ROLEPLAY HQ - demonic-gift

TW: sexual content, alcohol, abuse, SA, violence, death of side characters, more TBD (edited)

People fear what they do not understand. For the unknown is full of darkness, mystery, and evil. Those who live in the unknown are forever doomed to suffer... Ever since life has begun on Earth, animals, individuals, and beings that were unusual always seemed to face some form of rejection from their peers. Whether this was through animals refusing to mate with others that were strange, or people shunning those that were different, being rejected for being different was nothing new, and as sad as it was, it didn't seem to be changing any time soon. This prejudice against those who were different was what prevented Lilly Abaline from having a meaningful and comfortable life. She had been raised by her mother, a single woman who made a living selling tonics and herbal medicines to the village their cabin resided just outside of. However, Lilly's mother was also looked down on poorly, especially by the leaders of the village, and when she fell ill... no one came to assist her or Lilly. When Lilly's mother passed, Lilly was left all alone at a young age. Lilly was treated as a bad omen, especially due to her appearance. She had long icy white hair and eyes that were the same color as fog. She was often referred to as The Ghost Child by the village due to her ghastly looks. Lilly spent her days recreating her mother's work selling herbs and salves, and while she managed to make enough money to make due, her life was by no means a happy and pleasant one. Lilly often dealt with the aggressive stares, abusive remarks, and even beatings from the towns people. She mostly kept to herself due to this treatment, and in desperate times, she would often stay at her home for weeks if she could make her gardens produce enough food.

As she got older, the abuse seemed to die down, and in a rare moment of bravery, Lilly had attempted to try to get close to one of the village hunters, a young man named Preston. However, as she tried to offer him a salve to ease aching muscles, he knocked the jar to the ground. "Why the hell would I want something like that? For all I know you could have poisoned it. Get lost." He hissed. Lilly bent down to gather the jar, and Preston, eager to impress his friends, kicked Lilly to the ground, then stomped on the jar, shattering it and spreading the contents everywhere. Lilly fled the village to the sound of the group's laughter. She ran into her home, a small cabin with an open floor plan and one room tucked in the back that was really just a large closet with a shoddy hay pile for a bed and some make shift crates for storage. She curled up on the bed and cried. She buried her face into her knees and sobbed softly. How could this world be so cruel? Quietly, Lilly began to bed the Gods for help... "Please, if you're truly out there... please. I only want someone who actually wants and needs me. Please! I'll do anything." She cried. She just wanted someone to actually want her... Was that so much to ask for? @CJRP

The workings of the universe can be strange, far stranger than the human imagination often can conceive. The nature of Lilly's birth, the seeds of her mother's role as a hedge witch--often secretly appreciated for their skills but publicly reviled--and outcast, stemmed in no small way from the very land on which their cabin sat. Generations before, the small house had been built for certain types deemed unclean, the land on which it was built often avoided. And while the small garden adjacent would grudgingly give up produce for Lilly's hunger, and her mother's before, the ground under the cabin had never yielded so much as a blade of grass. As long as humans had lived in that area, that patch of ground had been barren, the reasons known to those that inhabited the area before this most recent crop of humans had settled in the village, but not passed on. A battle had taken place there, on the edge of the village. A great dark lord of demons slain, or so it seemed, by a shining warrior of virtue, and the spot where he fell forever marked by his torturous passing. In the centuries immediately following, a cold air had hovered over that spot, causing all to avoid it. But by the time the cabin had been built, the cold air had gone and only the sense of unease over the barren spot remained, making it perfect for the village's rejects. But the demon lord had not been slain, only banished, yet still tied to the spot on which he had been defeated. None had called out to him again, as his hosts of minions once had, until that moment that Lilly, curled on her dingy hay, cried and called for help. He heard her, in the searing void of his banishment, and slowly began to make his way back, tethered to the world again by her plea. It echoed in his ears, strengthening him, nurturing him. Someone called to him, someone needed him. The slender thread would have seemed pathetic to him at the height of his power, but now it was a beacon, shining bright, and he followed it.

9:44 AM

He emerged on the path leading up to the cabin. Straggling gras and bushes curled away from him. He was not dressed as the fine lord he had been, but was clad in strange breeches and a linen shirt. His flesh felt as though it burned and he looked down at his hands. His human form, it seemed. He recalled his true form, over 7 feet tall, skin the color of volcanic ash, cracked with red fire. The strength to reclaim that form was beyond him, for now. But only for now. His bare feet scraped over the ground and he struggled for a moment to remember how to move his body. Move it he did, though. The thread of need strung out from the cabin before him, a bright line that drew him in. He ran his fingers through jet black hair, his eyes glowing red as he approached the flimsy wooden door. He considered blasting it in, smashing it to splinters... but no. This thread of need did not call for that. Instead, he raised his fist and knocked, then rolled his shoulders, feeling the muscle bunching, aligning, remembering old strength. A name and face came to his mind, attached to that slender thread. "Lilly?" he called out, flexing his jaw. He had not spoken words in centuries. "Lilly, are you there?" @Vava

Lilly was softly sobbing when the demon crawled itself out of the dirt. When he arrived at her door, Lilly had no idea. Not until he knocked heavily on the door. Gasping from fright, Lilly jumped. The voice calling her name did not sound familiar, and Lilly didn't know who was asking if she was there... However, something deep down within her told her to go to the sound. Go to the one calling her name... So, Lilly stood up and she quietly made her way to the front door. Lilly was dressed in a light grey dress, one that hugged her body. The skirt was slightly flowy at the hips and legs, and her upper half of the dress was tight and held onto her form. She brushed her tears away and she sniffled, attempting to regain some composure. Taking a slow deep breath, she inhaled and she opened the door. Her eyes landed on a tall muscular man with dark black hair. He was barefoot and his pants and shirt hung onto his body. She felt her heart race and her cheeks grew warm. "Hello there... May...May I help you?" She asked softly. "I...I apologize, but I... I do not recognize you. Please, come in." She helped the man inside. It was a chilly evening, and with him being barefoot, she wanted to help! There was a fire going in the fireplace, and it gave a soft orange glow through out the house. "Is everything alright, Sir?" She asked softly, curious to know who he was and why he was there. @CJRP

Karus stepped into the small cabin and looked around, his lip curling at the squalid state of the quarters. The dark corruption that had left the ground barren beneath the cabin, the remains of his defeat, began flowing into him, strengthening him as he looked around. He approached the fire, crouching before it, looking into it for a moment, the orange glow seeming to set him afire. Only then did he look to Lilly, standing there, speaking so softly and asking how she could help him. Such a selfless soul, so tender. For a fleeting moment, he longed to take her there and then, break her in his growing strength. But no. No. She called out to him, for help. He owed that thread of need for the end of his banishment. "You called to me," he said, straightening up again, standing to face her in front of the modest hearth. "Just now, I think. I heard you calling for help. You said you would do anything and you needed me, so I came." He looked her up and down, old desires returning to him as he adjusted to this life in the world again. So pale, so soft, fragile and yet with a spine of steel. He could see the marks on her skin from where she'd been beaten, could sense the growing bruise where she had been kicked to the ground. "You are hurt," he said, and reached out to touch her side, just below her ribs. He did not have healing power, as such, but the intense warmth of his touch could soothe many hurts, relieve pain, and promote the body's own healing. He was used to hurting with his touch, and would do so again, but not now. Not yet. "You have been... ill-used by the people around you."

3:16 PM

@Vava

Lilly's eyes widened as he stated that she 'called to him.' What? When did she call to anyone? When he told her that it was 'just now', she felt her cheeks tint with the blood that rushed into her face. "I...I didn't mean to-" She stopped speaking as he stood up and came over to her. He had said that because she needed him, he came. Had the Gods answered her prayers? Had they sent someone who wanted her? Needed her? His touch to her side made her shiver slightly, and she looked down at the ground, not wanting to admit to the abuse that she had been suffering over the last decade. "I...It's alright. They don't understand me. I frighten them, so they..." She couldn't even explain it. She couldn't understand why the village hated her, just because she was different. She knew she frightened them, but as to why, she couldn't answer that. His hand seemed to send a warm wave of gentle healing through her body and she let out a soft sigh. "Thank you...Sir? I'm sorry, I don't believe I caught your name." She said quietly. "A-And are you hungry? I have some vegetables and meat I can prepare!" She was such a bad host! She hadn't even offered him a meal! @CJRP

He smiled at her, reaching up with his other hand to caress her cheek. She had been crying. Tears had cut paths through smudged dirt on her face. She had been kicked to the ground, had not washed herself off. He did not mind, of course, he had just been freed from a constraint he never hoped to escape by this young woman's need. He wiped at the smudged dirt with his thumb, smiling a little more, his eyes flaring red for a moment. "You may call me Karus, though I suppose I have many names by which people knew me. I suppose none of them now remain," he said, wondering for a moment how far the world had moved on without him. "But they are of no matter now. I am here to help you, and while I appreciate your hospitality, I do not often hunger for food. Besides," he said, and glanced around the rough little cabin, "you do not look as though you have much food to spare. I will not burden you in that way. What I do hunger for is a little more complicated." Her body entranced him and his right hand slid down from her face, caressing her neck along the way to her shoulder, then gliding down her left. In his youth, he had been just an incubus, feeding on the pleasure of others, and the pleasure they inspired in him. He had become a minor sensation in a small kingdom far from here, and his strength grew as he fed from them. Along the way, he grew, evolved, and found blood fed him at least as well as pleasure. And he rose and grew to become... something else. But that original hunger for pleasure never left him. He stepped closer, the swell of her breasts brushing against the front of his shirt. She did not stand as tall as his shoulder, but he held her gaze, both hands gliding lightly up and down her sides. "I will protect you," he whispered. "From any who would harm you. I will be your... companion. For me to remain, to have strength to do this, I need another kind of nourishment." His hands moved up together, palms grazing her breasts. @Vava

