In the World Away from It All

Ray couldn't stop, however. He loosed himself from her locked legs and tight wet pussy. Cierra sat up to meet his red pulsing cock as he shot his massive jets of cum all over her face. She sighed pleasurably with Ray's almost pained groan of release. He finally settled falling back to the couch and Cierra cleaned her face with a manicured finger making sure to eat all of Ray's mess from her face.

Cierra smiled after cleaning herself up in such a debaucherous manner. "Wanna go again?"

He carried her through the mansion and into the upstairs bathroom, where reluctantly they had sex again. Ray felt so alone after such sessions. That night as Cierra slept next to him, elated and deliciously sore from all their fucking, he felt like their king-size bed was an island that he could never escape. It was during nights like those that he thought about Thesipha. He regretted leaving her the way he did. Ray knew he would never see her again, but sometimes he liked to dream.

CHAPTER 6

Thesipha sat up in the early morning thinking about her interesting encounter with the town's mayor. She had never seen anyone so odd in her life, not a human, at least. Was Cierra even human? She looked forward to their meeting so much that she had lost sleep in the wee hours. Sleep had been evading her lately, but today, she might actually rest easy after seeing Ray. She wore a baby blue sundress and a pair of sandals before tying her hair in a ponytail. She was glad that she no longer needed to hide her appearance from anyone. Around here, she was starting to feel safe. She decided she would go for a walk in the hopes of getting a better reception than the last day.

When she came downstairs this time, Jeff gave her a faint smile. For a so-called abandoned town, Thesipha was impressed with how perfect everything looked. She passed a few stores before stopping at a coffee shop to have breakfast. All eyes were on her, but it felt a little easier to handle. It was a small shop that stood out from the ones next to it. Her sandals made a squeaky sound on the polished hardwood floors as she approached the counter. The barista being a tall silver-haired woman with two nose rings stunned Thesipha. Her eyes lit up when she saw Thesipha and greeted her delightfully. Thesipha however was stunned. This woman was beyond beautiful--in fact, inhumanely beautiful.

Thesipha cleared her throat. "Hi I-I'll have a croissant and an espresso." Thesipha felt utterly shy in this vixen's presence and awkwardly handed the barista a five-dollar bill.

The barista laughed at the attention before speaking, "Forgive me for staring, but are you a real nymph?" she whispered while she punched in the cash register and moved to make the coffee.

Thesipha nodded politely and asked her to keep it down about that information lest anyone with malicious intent who was horribly ignorant might find out. The barista got very excited at the information, and she nearly dropped the change when she was handing it back.

"You have quite the energy flowing around you. I can feel you all the way from here. I have never felt anything quite like you before," Thesipha confessed. Her hair color matched her electric cloudy eyes, a quality that was hard to ignore.

"The name is Faye. I'm a succubus." She reached out her pale hands for a handshake. She was unusually proud to say that out loud. There was nothing good about creatures like her and Thesipha found herself looking away from her mesmerizing gaze and politely pulled her hand away. She'd heard stories of their more than invasive control of beings and their rarity themselves.

"Do not be afraid, I'm not like the rest of them," she defended herself. "That's why I'm here. A couple of my sisters and I were exiled by Lilith herself. We did not submit like she wanted so as punishment, we would roam the earth without a coven." She took a deep breath.

"At first I was miserable; I thought I would not be able to survive until I came here. Truth is, I have had worse fates than living in Portlock." She winked at Thesipha and handed her the coffee. Thesipha almost gasped at the wink as it sent a tingle from her spine all the way down to her nether regions.

Seeing as the place remained somewhat empty, they continued talking. Thesipha told Faye about how she'd ended up in the town and how strange she thought it was. Faye was impressed by her adventures with Artemis and the bubble, chiming in with questions and thoughts. She was quite the chatty one too. When Thesipha asked about the town, Faye did not hesitate to gossip.

"Cierra allows creatures to live here only on condition--that we work. Also, she does not like too many of the same type of creature all at once and does not find them useful. Too much of something is poisonous, she says." The word emanated from her mouth so casually one would think what she said was normal.

