A Succubus Awakens Ch. 02

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Gwen stood outside their apartment. The setting sun painted the dull grey exterior orange. It reflected off the cars in the parking lot below like a million tiny spotlights. The shadow cast by the overhang of the roof rose slowly as the sun sank, like the curtains on a stage. She steadied herself. Deep breaths.

Amy was sitting on a stool at the counter when Gwen stepped through the door. She had the binder in front of her. A plate of noodles and a mug of tea sat next to it. They almost never used the counter, preferring to sit on the sofa whenever they ate. It seemed formal. Appropriate for a serious conversation, Gwen supposed.

"I made lo mein. Dad's recipe" She pointed behind her to a pot on the stove with her thumb.

Gwen set her bag down, took off her shoes and moved to join Amy. She walked slowly, watching for any signs of discomfort as if Amy was an easily startled puppy. Amy seemed fine, normal almost. At some point she had gotten around to showering and cleaning herself up. She looked much better. Healthy and glowing. Apparently Gwen hadn't caused any permanent damage. Relief flooded through her.

Gwen tossed a meagre portion onto a small plate, pulled out one of the cheap metal stools, and took a seat next to Amy. Gwen still didn't feel hungry. In fact, it seemed like she no longer needed to eat, but she made an effort anyway. It seemed a nice gesture. The flavor was faint, but nostalgic. Amy's dad used to cook this for them all the time growing up. A recipe from his hometown in Guangzhou. Gwen set her fork down and mustered the courage to make her case.

"Listen, Amy. I know I said it this morning but I want to say that I'm sorry. What I did last night was uncool. I won't make any excuses."

She paused. Amy turned to face her and propped her head up with one arm.

"Go on."

"Whatever is happening to me is confusing, and I have all these new feelings. I- I think I might be in love with you now?" Her cheeks burned but she pressed on. "I'm definitely attracted to you. But I know you don't feel the same way. You're the most important person in my life, and you'll always be my best friend. I don't want to lose you, so I'll do whatever I need to in order for you to feel safe. I'll never hurt you."

Gwen pushed images of Laura in the elevator out of her mind. Amy watched her and chewed her lip. The only sign of her embarrassment at Gwen's confession. She seemed receptive, so Gwen continued.

"I feel much better than last night. I can keep these changes under control. You don't need to worry."

"You mean if you feed on someone."

"What?"

"That's what you said this morning. You said if you feed on someone you can keep it under control."

"Well, yeah. I figured I could find someone, some horny guy or something and then... you know."

She brought her hands together in a lewd gesture.

"No."

"Okay. I get where you're coming from. But I don't think I can avoid it. I think it's like eating for me now. If I go too long I get...hungry. It won't be like last night. Promise. I'll go easy on them, just sort of...top myself off."

Amy sighed. "I meant no, not someone else"

Gwen's heart skipped a beat. This morning Amy was terrified of her. Now she was offering to let Gwen feed off her? She must have misheard.

"You don't have to do that Amy."

"I'm not doing it for you. I'm the only one that knows you're a succubus. We shouldn't put other people in danger without them knowing the risk they're taking. It's unethical."

"You doctors and your ethics. We don't have those in computer science, ever heard of Google? Facebook?" Amy rolled her eyes. "But really, I don't think it's that unethical to give some horny guy exactly what he wants, even if I take a little bit in return. We could always ask one. I bet I know what the answer will be."

"No. I'll help you figure this whole succubus thing out." It still felt strange to hear some saying 'succubus' aloud. "But I have some ground rules, and that's one of them. You'll only feed on me, and only when I consent."

"Okay. Done."

Gwen could definitely live with that. A small part of her lamented that she wouldn't get to put Laura in her place, but getting to kiss Amy again was well worth it.

"What are the other rules?"

"Kissing only. I'm doing this to keep you satiated so you can maintain control, not for pleasure."

Gwen knew that was coming, but pretended to be devastated anyways. She pouted dramatically and made puppy dog eyes at Amy "What about tongue?"