Lilly hadn't seen the shift of his gaze because her eyes were cast down, but she felt him brush the dirt from her face and she let out a small squeak. His name made her heart speed up and as he stated that he was there to help her, she couldn't help but look up at him and smile. He was... here to help her? Her? Why? He had said that she called to him, but that didn't make any sense. How could anyone hear her cries for help... She blushed in shame as he confirmed that she didn't have food to spare. Being poor was one of her more shameful experiences, and being reminded of it... truly didn't make her feel all that great. "Forgive me..." She said softly, more tears running down her cheeks. However, he seemed undeterred by her poor state, and his hand seemed to travel down her body. A soft gasp escaped her and she felt her own hands go to his chest, resting against him. "K-Karus...?" She whispered. He stepped closer to her and she backed up ever so slightly, the only wooden table in the room suddenly almost magically appearing behind her, trapping her. She could feel his muscular torso under his shirt and another gasp left her lips. Her pale cheeks, once as light as the whitest of clouds, now tinted a dark shade of pink as blood rushed into her face, desperate to heat those cheeks. He would protect her... He would be her companion, but for him to 'remain' he needed nourishment. However he didn't need food... so... "What...do you require?" She whispered. Then, as she gazed into his eyes, she felt something deep within her chest stir. Something begged and pleaded with her. Do not let this chance escape you. Do not lose this person. She reached up and let her hands rest against his broad chest. More tears danced down those familiar tracks. "I'll do anything... just please do not leave." She begged weakly. It could be seen as pathetic, but when you were alone for so long... you became desperate. @DaveDM (edited)

Despite the heat, despite his own heat, Karus shivered a little. How long had it been? Hundreds of years, maybe a thousand. He couldn't tell. But here she was now, here was the opportunity. Her hands on his chest stirred something in him and he let slip the softest of groans, arousal suddenly rising in him, a volcanic fire that nothing might quench. He dipped his head to hers, his nose brushing at first against her forehead. His hands shifted by degrees, no longer brushing over her breasts, but now cupping them through her plain gray dress. He held her like that, squeezing so softly, planting a kiss on her brow, then lower, on her nose. His desire built higher, ever mounting, and he sent his longing out to her, radiating like the heat from his body. "You know what I require," he whispered to her, his lips now so very close to hers. "You know in your heart. So beg for it, let me hear you plead, tell me how much you want to give it to me, to nourish me, your protector." Before she could answer, though, he kissed her lips, pressing his mouth tight to hers, tongue slipping out to caress her lips. He held the kiss for a long time then dipped his head lower to kiss her jaw, then her neck. "You know," he whispered.

@Vava

Lilly's heart thudded in her chest. The sound of his groans elicited another moan from her. Her face felt hot and she was certain she might faint. A soft gasp flew from her throat as his hand migrated down to her breast, fully cupping the swell of her body. Her breasts were not small but they were not massive either. However, his hand was easily able to cup them, and the heat from her face seemed to spread to her chest. Another sensation distracted Lilly from the heat in her face; a dull throbbing in her lower belly. As he let out a groan, her core seemed to throb once more. He spoke again, and as he seemed to guide her. Lilly's hands moved up from his chest to his shoulders, her fingers touching the soft dark hair that laid along his shoulders. Their lips connected, and Lilly melted into the kiss. It was her first ever kiss, so when he licked her, she had no idea how to reciprocate. Soft moans rewarded the man as he kissed her throat, that heat burning itself through her body like the hottest fire. "Karus..." She moaned, her hips pressing up into his. Lilly was so inexperienced that she truly had no idea what she wanted... but her body seemed to know. With a voice that seemed to tremble with every breath, Lilly answered him. "I...I wish to give you... everything. My everything... Let me give my protector everything I can." She let her eyes meet his. Icy orbs met his dark ones, as if her soul was bared before him. (edited)

He gazed into her eyes for a long moment, feeling her response to him, to his silent commands, to his mere presence. He searched those icy orbs, reading in there her pain, her need, her desires. Yes. She would be his. A small start to his return, but a powerful one. One born on the very site of his own defeat and banishment, that thread that held them together could be plaited, woven into something so much stronger. Now he needed to be bold, to seal that the best way he knew how, in his human form. He kissed her again, an almost savage show of desire, his hands moving around behind her, gathering her dress up, bunching it in his fists and lifting it, slowly exposing her pale body. He lifted the dress above her waist, while still consumed in the kiss, tasting her, aching for a moment to sink sharp teeth into her, to draw her blood. But no. Not yet. His will held firm and he continued to expose her body, finally lifting the dress up above her breasts, forcing her arms up, forcing him to break the kiss as he stripped the simple and plain dress off of her body. Tossing the dress aside, he took a moment to drink in the sight of her body, then started to disrobe himself. Simple, efficient movements dropped his breeches to the floor as he stripped his tunic up and off, exposing his muscled form and his rising arousal. "I will take you, have you, everything," he whispered, meeting her eyes again. "It may hurt, but it will empower you." He grabbed her and kissed her one more time, this time her bare flesh meeting his, primal heat flowing through his body, making him feel more alive by the moment. @Vava

Lilly did not feel so surprised as he kissed her again. This time, she almost felt prepared for it. She moaned against his kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck. Her fingers moving to tangle into the dark locks of hair, tugging lightly while she became familiar with the feel of him. Her hips pressed into his again, feeling the strength of his body and the curve of each muscle. She felt him lift her dress up and over her head, and this became a moment where she felt shy. She looked down nervously while he examined her body, that was until he started to undress himself. Her gaze moved to his form and she blushed heavily. He was handsome. Far more handsome than any man she had ever seen, and she hadn't seen any naked man, but she knew plenty of men from the village. He confirmed that he would take her... and Lilly felt almost relieved at the thought. She had feared that he would reject her, and if he did, she didn't know if she would be able to handle it. But... why? She didn't get much time to think about this, as he kissed her again. She wore just a simple pair of black panties, but their chests pressed together and she moaned louder, her arms holding onto him tighter, her fingers tugging at his hair lightly. "Karus!" Her eyes were shining with unfallen tears, tears of desire, tears of nervousness, and tears of need. Her throbbing core was begging for him... begging for him to take her and show her what he could give her. @CJRP

Karus groaned at the cry of his name, one of his names, the unsolicited plea in her voice surging power into him. One hand slid up her bare back, her neck, fingers twining in the hair at the back of her head and holding her there as he kissed her again and again. As his cock hardened against her body, trapped between them and throbbing with unquenchable heat, he slipped his other hand down to her black panties. He tugged at them, wanting for a moment to pull them down, but power flared through him and tugged harder, ripping them away from her body. Both of them naked, he now pushed her back against the table, bending at the waist to lay her upper body down against the surface. A knee pushed between her legs forced her to spread and then his hips were between her thighs, the long shaft of his arousal laying against her. His face still close to hers, he kisses her cheeks, tasting the salt of tears that had leaked from her shining eyes and he groaned again, cock throbbing against her in response. He kisses down her jaw to her ear. “I said it may hurt,” he whispered, “but know this: it will. But pain will strengthen your pleasure, it will feed my hunger, it will bind us together.” As he spoke, he gripped the base of his cock and shifted his hips back, dragging the head and shaft along her body until the bloated tip slid down between her thighs. Slippery precum lubricated her flesh and he could feel the heat of her own arousal. The head of his cock slipped into the soft folds of flesh between her legs and he pushed, thrusting his hips forward slowly, but inexorably, the unyielding pressure of an avalanche just starting to slip down a mountainside. @Vava

Gasping as he tore her panties from her body, Lilly felt her back arch slightly. She followed his movements. He pushed her to lay down on the table, the warm wood soothing her back. She shivered as he pushed her legs apart. She could feel the heat from his body. It poured from him like water poured from a vase. His cock was pressed between them and she blushed at the realization that this thick thing was going to be inside her any moment! Would it even fit? It throbbed against her and she whimpered slightly, nervous that perhaps it wouldn't fit and she'd be in agony. However, Karus's kisses started soothe her fears. She wrapped her legs around his hips, securing him to her, but stabilizing herself as she waited. The heat that bubbled within her made her shiver with need. Her chest rose and fell as she let out soft little gasps as his cock pressed against her. She set her hands on his forearms as she watched him align himself. Then, his cock entered her. Lilly whimpered as he started to push into her. She cried out as his cock started to spread her folds. The pain started to bloom like a flower opening for the first time in the spring. Tears ran down her cheeks and her head fell back onto the table. "K-Karus! It hurts!" She cried, her hips grinding and thrusting forward as if she was trying to escape the pain. Her hands grasped at his arms, her fingernails sinking into his skin as she whimpered, gasping slightly as she tried to recover from the pain. But, as the pain started to vanish, pleasure started to spread, covering the pain with a delicate veil. After a moment, she looked at him, her chest rising and falling with short quick breaths. "I-I...You...Can move...I'm okay now..." She whispered, giving him a pained but soft smile. @CJRP

Karus paused, holding fast when she gripped his forearms, the strain of holding himself in place when every fiber of his being wanted to pound his hard cock into her soft body made the cords of his neck stand out, his head thrown back, holding back that avalanche for one crucial moment. But then he could feel her relax, feel the pain ebbing away and he could let himself relax, too, or at least relax his restraint. Slowly he pushed into her, hips driving his hard dick into her, deeper and deeper. Her body resisted still, but less, and he moaned at the sensation of penetrating her, slippery silken flesh engulfing his manhood, drawing him in deeper still. And still there as more to go, more to give her, stretching her until he finally bottomed out, and her lower belly bulged with the invasion. He paused again there for a moment, the avalanche hitting a false plateau of sorts, but really only gathering itself for what would come next. He drew back, and drove his cock in again, harder this time, and harder still on the next thrust, and the next, rocking the solid table beneath her body as he filled her, over and over. Bent over her, he kissed her again, deeply, passionately, forcing his tongue into her mouth to explore her, taste her, then drawing back, sucking at her lower lip, his hips moving all the time, giving to her, taking from her in a rhythm that the whole small cabin seemed to vibrate to. "You are mine," he growled to her, his arms now wrapping around her, holding her body against his as her legs had curled around his lower back. "Mine. I will destroy any who dare harm you."

