up with her bizarre new fear of doctors. A shadow fell across the table.

Gwen realized her face was pulled into a scowl and felt the tension fade as she looked up to see Amy holding a plate piled with french fries. Behind her several students kept glancing over, and a few of them stared openly at her. Even in her dull clothes she was radiant. Gwen felt a small surge of pride as they watched Amy sit with her. Amy set the plate down, carefully opened her backpack, and withdrew a burgundy binder bristling with colored tabs.

"So," She opened the binder. "I've done some research and collected a list of abilities attributed to succubuses-"

"Succubi."

"Sure. Anyways, they're all over the place, and a lot of them conflict so I figured we can run some tests to see what you can do."

Gwen snatched a fry and took a bite. It tasted chalky so she tossed it back onto the plate.

"You're really not gonna let this go?"

"No." Amy carefully set aside the half-eaten fry. "It's a little crazy, but if we close our minds to new possibilities nothing would ever be discovered. Imagine if this is real. What it means."

"Okay, fine."

"If you don't want to, you can always go see a- Oh. I expected more resistance."

"Look what I found."

She turned her computer around. Amy squinted for a moment and reached for the laptop. Gwen saw the site scroll in the reflection of her glasses.

"It's hideous."

"Yeah but read the part about instincts."

Gwen pointed at the screen around where she guessed the section was. Amy's eyes flicked back and forth as she read. Her brows were furrowed in concentration.

"...Yeah. What does that have to do with anything?"

"So maybe you're right. It explains the doctor thing."

"How so?

"It's like... a feeling. I can't explain it."

"I don't think this is a reliable source, there are a bunch of conspiracy theories here."

"Yeah not all of it is great."

Amy continued to read.

"Sometimes these posts are almost elegant, but then they devolve into a rambling mess. It's like two different people wrote this. Demons run the banks, demons are hoarding supplies for the apocalypse, demons control the government."

"Hey, that last one could be true."

"Well, we can add this to the list of potential sources I guess. What's the url?"

"New demonic archive dot com."

"You're sure?"

"You don't trust my demonic instincts?"

Amy scowled at her from behind the screen. Gwen shrugged.