This is my submission for the
Halloween Story Contest 2023
!
Inspired by my lovely girlfriend, the best domme in the game.
***
Sir Valis Donnelly had been a bounty hunter for the Kingdom of Norr for over 10 years. A sharp-witted, agile warrior taught by the best mentor in the land, Valis had gained a reputation for his specialty in fighting the unnatural forces that forced their way into the world of the living, specifically demons. He spent his career slaying succubi and rescuing entire cities from their thrall with the greatest of ease, never falling victim to their charms.
It was for this that he caught the eye of Norr's King, who requested an audience with Valis one summer morning while the royal court was in session. Not one to turn down his King, Valis appeared, and was pleased to find that the King wanted to offer him a higher position within his court.
Just as they were discussing the terms, the King's assistant interrupted the session, seemingly in distress.
"Sire, I apologize for disrupting the court, but someone has approached the capital with an emergency that needs your attention."
The King at first glared at his assistant, but softened when he saw a young woman appear behind him, looking frazzled and terrified.
"I will forgive the interruption for now. Please approach the court, madam."
The woman stepped forward, shaking as she approached the King.
"My name is Jane and I hail from Prine, your Highness. We are a small but mighty town located in the southern region. Over the past month our people have been... disappearing. Men and women alike have seemingly vanished into thin air. When this started, we had a population of 120. As of now, there are only 53 of us left."
Sir Valis saw his opportunity and stepped in.
"Sire, if what she says is true, this sounds like a demon who is already well into her feeding cycle. If we don't stop her soon, she could grow strong enough to spread to other towns."
"And what do you propose we do, Sir Valis?"
"Send me to Prine. I will personally snuff out this demon and return peace to the land of Norr."
The King thought for a moment, running a hand through his beard as he looked from the young woman seeking help back to the bounty hunter before him.
"I trust your judgement, Sir Valis. This will be your test. You will ride for Prine at dusk, eradicate this demon and return to the Capital as soon as it is done. I grant you two weeks to accomplish your task. If you can manage this, I will grant you a position in my court."
Valis couldn't believe his luck.
"Thank you, Sire. It will be done much faster than that. You will be pleased with my efficiency," Valis replied, proudly boasting of his skillset before the grand leader of the Kingdom, who gave him a nod before dismissing the court.
This would be a breeze. A perfect opportunity to impress the King and further his status as the best bounty hunter in the land. Not only that, but he would earn a court position, which came with property within the Capital, Lordship over a region of his choosing, and endless wealth.
***
It took several days by horseback to reach the town of Prine, but as he rode under the archway that marked the town's border, Sir Valis felt the hairs on his arms rise up and a tingling spread throughout his body. Taking a deep breath, he stopped his horse and closed his eyes, grounding himself until the sensations faded.
Once he regained control, the bounty hunter couldn't help but smile to himself. This was perfect. A real challenge to prove his worth to the King. They would sing his name for centuries to come for defeating such a demon.
Valis met with the town's leadership, who showed him to his temporary quarters. A small room in the back of the local church. It wasn't much, but he wouldn't be there for long, so it would do.
The church's Priest, Jeremy, met with Valis to provide some more information on the disappearances.
"We've narrowed down the location to a cavern on the outskirts of town. Mary, a member of our clergy, told me her husband rose out of bed one night and wandered out of the house, seemingly entranced. She followed him to the entrance of the cave and called out to him, but he just walked in like a zombie without responding. She says he never came back out."
"It sounds like we're dealing with a succubus here, Father. I felt her presence when I crossed into town. The power she's exuding is strong, but you have nothing to worry about. I've faced tougher foes and I always come out on top."
"I hope you've come prepared, Sir Valis... this entity took the highest member of our church last night. The most devout man I have ever met."
Valis knew that words wouldn't provide any further comfort, so instead, he removed a bag hanging from his shoulder and lay it out on the table before them, revealing an array of weapons and monster-hunting trinkets. A dagger enchanted with holy water, rope, a cross, a pistol, and a torch.