4:45 PM

@Vava

Lilly gasped louder as his cock pressed deeper and deeper into her virgin body, corrupting and invading her very core. Her eyes fluttered as he continued to break her, and as his cock pressed into the deepest parts of her belly, she tossed her head back and moaned loudly. The pain no longer appeared, and her hands once again grabbed at his arms, her nails sinking into his flesh. “Karus!” She cried, but this time there was no pain or whimper to her voice, only pleasure. Ecstasy that began to flood her veins. Desire fueled her hips as they started to thrust forward, meeting his in a heated dance. Her lower belly bulged with each thrust of his cock, the table rocking with each press of their bodies. He growled at her, and she moaned in response, her arms moving to wrap around his neck. She pulled herself close to him, eager and desperate kisses meeting his lips as he claimed her. Her white icy blonde locks splayed out under her. It was if a cloud had exploded on her table, the pure white expanse covering the wood. “Karus! Karus! I am yours! I belong to no one else… no one but you!” She cried, her nails now sinking into his back, scratching ever so slightly. A deep throbbing continued to build in her belly and she started to whimper, completely unfamiliar with the sensations that started to rise up inside her. “Karus! I-I feel strange… I…I’m scared…” @CJRP

Karus hissed at the dig of her nails into his back, though nearly impervious to harm from one as weak as her, the touch and sensation set his blood on fire. Another growl as he felt the deep throbbing in Lilly's body, her whole form seeming to pulse around him. He dropped his mouth to her neck, kissing, kissing only to keep from biting, but as his own pleasure built and built he could not help himself any longer. He dared not bite too hard--he couldn't risk losing his lone thread and anchor in this world--but bite he did, sharp teeth sinking into her flesh, a faint trickle of blood dripping into his mouth. His hips moved faster, harder, the fire burning in his own core building hotter, higher, while his cock pulsed and throbbed inside her. Their bodies moved together in this dance, not just of thrusting hips, but beating hearts, pulsing arteries, of pleasure and power and energy swirling between them. "Don't be scared," he murmured in her ear. "Let it happen, let it consume you, let your body claim this moment, and in it I will claim you." He gripped her body harder now, pressing her round breasts against his chest, feeling her hard nipples on his skin, drawing lines of fire on his flesh as he pumped his cock deep into her seething heat. "Do it, Lilly, come for me!"

5:06 PM

@Vava

Lilly moaned louder and louder still as Karus thrust harder. She absently tilted her head to give him better access to her neck, completely unaware of his intentions. She was too distracted by the sensations that crashed through her body to realize that he was attempting to bite her, that was until she felt the searing pain in her neck. She cried out, but this sting of pain dissipated quickly and in its place unbridled ecstasy started to flourish. Lilly’s eyes nearly rolled back as he grabbed her hard, the force almost painful, but she didn’t feel pain right now. No, the only thing she felt was pleasure. On his command, Lilly arched her back high, her nails sinking once again into his back and her head falling back quickly as she screamed with pleasure, her tears now of intense euphoria, “Karus! Karus! Karus! Karus!” She screamed his name over and over. She called it like it was a prayer, like it was the only word she knew now. Her insides spasmed and throbbed against him as she came. Her first ever orgasm and it was given to her by this mysterious miracle man who appeared of of no where. Lilly suddenly realized… she didn’t care where Karus was from. He was here, and she was his… and that’s all that mattered to her in this moment. @CJRP

The intensity of her orgasm literally gripped him and would not let go, though with the power surging through him he thrust through it, pounding her through her ecstasy to prolong it and to build up his own. He bit her again as her body tensed, as she screamed his name, the pleasure in her cry feeding him and he felt he first flutters of his demonic form searching for the power to unmask. But not yet. The ecstasy was incredible, clearly the first of its kind of Lilly, but it was only a fraction, the smallest fraction of what he needed, what he craved. But his own pleasure could not be suppressed and as much as he wanted to go on, thrusting into Lilly until she came over and over, his first ever mating in centuries would predictably find a rapid climax, at least at first. Pounding away at Lilly, shaking the table, clutching her body against his, he suddenly thrust deep, hilting his cock in her pussy and roaring like a wild beast. His cock throbbed wildly, then erupted, the first pulse of his seed inside her feeling like a single long stream of spunk, flooding her ripe body. More followed, intense burst and pulses, his arms holding her tight against him as he filled her, then overfilled her, feeling his seed drooling out around his buried cock, puddling under her backside on the table. Almost immediately on his release, the edge came off his urgency and need. He kissed and licked at her neck, gathering drops of blood, which tasted to him like sweetest nectar. His body trembled atop her, then stilled as he got his breathing back under control. "Lilly," he murmured. "Lilly you are mine. Mine to use, you understand? I will protect you, and you will serve me." The oldest arrangement of sentient beings anywhere. Protection for service, refreshed here, so directly, in this squalid little cabin.

5:35 PM

@Vava

Lilly's head fell back, her eyes fluttering at the feeling of her lover's essence filling her lower belly. Her belly felt so hot and full. Her legs twitched with pleasure and her hands shook as she recovered from the pleasure. Lilly had never felt anything like this, and she struggled to come down from the high that Karus had given her. A shuddering moan rewarded his licking, the sensations overwhelming her. Her legs went limp now, her chest rising and falling while she regained her breath. "I...I am yours. I will serve you solely. I belong to you, Karus." She whispered, her gaze meeting his. She moved her hands from his back and she cupped Karus's cheeks. "It's as if... you are my guardian angel." She said, letting out a soft laugh. She leaned up to kiss him, her kiss soft and while inexperienced, it held so much emotion. Sure, Lilly shouldn't have had these feelings, but it was hard to not be grateful to a man who was claiming to want to protect her and cherish her. Maybe it was wrong, and maybe she was rushing how she felt. Maybe she should have kicked him out, but... then she'd be alone, and she didn't want that. @CJRP

His own laugh at being called a guardian angel was cut short by her kiss, sudden and eager, and he met it with passion, holding her tight to him. Whether she was trembling or he was, he could not tell and did not care. The rush of pleasure from both of them fed his strength and power, and for the first time he could see the path back to his own true self, his true form of domination and wrath. For now, though, he was at the very beginning of this path and feeling the rush of being loved, maybe even worshipped, by this pale and silken haired woman. He broke the kiss, pressing his forehead against hers, looking into her icy blue eyes. He smiled then, caressing her cheek with the backs of the fingers on his right hand. "I will protect you," he said, "and I will never leave you. Your pleasure nourishes me, and I never want to be far from it. But perhaps you are tired, and we should lay down somewhere more comfortable." With that, he pulled himself slowly out of her, gasping at the way she still gripped so tightly at his sensitive, but mostly flaccid cock. He scooped her up, then, arms under her back and thighs, cradling her against his broad chest, head against his left shoulder. Straightening up, he looked about the place, finally spying the small room on the back of the cabin the pallet and dingy straw. He carried her to it, but did so shaking his head. "This is not bedding fit for you alone, much less you and I together. We will fix this, first," he said, already compiling a list of wrongs he wanted to make right around Lilly. Especially as his lone worshipper, she deserved so much better than their present surroundings. "But before even that, we will rest, you and I, together." He did his best to kick the straw into some kind of shape, then lay her down on it, and lowered himself down beside her. @Vava

Lilly was still marveling in the fact that he was here, and his words only pushed her further into that admiration and marveling. She leaned against his touch, humming quietly. She felt so loved and wanted, and her chest felt warm and fuzzy. This was what she wanted all along. Someone who wanted her. Someone who desired her... Was this a dream? Gods, she hoped not. Karus pulled himself from her and she whimpered softly, already missing the feeling of his cock within her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him lift her up. However, as he walked towards the small side room that held her hay pile bed, she blushed darkly, turning away. "I-I'm sorry. This is... rather embarrassing. I didn't expect anyone to ever see this room." The room was terrible, and she felt ashamed of it. Karus deserved a regal bed! Not this dingy pile of hay. But, he seemed to not mind it for now, as he dropped to the ground with her. She did have a simple blanket, so she took it and pulled it over them both. She then turned and nuzzled against him. She rested her head on his chest, her hands curled up against him. He was so warm, and the euphoric feelings finally caught up to her, and she started to feel sleepy. She hummed quietly, "Thank you for answering my call, Karus. I promise to serve you well." She whispered. She was getting so sleepy now, and she struggled to stay awake! @CJRP

Karus cradled her against his body, feeling the drowsiness steal over her. He was not even sure what time of day it was, and yet he also felt weary. But then... it had already been a rather full day for him. He knew tomorrow would bring more as he started to sort out Lilly's situation. Because her living conditions were, truly, unacceptable. Yet he also knew that he wanted to stay here, in this cabin, at least until he had gained more strength, and experimented with being away from it. He knew to some extent his power and lifeforce were still tied to this place, and he dared not sever that link too quickly. "I know you will, Lilly," he said, kissing her on the forehead and rocking her gently against his muscled chest. The blanket over them was hardly necessary, at least for him, and he had certainly slept in less comfortable places. But yes, she deserved better and so did he, and he would see to them in the new day. "Sleep now, and we'll talk more tomorrow." @Vava

Lilly smiled sweetly. She felt more comfortable and relaxed, and soon, sleep came to take hold of her. ~~ Lilly slept for several hours, but in the middle of the night, she got up to get a drink of water. Lilly had to go outside to the water barrel, so she grabbed a new dress, but no panties, and she headed out of the house. She made her way to the side of the house to a large barrel filled with fresh river water. She grabbed a glass from a small cabinet beside the barrel and she dunked it in the water. She took a sip and let out a sigh of relief! She had been so thirsty! @CJRP

Eldric Norman stumbled out of town along the road leading to his farm, two whole bottles of grog the worse for the wear, after spending much too long in the pub. He'd actually passed out for a bit, and the landlord finally found him snoring under a table and kicked him out. His head was clearing, but slowly, and so he ended up standing by the road, staring stupidly toward the cabin as Lilly appeared, so pale as to practically be glowing in the starlight as she traipsed outside for a drink of water. Chuckling to himself, and feeling his dick twitching at the unbidden thought of using the outcast to relieve a little tension. Stumbling down the path from the road to the cabin, he came upon her with her back turned, standing over the open barrel. He seized her from behind, arms wrapped tight around her, face pressed up by the side of her head. "You fucking witch... not really a witch, probably just a whore... so give me a little of what you got, girl," he said, his breath hot in her ear, smelling of cheap rotgut. He didn't give her much chance to answer then, grabbing her by her pale hair and pushing her head down into the rain barrel, dunking her head under the water. Holding her down with one arm, he pushed her dress up with the other, then freed his cock. Stiff in the cool air, he thrust at her, trying to find his way into her.

