Hellacious Hospitality Ch. 06

"But what about the psychological damage? Elena was... different. Strong in some ways, but uniquely vulnerable. I did this. I brought this hell upon her, all because I was following your advice. I - that can't happen. Never again." His fists balled with impotent rage, knuckles flexing and growing white. His jaw clenched irritably at his own powerlessness.

Her face sank, as she was forced to address the words she had overheard. "Is it true, then, that you wish to part ways? That you believe that there is no hope for our worlds to be reconciled?"

With the tearful look in Caeli's eyes that was beginning to form, Benson felt like his heart had been locked in a vice. It was making it hard for him to breathe.

"Don't look at me like that. Not with those eyes. I thought I was doing this all for you. Letting my heart lead, over my head. I followed my instincts, like you wanted for me. But look what happened when I did. This was all because of me. She got hurt because I got too close to things that man was not meant to know. If caring about people just means I have to bear the pain of their suffering, I can't keep going on like this. All because I couldn't leave well enough alone. But you, staring at me with those sad eyes, I can't help but feel bound to them. My resolve wavers, and I have no idea what I should be doing."

Hearing that heartfelt confession, she immediately rushed to his side. She wrapped her arms around his head in a gentle, warm embrace, pressing his ear and cheek against her soft chest. She delicately ran her fingers through his bedraggled hair.

"I'm sorry to have placed these burdens on you. I didn't mean for this to happen. I had no idea. Believe me."

He tried to hold onto his resolve, but it didn't take much to melt into her soothing warmth, her steady heartbeat drumming in his ear, and his heavy, labored breathing slowed to keep rhythm.

"I did this somehow. I jumped headlong into finding out more about you and the other demi, and I must have disturbed something malevolent. Elena did nothing wrong. The only crime she committed was being with me, while I challenged that natural order. That's the only explanation I can think of. I can't be with you, help you, if it just means the people I care about are going to get hurt."

Caeli struggled to find the words to cut through the self-sacrificing guilt. Her body trembled, as she felt her own grief rising, trying to cope with the reality that everything she wanted was about to slip through her fingers. Unbidden, a sorrowful, regretful tune emerged out of the depths of her memories, and she idly began humming a slow, melodic rendition, matching her own pain.

"...they can only do harm," he mouthed, barely audible, recognizing the popular 80s song.

"Oh, I didn't realize I was singing out loud. I'm sorry if I bothered you."

"It's alright. That actually sorta helped get my head back on straight. You've got a lovely singing voice, by the way." He felt the heat rise in her chest from her blush. "I said some terrible things back there, didn't I? I guess you heard me arguing with her, then. Zho...sheech, was it?" He stumbled over the pronunciation.

"Xochitl, yes. Don't worry about it. She has a way of bringing out worst in everyone. So tactless. So used to letting her charms do all the heavy lifting, I don't think she ever learned her social graces."

"I can see how. She was very... difficult, to resist. She was everything I was afraid of, when we met last week."

"I'm not like her!" Caeli raised her voice indignantly, before quieting, sheepishly "I... I could have been. But I'm... not. Just... no." She loosened her hold of him, so she could look him directly in the eyes. "Believe me, that isn't me."

Her pleading eyes were all the assurance he needed.

"I know it's not. Do I need to worry about her?"

"Now that she's aware of you, she will be something to contend with, yes. Not an overt threat, per se, but she'll take every opportunity she can to wear at you, to tear me down. But that's entirely contingent on what you plan to do next. Do you truly mean to leave all of this behind?"

"Argh, I don't know! When it was just you, and this place, it all seemed so straight-forward. My path was set. But now it's her, and the outside world, and everything closing in, and I'm just so very confused. I thought I was in control, but I just feel powerless. After what I saw today, I can't be certain of anything, anymore."

"You've fallen for her, haven't you?"

"I... where did that come from?"

"She's quite beautiful, isn't she? Elena, was it? It's plain to see how her being hurt pains you so. From the turbulence I see within your soul, you were ready to lay it all on the line for her. That's a deep-seated form of empathy that comes only from love. So please, answer me truthfully."

"If you put it that way, then I can't deny it. I do... I... she's special, to me..."