Thesipha was perturbed by the revelation. She was now convinced that something in Portlock was off. So what was the purpose of the town exactly? Was it a battery, an ark, or a prison? Thesipha thought. It had to be one of those. The town's isolation did not make much sense to her outside of this "haven" image being peddled by none other than the mayor herself. That was not her mission, however. She was just glad that the bubble in this town was not her problem.

"I wish I knew what to tell you. A battery would make sense if the town was highly industrious. An ark...hmmm, that's an interesting take on it, but what for? Now a prison, that would just be outright cruel,'' Faye joked, throwing Thesipha off.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" Thesipha was stunned! Obviously, succubi are a lot more powerful than she understood.

"Just like nymphs can feel emotional intention, I can listen to your thoughts. If you're weak willed enough, I can outright control them," Faye responded.

That's when talking to this demon made a thought click in Thesipha's head. The tattoos. The town. The power. Cierra was either one unusual witch or she was a warlock. If there is one demon-kin in front of her who is to say there isn't a pact holder like the Circe of her time. She had encountered them in the ancient days. They were forged from a pact between humans and demon lords and they were nothing to play with. She knew how powerful they could be more than anyone here could imagine. These demons resided in Tartarus. Trapped from a legendary battle with gods in some far-flung dessert from Greek civilization. These pacts and communes were the only way most of them could tamper with the world outside of the mostly independent succubi.

Faye stared at her before confessing that the mayor was one. "I thought by now you'd have known. I learnt that Cierra was a warlock when I first moved here. I would not give her such a harsh judgment," Faye said cautiously but also with some understanding. Demonic beings had a bad rap, and it wasn't like a lot of them helped the image.

Thesipha's eyes widened. Perhaps that was why she found Cierra to be such a mystery. She literally could not feel anything when they met.

"What makes you so sure that the mayor is not evil?" Thesipha sipped her espresso savoring that final sip. It always tasted better towards the end to her conversely to other opinions of humans.

Faye shrugged. "I guess it is hard for me to say that when I'm a succubus. What makes a person evil? It is not the creature you are but the things you do... your intentions."

Faye had a point. Thesipha had seen many creatures that had proved her wrong and Cierra would have to do the same. She had been so caught up in her day, she failed to realize what time it was. Thanking Faye for her time, she tipped her and dashed out bound for City Hall.

Cierra was standing outside City Hall with Ray after coming from a meeting with the gnomes which had only served to break the little beings spirits to Ray's dismay. He knew he'd make goodwill by helping bring supplies to build their new domiciles when they moved. She was worked up about the tone of their leader who, according to her, failed to recognize her authority. It was, in fact, she who had been unreasonable, resulting in a heated argument that left both parties disgruntled. All Ray had to do was stand there and listen to her endless rants and act like he was on her side to pacify and avoid more horrendous treatment. He stood firmly one step lower so he would not tower over her. All the while Cierra had forgotten about her afternoon shenanigans.

Thesipha saw that it was three PM and panicked. They had not agreed on a specific time, but she sure did not want to miss the opportunity to see Ray for any less time. She was beginning to think that it was a bad idea. Her palms grew sweatier when she came into sight. She carefully adjusted her dress as she reached the steps unaware that Cierra had already spotted her.

Cierra frowned when she saw how lovely she looked in that blue sundress. Not what she had planned, but this would do. Ray's back was facing the nymph, so he had not seen her just yet. That was Cierra's opportunity to stir up trouble. She pretended to slip, and Ray caught her wrapping his arms around her waist. Thesipha lifted her head up just in time to see them.

"Cierra!" she called out and waved. She slowed down as she tried to catch her breath.

The moment Ray heard her voice, he let Cierra go and turned around only for their eyes to meet. He couldn't believe it. She was like a dream, as beautiful as he remembered; no, prettier. How was this even possible?

"Thesipha?" he asked, going down the steps to meet her in a haste. For a moment, he forgot where he was, holding her hand and placing it on his face. He needed to feel her to make sure he was not having another dream. It was a tenderness he never thought lived in his soul.

Thesipha was so happy to see him that she practically ran while Cierra was turning green. It was not the reaction she'd expected after the stunt she had just pulled.

"I'm sorry I took so long to find you," she apologized, a tear welling in her eye.

