The oldest and most powerful demons are truly immortal. Though they may be slain, their form will soon manifest again, tied to this plane by some force yet unknown. The rest, however, can be excised from our world. It is not a simple endeavor. Demons can survive wounds that would prove fatal to you or me. For the weakest among them, cambians, imps and the like, this process may take longer, but it occurs all the same. Fortunately, there are some weaknesses shared by all demons.
The most reliable method is to bind them within a ring of salt, mixed in equal parts with ash from a Holly tree. Some ancient magic works to confine them, and negates their abilities, leaving them vulnerable. From here, a blow to the heart will end them permanently. Using this method, I myself have slain more than twelve that I consider to be of note, and countless other fiends hardly worth my time.
-Sir Arthur Thompson, The Demonic Archive
Guilt tore at Gwen as she watched Amy walk away. A very human guilt she had thought she was free of. Over the past week she'd occasionally caught a hint of fear amidst the other sensations that flowed across her link with Amy, but they were small enough to seem insignificant. She'd assumed they were the same fears she felt about her own uncertain future, that Amy was worried for her sake. Apparently though, Amy was scared of Gwen herself. How strange that the same emotion that was so delicious coming from Laura, could taste so bitter when it belonged to Amy.
Gwen was frustrated, but she could hardly blame Amy. She'd never felt more like a monster than she did now. Despite her promises, she'd already fed on Laura behind Amy's back, and just this morning she'd made plans to do so again. Moreover, she'd been manipulating Amy's dreams nightly, growing the seed of attraction she'd planted and pulling Amy further and further down a path that led to her seduction. And the cherry on top was that despite her vow not to, she'd just used the threads. When she had begged Amy not to leave her, she'd pushed the sentiment across the threads like a command without realizing it, and Amy had acquiesced and stayed by her side. Maybe she would have anyway. Now she'd never know.
After Amy disappeared past the station doors she pulled the coat tighter around herself, and began walking back the way they came. The train left the station and she felt the connection rapidly weakening. The man who whistled at them before was watching her as she came closer. She could sense his arousal without even trying. As she passed him she gave him a hard shove with one hand. He let out a surprised yelp and careened backwards over the waist high railing behind him to land tangled in a bush. Gwen ignored his groans, and the insults that followed and continued on, lost in thought.
Amy wanted to "cure" her. To reverse her transformation. Clearly she'd lost whatever part of her that kept her more selfish impulses in check. If she was turned human again, she wouldn't have to worry about hurting Amy. Accidentally or otherwise. Everything inside her recoiled at the thought, but if she looked at it from Amy's point of view, from a
human's
point of view, it might be for the best. Hopefully she wouldn't have to make that decision though, given how little they'd found so far she doubted Amy would suddenly stumble upon a method to turn a demon back into a human, but if she did then Gwen resolved herself to go through with it. In the meantime she needed to get her shit together and stop manipulating Amy. It was a shitty way to repay her best friend's loyalty.
She wandered aimlessly for the next hour. The Jacket still smelled like Amy, and she kept bringing the lapel to her nose to breathe in the lavender scent. Eventually her brooding began to subside. There was only so long she could retread the same dark thoughts. Gwen let them go and made herself a promise. She refused to become the monster Amy feared that she was. Despite the changes, she would cling to her humanity, or at least what was left of it. She knew right from wrong. Even if her instincts told her otherwise, she'd make the human choice. For Amy's sake.
People milled around her. Men and women going about their lives. Walking to work, to school, or returning home. It was hard to think of them as peers. She was different from them. Better. They knew it too. Even now, throughout the crowd, faces turned to stare at her, or to take a second glance when a friend or partner wasn't looking. Their pleasure pinged against her senses like blips on a radar. This was going to be difficult.
Eventually she decided that the safest way to pass the time was at a movie theater a few blocks away. How much trouble could she get into sitting quietly for a few hours? She bought a ticket for whatever the next showing was, which turned out to be a generic looking romcom, and took a seat in the back. Despite being a Saturday, the theater was still mostly empty when the movie started playing. It was just Gwen, a handful of couples, and a group of teenage girls whispering in a cluster near the front. She settled in and tried to focus on the movie, but it was absolute drivel. After a half-hour she found herself watching the nearest couple three rows in front of her instead.
The man was handsome, with a square jaw, a swept back mane, and a well groomed goatee. Light from the screen glinted off a handful of grey amidst his dark hair. In his late thirties or early forties perhaps. The woman was significantly younger. Around Gwen's age. She kept giggling whenever he leaned in. One of the city's businessmen robbing the cradle. San Francisco was filled with men who had too much money for their own good, and they often used it to impress younger girls. Gwen used to hate them. Now, she felt only a quiet disdain, not on behalf of the girl, but because his crude attempts at seduction seemed so pathetic.
Men like that were immature, unable to cope with women their own age, so they turned to naive girls half their age that could be impressed by waving around a stack of cash. They probably felt powerful, but they didn't know what real power was. Gwen could have the girl drooling over her before credits rolled. She could Inspire true unbridled lust. Not just the shallow desires of a naive girl. She crossed her legs and watched them from above as they continued their game.
