Hellacious Hospitality Ch. 06

Forward from the author -

If you've not done so, go back and read the other chapters first. You've been warned!

Now we're getting into the swing of things. A lot of the hard work in laying down the ground rules of my story and establishing the principle characters has been done, so the pace should pick up in the future. One more big chapter left, but the future might see slightly smaller (not too small, but closer to Chapter 1 and 2, and not 20,000 word monstrosities like Chapter 4) but more regular updates, as I can start pivoting to more self-contained adventures with less heavy exposition. Really depends on my available time, and the story I want to tell, though.

Please follow me and keep checking in, because I regularly update with news status.

Don't forget to leave a vote, and don't be afraid to comment! Every little bit to spread the love!

===================

The silence was deafening. There had been a great commotion and frantic movement in the grand lobby as Caeli had commanded a whole troupe of faeries to carry Elena's unresponsive body away, and she herself had rushed off to see to the young woman's care. Now, it was all but empty. The whirling portal behind having closed on its own accord, nothing stirred in the cavernous room.

Benson knelt on the hard floor nearly motionless, senses dulled with worry as he awaited any news of her condition. As much as he wanted to be by her side, he couldn't bear to see her in her current battered state, a reminder of his failure to be there for her.

The white faerie, whom he learned was named Lily, had stayed behind to keep him company, perched lightly atop his shoulder. He gently stroked her long, luxurious platinum hair, the act both a silent thanks, as well as a way to soothe his own troubled spirits. She regarded his pained expression with sad eyes, and he could tell she shared some of his concern for Elena. She leaned compassionately against his cheek. He didn't know why she had been there in his time of need, but he was grateful to her.

He was convinced that he had somehow done this to Elena. His thirst for knowledge about the hidden demi population must have somehow disturbed something that hadn't wanted to be discovered. Whatever connection Crenshaw had at all with this, he didn't know. But Elena wouldn't have drawn his ire if he hadn't been around to spur her forwards. If this was the price for his curiosity, it wasn't worth it.

Crenshaw... last he was seen, his broken cadaver had been constricted in a cocoon of creeper vines, and dragged somewhere through the portal. His eyes were drawn to the tropical topiary in the middle of the entrance hall and pondered, new questions starting to form in his mind.

In spite of himself, Benson finally got up off his knees with no small degree of effort, and wandered over to the large stone planter ring. He'd walked past it a number of times at this point, but without much interest in plants and botany, he hadn't really paid it too much attention. But now its existence called out to him. This is just for the sake of closure.

All manner of flowers lined the basin, some vaguely familiar, some not. What especially caught his eye was a particularly large patch of roses, somehow neatly ordered such that older blossoms lined the back, shedding their bright red petals in a tidy pile. With his attention on them, he watched in astonishment as the blossoms shifted position before his eyes, like orderly soldiers, another beginning to droop.

The scene immediately called to mind the aromatic blooms that scattered over Iara's bath - as well as the ominous riddle that he had made no progress in solving. With half a mind to discontinue his involvement with the demi, maybe he never would.

For now, though, there was only what lay before him. Past the flowerbed, through tropical ferns, obscured by tall reeds of bamboo, was a large, man-sized plant in the middle of it all. Something like a giant pitcher plant (something he could identify in his mind, because the existence of carnivorous plants had fascinated a young Benson Lachlan), but rooted in the ground rather than suspended in air, with a massive flowering base formed of angry pinkish-red petals larger than his torso. This plant was unlike anything he had ever seen. And, he suspected, very few would. Not in the modern, currently magic-starved world.

It should have been a warning that Lily had climbed behind him, gripping the back of his shirt collar tightly as he approached, but the nature of his objective overrode his instincts.

"Hey, you there, we need to talk. If you can." He said, tapping aggressively on the stone ring of the planter as he did so.

There came a sound something like a muffled yawn, and the large, deep green, vase-like core of the plant began to stir, causing foliage to rustle. "Ugh, what's with all the racket out there? All the crying and the shouting and the flutter of faerie wings. And now who's this who wants to talk to me? Can't a girl get some peace and quiet? You know a big meal makes me all sleepy." It was a womanly voice, warm and husky.