1:58 PM

@Vava

Lilly was caught completely by surprise as Eldric grabbed her. She yelped, trying desperately to kick and throw her head back at the man. But he easily overpowered her, and with a scream, he pushed her head into the barrel. Immediately, she kicked Eldric’s legs with hers. She wasn’t skilled in fighting, but she wasn’t going to die that easily, but as he pushed her legs apart and got her dress up, her bare backside greeted him. She felt herself getting lightheaded and she jammed her fist onto Eldric’s hands, desperately trying to get him off. She screamed as much as she could under the water, but her vision started getting dark… she didn’t want to die. Not here! Not now! @CJRP

Eldric finally hit home, thrusting into Lilly's unprotected pussy, forcing his cock in deep. He was nothing like the demon sleeping in the cabin, but still his manhood would feel large to any unprepared for it. The feeling of being inside her made him shudder, and almost unconsciously he dragged Lilly's head back up out of the water, allowing her to suck down a breath while he started to thrust in side her, her body pinned between him and the heavy rain barrel. "Fucking slag," he moaned. "Not wearing any knickers. I see how it be. I was right, yer a godsdamned whore... this your little brothel. So give it us for free and stop yer screaming. We're too far from town for any to hear ya." @Vava

Lilly almost instantly threw up as the man suddenly thrust into her, his wimpy small cock sliding into her pathetically. As he dragged her head up, she screamed, cries of agony and fear and disgust leaving her. “Stop!!! Stop it! It hurts! Stop!!” she wailed, clawing at the man’s arms and hands. “KARUS! KARUS, HELP!!!!” She screamed, tears cascading down her cheeks. She wanted this nightmare to end! She felt sick, her stomach aching and her hips throbbing with pain. Another thought ran through her head, what would Karus do… Karus might think she was disgusting… Eldric called her a whore… was she? No! No she wasn’t!! “KARUS!” @CJRP (edited)

Eldric took a long time to even consider that she might be calling for someone. "Karus" was a weirdly archaic name for these parts, like something out of the most ancient of ancient tales. Mostly he was just irritated by her cries and forced her head under water again, thrusting his hips wildly as he did, the alcohol working against him in terms of getting off quickly. Still, it was a good fuck. She had a tight pussy, which was more than he could say for his wife, so he rutted at the whore and felt her tensing pleasantly as she struggled to breathe underwater. Inside, Karus heard his name, the bright thread tying him to Lilly growing brighter now and stronger. He sprang to his feet, feeling her terror thrumming down the line at him. Naked, he dashed to the door of the cabin, ripped it open and ran out, turning the corner around the cabin to horror before his eyes. Of course, in his time he had taken many unwilling victims like this. His demonic blood had burned with delight at their suffering, his ears ringing with their pleas for mercy, their cries of pain, the mingling of pain and pleasure like a symphony to him, the sweetest sounds, the most desirous feelings, that even now stirred his loins. And yet. And yet this pathetic drunken slime of a man now threatened the thread that kept him anchored to this world. Worse, he was trying to end the woman he had sworn to protect. He broke from his horrified reverie after only a beat of his heart, hammering in his chest as he took two strides and grabbed the drunken sot by the back of the neck. With inhuman strength, he yanked Eldric away from Lilly, pulling him out of her, causing the man to squeal in disappointment and then, as his drink-clouded brain registered it, pain. Karus's hand burned at the back of his neck like a brand and Eldric's body was on fire. He squealed again and Karus grabbed Lilly by the shoulder, pulling her out of the water again.

3:12 PM

Eldric struggled and tried to run away, tried to get away. The drunk's cock was soft between his legs and suddenly his bladder spasmed in his fear. Karus wrinkled his nose at the weakness. "You filth," he growled, the timbre of his voice registering deep, down in the depths of Hell itself. With inhuman strength, he lifted Eldric by the neck, then grabbed one thigh, holding his body horizontal. He raised one leg and brought the quivering, whimpering, pissing little slime down across his knee. The crack echoed loudly and suddenly Eldric's blubbering stopped. Not wanting the body of the man to be found near the cabin, he turned away from Lilly, seeing that she still lived, and hauled the man back to the road. He approached as close to the town gates as he dared, staying just outside the lantern light, and tossed the worthless filth into the far ditch. Only then did he turn back toward the cabin, and Lilly. @Vava

Lilly felt sick. She felt lightheaded and she was nearly certain she was going to die. The pain in her body from Eldric's rough and unrelenting thrusts made her body ache. She sobbed with fear, until he pushed her head into the water. She coughed and choked, struggling to breathe. She was going to die... The only thoughts that crossed her mind, were those of Karus. She wouldn't get to serve him, and she'd never see him again. That broke her heart more than anything... But, before she could do anything else, she felt someone grab her shoulder and she was yanked up out of the water. She coughed hard, spitting water onto the grass. She felt her chest aching and her lungs burned. She heard the snapping of bones and she turned to see Karus holding the now deceased corpse of the man that had assaulted her. Lilly turned away, panting to regain her breath. As he left to get rid of the body, Lilly crawled to the river that rested behind her home. It was a small little river, and most likely a stream, but it was sufficient as a place to bathe and get water. Lilly crawled into the water, the cold water stinging her skin. She knelt down and she quickly began to rub her arms, her hips, her pelvis, everywhere Eldric had touched, she scrubbed. But, the longer she sat in the water, the harder she scrubbed. Tears dripped into the river and Lilly's panting turned to sobbing as she clawed at her skin. She felt so violated... She felt... tainted. She hadn't wanted that bastard to touch her! She didn't want anyone but Karus touching her!! @CJRP

Karus did not find her where he left when he came back from disposing of the interloper's body. And for a moment, he raged at some new horror visited on her while he was away, but then he followed the thread into the stream that ran behind the cabin, finding her kneeling there, scrubbing at her body. He shook his head, stepped into the water, and lifted her from the stream, cradling her against his chest once more. "Shhhh," he said, holding her tightly to him, just standing in the running water, hardly registering to himself that he was naked himself. He squeezed her tightly, her dress wet from the stream, clinging to her body. He stepped out onto the bank, walking back around to the front of the cabin. "Shhhhh," he said again. "He's gone. He will never touch you again. No one will, not while I live." He carried her inside and shut the door behind him, then set her on her feet for a moment. With dextrous strength, he whipped the dress up and off her body, letting it fall in a sodden heap on the floor. Finding a towel, he began to dry her off, rubbing the soft cotton against her skin, soaking up each droplet of water. Her skin was red and raw where she had scrubbed at it and he dabbed those spots dry, careful not to irritate the skin further. When he was finished, he guided her back to bed, lowering her down to the pallet then, again, lowering himself down beside her. This time, he cradled her body against him, holding her tight, running his fingers through her silky pale hair. "Sleep now, my servant. This was a nightmare, and it's over now. It's over." @Vava

Lilly wanted to push away as he lifted her. She didn’t feel like she was allowed to touch him right now. She felt so sick, and her body hurt. She could still feel that monsters hands on her, the feeling of him inside her… it made her want to vomit. As he held her close, she curled into him, sobbing softly against him. She let him take her back inside and dispose of the dress. She flinched as he touched her skin with the towel. She covered her chest and tried to curl up. She didn’t want him to see her now… she felt… tainted. Poisoned. Violated. When he returned them to the hay pile, he soothed her and said it was a nightmare, but it was over now. She curled further into him, sobbing hard. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I… I never meant to be so carefulness. I tried to fight him… but he.. I…” she couldn’t speak anymore. She simply cried and held onto him. She knew this wasn’t her fault, deep in her heart, but the knowledge that another man had taken her, made her feel physically sick. At least he hadn’t finished within her. That would have been the end of her. “F-Forgive me… p-please.” She begged weakly. @CJRP

"You have nothing to be sorry for, there is nothing for me to forgive," he said, his voice a low murmur, their faces so close together. "The only one who should be begging forgiveness has apologized with his life, as will anyone who dares to touch you without my permission, or yours." He ran his fingers through her hair, her pale locks drying after her drowning ordeal. "You are mine, and will be mine, no matter what. The touch of such filth cannot sully you for you are mine." The vehemence in his voice grew, and he took a deep breath to steady himself. In his rage, he had wanted to flatten the town. And fortunate for them that he yet lacked the power, though he'd been happy enough to spend his rage on the drunken sot. Even so, he needed to to make sure they understood she was off-limits now, and that any who touched her--in any way--would earn the fate of Eldric. "In the morning, I have something I would like to search for nearby here. I would like you to accompany me, so that I know you are safe. Then we will go into town for supplies. I want everyone to know that you are under my protection now," he said and squeezed her slender body tighter to his chest. @Vava

Lilly sniffled and nodded, her whimpers softer now as he soothed her. He comforted her and despite her internal remorse, he didn’t hold this against her. He didn’t find her filthy, or sullied. “Thank you… thank you.” She whispered, holding onto him tightly in response to his hold. His discussion of wanting to go somewhere the following day distracted her from her recent ordeal, and she nodded quickly. “Yes, I wish to go with you. Please.” She said quietly. Her face was still stained with tears, her hair damp from the cold water. She pressed her face into Karus’s neck, hiding against him. “Thank you for saving my life. I… I thought I was going to die.” She whispered, holding onto him even tighter, her fingers trembling. @CJRP