"...Fine. But that's it."

"Yes ma'am." Gwen found herself enjoying this new authoritative Amy. Now that she knew their friendship was safe she was free to bask in the warm glow of her attraction.

"Stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Smiling like that."

"Is that a rule? No smiles?"

"No, it's just creepy."

"I'm a demon, apparently. I'm probably supposed to be creepy. Next rule."

"We need a password. If I say it you have to stop whatever you're doing. Immediately. No exceptions."

"Sure." Amy was unknowingly describing a safe word. "How about... Pasiphae?"

Pasiphae was an irregular moon of Jupiter, named after a Greek myth. In their childhood, they had gone through a Sailor Moon phase. Being the nerds that they were, of course they'd picked obscure celestial bodies when it came time to name their imagined characters. Amy was Sailor Pasiphae. Amy grinned wide, her dimple made an appearance, and creases formed at the corners of her eyes.

"Okay, that works."

"Is that it?"

"One more. I'm going to continue to keep track of your changes and abilities. Like a medical journal."

The same sense of worry that she'd felt when considering telling a doctor about her changes filled her. She didn't like the idea of a thesis on her, filled with her secrets and weaknesses, sitting around for someone to find. She voices this concern to Amy.

"I'll leave your name out, and make sure no one can trace it to you, but It's a package deal. Non-negotiable. Either you accept all the terms, or I walk away. Or more accurately, you walk away since it's technically my apartment."

Gwen pushed away her apprehension and said aloud, "Fine."

"That's it. As long as you follow the rules, I forgive you. But no more chances. If you mess up, I'm gone. I love you, but I won't endanger myself. Can you promise me?"

"I promise."

Amy spent the rest of dinner grilling Gwen about more specifics. No, she didn't have feeling in the horns. No, her skin wasn't turning purple. No, she didn't have fangs. Amy was back to normal, attacking the problem with an eagerness that Gwen found enchanting. Gwen told her about the strength. Right after promising she would stay in control didn't seem like the right time to reveal she'd attacked Laura, so she made up a story about lifting a filled trash can. Had it always been this easy for her to lie? They tested her strength, first with arm wrestling, then by lifting Amy, then the sofa which was still a bit of a struggle. They'd have to go to a gym and take more accurate measurements sometime. By Amy's calculations she was about as strong as a well muscled adult man. Not superman, but at 5'3" and 130 pounds she was punching well above her weight.

Amy suggested other measurements and checks they should start taking. Fingernail growth, in case of claws. Shoulder measurements, in case of wings. Tailbone in case of, well, a tail. Gwen found out her tongue was about a centimeter longer than the average. It was the first time anyone had measured her tongue though, so she hesitated to attribute it to the changes.

Gwen avoided telling Amy about the dream. She wanted to keep it to herself. A private sanctuary. Or maybe she was worried that if Amy knew she had access to her sleeping thoughts she would raise her guard. Gwen imagined Amy's warm blue orb, sealed within a carapace of cold smooth steel. No, that wouldn't do. Amy spent the entire night furiously taking notes in the binder. Gwen spent it gazing longingly at Amy and eagerly anticipating the chance to kiss her.

After about two hours of being studied, the chance finally came. They both sat, exhausted, in the middle of the sofa, shoulders touching. No distance between them. No worry or fear. Back to normal, as if today were any other day. It was wonderful. Some sitcom was playing on the TV but neither of them paid any attention. Amy's eyes were heavy lidded and kept sliding shut before she forced them back open. She yawned and stretched. The fabric of her blouse played against the swell of her breasts. Gwen caught a sliver of exposed skin at her waist. Her hunger stirred. It was small. Nothing like the storm of lust the night before. She resolved herself to keep it that way. Amy turned. Gwen realized she was biting her lip and let it go.

"I guess we should..."

"Yeah..."

