The Succubae Seduction Bk. 02: The Twins Ch. 21

Eldon finally meets with Shlee's fiancée, while waiting for his sister to be rescued. Will Shelly be okay, and how will Shlee's first fiancée handle Eldon's presence?

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Chapter 21

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Devil's Reward

Shlee tapped Eldon's shoulder and pointed to a large rock. "I think that one is it," she stated in his ear, barely audible over the blowing wind. They were still on his roc's back, flying over the dry landscape on the border between Fire and Darkness's demesne. Eldon was lost in his own thoughts, trying to figure out what he was going to say to the vampire. Somehow, 'Hello. Nice to meet you. You have a wonderful fiancée, and oh, by the way, we're also in love and there's not a thing any of us can do about it,' didn't seem to be appropriate.

"Are you sure this time?" Eldon asked back. This was the third time she'd said it was the spot to land, only to get down there and have her change her mind.

"Stop being a brat," she lightly slapped him on the shoulder. "Everything looks different from above. I'm used to following the trail and scent to it. That's impossible from up here."

He nodded and signaled their ride to land. The roc let out a raucous cry, and banked to the right. A few seconds later they were on the ground and Shlee was running towards the large rock. Large rock was an understatement, as it was nearly as large as the roc.

"This is it," she yelled to Megan and him as they walked up. She was pointing to a spot near the bottom, where the boulder rose up and hung over the ground by about a foot. "This is the one. See right here? This is where we carved our initials after he proposed to me."

Eldon felt his heart drop at those words. Because of what Gloria had done to him and Shlee, he loved her. It was one thing for her to mention it, and to know that they were heading to talk to the other man, but it was another to see the spot where he'd proposed.

"Now, this other fella is a vampire, right?" Megan asked, glancing up at the sky. "It's light here, though a bit dimmer than earlier. I understand that only the Pillar of Darkness's area is dark all the time, and that the borders, like here, aren't as bright. But I gotta wonder, how did he manage to propose to you out here?"

"It's how I knew he truly loved me," Shlee said, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, he was covered up from head to toe, and wearing this big goofy hat, but the fact that he was willing to come all the way out here, just to spend a little more time with me, meant the world."

Eldon felt Megan's elbow jab him in the ribs. "You ever do anything like that to prove your love?"

Eldon glared at her a moment before thinking of his response. "I risk my life all the time. Or I used to, before I became permanent. There are other ways to show love."

"Spoken like a man who isn't willing to go the distance," she scoffed. She flipped around to face Shlee, her deep red hair flipping around behind her.

Eldon ground his teeth in frustration. "I'm currently going to talk to my girlfriend's fiancée, literally going into the Devil's den to do so. I'm doing this so that she, at the very least, can be happy."

"You don't have to defend yourself to me," Megan said with a laugh.

Eldon's fists balled up until they hurt as he struggled to hold in his anger. Who did she think she was? He hadn't asked her to come find him; hadn't even wanted her to follow after them. She didn't know him. What right did she have to make any judgements?

She glanced up at him, and he noticed something in her eyes. Was that approval? What the hell was wrong with her?

He chose to keep his mouth shut, and moved over to Shlee's side. "Where do we go from here?"

"Northwest," Shlee stated as she brushed the dirt off her legs. She pointed into the darkened horizon, and Eldon didn't miss the hopeful gleam in her eyes.

"Cheer up, bucko," Megan bumped him with her hip. "She looks the same way when she looks at you."

He glared at the other woman, but was unwilling to admit that her words offered a little balm to his mood. It didn't help when she ran up to the werewolf and asked, "So, how did you two meet?"

A grin split Shlee's features as her eyes turned distant. "I was going to visit my uncle, who lives in the Pillar of Darkness's demesne."

Eldon didn't want to hear this, but found he couldn't stop himself. He took a couple quick steps and reached for Shlee's hand. He told himself it was not to remind her that he existed. He loved her, and just wanted to be close to her. He would support her in whatever she needed. His heart lightened when she turned and smiled at him, before continuing her story. Megan on the other side gave him a speculative look, but said nothing.

"Some people think that it's entirely dark, no light at all within there," Shlee pointed to the darkening sky. "There is some light, though most humans' eyes aren't sharp enough to see it. That much light is forbidden without permission. Well, I haven't been to my uncle's place very much, and ended up getting lost. Despite my heightened senses, one of the creatures that live there snuck up on me."