"This might be a strange to hear this from me, at this time, but I'm proud of you, Ben. Seeing how deeply you care for this woman, it shows me how quickly you've taken my advice to heart. You're everything I hoped you would be. So I really can't help myself, when I hear that... that I might lose this." She pulled her embrace even tighter, allowing her head to rest atop his.

The way her voice broke and wavered, even as she was clearly trying to encourage him, was utterly crushing. He'd tried so hard to put on a brave face, and live up to the machismo expected of his gender. But seeing Caeli in this state was the final straw. He broke down in her arms, and began to sob uncontrollably into her breast. She continued to stroke his hair, even as her own arms began to shake, holding back tears of her own. Despite his words to the contrary, he found the need to reciprocate, his hands tentatively reaching up to find bare skin at her upper back, and pulled her in tighter, forcing her to sit on his lap. She was so delicate and light feeling. Compared to the guilt weighing heavily over his heart, she seemed like a feather, weighing nothing at all.

Together, they held that clumsy embrace, full of equal parts need and apprehension, neither sure of how to end it, both afraid it would be their last.

*****

Surprisingly, it was Lily that broke the tension, as she had watched the overflowing sorrow between the two build to what seemed like a point of no return. Overcome by the wordless exchange of raw emotion that was occurring, she sniffled and blew her nose into a tissue, emitting a high-pitched whistle as she did.

As small and innocuous as she was, at less than a foot tall, it had been easy to forget she was still there with them. Drawing attention to herself as she had broke the heavy mood that hung over the room. Startled, Benson managed to extract himself from Caeli's grasp to look around for the source of the noise. When he realized what had transpired, he couldn't stop himself from laughing. Just a snort and a chuckle, really, but with his composure lost, he fell backwards onto the bed, dragging the succubus down with him.

With her full weight suddenly sprawled on top of him, soft bosom pressed against his chest, he sighed a deep sigh, and moved to stroke her silken ponytail. Caeli's beautiful, angelic face hung over his, and she forced a gentle smile upon it. She nodded in Lily's direction, silently thanking her, while gently nudging her aside to fetch a tissue for herself, which she used to dab at Benson's face, drying his tears before rubbing at his cheek more firmly. It stung lightly, as she wet the tissue with her tongue to clean a small wound upon it that he hadn't even realized was there. Her other hand lightly brushed against his cheek, up towards his brow, a finger delicately tracing the shallow gash on his forehead from the beginning of the week that had already begun to heal.

The moment of levity was brief, but it allowed for a shift in direction. Caeli's expression turned stern.

"Ben...."

"What is it?"

"I have something to confess to you, and you're not going to like it." She climbed off him, to sit by his side, dropping eye contact. "The truth is, I was eavesdropping on most of your conversation with Xo. I made the mistake of leaving you alone with her, knowing full well what she's capable of, and I didn't get back in time to stop you. She said hateful, horrible things about me, but the thing is, she's right. She knows me all too well, because in some ways, we're kin. Ensnaring men and feasting upon them, that's our nature by blood, succubus and alraune alike. You had the right idea from the beginning, of my manipulative nature. My powers of seduction are in more than just my looks. I could snap my fingers, and make you forget all of this. Make you mine. How does that make you feel? Do you hate me for deceiving you all this time?"

"You're a terrible actor, and a bad liar, do you know that?"

"What?!"

"Why would you tell me all that, if you were simply planning to have your way in the end? I don't know. Maybe the stories are right. Maybe you do have those powers. But I know now, with 100% certainty, that you've never used them on me. I trust you, now more than ever."

"How... how can you be so certain? You barely know me."

"I know you better than you think. Isn't that why you're interest in me in the first place? I can read your emotions clear as day. You're trembling, Caeli. You're scared that you might lose me, aren't you? So why is it that you're instead trying to push me away?"

"You said you loved her, didn't you? I couldn't live with myself, if I took that away from you."

"You didn't let me finish. She's special to me, yes. She helped me open my heart to things I hadn't even considered. For all the lessons you were trying to teach me, she was right there by my side to help me learn them. For ever how much love I shower her with, it all winds up making me feel closer to you. And that's why I'm torn. I can't lose her, but after what happened today, staying by her side might mean saying goodbye to you."