"I won't let that happen," he said softly, continuing to run his fingers through her hair. "I couldn't let that happen any more than I could stand by and let my own limbs be torn off. You called for help, and I came, and I do not intend to forsake that request." He squeezed her a little tighter, relishing the feel of her body against his. So long since he'd known touch, since he'd smelled anything but dirt and death, so long without a kind word in his ear. How long had it been, even before his banishment, since anyone had said anything kind to him at all? In that time, he hadn't missed it, hadn't needed it, perhaps. Had the banishment changed him? Yes, he was desperate to remain above ground, walking in the land of the living, but something maybe had happened to him in his time. He was still capable of great cruelty and violence--the interloper had discovered that to his very brief dismay--but here in his arms was a trembling woman he would have easily used and cast aside at the height of his power. And now? Now... now he cherished her, and that was such a strange feeling to have. But he would tear the town apart, kill everyone in it if they dared to raise their hands against her again. He probably shouldn't, but he knew his rage would be difficult to control if they harmed her again. "Sleep now, if you can. We'll journey in the morning. It won't be far, if I remember rightly. Only an hour or so, and then we can go to town," he said, kissing her lightly on the top of her head. @Vava

Lilly nodded, feeling better, though she felt weak and sore. She prayed that the pain and sickness would go away soon. She blushed at the kiss. He was being so gentle and sweet that she wondered if he was truly an Angel! Sleep did take hold of Lilly shortly after, and thankfully, nothing happened this time. She woke in the morning with a dull throbbing in her hips, but the ache and pain in her stomach had gone away. She moaned softly and rubbed her eyes, looking over to see if Karus was still there. “Karus? Are you awake?” She asked softly, looking up at him. They were to be journeying an hour or so away, so she figured they may want breakfast and to bathe before hand. But perhaps he didn’t need to eat? He had mentioned last night that he didn’t. But.. maybe he needed… other nourishment. @CJRP

"I am," he said. In truth, he had not slept much since laying back down, preferring instead to watch Lilly sleep and wondering what this protective mood meant for him. He had reached no conclusions, other than to wonder what the new day would bring. He watched the light grow through the cracked and grimy windows of the cabin, filling the interior as the sun rose and worked its way into the cabin's shabby interior. "We should start, when you're ready. You'll need to eat, I'm sure." He smiled a little at her, then cupping her face in one hand kissed her lips. "I had nourishment enough yesterday to keep me going for some time, and I wouldn't like to tax your body too much." He ran his finger down the side of her body, over her hip slowly. "Perhaps I can break my fast after we get back from our walk, if the effort doesn't tire you out too much?" @Vava

Lilly returned his kiss, her cheeks growing that familiar shade of pink. “I can make breakfast after I bathe quickly. I am just going to run down to the river. Would you care to join me?” She got up from the hay pile and she grabbed a new dress and some panties. This dress was a light pink, and gave her body some shape. It had a black lace tie in the bodice, so it cupped her chest nicely. But, she didn’t wear it yet. “Would you like to come with me?” She asked, looking back at Karus. “The river is within sight of here, If you want to stay.” @CJRP

Karus followed her out of "bed" and looked for his trousers and shirt. He scooped them up but, like her, did not put his clothes on right away. He smiled at her, though it took a grim turn. "I think perhaps I will not let you out of my sight today, or even far beyond arm's reach." Possessive or protective, he mused, they often sounded the same. And he certainly felt both things, in something like equal measure. "So let us go bathe. I don't know when last I did, so this may be an interesting experience for us both." Remembering the stream from the night before, he opted to lead the way, stepping outside to face the growing sun with his clothes draped over his arm. The day was clear and still a little cool, though he could tell it would warm quickly. Flowering trees of some variety bloomed nearby, touching the wind with their scent. He paused there on the doorstep only to make sure she was along with him, then set out around the cabin and down toward the water. "Do you bathe right here?" he asked. "Or somewhere further along?" @Vava

Lilly didn’t mind having Karus follow her, or stay withins arm reach of her. That was probably for the best, so without hesitation she followed him outside into the cool day time sun. The day light was bright and started to warm her skin despite the cooler temperature. “I typically just bathe right here. I get water further up, since the river flows downward.” She said, setting her clothes down on a rock on the bank away from the water. She had brought two towels as well. She carefully made her way into the deeper part of the water, gasping as the cool water soothed and stung her at the same time. “It’s cold!” She laughed, slowly lowering herself with a shiver. “Brrrrr!” She shook for a second before her body began to recover and acclimate to the cold. She turned back to Karus and smiled at him. “The waters nicer once you get in!” @CJRP

Karus watched with interest as she slipped into the water, taking in the fullness of her naked form. He laid his clothes down beside hers and looked around. The spot was quite secluded, difficult to see from any angle but up at the cabin itself, which pleased him. If he was to allow Lilly to go further afield on her own, he wanted to know that she could bathe at least without casual observation. He glanced back at her, water now dripping from her body, and the sight of her caused his manhood to stir. Dangling down between his thighs, it started to stiffen and grow as he watched her. "I'm sure it'll be fine," he said, stepping down into the water. The cold was something of a shock, but not unpleasant, and his own body heat was quick to warm the water around him--though with it flowing past, it would always remain a little chilly. He dunked himself under the surface, wetting down completely, then rose up again, standing in the stream as it flowed about his waist and legs. At the height of his power, he had been used to scented soaps and other luxuries when he allowed himself to bathe in his human form, but here had none of that. So he used what had been common in his time, grabbing handful of silt from the stream bed and rubbing it over his skin, scouring any grime or dried sweat, then dunking himself back into the flowing water to rinse the gritty silt away, leaving his skin pink and fresh. @Vava

Lilly couldn’t help but stare at Karus as he stepped into the water. He was truly a gorgeous being. She saw how he seemed to respond to her and she blushed harder, dipping under the water fully. She swam over to him, rubbing her arms lightly. She had scrubbed herself so hard last night that she didn’t really feel the need to scrub hard again. She popped up in front of him, smiling. “You said it had been a long time since you had bathed. You didn’t seem dirty. How long had it been?” She asked curiously, tilting her head. Most of her hair was under the water, swishing around with the flow of the water. @CJRP

Karus smiled at her, keeping himself largely submerged as well, enjoying that she was within arm's reach and his own body responding accordingly. She was just that attractive, despite being a little undernourished, perhaps. She rivaled, easily, the most beautiful of his concubines when he was ascendant. "I don't know, exactly. It's been centuries, at least, since I walked this world, and where I was before, I did not need to bathe." Nor could he, but he would not elaborate on that at this moment. He didn't himself want to think of his time in banishment, the paralyzed horror of it, not to mention the shame of his defeat. "But you called out, and I answered, so now I am here. I may take some time to relearn some things, or learn how things have changed since I was in the world last." He smiled at her, wondering what she would think of his previous life in the world, if it would even make any sense to her. This area remained similar, but definitely not the same. This stream, as near as he could tell, had been half a mile from where he fell, not right down a short slope. But rivers meander and change their course, so it must be with this. He only hoped that what he sought that day would still be where he had left it. @Vava

“Centuries? Has it truly been that long since you were in earth?” She recalled the previous evening and one thing truly in particular stood out to her; he had bitten her and drank her blood… and now he was saying he was centuries old… “Karus… what are you?” She asked softly, coming closer to him. One thing Lilly had enjoyed was reading, and she loved listening to tales from her mother until her passing, but she also remembered the beasts and demons that came from the stories the priests told the village. But, Karus was nothing like that. He didn’t have monstrous horns or wings or anything! He just didn’t eat, nor had he been on earth in centuries… and he drank blood a bit… “Are… are you a demon?” She asked quietly, now closer than before. She looked up into his eyes, completely curious. If he was a demon… was she afraid? No. Karus hadn’t given her any reason to be afraid. How could she be afraid of him? He had saved her life! She owed him her entire life. @CJRP

Karus slipped his arms around her, pulling her close against him in the water. His hands caressed her naked back, stroking up and down, his fingers dragging down to the upper swell of her backside. He smiled at her, his eyes clear and bright. “Would it matter at all if I were?” He smiled a little wider. “You called out to the gods for help, so I hope you did not expect just anyone to answer. What should matter is that I am here, and I am protecting you, and you are serving me. What else could matter?” That he wasn’t ready to tell her he was a demon, outright, stirred strange feelings in him. The long and short of it was that he wanted her to think well of him, and he didn’t think that would apply if she knew the truth. And yet the truth could not be hidden forever. He could feel his strength growing with every moment of her devotion to him. Lurking inside him was the sort of beast that she spoke of, perhaps one that she would fear. Monstrously tall, hideous to look upon, painful to touch. Could she find that desirable, or even tolerable? He had no idea. Yet he would find out at some point. Just… not today. Not yet. @Vava

Lilly gasped softly as he pulled her close. Her hips pressed into his and her chest pressed against his. She shivered at the sudden flurry of pleasure that pulled itself up her body. He knew exactly how to distract her. "No... It...I don't think so." She whispered. "I know that you came to help me. Even if you were a demon, I wouldn't be afraid..." She reached up to cup his cheek. She wanted him to understand her feelings, especially after he rescued her, both from Eldric, and from her sorrow from the day before. She brushed some of his hair away from his shoulder, and then, she reached up and hugged him, her arms circling around his neck. She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. "I am just glad you are here, Karus." @CJRP

Karus grinned at her, adoring the warmth of her hand, reaching up to hold it against his face and kiss her wrists. His other arm remained wrapped tight around her naked body, holding her against his, feeling his own surge of pleasure at the touch of her flesh. How he had missed this part of being in the world. "I'm glad I am here, too, Lilly. I'll never forget the moment your call for help reached me. Never." He kissed softly along her forearm, not having intended to make this trip to the stream about anything other than getting cleaned up and moving on with the day. But now he was not so sure, his arousal growing, pressing ever more insistently against Lilly's soft and supple body. The only thing holding him back was the pain she clearly still felt that morning, and he cursed that interloper yet again. If his curses still bore any weight on the lower planes, he'd be tormented by Karus's demonic brethren for centuries. He shook off that thought and concentrated on Lilly, having kissed his way down to her shoulder, then to her neck. He longed to bite and drink from her, but slaking that thirst might have to wait. So pale, Lilly didn't look like she could spare any blood, though he could feel it, smell it thrumming through her veins. @Vava