She fell silent for a moment, lost in memory. Eldon squeezed her hand offering comfort, and she gave him another smile.

"I don't know if something bigger scared it off, but it left me bleeding out on the ground. I thought I was dead for sure. I didn't dare call out for help, afraid of what else might find me." She shuddered, no doubt remembering the experience that had to be horrifying. "I knew the second he approached. I could sense the wrongness in him. Despite my injuries, I tried to attack him. My instincts took over, but I was no match for him in that condition."

"Wait," Megan interrupted and shook her head. "You mean your fiancée, or someone else?"

Shlee let out a short laugh before answering. "It was Dimitri, my fiancée. He knocked me out within seconds. When I woke up, I was surprised to find I was alive. Not only that, but I was bandaged up. Of course, I was also tied up and couldn't break free."

"Did he make you his sex slave?" Megan asked with a gasp. "Daddy told me some men are like that. That's why he taught me to defend myself."

"What?" Shlee asked, shocked at the notion. "No! He was a perfect gentleman. He took care of my injuries, though at first, I tried to eat him every time he came close. I'd shift into a wolf, but my bindings were magically spelled and still me."

Despite himself, Eldon was hooked on listening to his girlfriend's words. This was the most he'd heard about his girl's other man, and while he wanted to hate the vampire, he was finding he might actually like him. Their surroundings had entirely darkened, though he was still able to make out the rocky ground as they went. It wouldn't be too much farther before he was relying on Shlee's guidance, unless he transformed. He couldn't think of any forms that had superior night vision, though. Something he needed to rectify when the opportunity presented itself.

"How did he stop himself from killing you outright?" Eldon asked, seeing the flaw in her story. She was helpless in his power, and he didn't take advantage of her? Vampires and werewolves were mortal enemies. It was literally in their blood. The two groups couldn't stand to be around one another, without some inner instinct kicking in, demanding they kill each other.

"Because how could I hurt such a magnificent beauty?" a different male voice responded. The new man had an old Germanic accent, but was easily understood.

"Dee!" Shlee squealed and let go of Eldon's hand. She ran to a tall, thin shadow and flung her arms around the other person. There was no denying the sound of kissing as the two lovers reunited.

Does she have to growl like that? he thought with more than a touch of anger. She growls that way when I kiss her neck... Stop it! She was engaged to him first. I'm the other man. This isn't her fault... Seriously? How long are they going to make out?

"Who are our guests?" Dimitri asked, breaking into Eldon's darkening thoughts.

"We're not snacks!" Megan piped up, her voice a bit higher than usual.

Dimitri's laugh was smooth and rich as it burst from him. "Of course not! My little wolf knows I'm not like others of my kind."

"So... Um, you don't drink human blood?" Megan all but squeaked. It was the most nervous Eldon had seen the woman. She hadn't acted like that when facing the myrmidon, but this vampire was making her weak in the knees?

"Of course I do," Dimitri replied with ease, making Megan gasp and move closer to Eldon. He had no doubt that it was so she could protect him easier. She couldn't be afraid... Not the Megan he knew. "But I don't take it from the unwilling."

"Hi, I'm Eldon," he spoke up and held out his hand to the other man. If he just happened to step between Megan and the vampire, it couldn't be helped. He wasn't trying to separate the two. He had no reason to suspect that this smooth voiced man was trying to pick up another woman. And he knew she could protect herself. He was just trying to be polite, he told himself.

"Eldon..." Dimitri said, as though tasting the word. "Eldon... Hmm... Dark hair and gray eyes... As in Sheldon Lance? Son of the hero of the Chaos War, Lyden Snow?"

"Yes," he replied, unsure he liked the fact that a vampire could identify him so easily.

"Relax!" the blood-sucker laughed, as though sensing Eldon's misgivings. Or could Dimitri read his mind? That thought scared him. Somehow it was all right for a girlfriend to do it, but for a potential enemy? "I follow Shlee's career, and know she's been working with your family while maintaining her cover as a reporter."

Eldon sighed in relief, until Dimitri continued on. "Of course, that doesn't explain why you two were holding hands like lovers?" His voice didn't get angry, but remained smooth, rich, and inquisitive.

