Things will never quite be the same for the succubus, and tremendous upheavals in her life and knowledge are in her future.
Special thanks to volunteer editor stbkvln, whose continued support and recommendations have fleshed out the setting, and corrected an unnamed number of silly mistakes.
***
Chapter 5
When Maira woke, it was nearly midday. She'd barely shifted an inch through the night, and her joints were stiff and cold. The rain, still collected on her skin, had washed away the horrid scents of the past week.
A tiny redwing finch hopped within reach, tilting its head this way and that. Loud cheeps from its pinched beak seemed to convey concern for her motionless form. Typically, the songbird's melody was the first to greet the morning light, and Maira was always glad to be woken by it. Had it missed her songs, as it would another finch's? But then she shifted, feeling droplets of rain trace paths down her skin, and the little bird flitted away.
Maira pushed herself up, wet hair clinging to her cheeks, and felt an intense hunger rake its claws through her. She moaned. She'd never felt so ravenous. Though she would've preferred to take her time, it drove her to action.
She teetered to her feet and tread carefully, casting out her senses. Thankfully, it didn't take long. A mile to the east, a lone farmer tilled his small field. She called to him, her voices timid and urgent, and closed the distance. The man followed suit. He ran to her.
With no patience for seduction, Maira hid in a thicket while continuing her song. When the hardy, plainly-dressed farmer came within reach, she pounced. They tumbled into a patch of willowy ferns, and Maira began to rip his clothes off. Her song dissolved into animistic snarls, for she hadn't the energy or time for enchantment.
The farmer fought, but she overpowered him easily. He screamed and struggled, but she held him. The thick flora tangled his legs, and she pinned him down with a forearm across his collarbone. Her other hand held his wrists. Absolute fear stared up at her through wide brown eyes. Her need was too great to take notice.
She slipped herself onto his cock, and felt it harden fully within her. The man's screams were mingled with confusion, and his eyes rolled back. Thankfully, there was no one nearby to hear his calls for help.
It didn't take long.
When his thrashing form curled, panting, she felt his desire flow into her. She reveled in it with a high pitched moan, and a smile on her face. The shock, fear, and confusion of her prey was also apparent in their union. She finished quickly, and mercifully put him to sleep.
She hadn't the energy to drag him back and find a new set of clothes. He would of course be able to deduce what had happened when he awoke, but she removed his memories out of kindness for his sanity. Better that he forget the fear. Better that he forget her entirely.
Though he could not hear, Maira thanked him. He had been generous.
***
Maira continued walking well past sunset, listening to the forest come alive with a second set of creatures. Insects and birds called to one another. A distant pack of wolves began a hunt. She watched a moonbeam strike through the canopy to reach a patch of flowers, stealing their color. Their scent mingled with the moist earth they slept upon.
Maira continued walking, attempting to clear her head, but a sense of worry and dread dogged her steps. In the fading light, her vision began to play cruel tricks. Despite the forest's growing pallor, she kept thinking she saw a purple glimmer through the trees. She caught a whiff of oiled leather on the wind. Heard a distant whistle.
Her present-minded nature was unable to cope with the constant worry. Awful memories came with it, and she hadn't the capacity to dispel them. Would that she could make herself forget what had happened to her.
In some twisted way, the forest no longer felt safe. She kept imagining she would see a horse and cart waiting for her over the crest of the next hill, or awaken bound if she stopped to rest.
So, against her own instincts, she altered her path towards a nearby town. It stank of human activity, but that seemed comforting somehow. Multiple sets of eyes on the lookout, and strange societal norms to prevent prying. She pondered the implications for a full minute as she walked, trying to think through any negative ramifications of attempting to blend in with humans. She couldn't fathom any.
***
She broke into a small house whose occupants were already asleep, and stole a simple dress and travel cowl to cover herself. Maira then plaited her hair as she walked, tucking it into her clothing and drawing up the hood. She wandered, her steps cautious, on hard-packed dirt roads. The town was spacious and well-lit, even at night. It might've seemed cheery to a human. Spring flowers adorned the windowsills of larger shops and houses, and several open-air establishments were still open.
A nearby two-story building thrived with activity, the bright fabric walls billowing in the cool breeze. A patch of her favorite wildflowers grew near the entrance. Maira considered it a good omen; the tiny white blooms were healthy and untrodden. A heavy wooden sign overhead was freshly painted with curly script, and an image of the moon. She pushed past the heavy curtain at the entrance to a large room humming with activity and dim light.
Two musicians filled the air with plucked strings and a humming woodwind, while a dancing girl rang finger cymbals in time. The flowing silks of her skirt caught the light, and her heavily beaded bodice shimmered with every movement. She drew all eyes towards her, such that only a few spared a glance for the shy woman who entered.
Maira had a moment of alarm,unsure of what to do. Was she expected to approach someone to ask permission to be there? Speak some ritualistic phrase? Her eyes darted about the room, looking for a cue, when someone suddenly pushed past her on their way in. He spoke a remarkably rude phrase on the way by, then settled onto a bench at one of the many long tables. No rituals, no interactions.
Imitating him, Maira slipped to an empty bench with her back to a wall, and observed. The room was abuzz with a dozen different activities. Humans ate, drank, laughed, sang, or rolled dice. She had trouble focusing on any particular one for long. This must be a meeting point for several different aspects of socialization, as it didn't seem particularly organized. And humans prided themselves on their silly organization.
The one constant was an older, rotund woman moving among the groups. She served food and drink, laughed at their remarks, and occasionally disappeared into a side room. Maira kept an eye on her while planning her next move. Perhaps if she picked out the strongest-looking ones, she could follow them back to wherever they slept. That should make for a well-protected location.