It was precisely the nature of this "big meal" that he was even bothering to open this conversation.

"Good, you can talk. That makes this easier. I just want answers, then I'll be out of your hair... or, whatever.""Ah. The succubus' new plaything." She yawned again, and the vase shape of the plant began to relax, unfolding into a throne-like structure, with the "back" remaining upright. The adjacent leaves lowered progressively wider - with a wet, sticky sound, as a basin-full of clear nectar seemed to drain away - pushing aside some of the neighboring flora, with the broadest leaf at front opening completely, rolling out as if a carpet for royalty. "Gotta say, from what I've heard, I was expecting a friendlier introduction."

Inside was the semi-reclining shape of a woman, leaning on her elbow in a relaxed and all-too provocative pose, supported by a writhing mass of snake-like vines. Her legs gradually vanished into that mass, or perhaps didn't exist at all, her body from thighs up seeming to grow out of it. She was all but naked, and voluptuous in figure, with full, rounded thighs. Enormous breasts hung naturally from her chest, looking like swollen, over-ripe fruits. Her smooth, waxy skin, glossy and dripping, was a pale green color, with prominent leafy veins just under the slightly translucent surface. Reddish-pink petals the same color as her flowering base topped her head in approximation of hair, and thin leafy tendrils wove across her crotch and encircled her bust in scant approximation of clothing. Glassy black eyes with a slight pink-ish tint in their reflective glow regarded him with an expectant look.

"Well, sorry, but you've caught me at a bad time. I'm not in the mood to be making friends right now." While he hadn't approached her for that, it was hard to take his eyes off her, with so much of her on display. She emitted a heady, sweet aroma. Pungent, but not unpleasant, it clung heavily to the back of his nose. Her presence was immediately intoxicating. It had taken a considerable amount of effort to give her a reply with any semblance of conviction.

He hadn't counted on this being quite so difficult. It was just a single question that he wanted answered. But merely being in the presence of this creature, every square inch of her oozing with raw lust and sensuality, it was hard to focus.

With her cloying, sweet scent worming its way into the recesses of his brain, it was hard to think straight. Even Lily did not seem immune to her charms. In her small stature, she in fact seemed even more susceptible. He could feel her tiny, hard nipples pressing desperately into his back, and her light weight gently rocking against him.

Her scent? Barely maintaining a degree of self-awareness, Benson unfastened a number of buttons on his shirt so he was able to bring up a corner of his still wet collar and hold it over his nose and mouth. Almost immediately, the fog seemed to lift from his mind, the moistened cloth filtering most of the presumably aphrodisiac perfume. He appreciated, in this moment, how the dampness of his clothes quelled the prickly heat of his growing arousal. He plucked Lily off his back and held her down on his shoulder. She was still lost in her own passion, delicate hands idly exploring her own body, but at least she was no longer needling him anymore.

"Oh, you are a clever one, aren't you? There's been a lot of buzz around here lately, and I was wondering when I'd get my turn at such a delectable snack."

"Not today, I'm sorry to disappoint. I just need answers from you, and I'll be on my way."

"That's a shame. The last man I had the pleasure of tasting was rather... dead. And a bit past his prime. I much prefer them younger, with more vigor and enthusiasm. Are you sure I can't convince you?" She hefted and squeezed her bosoms together, causing a distinct sloshing sound as the prodigious orbs began to dribble forth more streams of clear nectar that trailed in sticky rivulets down her womanly curves, pooling invitingly in the basin of her lap.

At any other time, her lurid display of sexuality may have produced results. But without the aid of her captivating fragrance, his mind was able to stay focused on Elena, and the predatory edge of this creature's come-ons were utterly transparent.

"That's exactly what I wanted to ask you about. The man, that Lily had you retrieve. I assume you, uh, consumed him, then?"

A certain look of disappointment crossed her features, but there was no delay in her reply. "Past tense is being somewhat premature. That pile of bones is buried deep within my roots already." Her pedestal of vines stopped squirming, enough that he could see something of a hole at the base of where her feet would have been, like looking into a tendril-lined throat. "It'll take me about a month to work through that all. A bit tough and stringy, that one. But still a far sight more nourishing than my usual meal of alley rats."