Shlee finally unglued herself from his side, and he let her go, his head turned towards Eldon. He couldn't be certain in the darkness, but thought the other man was staring right at him, and not Megan who had stepped up to his side.

"There's something we need to tell you, Dee," Shlee began, but Eldon interrupted. If things went badly, he wanted the other man to hate him, and not Shlee.

"Aphrodite, or Gloria as she goes by now, cast a love spell on both of us, not knowing that Shlee was already engaged to you." That came out easier than Eldon expected, though his heart hammered in his chest like a bass drum.

Dimitri was silent for a long moment before he spoke. "And did you petition the old goddess to remove the geas? Or her son, Eros?"

"Eros?" Megan piped up. "As in Cupid? I thought he was a myth. And what is a gaysh?"

"Of course he's real, you st—" Dimitri paused and took a calming breath. "Forgive me, this news has set my nerves awry. Many of the ancient gods had multiple names. The Greeks knew him as Eros and her Aphrodite. The Romans renamed them Cupid and Venus. A geas is from Irish folklore, meaning an obligation or prohibition magically imposed on a person."

"Well, that sums up those two all right," Megan chuckled. "It's obvious that they've been fighting it, but you can still tell they're in love."

"Would you shut up," Eldon muttered under his breath. She wasn't helping things with her questions, or her blunt talk. "Gloria hasn't exactly been around for us to confront," he continued in a mollifying tone.

"And so... what?" Dimitri asked, his tone starting to harden. "You came to rub my nose in it?"

"No, Dee!" Shlee pleaded and grabbed his arm. "It's not like that. I still love you and want to marry you. We can show our races that we can exist in peace."

"But you love him, also." Dimitri said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Shlee admitted, and then rushed on. "But he's a great guy. I think you two would get along great, if you gave it a chance! I know the situation isn't ideal, but he's willing to work with us."

Dimitri finally turned his head away from Eldon and looked to the woman holding his arm. They remained silent, and after another nudge from Megan, Eldon forced words to form in his throat. "Like Shlee said, it's not ideal, but she really does love you. I didn't want to come between you two, and so we came to work things out."

He didn't want this. He didn't want to share Shlee with another man, but she loved Dimitri, and he had no right to refuse her that love. Didn't she have to share him with Mandy? He knew his feelings were unfair. He was being selfish, but he couldn't deny how he felt. He did love Shlee, and she deserved to be happy.

"No, this is not ideal at all," Dimitri said. Eldon wished he could see well enough to make out his facial expressions. He seemed too still for Eldon's liking, making body language impossible to translate. The vampire turned to Megan and asked, "And this other woman? Is she supposed to be some sort of sacrifice? Or are we to share her as well?"

"Hold on there, big guy," Megan put her hands up in front of her. "I ain't here to be shared, or sacrificed. You might say I'm moral support."

"Moral support?" Dimitri scoffed. "I'm ancient, and my morals may be a bit different from yours. You children and your current politics, ha! When I was still human, we may have had our fun. I knew that even after I married, I would still have my mistresses on the side, but they wouldn't be public. My future wife might have her men as well, and as long as they were discreet, it wouldn't matter. But to do so openly would be a disgrace."

"Dee, my love!" Shlee pleaded with him, but he moved, shaking her from his arm. "I'm sorry! I never meant for it to happen like this. We can work this out! Please! I love you, Dee."

Eldon hated seeing her plead like that. It tore at his heart to see her on the verge of tears, but this was between them. He had no right to step in the middle of this.

Up until the point where he saw the vampire lift his hand to strike Shlee.

"I should have realized that you would rut around with anything that had a cock between his legs," Dimitri swung to hit Shlee, but Eldon caught the blow in the crook of his elbow.

"I'm not sure what kind of morals allow you to hit a woman," Eldon grunted as he had to throw all of his weight behind stopping the blow. The man's arm was surprisingly skinny for his height, but equally shocking was his strength. "But I was raised to treat women with more respect and dignity than that."

Eldon didn't see Dimitri's other fist move until stars exploded in his head. He knew vampires were supposed to be strong, and while he was knocked to the rough ground, it was a lighter blow than he expected.

"Dee, no!" Shlee screamed as Eldon noticed the tall thin shadow step over him.