Lilly blushed as he kissed her wrists. Another gasp left her lips as he pulled her close, their hips pressing harder into his. She let out a soft moan, her eyes fluttering slightly. "Karus..." Each kiss up her arm sent fire flooding through her veins. Lilly moaned softly, her chest rising and falling, her breasts under the water, but with each inhale, they would push up towards Karus. She felt how hungry his gaze was, how intensely he stared at her throat, and her body. She swallowed softly, leaning up to him. She kissed him, her hands cupping his cheeks with her hands. Having someone else inside her was... awful. She didn't want to even think about that, and she wanted to push those feelings away. "Karus... if you need to feed again, please do. I am rested, and I am feeling well." She wanted him to be able to rely on her for things. If she was going to serve him well, she needed to be able to provide him the things he needed! "Please, Karus... feed from me again..." She whispered, nipping at his jaw lightly, her hips ever so slightly grinding against him. @CJRP

Karus groaned softly at her willingness, nay eagerness to feed him. He kissed at her neck, tightening his grip on her body as she so willingly offered herself up to him. His hips rocked under the water, pressing against her, letting her feel his arousal sliding up against her taut belly. His hands slid down to grip her backside, squeezing and kneading her firm flesh, lifting her up in the water, his hard cock sliding down past her navel until it slipped between her legs. He shivered at the feel of her soft folds, feeling somehow slicker and hotter under the water than the surrounding water, making it easy to guide himself toward his goal. Pushing upward, he pressed his cock through her snug slit, finding easily the tight tunnel into her very depths. Lowering her slowly back down, the water making it much easier to move her body--though she did not weigh much against his solid muscles--as he lowered her down. He shuddered as her tight, slippery pussy engulfed him slowly, stretching with seeming reluctance along his shaft as he pushes in deep. His teeth graze over her flesh at the nape of her neck as he pushes deeper. "Oh Lilly," he moans, kissing up to her ear. "You are such a wonderful servant. I love to feed from you. Your pleasure is... immeasurably delicious." He started to move her, working her body up and down his rock hard erection, grunting as he penetrated her deeper and deeper. @Vava

Lilly shivered at the groaning that came from Karus. Oh Gods, those sounds were going to send her over the edge already. She moaned softly as he started to rock against her. The swell of his cock was pressing into her core, and she was pretty positive she was going to release just from this alone, that was until he he plunged himself into her. Lilly moaned loudly, her head falling back, her hair spreading out further in the water. "Oh, Gods, Karus!" Instantly, her hips started to grind and press against his. She had less control since he had a hold on her hips. However, this didn't stop her from grinding against him. She tilted her head for him, her eyes fluttering as his teeth grazed her neck. "K-Karus..." She whimpered. The sound of her name sent shivers up her spine, and her hands held onto him, her hands resting on his back. Suddenly, Lilly pulled herself close, pressing her neck against his mouth and her hips grinding harder against him. "I-I want to feel your fangs again...Master." She tried. If she was his servant, she wanted to address him as her Master. He deserved such a title. "Master, please... Please bite me once more. I wish to feed you again." She wanted to be useful to him. She had to be useful, or... maybe he wouldn't stick around for her. She couldn't handle that. @CJRP

Karus ground his cock up into her, fucking her deep, looking down to see her tummy bulging a little with the invasion of his long, thick erection. He shivered at the thought of regaining his demon form and fucking her like that. Could she even survive it? By all the demons of Hell, he hoped so. He knew he was still feeling a euphoria of being released from his banishment, but Lilly was clearly the best servant he'd ever had. And when she called him "Master" and begged for his fangs... He couldn't help but thrust even harder into her. "Are you sure, little one?" He growled the words to her, his voice taking on deep and rumbling timbre. But he didn't wait for an answer, bringing his mouth back to her neck, opening wide, scraping his teeth over her flesh. His tongue flicked out, caressing her flesh softly, before he bit down, much harder than he had the first times biting her. Blood spurted forth, over his tongue, into his throat. The heat of it on his tongue made his cock throb even harder in her, his hands on her hips, working her up and down his shaft, feeling impossibly hard. He drank for a moment, her blood soon dripping from his chin. Releasing her, he licked at her wounds, slowing the flow of blood. He didn't want to drain her. At least... not yet. Maybe someday he'd want to absorb her essence, but he could feel that that day was far, far off. Power surged through him as he absorbed her blood, and he could feel his power groaning. Perhaps it would not be that long at all before she witnessed his demonic form. @Vava

Lilly gasped loudly as he sank his fangs into her throat, she came hard, her insides spasming and her hips grinding and thrusting wildly against his as she sank her nails into his back. Her moans were loud and unashamed, her eyes fluttering back into her head. “Master! Master! Master!” As he pulled his fangs from her neck, she moaned and gasped as he fucked her the water splashing around them both. She held onto him as her life preserver, her insides being pounded by his thick cock. She could feel his cock pressing hard into her belly and one hand went down to press against where she could feel him. “Master! You’re so deep! I-I can feel you so deep inside! It feels so good!” She cried, her voice full of the passion she so desperately craved. “Master! Master!” Pulling herself closer again, she kissed him firmly, moaning against his mouth. She could taste her blood on his lips, but, she found that… she kind of liked that. She liked tasting herself on him… Oh gods what was happening to her? @CJRP

Karus felt her orgasm coursing through her, massaging his cock as he thrust deep into her clenching cunt, forcing himself hard up into her lower belly. He could barely believe himself that she could take his whole length, wondering for a moment if some incubus magic had leaked through into her, making her body more pliable. Whatever it was, he did not question it, for now at least. He simply enjoyed being able to hilt his cock inside her, over and over. He shifted a little, turning, laying his shoulders back against the muddy bank, so that it was more like he was bouncing her on his dick, working her body up and down in the flowing water. He grinned when she broke the kiss, seeing the look in her eye, her clear enjoyment of what was happening. "Yes, little one," he moaned, his cock throbbing harder, so swollen inside her, so deep, his balls so heavy with seed for her. "Yes... I am your Master... eternally your Master... you serve me, worship me, and I protect you, care for you... and fill you... and feed on you..." With those words his mouth went to the other side of her neck, biting down again. He couldn't drink too much, but he also could not get enough of the way she tasted, the way she responded to the bites. He urged her to come again from being bitten, feeding him doubly with her blood and her pleasure. @Vava

Lilly's cries filled the air around them, her lower belly bulging lightly with each thrust that hilted his cock within her. Karus laid back on the bank and Lilly placed her hands on his chest, keeping herself steady as she followed his movements. She let one hand rest on his shoulders, her legs tight around his hips. She moaned loudly, her head tossed back in pure ecstasy. "Master! Oh, Gods, Master! It feels so good!" She cried. Each word of praise that fell from his lips made her moan and whimper with need. She felt him swell inside her and she gasped, her eyes fluttering. She was almost losing it now, her hips thrusting faster and harder, though no where near at the speed and strength that Karus could produce. As he bit her once more, Lilly screamed with ecstasy, her hands now pushing his head closer to her throat. She screamed with ecstasy, her hips grinding and thrusting quickly, her orgasm hard and intense. She whimpered and writhed against him, completely losing it now. "Master!! Master! Oh Gods, Master, fill me with your seed! Please! I need you to fill me to the brim!" She whimpered. Her face was hot and her insides were throbbing as she came once more. Three separate releases, three intensities, each getting more and more intense. @CJRP

Karus could not resist her pleas, even had he wanted to. Something about them were magic on their own, prompting him to grip her hips tightly and drive her down on his wildly throbbing cock, hilting her one last time as he prick erupted, flooding her with his hot and slippery seed. Wave after wave pumped up inside her... and for the first time he wondered if it were possible for him to impregnate her. He shuddered at the thought and his orgasm intensified somehow, truly filling her to the brim with his potent spunk. Growling and moaning with his mouth still clamped on her neck, he held her tight through his own orgasm. He finally released her from his jaws as his climax tapered off, laying his head back on the bank, then looking up at her, a vision of earthly beauty in her devotion to him. He pulled her tight against him again, this time cradling her head against his broad chest, his chin resting on the top of her head. Powerful hands caressed her back slowly as he could feel his seed leaking out around his cock still buried inside her. "My kitten," he whispered to her. "My good little one, you know how to serve your Master well. Like you were made for this, made to serve me, made to draw me back into this world." @Vava

Lilly cried out loudly as his seed filled her in waves. She clawed at his chest, her eyes rolling back ever so slightly, her fingers shaking as she released for a fourth time. This time, it seemed to be her last, and she collapsed against him, panting heavily. She was spent now, her entire body sore and tired, but her heart felt so full and warm. "Oh...Gods... Master..." She panted. She rested her head on his chest, pressing soft loving kisses along his chest and shoulder. She panted softly, catching her breath as best as she could. He called her 'kitten' and she shivered with delight. She liked that nickname. "Thank you, Master. My goal is to please you. You and only you." She purred softly. With how much seed he had filled her with in the past two days, the thought of falling pregnant did not stray far from her mind. She honestly did not dislike the idea of being pregnant, especially if her child was Karus's. But, that was a conversation for another time. She took some of the water from the river and she began to run it along his neck and on his cheeks. "I apologize for getting you all sweaty again." She said softly, smiling innocently up at him. She wasn't actually sorry at all. @CJRP

Karus chuckled softly and kissed the top of her head, then her forehead. He liked the way she ran water over his body, and considered that he might very like for her to bathe him in the future, as well, and not just after a series of shattering orgasms. He coiled his arms around her body, holding her tight against his chest. Slowly he pulled her off of his softening dick, his flesh terribly sensitive after his orgasm, a smile sigh seeping from him as his cock is rinsed in the cool running water of the stream. All of this feels amazing, and he wondered why he had never fucked in a cool stream before. He had certainly missed out. His hands caressed her body slowly, cupping his hands in the water to pour some over her back and shoulders as she lay against his upper body. "I can't say I'm sorry about it, kitten," he said, grinning at her. "Working up a sweat with you nourishes me in so many ways. And it's quite a lot of fun, besides." In truth, he did feel so much more powerful now. He could feel his demonic form yearning to break free. And what he thought might be a journey back to power of weeks or months, he wondered now if it was to be measured only in days. "Do you think we might be able to go on our errands yet today? Or will you need more sleep before we walk?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair. @Vava