Her shimmering amber eyes were wide with astonishment. "I did it again, didn't I? I backed myself into a corner of my own making."

"That you did. Why are you so self-defeating?"

"If I knew that answer, I wouldn't keep doing it and embarrassing myself, would I? I think, perhaps, that part of me is still in denial, like it can scarcely believe that this is all true."

"What is?"

"Lots of things. For starters, the fact that I found you."

"Surely you can't mean that. Maybe I'm emotionally compatible with you, but that aside, there's nothing really remarkable or special about me."

"Oh, but you're so very wrong about that. Let me paint a picture from my point of view. All my life has been lived on the razor's edge between blessing and curse. Immortal beauty isn't all it's cracked up to be. It seems a benediction only to the vain. But to be on the receiving end of the uncontrollable, unbidden desire that incites, it can be overwhelming. Under those conditions, the line between love and lust becomes blurred."

"The truth is, I could be considered an oddity, even amongst my own kind. And no, this isn't about that whole 'soul stealing' deal again. I don't even know how that would work, but I digress. Succubae hold a reputation for promiscuity, but we're not fickle creatures by nature. But by eschewing lingering relationships, we insulate our hearts from the pains of mortality."

"For me, however, I relished in those experiences. Not the death, but the wonders of each life lived to the fullest. I discovered along the way that by cultivating my relationships, rather than avoiding them, the meals I partook of would taste all the sweeter, and provide far greater sustenance. I would share in experiences, nourishing my mind as well as my soul. That was a vice I'd long since given up on, after becoming this place's caretaker. My responsibilities superseded my personal indulgences. At least, that's what I thought. And then you came into my life."

"I seduce and tease, and you play along, but your eyes see through all of the games, peering into my very soul. As you open your heart to others, for the first time in my life, I've felt like I've actually needed to compete for someone's affections. Do you have any idea how that feels, for someone who's never had to try very hard before?"

"I'm sorry, I -"

She placed a finger on his lips, cutting him off, grinning broadly. Not mischievously, or flirtatiously, but a pure, beaming smile full of unbridled happiness.

"It feels amazing. I've lived for nearly 450 years, and this is the first time I've felt truly alive. You challenge me like I've never been challenged before, and I find that positively exhilarating. So can you see now, why I worry so much? Once in a lifetime means so much more when that lifetime is virtually limitless."

"So I have to ask again, with no more deceptions. I honestly don't know the full nature of what happened today. If I had that knowledge, I would have done everything within my power to protect you. If you stay with me, there's no guarantee that something like this couldn't happen again. So, once Elena is healed in full, I offer you the chance to leave with her, and keep her safe, and I'll find a way to make it so that you'll forget all about me, and this place, for good."

"No, Caeli. I won't make that choice."

"Please, I can't stand not knowing. I promise I won't retaliate against her or anything. I'm no villain."

"I know you're not, but I can't tell you because I won't be the one to make this decision."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm okay with taking a few risks. You're worth it, to me. But Elena might not be so daring. We'll leave it for her to decide. I was so lost, wallowing in my helplessness over this situation, that I lost sight of something. I think this could all work out for you, after all. You know, she was really excited to meet you?"

"She... was? Me? How? Why?" she stuttered, her brow suddenly fraught with worry. "What exactly did you tell her?"

"Honestly, not much. She's a smart one. She knows nothing about the demi, or that you're a succubus. But I happened to pass down some of the things that I learned from being with you, that wound up helping her out of a bit of an identity crisis. I couldn't bring myself to take credit for any of those pearls of wisdom, and she sort of guessed at the rest. So if it were entirely up to me, I'm going to have to be a bit greedy and choose the both of you. You're still planning on introducing me to more of your friends, aren't you? Well then why shouldn't I be allowed to introduce you to one of mine?"

"But that's... that's dangerous."

"More dangerous than me being here? More dangerous than what she's already had to face? I'm sure we can find a way to endure that all together. Already, she adores you. Or at least, her idea of you. Your advice gave her the strength to tackle some hard challenges, and she flourished under that guidance. So I think we can all have what we want here. You'll have me, she'll have you, and I get to see both of you lovely ladies be happy. That's my hope, anyways."