"The best way to send a succubus back to hell is to immobilize them and remove their heart. It's not a job for the weak, which is why so many fall for their charms. The weapon used to remove the heart must be enchanted with holy water or it will not pierce their skin. The King has sent the right man for this job, Father. She won't live to take another soul from this town ever again."
Father Jeremy seemed pleased with this answer, and Valis left the church to seek out the town's blacksmith. He needed his dagger fully sharpened for the moment he plunged it into the heart of the demon.
***
When night fell, Valis led Father Jeremy to a position at the entrance of the cavern, kneeling behind some brush nearby. The two waited, and sure enough, after only an hour, a man suddenly appeared on the roadway, walking towards the cavern as if he were asleep. As he drew nearer, Valis noted that the man had a throbbing erection poking through his pants, almost as if it were leading him in the right direction.
At the best moment, Valis jumped out of the brush and grabbed the man by his shoulders, wrestling him to the ground.
"Toss me the rope in my bag, Father!" Valis ordered as he struggled to hold the man down. After catching it, he tied the man's arms and legs tight, immobilizing him. "Take him to the church and make sure he has someone to watch him until dawn. I'm going in."
"Please return to us alive, Sir Valis!" he heard Father Jeremy call out behind him. Valis smiled to himself. The townspeople truly didn't know that they were dealing with the best hunter in the land. He couldn't wait to deliver the demon's heart to his King and earn the riches he deserved.
***
The light of his torch flickered as Valis went deeper and deeper into the mysterious cavern, the cross tied around his neck bouncing on his chest with every step. At first, it seemed endless. With multiple pathways to choose from, he would hold out his arms in both directions and follow the direction of whichever arm tingled and developed goosebumps, reflecting the power within.
Other than that, there didn't seem to be any other signs that there was a demon within the cave. Until Valis rounded a corner and found something that shocked even him.
The walls of the cave ahead were translucent, with openings that looked like alien pods inserted along the pathway, enclosed by a glass barrier. As he neared the first pod, he realized that there was a body inside.
It was a man, completely naked, pressed up against the glass. The scariest part wasn't the presence of the body at all. Rather, it was the expression on his face.
The man looked as if he had died experiencing true bliss, his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and a smile spread across his features. Valis couldn't remember a time when he'd seen a man so happy. Especially a dead one. And as he continued down the corridor, he realized that there were more people like this. Men and women alike, all caught in a final moment of ecstasy, their bodies pale from the life being drained out of them.
Valis had never seen this many victims in one place. Usually, a succubus was capable of killing a few people before either being stopped or fleeing into hiding. This demon seemed to be proud of her work, wanting to display it to the world.
Grasping the cross around his neck as he walked, Valis felt its holy power flow through him, giving him the strength to continue on. But as he walked further and further past the never-ending pods of victims, he encountered a strange mist. It was subtle at first, but it soon surrounded him, entering his nose and mouth.
Valis gasped as he inhaled the mist, feeling it spread through him. It smelled like the most beautiful bouquet of roses. It reminded him of...
Love.
His eyes widened as he realized that was exactly what it felt like. The mist wrapped around him like a warm hug. It felt like soft lips kissing his skin, warm hands massaging his shoulders, the softness of a woman pressing against his back, whispering promises of pleasure and ecstasy.
The voice told him he was walking towards his destiny. His reason for existing. Fulfilling his purpose in the world. He tried to shake it out of his head, but the mist was everywhere. Despite himself, he realized he was breathing in even deeper to get more of the feeling in his heart. It reminded him of how it felt to fall in love for the first time. Surrendering to humanity's craving to be loved.
Soon enough, Valis couldn't see ahead of him, too enclosed by the mist. He put his arms out to feel his way forward, struggling to keep his mind clear. As his body reacted, his cock grew rock hard and strained against his pants. If this was how strong the demon's power was before he even encountered her, what would it be like to see her in the flesh?
He was about to find out.
***
After struggling through the mist for what felt like forever, Valis had to stop. He felt his way along until he reached one side of the cavern wall and collapsed against it, trying to cough the mist out of his lungs. He closed his eyes and remembered his training, all that he'd learned about the mental manipulation of succubi.