Lilly blushed heavily as he held her tightly. She pressed some more kisses to his cheek and she shook her head as he asked if she would need more sleep. "No! I'm all rested, Master. I just need to get dressed and then we can head out to do our errands! Whatever you wish to do!" She was eager to please him in every way possible, and if he needed her to go do errands, than she was ready to go! Lilly finished washing herself, and after a short while, she climbed out of the river. Her legs shook, but she pushed through it, desperate to be strong. She wasn't in pain, but she was definitely sore. But, she liked that, because she knew why she was sore. She had pleasured her master! She smiled and dried herself off, squeezing the water from her hair. When she was dry, she got dressed in her dry clothes. The light pink color gave some color to her pale skin and her bright white blonde hair, and the black tie definitely accented her chest nicely. Once she was all dressed, she turned to Karus. "Are you ready, Master?" @CJRP

Karus got out of the water when she did, shaking off the excess water, then toweling dry the rest of the way. He pulled on his same trousers and shirt he'd worn the day before, the only clothes he owned in the world. He'd hopefully get some more today, provided he could find his cache, and use what was in it to trade for whatever passed for money in this town. He guessed that Lilly had none, or very little, and he wouldn't dare take it from her, even though he knew beyond a doubt she'd offer what she had to him readily. No, he needed to protect her, look after her, and that meant using his own resources for now. "I am quite ready, Lilly. First we need to head out to the road so I can get my bearings a little. But I think we'll be going north of town a little ways. Are there any farms or settlements up that way, do you know?" For all he knew, his final cache of goods was under some farmer's cellar. He could feel it, a faint connection to it a thousand times more tenuous than the thread that bound him to Lilly. But it was there. He just dared not walk blindly toward it, in case there was some danger in doing so. He would not lead Lilly into a hazard that way. @Vava

Karus informed her that they had to head out to the road. He asked about settlements and farms and she thought for a moment, touching her chin. "Not that I know of, Master. The last I heard, it's just forests, but I am unfortunately not very well versed on the geographical understanding besides the village. I believe we would have more foot traffic if there were more settlements, though. The next city is at least several days journey from here." She didn't recall any farms or settlements. There might have been a few camps from traveling soldiers, but they wouldn't have been large like industrial farms or settlements. Though, Lilly wasn't educated on that. She didn't have the opportunity to learn much about the outside world, and everything she did learn was from hearing conversations from the villagers. She approached Karus and she took his hand. "Shall we head out, Master?" She began to guide him towards the road. It was close to the river, and it was a wide dirt path. To the left, the tips of several buildings could be seen through the trees for the village Lilly lived outside of. To the right, thick trees opened their arms to welcome travelers within. @CJRP

Smiling at her, Karus gripped her hand firmly, striding along beside her as she guided him toward the road. The sensation of his cache was not like the thread that bound him to Lilly, but a sort of dull ache in the distance that could grow more sharp as he faced in the right direction. He could barely recall what he had left there, though he knew gold was among the cache, and silver, being less conspicuous for trading. Why had he left it? Perhaps he had sensed his own possible defeat, or perhaps he just had wanted to be prepared for any eventuality. Or perhaps something to amuse himself sending his minions to find. Either way, it would be useful to him now, and to his beloved servant. On his own he found a good place to leave the road, heading away from the village, striding with care through the trees. Some of these might have been saplings when he was in his power, but most of them would be new, long replacing the trees that had stood there centuries ago. "Tell me about the medicines you make in your cabin there. I could see some ointments and some ingredients for such things about the place. What do you make, and what might you like to learn?" He had no idea what he might be able to help her with, but wanted to hear, especially as it related to how she could serve him apart from feeding him. @Vava

Lilly followed Karus without any sense of hesitation. She kept a firm hold on his hand as she walked beside him down the street. Lilly would usually walk this path alone as she went into the woods so that she could gather ingredients and herbs. But having someone here was really nice. She enjoyed having Karus's company. He had saved her from a dark time, and she wanted to be loyal to him. "The medicines I make are meant for minor and moderate injuries. I haven't mastered medicines that could completely heal anyone, but, that's my goal. Antidotes to toxins is something I specialize in, if I can figure out the specific toxin. Unfortunately, it's hard testing on people because... obviously no one wants to be poisoned, and I refuse to test anything on an animal." She sighed softly. "So I use plants... or..." She bit her lip and quietly spoke, "Myself." She had definitely ingested several toxins and tested her antidotes numerous times, and there were a few times where she may have been close to death. Thankfully she pulled through, and she would try to craft a stronger antidote. The guards and churches refused to let her ask for volunteers, and besides, no one in the village would help her. "If I had to think of things I'd like to learn, I'd want to learn how to make stronger medicines. Ones that could... heal severely sick people." She thought about her mother and how if she had been able to get strong medicine, she'd still be alive. Lilly went quiet for a moment, a few tears slipping down her cheeks. She quickly brushed them away and smiled. "But, what about you? What are we looking for directly?" @CJRP

Karus held her hand tightly, not wanting to let her slip and fall, or come to other harm in his presence. So when she mentioned testing the antidotes for toxins on herself, he simply stopped in his tracks and whirled to look at her, eyes wide. As much as he valued Lilly as a servant and knew she had some courage, he had no idea humans were even capable of such recklessness in the pursuit of what they sought. As a demon, he prized that kind of chaotic recklessness, but at the same time as her protector he wanted to forbid her from continuing. “We… may try to find you some volunteers,” he said, and continued on their path, snaking deeper into the woods. “That is a dangerous game you play with yourself, and I will… I will not allow you to do it alone, at the very least, ever again.” He could have the power to heal her, perhaps, though he had not tested such power in such a long time. Testing his strength there would also require putting her, or others in peril. He was not sure about that risk either. “As for what I seek,” he said, and at that moment led them off the trail. Rocky outcroppings rose up to one side, largely obscured by trees. “I seek something I left behind here, when last I walked the earth. I did not have time for it between then and now—and I will not speak of that time to you, not yet. But if it’s still there, and I have reason to believe it is, it could help us both a great deal.” Somewhere ahead, he could feel it. The pulsing echo of its presence skittered across his skin, making him feel like he was flush with arousal, or the praise of a loved one. Not very far now. @Vava

Lilly flinched a little as he whirled to look at her. She hadn't intended to upset him with her story, but as he spoke, she understood why he was upset. Had she died, he never would have found her. Now, she couldn't die, not while she was his servant! She was not going to die, so she'd need volunteers. Karus acknowledged this and she gave his hand a squeeze. "Thank you, Master." He revealed that the thing they were looking for was something he had when he last walked the earth. From what she recalled, that was centuries ago. So, what could last centuries buried in the ground? Or, maybe it wasn't in the ground. She kept up with him as they walked. "I sounds like it's a very important item. I hope we can find it for you, Master." She hoped that whatever he was searching for was still there! She wasn't sure how far they had to go, but she didn't mind walking. It was nice to get out of her home and go walking through the woods. As they walked, Lilly noticed some herbs. "Oh, Master, on our way back, can we collect some of the herbs along the road? They are really good for making medicines." She wanted to try to show him her skills and show him that she could actually do what she claimed she could do. @CJRP

Karus smiled at her question. “Of course, my precious kitten. My errand is not all-exclusive. And we’re almost to the goal, I think. Yes, just ahead there.” The rocky outcropping had once been a hill, but centuries of erosion had worn down the soil to just the rock beneath, and what had been set back under a stone arch was now exposed: a granite slab, the height of his demonic form, set back against the stone of the outcroppings. Perfectly smooth on the face of it, it offered no other sign of what it might be, other than it did not seem to have weathered the way the stone around it had. He stepped up to it and faced it, pressing his free hand against the surface. For a long moment nothing happened, and if relying on sight or activity alone, Karus would have been dismayed. But he could feel the power thrumming through it. Ancient runes activating deep within, carven figures sealed in the stone slab by powerful Hellish magic. Soon red traceries appeared on the surface, radiating out from his hand in swirling fractal patterns. They flared, almost burning, but then with a slow grinding noise, the stone split, parting along an invisible seam, slowly grinding open to reveal a small chamber beyond, lit in flickering orange. “You may wait here, if you choose, little one.” @Vava

Lilly followed Karus quietly, being mindful not to step on any stray sticks and cause them to snap or break under her weight. They approached the outcropping and they came face to face with a large granite slab. It looked plain with no markings that she could see. Was this what they had come to see? No, surely not. This seemed far too mundane for Karus to be interested in. He stepped forward and he pressed a hand to it. Nothing happened Lilly stayed quiet, not doubting that Karus was doing what needed to be done. Suddenly, there were runes on the stone and a bright red light began to emit from Karus's hand. Lilly gasped and rushed forward, thinking it was hot. "Master!" But, he didn't pull away nor did he seem to be in pain. She watched with wide eyes as the rock glowed bright red with different rune like patterns, and then a large crack appeared and split the stone in two! Lilly gasped again as the stone then pulled apart, revealing an opening! Lilly was completely flabbergasted that the rock had opened up all on its own. She had never seen something like this! Karus told her she could wait if she wanted and she shook her head, stepping forward and wrapping her arm around his tightly. "No! I want to come with you, Master." She looked into the dark opening with the glimmering orange light. This was fascinating but terrifying at the same time. What the hell was this?! @CJRP