A light sprang, up from somewhere, illuminating the vampire. His fangs poked from between bloodless lips, and his dark eyes shown with hatred. "You had to ruin it." Somehow the man's voice still sounded smooth, even though there was a note of contained fury in it. "Everything was planned and worked out, but you had to come along and ruin everything."

Eldon tried to get to his feet, but another swift blow had him tasting the dirt. Weaker than expected or not, those punches hurt!

"Dimitri, stop it!" Shlee yelled, using her fiancée's full name for the first time. Eldon was vaguely aware of her trying to pull him away, but he shoved her to the ground and delivered a kick to Eldon's stomach. "Megan, turn off that light before it's too late!"

"You've ruined everything. All of my carefully laid plans are ruined now, thanks to you," Dimitri spat on Eldon, the spittle hitting his cheek.

"Stop it or I'll shoot," Megan warned, ignoring Shlee's demand.

The vampire moved with nearly lethal velocity as he knocked Megan's pistol away and picked her up by the throat. He sniffed along her torso and grinned. "You smell like a virgin. Your blood will be sweet indeed. After I kill that fool, perhaps I'll turn you into one of my thralls."

"What's wrong with you?" Shlee asked. Her eyes were golden in the light from Megan's dropped cell phone. Her mouth extended out into a muzzle, but she hadn't fully changed yet. "This isn't like you, Dee."

"Stop calling me that!" the smooth quality of Dimitri's voice started to crack. "I'm so sick and tired of pandering to you, and putting up with your dumb names. I'm almost glad this whole thing has failed. At least now I can quit pretending."

"Dee-Dimitri?" Shlee asked. Eldon could hear her heart breaking in her voice.

He rolled to his side, head still spinning, and saw Megan's pistol a few feet away. Moving for it, he managed to regain his feet, but saw two of the vampire, holding two redheads. The two Megans were struggling to break free, but they were no match for the undead monsters choking them.

Eldon rubbed at his eyes, and the four people coalesced into two. "Put her down," Eldon demanded and fired a round into the vampire's back. Dimitri didn't even flinch as he turned and gave Eldon a queer smile.

"That can't hurt me. I wonder though, how are you even standing?" His voice still held his anger, but now there was a note of smooth curiosity. "I know your bloodline is strong, but you should be down with a cracked skull."

"I'm just lucky, I guess," Eldon said and aimed for the creature's head. He'd expected things to go poorly, but not this poorly. His aim wasn't as good as Megan's but he started to pull back on the trigger.

Before he could complete the small movement, Megan blurred as she was moved between the two men.

"You can't shoot me, without hitting her," Dimitri taunted.

"Do... it..." Megan gasped through her almost closed throat.

Eldon squinted his eyes, trying to find a spot he could shoot and miss the other woman. There wasn't one. He knew there were a few thin spots on the human body that he could shoot through to hit the vampire... He stopped and dropped the weapon. That bullet would carry Megan's blood on it, and end up strengthening the vampire. Short of a stake through his heart, holy water, or ripping off his head, there wasn't much Eldon could do against this undead creature. As long as he held Megan, he couldn't even get close.

"Put her down, and we'll leave you in peace," Eldon tried to reason with him. "There are three of us, and only one of you."

Dimitri laughed. It was a dark and sinister sound that sent chills through Eldon. "You fools! You brought a light into the Pillar of Darkness's demesne without his permission. Do you think you'll get half a chance to leave here alive? You'd be better served letting me feed from your hearts, than trust to the Pillar of Darkness's kindness."

"Why are you doing this?" Shlee demanded to know, tears reflecting the light from Megan's dropped phone. "I thought you loved me!" Her face showed fur sprouting from her wet cheeks, but she still looked partly human.

"Ha! I could love you no more than I'd love a rat! Worse, you're a werewolf! It took every ounce of my willpower not to kill you after my friends weakened you. You were going to be an important part of my plan, though. With your help, I was going to destroy the werewolves! Now I'll have to start all over again. All those months wasted! All that foolish simpering I had to pretend at, for nothing! And to think I actually had sex with a dog! I had to scrub my body for hours every time to get the stink off!"

Something snapped in Eldon. Without intending to, his body morphed into ogre form. In one quick step he smashed the phone, extinguishing its light. He stopped in confusion for a moment, knowing his target was before him, but unable to see with the sudden absence of light.