Benson didn't relish the disturbing thought of that grisly fate, but he felt no remorse for the man that had died with wickedness in his heart.

"That man, could you tell then, if he was... human?"

"Ah, the little one upon your shoulder mentioned something of the difficulty it took to procure this morsel. I can assure you, he was 100% human. Not a trace of magic upon his decrepit bones. If you mean to ask what it was that you fought, I haven't a clue. Not my area of expertise." She shrugged broadly, massive breasts slipping from her hands and heavily sagging.

He wasn't sure if he found that answer satisfactory or not. It addressed the finality of this threat that he hoped for, but it told him nothing of what he could expect for the future. He hoped Caeli had a better one for him, but she had more important matters to attend to at the moment to be bothered. He relaxed, only slightly, in the fact that the overt threat to Elena's life seemed to be dealt with.

"Well then, I'm sorry to have disturbed you in your rest. I'll leave you to it, then."

"Hold on here, don't be so impatient. What we have here is a rare opportunity for us to become acquainted, without that succubus girl becoming a third wheel. I swear. She can be so high-strung at times. All that tension doesn't sit well on such a pretty little face. I've long thought that she needs to take a step back, and let a real woman take charge. Wouldn't you agree?" Her sultry, leading voice was thick as molasses.

Something in her irreverent tone snapped him out of his state of self-pity, if only briefly. There had been an unspoken assumption that Caeli had the full support of all her wards. Perhaps that was unrealistic. Intense personalities would often butt heads in the human world, and with all the strongly willful women he had already met through his limited experiences in this one, it wouldn't be unreasonable for rivalries and politics to arise here, as well.

"And what would you know of it?" He snapped back at the plant woman. That unappreciative manner made his blood boil, with how much Caeli seemed to be trying her hardest. Especially now, he had to believe in her. She'd rushed away to seek help for Elena with barely a question. That kindness was always at the forefront of her personality, but this creature seemed utterly dismissive of her great efforts. "I haven't known her for that long, but I can tell she pours her heart and soul into this place. What right do you have to criticize?"

"She's wasted no time in grooming herself another white knight, I see. So true to form. She always was something of a bleeding heart. Oh, sweet, naïve little man. You think you have her cowed? The way she sweetly moans, wrapped around your cock? You've barely scratched the surface as to the depravity her kind is capable of. Why don't you let me show you what she withholds from you?"

His cheeks burned, realizing this creature had been here all along, listening to their impassioned night of lovemaking, and silently judging them.

Her human-like body shifted forward, away from her leafy throne, carried aloft by her pedestal of slithering vines. She leaned forward, aiming to press her face to his, while reaching out to stroke his cheek possessively with a glistening, sap-covered hand. He stood his ground, to show that he was not intimidated by her forceful personality.

There was a sharp jab at his neck, which caused him to recoil back slightly, away from the stone sill.

With his sudden movement, the plant creature's body instead crashed ineffectually against an invisible barrier, delineated by the inner edge of the stone circle. She hissed. The liquid from her hand print hung impossibly in the air for a moment, before vaporizing against the magical wall.

"Tsk. Damnable faerie circle. I'd hoped with all this commotion that someone may have slipped up. The little one enjoying your company has always been the diligent type, however, so no such luck. Come, Lily, do a be a dear for your sweet auntie? I see you've enjoyed yourself. Why not return the favor and grant me a turn with this nice young man here?"

She was hard to see, now hovering barely within the corner of his vision, posing defiantly with her arms crossed over her chest, even as she still panted from her impassioned exertions. He wasn't sure what he had done to earn the faerie's unwavering support, but it was clear that she had saved him yet again.

"Do you see this, human? The unjust level of treatment I receive here? The watery tart enjoys her nigh-infinite realm. That demon bimbo struts around in the lap of luxury, amidst all the other care-free denizens. And here I am, confined to this bubble. Does this seem fair to you?"

