Claire lay there, in the cold, dark closet she'd crawled into, completely naked and shivering uncontrollably.
She could still almost feel the wriggling, slippery tentacles working inside her, sliding against her clit unceasingly. She could still feel the voices inside of her, begging her to just...beg.
She had. And it had felt so good.
"I failed you, Goddess," she whispered. Her long black hair, normally shiny and lustrous, was sticky with sweat and filled with dirt and dust from the floor she'd been...lying on.
Getting her brains fucked out by one of her Masters.
She shuddered, shaking her head furiously. No. "No," she told herself. "I'm...I'm
not
going out like that!"
She'd heard stories from other girls who'd been partially Converted, who'd let it consume them. One girl had even betrayed the order just to get the tentacles back inside her to finish the job. Just so she wouldn't have to think anymore.
She would
not
be one of those girls. She was Claire, favored priestess and lieutenant of the Living Goddess, and she was more than that.
She climbed to her feet. Feeling around in the darkness, she grabbed an old coat and put it on. She found some men's trousers lying on the floor—doubtless hastily discarded right before a session with one or two of the Converted—and put those on as well.
There was no underwear. She rolled her eyes. Of course there wasn't.
There was, however, a bra. It was one of the push-up kinds—the only kind ever seen in this kingdom of misogynists and perverts—but at least it would ease some pain on her back. Claire slipped off her coat momentarily and tied the scanty object on.
She took a deep breath. She was alone, unarmed, and almost naked. But she wasn't going to go out so easily. If Fate wanted an end to her efforts, it would have a long and rough struggle on its hands.
She turned and opened the closet door.
Anne stood right outside. The red-haired succubus was completely nude, hand on her chin, an amused, thoughtful smile on her face. She opened her mouth to say something.
Claire slammed the door shut, nearly hitting the demoness in the face. "Hey!" she heard Anne cry.
Claire's heart was pounding. She turned and braced against the opposite wall, holding the door shut.
I'm dead. I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead. You win, Fate. Good game. 'S been nice.
"Ugh." Anne sounded annoyed. Claire blinked—she hadn't heard
that
emotion from the succubus since...ever. "Okay, sorry. That was a bit bitchy of me, wasn't it?"
Claire didn't say anything. She took a deep breath, realizing she hadn't been breathing.
"Okay, look." Anne knocked on the door. "Sorry. I was just—I was doing a scare thing, y'know? Like, 'boo, haha'? I guess this, uh, wasn't the best time for it."
Claire frowned. This didn't sound like the brainwashed Anne at all. Nor did it sound much like a man-devouring demon.
"So, uh..." Anne knocked again. "I don't wanna rush you, Claire, but we're kind of on a timer and you're the only one who knows the way."
"Me?" Claire's voice was barely more than a breath.
"Yes, yes, you. Look, they brought me here with a fucking bag over my head." Anne sounded bitter. "I don't like asking humans for favors—and I know, 'cause I've been doing nothing but begging for them the last few months—but I really need to get out of here before more soldiers show up. I'm...not sure I can take them, in my current state."
Claire hesitated.
Part of her wanted to open the door. And probably give Anne a coat or something, because her naked body was making Claire very uncomfortable right now. But she wanted to help.
Part of her, on the other hand, remembered the mindless obedience, the insane lust, that had shone so long in the eyes of the succubus over the last few months.
"Claire." Anne's voice got strangely quiet—almost hard to hear through the door. "I don't want to lose myself again. I...please. Please try to hurry."
Claire felt tears in her eyes.
She turned and opened the door, thrusting out a coat and pair of pants to block her view of Anne's nether regions. "Let's go."
~~~~
Ri watched as Anne rapidly got dressed. She couldn't help but watch, and she knew Anne knew it from the little smiles the demoness kept sending her way.
"So, um..." Behind her, she heard Claire cough. "Otyu."
"Yeah."