"You drive a hard bargain. This is exactly what I mean. You challenge me. You're starting to get me all excited again. I really hope you're right. Bringing a close to this matter, for the time being, I have just one more question for you."

"Lay it on me."

"You've bedded her, haven't you?"

Somehow, he both had and hadn't expected that question to come up at some point, and still it came as a surprise. Nothing seemed to get passed her. His spittle caught in the back of his throat, and he choked. Coughing hoarsely, he tried to clear his throat. "Nope."

She quirked an eyebrow incredulously.

"In a manner of speaking, as no beds were ever involved," he replied full of sarcastic wit, aiming to turn her usual playfulness back on her a bit.

"You fiend." Instead of the anger she had brandished at him the last time she had used that word, Caeli grinned broadly, her eyes starting to cloud with desire. "Just so you know, there's no use hiding such things from me. I've had a chance to read into your aura. Your and hers. The signs are faint, but to a succubus, such soul scrying is child's play. A union between lovers leaves telltale marks. A little of her is entwined with you now. But you're all over her. She's really quite taken by you, you know?"

"How does that make you feel?"

"Don't worry. I'm not mad. I must admit, I did consider that possibility when I set you loose. After all, you managed to charm me, Syl, and Iara. What chance do mortal women have against that prowess?" She smirked.

"Is that your way of trying to cheer me up? I might just let that all go to my head. Maybe you were right. Maybe I do have a little incubus soul in me."

"Well, what's he doing in there? He needs to hurry the heck up and get inside me!" Caeli's simmering lust suddenly hit its boiling point, and she pounced back on top of Benson. Already she was nibbling at his neck, her delicate hands roaming all over his chest.

"Ack, Caeli, wait." He struggled to hold her back, at arm's reach. "You don't know how much I've wanted to come back to you. But we can't do this, not now. Not while Elena's still in pain. This just doesn't feel right."

With her superhuman strength, she brushed his hands aside like they were nothing, before grabbing them and placing them at her back. Despite his protestations, he didn't let go, instead holding her perfect body tightly.

"You're still worried and stressed, I get that. But is any of that stress doing anything productive for you? There's nothing you can do right now. Iara will come through for her, you'll see. All we can at the moment is sit tight and wait. And personally, I'm done waiting. I waited all week, and was prepared to wait even longer, only to find that another woman's being enjoying you all that time in my stead. That seems more than just a little unfair, don't you think?"

She was right. He could only place his faith in Iara's miracle hands at this moment. Meanwhile, he had unintentionally caused Caeli suffering as well, and she was offering a way to make that up to her.

For the first time this afternoon, he let his fingers seek more than just the warmth of her embrace. Now he stroked and probed the smooth skin along her shoulder blades, luxuriating in her calming softness. She smiled gently in response. His fingertips crawled gently along the length of her spine, her breathing becoming heavier in anticipation, as he slowly made his way towards the sensitive spot at the small of her back.

He paused for a moment, when he realized that his hands hadn't crossed her bra strap, her back entirely bare.

"Wait, what exactly are you wearing?"

"You really were distracted. You didn't notice at all?" She smiled, and laughed. She pushed herself up off him, and stepped back to stand in full view. She had her glasses on, but rather than her uniform, she appeared before him in a skimpy, halterneck babydoll. The dark, sheer garment was held in place by a lacy choker around her neck, but was split entirely down the middle, draping in separate curtains that cradled her spectacular breasts with decoratively lacy cups that only partially obscured her perky pink nipples, and left most of her trim midriff bare. She spun around on bare feet, the loose loop of fabric connected in back and flying up, only to settle low under her buttocks, leaving half the valley of her ass bare beneath her low-cut black panties.

"Wow. Just... words fail. I'm sorry. You're looking for companionship, and I just keep on bringing you drama instead. I don't know how it is that you can be so patient with me. I don't deserve you. So please, let me apologize." He quickly stood to unfasten his belt, and his heavy pants, still slightly damp with water, dropped weightily to the floor.