She was and still is the good part of him he thought he had lost forever. He was filled with so much guilt that all he could do was hug her tightly. He was terrified if he let go she'd be gone for good. For the first time in eight years the wolf in his soul was utterly silent, pacified.

Thesipha was filled with guilt too for she felt like she had let him down. He had changed a lot since they last saw each other, and she wondered if he felt the same way about her. His once long hair was now short in a darker shade of blond. He still had the scar on his lip but had grown tremendously. He was a more muscular version of himself and had a grim look on his face. She sensed the pain when she looked in his eyes and it worried her.

Their long embrace filled Cierra with a quiet rage that she longed to unleash on both of them. How dare he when she was just standing there? She wanted to burn Thesipha on the spot; that would be a good way to teach Ray a lesson. Instead, she decided she was going to pretend, make them trust her as she got to know their secrets. Then she would take away everything Ray loved and relish in it. His last connection to anyone but her would be cut away. He would only belong to her--forever.

"Isn't that just lovely? There's nothing I love more than seeing two friends reunite after a long time." Cierra put on the best acting skills she could gather.

"Actually, Ray is more than just a friend. He is the first man I ever loved." Thesipha turned to Cierra. "Thank you, Cierra. This would never have happened if it was not for you." She planted a faint kiss on his lips causing Cierra to squirm. Cierra almost pushed her down to the ground. In fact, she pictured it in her mind's eye how the poor nymph would fall and break her head. How tragic. And no one would prove foul play because it was her town! Oh how she would enjoy taking her time in killing Thesipha.

"Wow, isn't that wonderful?" Cierra was smiling so hard that her face began to hurt. Ray could hear the sarcasm in her voice which Thesipha missed. It put Ray on edge as he began to watch his malicious lover carefully.

Why would Cierra help him find this joy? A joy she'd never bothered to learn if he had.

"While I love a good reunion, I'm afraid we have to rush. Ray has a tremendous workload to cover. How about I make a reservation at the best restaurant in town so you can catch up some more?" Cierra discovered that trying to be nice was a hard task for her. Those falsely sweet words made her want to cut her own tongue out.

Thesipha was disappointed that Ray had to leave but the idea of a one on one rekindled her spirits. On the other hand, Ray knew Cierra was up to something; he just didn't know what it was.

"Ray, be sure to pick up your assignment from my desk," added Cierra. This was a hint that Thesipha needed to leave.

Thesipha agreed to Cierra's proposal and gave Ray one last embrace before walking off.

Cierra started walking up the stairs when Ray hurried to catch up. When he walked up beside her she grabbed his arm with a desperation he had not seen from her ever. "Why didn't you tell me about her?" she shot at him furiously, careful not to make a scene. They were standing at the entrance when she noticed Thesipha was now out of sight.

Ray was a mixture of emotions. He was happy yet he felt ashamed of everything he had done with Cierra.

"You never bothered asking me anything about me after you had me." Ray did not think the words through before saying them.

Cierra turned around to slap him, but he caught her arm unexpectedly. At that moment, Cierra felt like she had no control over him, and it made her stomach churn.

"What is your angle here exactly, Cierra? What is it that you really want?" Ray was not in the mood for her silly games; he was more self-affirmed in this moment than he had ever been in his life.

Cierra pulled her arm away and moved back. "I do not know. Maybe I'm getting bored with this relationship. Perhaps it is best if you go away with Thesipha," said Cierra as she pulled her arm from his grip and went inside. Ray looked around before following her into City Hall. She sat in the lobby fuming while Ray went into her office to collect his assignment. As she slowly began to calm down, she realized that she did not want to be away from Ray. Of course, she never meant what she said, even if she felt it. She thought she loved him for a second and then became repulsed. She doesn't love things. She possesses them. She quickly stood and followed after Ray.

Ray was going through the files on her desk when Cierra walked in and closed the door.

"Look, forget about what I said. You and I work well together. Let's not change that. We have such good chemistry." She held his hand, and he looked at her and smiled after a seconds delay. He was faking it, but she did not know, she was so blinded by her emotions. Ray seized the opportunity to deceive her.