In the face of it, no, that treatment wasn't fair. But everything about this woman's mannerisms screamed that she wasn't being entirely forthcoming, either. He had no place to cast judgment in the affairs of these supernatural girls, but this new acquaintance had done nothing to convince him to take her side. He stepped further back, far out of the reach of the woman's predatory advances.

"I don't know what's going on between you girls here, but I really don't care anymore. Someone I care about was badly hurt because of all of... this! I don't know what I was thinking, getting involved here. Whoever it was that made the attempt to separate our kind, they were right to do so. It's becoming clear to me now that we don't belong together. It only brings out the worst in us." The words hurt to say. Some deep part in the core of his being still wanted to believe in Caeli and her cause. If it were just him, he was willing to deal with a little pain. But if consequences were to befall innocent people for his actions, then he wanted no part in any of this.

His outburst stunned his aggressor, her leafy vines immediately ceasing their incessant squirming, her jaw hanging open. Lily, too, was taken aback, fluttering erratically, her dainty hands clasped over her mouth in shock.

The plant woman began to speak again, but with none of her earlier forwardness, "... Hang on here, let's not be so hasty here. I meant no offense, it's just - " She had her hands up in full surrender.

"You... darned mouthy ficus! I warned you, didn't I? Not to get involved without my permission? You just can't help yourself, can you? Always butting into my business. I'm the caretaker here, remember? Me! It may only be by a slim margin that I earned that confidence, but I've kept this place running smoothly for the last hundred years, haven't I? So let me do my job!" He didn't know how long she had been there, but Caeli had come running in like a bat out of hell once she had noticed the commotion.

"H-hey now, princess! I didn't start this. I was perfectly content to mind my own business, but he -"

"I don't care. I know you all too well, in how you'll take any opportunity you can find to usurp my authority. I had you moved out here for a reason, so I could keep an eye on you. Don't force me to make your stay here even more uncomfortable. It wouldn't be but a problem to introduce you to some aphids, you know?"

"Fine! Have it your way, frigid bitch! It's not like your way's going to last much longer, with the way things seem to be going with your new plaything. Don't come crying to me for help, when this all slips from your control." She slunk back into her leafy pod, broad leaves closing tightly around her.

Caeli's fangs were bared in a feral snarl, her amber eyes alight with inner flame. Her fingers were tensed, brandishing her nails like claws. He had seen those in action first-hand. Her rival having retreated, her features began to calm. Cooling eyes met his, tinged with sadness, but she tried to put on a gentle smile, as her wings, tail, and horns all retreated from view.

"I'm really sorry about her. Let's get out of here. How about we go somewhere a little more private." She reached for his hand, squeezing it tight as she led him onward. "Come, Lily. You can join us, too."

*****

With no further words spoken between them, Caeli brought them to an unoccupied suite of the hotel on the fourth floor. As she flicked on the light switch, Benson wasted no time in throwing his weight into the single king-sized bed within, sitting at its edge in a brooding fashion, all hunched over with his chin rested upon tented hands, while his heel irritably jackhammered against the floor. He stared under his brow at the succubus with wary eyes.

She carried great tension in her shoulders, and only seemed to relax a bit once she had locked the door, whereupon her posture slumped. She spoke, breaking the silence, without turning to face him. "I'm sorry about Xochitl. She and I have never really seen eye-to-eye on the administration of this place. She had the favor of the previous caretaker, but when the time came for them to move on, I was elected in their stead. Xo was none too happy about that decision, feeling herself the superior candidate. She'll take every opportunity she can get to needle me over that. I think she saw an opportunity to get under my skin through you."

That explained the plant creature's contemptuous attitude, but those interpersonal squabbles were really none of Benson's interest at the moment.

"Why didn't you warn me more, about the potential dangers out there?"

Caeli turned around, before withering at the grim look she was on the receiving end of. "Is this about your friend? Despite how it may have looked, her wounds were not too serious. Some bruises, and maybe a couple of cracked ribs. Iara's taking care of her now, and I've given strict instructions that she is not to be disturbed until your friend has been fully mended. Iara's hands can do far more than soothe wearied muscle. She is a capable healer, far more potent than even your modern medicines. I assure you, once Iara is done with her, your friend will be no worse for wear."