"Okay, go ahead." Amy closed her eyes, and leaned forward slightly. Gwen was reminded of the second kiss last night, where Amy took the initiative. Only this time, Gwen wasn't pulling any strings.

Gwen leaned in and met her. It was tender. Loving. She felt the connection blossom between them. Her body grew warmer. She let it drift across the connection, but didn't use any force. Like the calm flowing current of a stream. She pulled away. Gwen wanted to check that she was still in control. It felt like it. Sweetness still clung to her lips. Swirled within her. She savored it. The threads were there. She gave an exploratory pluck, just to check, then let them be. Gwen began to move in for a second kiss.

"Pasiphae."

Gwen froze. Amy opened her eyes. They moved in jumps and starts as she studied Gwen's face.

"Just checking. Go ahead."

This time her eyes remained open. Gwen closed hers instead and moved in, then paused just before her lips reached Amy's. She brushed against them and pulled back. Amy Surprised her by taking the bait and closing the distance herself. Gwen was careful to stay in control, but allowed herself to indulge a bit more. Her tongue played against Amy's sealed lips. They parted, an invitation. The connection widened. Less a stream, and more a river. She tentatively brought a hand up and caressed Amy's cheek. Amy took hold of it and pulled it away. Gwen whined into her mouth but relented. At least she hadn't used the safe word.

Gwen fed. Slowly. Carefully. She teased Amy's energy across the connection in small pieces. Each time, she noticed, a part of her rushed in to replace it. Like air filling a vacuum. So that was it then. Last night, the parts of herself she had felt were the result of feeding. She could feel it now too, a part of herself within Amy, waiting to be called. Faint. Distant. She ignored it. Knowing that it would fade with time, same as yesterday. After what felt like both an eternity and a single instant, it was over.

"Was that enough?"

Gwen briefly considered lying. "Yeah I think so."

"Good."

Amy wiped her mouth with her arm and stood, then extended a hand to help Gwen up.

"How do you feel? I didn't take too much?"

"I feel a little tired, but I did before so I don't think that's your fault."

"Good. Amy, thank you."

Gwen surprised herself by pulling Amy into a hug. For a tiny moment, before she realized what was happening, Amy tensed and fought uselessly against Gwen's newfound strength. Then she settled in and hugged her back. Gwen nestled her head against Amy's chest. She could hear her heartbeat. It was fast. Then she released her, and looked up. They faced each other in silence. Amy's face had a subtle pink tinge to it. Then they both prepared for bed.

As Amy gave her a quick wave before retreating to her room, Gwen felt a pang of longing. She wanted to join Amy. To fall asleep in her arms. Instead, she entered her room and shut the door. Oh well. Even now she could hear the faint calling of her essence, buried within Amy, vibrating across the threads to her. Besides, she would dream, and she could be with Amy there. Relish her unbridled emotions, embrace her, and whisper softly to her.

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Amy breathed a sigh of relief as her door clicked shut, then immediately chastised herself. Gwen had always looked out for her. Supported her through everything. The least she could do was return the favor. Still, Amy couldn't deny that she was afraid. Memories of last night bubbled up, unbidden. It didn't seem like her looking back, but she remembered how it had felt. As if every action had been her own idea. She remembered wanting all of it. It was her idea to kiss Gwen. Her idea to pin Gwen to the sofa. Her Idea to slip beneath Gwen's underwear and-

Gwen hadn't forced her to do anything, she'd warped Amy until she wanted to do it herself. It was subtle too. Amy hadn't even noticed. Not beyond the passing thought that her behavior was out of character. Until the end. The final moments before she'd broken free had been terrifying. A wrenching as her mind was twisted to suit whatever purpose Gwen had. An awareness of what was happening to her, and a panic that she was losing herself. Her legs trembled even thinking about it.