"How about we cool things off before you go?" Cierra put his hand on her ass hoping he'd squeeze it but instead he pulled away and grabbed his assignment. She pushed him to the corner planting a wet kiss on him that he found hard to resist. Ray pulled her closer returning the kiss ravenously but when she started to unzip his trousers, he stopped her.

"I have to go." Ray adjusted his clothes while she helped him with his collar unaware that she had just planted a magic symbol on it. She knew he was not going to surrender so easily, but she had a plan. After Ray left with his folder in hand, she paged her front desk and made reservations at Satyrs for two with a menacing smile.

CHAPTER 7

Thesipha couldn't contain her joy. But all her years of existing and experience had done their best to temper her reactions. Her day--her mission--couldn't have gone better. She had arrived at the hotel about an hour after her meeting with Ray and had not stopped smiling since. She'd always heard of dates and seen them on TV when Delilah had gone to bed. But to go on one, with a man she loved, nonetheless, that was a position she actually hadn't stopped to imagine herself in. She lay pondering exactly how it would go. She wondered how much Ray had changed aside from him becoming more muscular since she had last seen him. Her thoughts wondered if Ray had lain with Cierra even. The idea of Ray having been with the mayor didn't fill her with jealousy as much as concern. Her thoughts on what Ray had been up to all these years gave way when her hotel room phone rang. It was the catty receptionist from the mayor's office telling her that the reservation for their dinner was ready at a restaurant called Satyrs.

She chose a simple outfit and ditched the summer dress. If she was meeting Ray, she wanted to be her true self. She chose a more simplified and modern version of the dress she first met Ray in all those years ago. Something Greek and comfortable and made of cotton. But also not a dress that would make her stand out above the rest in the room.

Ray was wrapping up work on the other side of town. He was at the local merman's fish port on a mission to shake him down about taxes he owed, though Ray's heart was never in it. He took the merman's pleas and gave him another month after refusing the pittance he offered Ray. Ray offered his softness through an act of absolutes and aggression. Though when people fought back, or things got rough... well, Ray wouldn't hesitate to fight. He could have threatened the merman about his little returns. He had been coming short of his payment and Cierra suspected that he was pocketing some for himself. Ray would plead with Cierra in subtle ways when he could to have her drop taxes or shift her focus. Cierra was smart but if he played his cards right the smaller infractions could slide under her radar.

"Look, I do not want to have to do this, but you know the mayor does not take stealing lightly. I know the catches are light but do something until the mayor changes her mind on the taxation," he warned.

"How is it stealing if it is our hard-earned money? How is it our problem if the fishing season is awful? Tell me that, brigand," asked the merman incredulously.

It surprised Ray. Most wouldn't stand up for themselves and despite his wolf's fury at the words it filled him with a sense of comfort to know they'd had enough. He was glad they didn't fear them and soon they'd see Cierra for what she was. Though Ray couldn't help but admit the dynamic was set up perfectly. They feared Ray and in turn respected Cierra. They'd sooner mob and kill Ray before moving on to Cierra.

When he got to the office to drop his report, the receptionist was waiting for him to let him know about the reservation. The news only fueled his anxiety. He was undoubtedly excited but struggled with his conscience. The Ray that Thesipha loved was the Ray who detested violence. He was afraid Thesipha wouldn't love the Ray who had fucked and murdered and now worked as a glorified thug. Maybe this is what he was. What Artemis had turned him into was what he'd always be--an animal. He lived with Cierra and couldn't stomach seeing her or talk to her. Ray would rather go to dinner in his jacket and jeans than something nice and having to suffer through Cierra's words. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction, so he went straight to the restaurant.

Thesipha hoped she was not late but when she got there, she saw Ray walking towards the entrance as well. She watched his strut trying her best not to blush. He had grown from a beautiful young man into a rugged and handsome one. To her it seemed like his walk to the table was happening in slow motion. All their memories. That brief time. All so sweet.

Finally Ray reached the table and Thesipha stood to meet him. Ray leaned for a hug and kissed her on the cheek as a greeting. "You look lovely," he said softly. He smelled something. She had a familiar scent on her that he felt he had known all his life, but it wasn't exactly hers.