He wrapped an arm around her, and pulled her in. She craned her neck uncomfortably to rest on his shoulder. His sleeves were rolled up and Gwen could see the corded muscle of his forearm. He was attractive, she gave him that. Maybe she should leave him drooling instead. So much for the theater being free of temptation. Just an hour ago she'd resolved to be human, was she really already considering seducing a random couple? Get it together Gwen. She reluctantly tore her eyes away and watched the screen. She spent the rest of the movie staring blankly ahead and doing her best to ignore the pleasure that began to roll off the couple as they grew more adventurous.
The movie ended, and the couple stood to leave. Gwen sat clinging to her seat as though she'd be yanked away by an invisible rope that tied her to them otherwise. They left, the man with one hand on the girl's ass beneath her coat, and the arousal left in their wake began to fade. Deep breaths. Her grip loosened and she stood. A tingling energy filled her, and her hunger stirred. Her sex ached for attention. She steeled herself and made her way to the exit.
Outside, the sun had already begun to set. It reflected off of the passing cars and the windows of the town homes lined up across the street. "Thanks, daylight savings." She squinted and turned away to check her phone, hunching over to provide enough shadow to see the screen. It was still only four thirty. She needed to kill a half hour. Maybe more depending on how Amy's mysterious errands went. To avoid the sun she decided to go further east. She'd already come far enough that she'd have to take a train back, so she may as well continue exploring.
It was obvious Amy's dad hadn't really asked her to do him any favors. She was a terrible liar. Whatever she was doing, it was probably related to Gwen's transformation. Part of her rankled at the thought that Amy would keep secrets from her. Given their last conversation it made sense that Amy might not fully trust her, but try as she might, she couldn't seem to let go of her irritation.
As the sun set the streets shifted from orange, to pink, to a kaleidoscope of colors as streetlights and signs flickered to life. Gwen found herself enveloped in a haze of emotions as the crowd grew thicker around her. Whenever there were large groups of people around, her new senses had trouble distinguishing between individual sources, and everything seemed to blend together. It had been overwhelming at first, but she'd grown used to it. Still, this was on a larger scale than her time on campus, or even earlier today. The emotions were stronger, and a powerful undercurrent of lust ran beneath them. It snapped Gwen back to reality. She was in Soma.
South of Market, or Soma to the locals, was a district peppered with bars and clubs. From filthy dives, to exclusive nightclubs catering only to the rich, it was all here. And it was a dangerous place for a succubus trying to stay out of trouble. Everywhere she looked Gwen saw buildings packed with partygoers, groups of people stumbling from one venue to the next, and long lines of sharply dressed people waiting for a chance to enter the more exclusive venues. Gwen backed into the wall of a convenience store. Nearby a cluster of men smoked cigarettes.
"Fuck."
Now that she was aware of it, this whole area reeked of lust, and it fanned the flames of her hunger. Had she ended up here by coincidence? Or had she been subconsciously drawn? Either way she needed to leave. Fast. The closest Bart station was 3 blocks away. Nearly the length of 11th street, the entire way lined on both sides by the city's most popular clubs. A shadow fell over her phone. She looked up to see one of the smokers looming over her. He put a hand against the wall beside her and held out a cigarette with the other.
"Need a smoke?"
"No. Thanks."
"Me and the guys were about to head to Rapture. Why don't you join us? We can get you past the line."
He probably thought the cocky smile he wore was charming. Her senses made his intentions obvious, not that any woman needed a sixth sense to know what they were. Rather than waste time speaking to him Gwen opted to simply tilt her head forward and jump. Her horns, invisible to him, made contact with his face. The force of her jump caused his head to snap back, and he toppled backwards to the ground, unmoving. His friends began to shout as she bolted down the street. They tried to follow, but she weaved through the crowd, shoving aside anyone in her way where it was too thick. Once she was confident she'd lost them she slowed down.
It was far from the first time Gwen had been in a fight, but it was the first time she'd won one so decisively. She was pretty sure the guy would live, she hadn't used her full strength. His nose was definitely broken, and she assumed he had a concussion, but she doubted it had been enough force to kill him. Even if it had, it was too dark for any of his friends to have gotten a good look at her. It surprised her that she could be so nonchalant about possibly killing someone. Two weeks ago she would be on the ground hyperventilating, now her only concern was if the incident would cause her any further trouble. Another reason to go along with Amy's plan.
The entryway leading down into the train station came into view. By now the adrenaline from the encounter was fading, replaced by the familiar hum. Pulsating bass from a nearby club reverberated through her. The energy of the crowd within called to her. Her body began to grow hotter. She did her best to ignore it and continue onward, but kept glancing at the throng people waiting to get into the nearest club. Beside her, a fancy black car pulled up. Neon purple letters reflected off it's immaculately polished surface, blurred and backwards. Gwen turned to look up at the source.