Amy had never cared about sex. She acknowledged the attractiveness of certain members of the opposite sex, sure, but she'd just never felt the need to explore further. Her interests lie in other directions. Last night, however, all other thoughts had been driven from her mind until only lust remained. Every moan, every smile, every touch sent a spark of pleasure through her. A reward. She remembered Gwen's hand on her waist. Gwen's thigh fixed tightly between her own. Amy remembered wanting all of it.

A rebellious jolt of pleasure ran through her. An aftereffect? She felt normal now, but what if the effects lingered. What if they became permanent? Amy shut down that line of thinking. She was right to be afraid, but she'd spent all day thinking herself in circles over this and had come to a conclusion. Although the danger was real, she wouldn't leave Gwen to suffer through this alone. She'd never forgive herself. Rehashing old concerns was pointless. The decision was made.

Tonight had reinforced that decision, hadn't it? Gwen hadn't been coercive, or forceful. Amy had concentrated throughout the encounter, attempting to detect any anomalies in her thoughts or actions. She had, admittedly, grown slightly aroused. But that was easily explained as an involuntary response triggered by the act of kissing, or perhaps another aftereffect from the night before. Besides, the feeling was weak. So weak that it had barely registered. Gwen respected the password, and hadn't resisted when Amy pushed her hand away. If slight arousal was the only effect of Gwen's continued feeding then so be it.

Tonight was also a success in another way. Amy knew there was a chance that Gwen's behavior the previous night was unavoidable. That some feral succubus part of her would always take control when she fed. If that happened Amy knew that escaping a second time was unlikely. It was a risk she'd accepted when she made her decision though. And it hadn't come to pass. Tonight, Gwen had been tender. Loving. Not at all like the night before. Amy had even considered letting Gwen's hand stay on her cheek, but didn't want to send mixed signals. After all, Gwen had said she was in love with her...

Amy threw herself to her bed and buried her head beneath her pillow. She let out an anxious sigh. She was used to people confessing their love to her, or more often, their attraction. It was embarrassing at first. In those early years Gwen had played defence. Curtailing suitors before they even had the chance to ask. But she couldn't hide behind Gwen forever, and she'd learned to deal with them head on. But how would she deal with Gwen?

Amy loved Gwen. Respected her. Admired her. She was bold, and confident. Everyone called Amy a genius, but she'd always felt Gwen was the more clever of the two of them. She was probably more well read, but Gwen always seemed to piece things together from scraps of information whereas Amy needed time and careful study to reach the same conclusions. Amy loved Gwen. But she wasn't in love with Gwen. Part of her wished she was. Maybe this would all be easier. Gwen was the last person she wanted to hurt, and kissing her felt like leading her on.

Part of her wished she could just look the other way while Gwen enacted her plan, feeding on strangers and other students. Then they could go back to normal. Pretend Gwen wasn't a succubus. Just be friends, like they always had. But Amy knew she couldn't. Her conscience wouldn't let her, and neither would her curiosity. She was fascinated. What was the extent of Gwen's powers? Of her changes? Were her powers magical? Was magic real? If succubuses were real then what else could be? The possibilities thrilled her.

She flipped over and felt for the binder resting on her nightstand. She opened it and flipped through the pages so far, reading through their tests. The list of potential powers, and the ones they'd confirmed so far. She froze, then reread the list. No way. She sat up, her exhaustion forgotten, and padded down the hall to fetch her backpack. As she passed Gwen's door she listened, but heard only the slow steady breaths of a sleeping girl. Hard to picture an energy draining demon instead.

She silently closed her door and withdrew her laptop. She tapped out the URL and began reading. She would read a post, then consult the binder, then repeat. Back and forth until she'd combed through every post and every page of the binder. She was right. Every power they'd confirmed so far was mentioned in a post on that crackpot website Gwen had found. Even more, there was no trace of the powers they'd disproved, at least the ones they were certain about. Unlikely to be a coincidence. She clicked through the pages searching for some kind of contact information. Eventually she resorted to tracking down the registration for the site's domain name, then followed the breadcrumbs until she finally hit upon a name.

"James Thompson. Who are you?"