The opening led into a deep stone chamber, set back into the hill. Despite the erosion around it, the chamber had remained intact and proof against any water trickling in to destroy what remained in here. Which was as well, as that was part of the warding spell that had been placed on it. He hoped that sealing the outer door would set the full ward back in place. Niches were set into each of the three walls--right, left, and straight ahead--each set with a strongbox of some kind. In the center was a suit of armor, set up on a wooden framework that helped give shape to the various connected pieces. Clearly it was for someone bigger than he was now--but that's because his demonic form stood a foot or two taller than his human form. It was not his best armor--he'd been wearing that when defeated by that holier-than-thou twit Angelus--but it was still quite good. Too bad it didn't fit him right now, and also too bad that he had no reason to wear it. Protecting Lilly did not yet require such armament. After admiring it for a long moment, he stepped around and looked at the strongboxes. He chose one on the back wall and pressed his knuckles to the latch. It glowed red with runes, like the outer door, then sprang open. Small ingots of silver lay in the case, stacked neatly and filling it. He scooped up several of them, figuring they would be much less conspicuous than gold, then frowned and looked around. A few other odds and ends were strewn about the chamber and he found what he was looking for after a moment--a simple leather satchel. He draped it across his body, over one shoulder, then stuffed into it the portion of silver he'd use to support Lilly for now. That completed, he turned to face her, knowing that she must be absolutely made of questions right now. "You're wondering what this is, I suspect, kitten." @Vava

Lilly walked inside the tunnel with Karus. It was dark inside, but three niches remained in the wall, each one contained a strongbox, but the thing that truly shocked her was the armor. She stared at it with wide eyes. Her eyes scanned over each intricate detail of the armor. However, the size really frightened her. Who on earth was able to fit in armor like this? "Master... Does this... belong to you?" She asked, looking at the armor. Whoever wore it was easily a foot or two taller than Karus. And definitely was not human. She watched him open one of the strongboxes with a press of his knuckles, that same red runed glow appearing. Lilly was still surprised, and she didn't believe she'd get used to this. When he opened the box, she peered inside, gasping at the sight of the silver. Silver wasn't as valuable as gold but it was still money, and it was the most money Lilly had ever seen in her life. She didn't dar touch it, but she was shocked to see this much. "Wow... Master, you're rich!" When he grabbed his satchel, he then asked if she had questions, and she nodded quickly. "What is this place? Who's armor is that? Why do you have so many strong boxes? Why do the strong boxes, and the door, open with red lights? What is the light about?" Questions poured out of her like blood, and it was all Lilly could do to not keep asking more. @CJRP

Karus smiled at her and put his hands on her shoulders. "The full story of this room would take... well, at least your own lifetime for me to recount. But I will let you in on my secrets, given that you have been such a good and faithful servant. The truth is... well... you asked earlier if I was a demon, and I did not answer you directly. Now I will. The armor is mine. It fits my true form. Centuries ago, I sought to dominate these lands. I had armies at my beck and call, legions of wizards, a fortress far away of iron and stone. But it was here that my doom fell. Those that opposed me met us in battle and I was vanquished. "They buried my body and my soul was banished to a featureless limbo. From which your plea for help recalled me. I don't know how or why, but it did, and someday I'd like to find an answer to that. This room is one among many that I left throughout the lands of my conquest, caches for my personal use should I have need of them. Only I am able to access them as long as their wards hold good, as this one did," he said, looking around. "It's really not a lot, compared to what I had at the height of my power." He smiled at her and stooped to kiss her forehead. "And now... now all I really want to do is use it to protect you, give you the comfort you deserve. Perhaps once I regain the ability to use my demonic form I'll feel differently, but for now... for now this is enough." He sighed and dropped his hands to his side, fully expecting Lilly to run screaming into the woods. @Vava

Lilly felt her world spin as Karus stated that he was indeed a demon, and this armor that he held was for a completely different form. His true form. Lilly felt her knees shake and she touched the wall to hold onto it. It was a shock to hear that the man she had grown so close to over the past day, was a demon. He told her his tale and it made her head spin, but she nodded her head as she listened. Her cheeks tinted pink as he kissed her forehead. However, as he said, he wasn't sure if he would feel differently once his true form was able to be used again. Lilly's chest tightened and anxiety creeped up her face. "This is... a lot to take in." She said softly. "But, I feel as though I knew that you were not human, as you stated that earlier, and, you just definitely do not seem human. So I don't feel that frightened by this." She let out a soft laugh. Having him reveal that he was a demon should have sent her running for the hills, but she couldn't. Karus had saved her life essentially twice. How could she feel as though he was an evil demon? She then swallowed nervously. "But, does that mean that once you get your demonic form back... you may not want me around any longer?" She looked up at Karus. @In the Dave Tonight

"I don't think it should mean any such thing," Karus said, hands on her shoulders, then shifting along to rub down her upper arms, then dropping low to grip her own hands. "For why should it? Demons... so rarely keep among their own kind. We're not made for it, for starters. When I first came to be, I was an incubus. My whole reason for being was to consort with humans and elves and such." He sighed then and looked up at the armor. "And if I were to regain my form, I can't imagine doing anything with it but protecting you. Or anything before that, at least. I don't think I have the appetite to conquer the world, or try again anyway, but if I did... well... I would hope you would remain by my side. We have a connection, something as deep as the earth, and I do not intend to forsake that for anything. You are the most faithful and willing servant I've ever had, and I feel the impulse to protect you above all other things, even myself." He reached up and brushed her cheek with the back of his right hand. "In truth, I worry more about you not wanting to be around me when I regain that form. I won't be in it all the time, anyway, but when I am... I am dark and hard, not so much like you see me now. Would that cause you to flee? @Vava

Lilly was shocked once again as Karus revealed that he was infact an incubus when he came to Earth the first time. Weren't incubi sex demons? That made sense, seeing as he was great at giving her pleasure, although it was strange to think of him being a demon. He was really kind, unlike how she had believed demons to be. Perhaps that was because he wasn't a true incubus, or least that was behind him. Wrapping her arms around him, Lilly nuzzled into him. "Thank you. I'm sorry for my insecurity. I just... I fear that one day you will realize that I am not worth the trouble, and you'll leave me. It's selfish but, I just... I can't imagine you not wanting me to serve you any longer." She leaned against his hand as it brushed against her cheek. "I will never leave your service, Master. No matter what form you choose to reside in." She said softly. She reached up and she kissed his cheek. "I have been harassed my entire life due to my appearance. I am not one to do that to someone else. I will never flee from you, even if your form is different than it is now. I give you my word." She took his hand and pressed his palm against her lips. "I promise, Master." She held his hands within hers. "I am your servant, and I will not leave your service." @In the Dave Tonight

"Those that would hate you for how you look must be miserable souls indeed," he said, lifting his hands to cup her face, holding her in both his hands, then leaning in to kiss her. To him, she was beautiful, more beautiful than any woman that had crossed his path in the millenia of his existence. Her kisses tasted of honey, to him, an intoxicating mead to get drunk on. Breaking the kiss, he hugged her close again, strong arms wrapping tight around her, planting kisses now on the top of her head. "I will be your Master whether you try to flee, no. But I believe you, kitten. I feel your heart's devotion, and I do not doubt it for a moment." He shifted a little, feeling his demonic power growing stronger. How far was he from being able to change? Mere days, perhaps, so hard to say. And if she worshipped him in that form the way she did in this... he actually felt himself growing a little aroused at the thought. Not wanting to derail himself completely from his errands, he pulled her away a little, holding her by the shoulders and looking down at her. "Now, let's see about getting some supplies in town. Perhaps even a real bed on which to lie together tonight." @Vava

Lilly felt relieved as Karus reassured her. He made it clear that he wasn't going to get rid of her once his demonic form returned. That was a huge weight off of her shoulders. She returned his kiss, her hands cupping his cheeks as she lingered on his lips. She was her Master's devoted servant, and she would not stop until he told her that he no longer wanted her. Thankfully he did not seem to be interested in doing so. "Yes, let us go into town." She smiled, taking his hand. Once he was satisfied with the amount of items he collected from the cache, they headed for the village. The walk to the village wasn't terribly long, but it was long enough that Lilly felt nervous the closer they got to the village. The village was not somewhere she felt comfortable. Typically, most people bothered her from the village. She didn't have any friends, and she knew this. How would Karus feel in the village? Would they harass him too? She truly hoped not. If they did, she'd defend him. She'd have to. She wouldn't allow anyone to hurt him. The village wasn't large and only held a handful of shops, a blacksmith, a treasury, a single tavern, and the church. Numerous huts kept villagers warm and safe. The church was set in the back of the village, but was easily the largest and most beautifully build building, as well as the most well build. Lilly shuddered at the sight of it. The church was her least favorite place. "Where should we go first, Master?" Lilly asked, looking back at Karus. Stepping into the village made her legs shake, but she put on a brave smile, hoping to not cause Karus any problems. Perhaps people like Preston wouldn't be around this time. Maybe he was busy, and therefore not around. Gods, she could only hope. @In the Dave Tonight

Having picked up the silver, Karus considered what else he might take from the cache. In the end, he simply chose a dagger from a small weapon rack beneath the armor, tucking it into the waist of his breeches in the back. Then he heads out with Lilly toward the village. He can feel her agitation as they approach, her body shifting closer to them as though to hide in his shadow even as they enter. The village is... ordinary. It could have been the exact same as in his day, but for the village being oriented very differently in that day, with different houses of worship and different decorations on the buildings and such. But if he had not such sharp and painful memories of this particular location, engraved in his mind and not replaced with anything until Lilly called him from the abyss, he might have thought it was the exact same place. "The moneychangers, if there are such people about. I don't think I can buy what I like with simple silver ingots. Presumably I must change it for local coin of some kind," he said and looked around. He caught a number of strange looks from the villagers they passed, as though they could not believe what they were seeing. He smirked a little. Yes, these people did not treat his servant properly. But they would rue their decision to harass her, in his presence or otherwise. He noticed for himself a market area, and steered them toward it. "Would it be this way, kitten?" @Vava

Lilly nodded, taking his hand. "Yes, Master. The best place to get coins to use for purchasing would be the Treasury." As she said the name, she felt a chill run up her spine. Preston's family owned the Treasury, and given Preston's history with Lilly, she feared what would happen. Perhaps Preston was not there. Maybe he was out in the town getting drunk at the tavern, or out in the woods, or even messing about with one of the village girls. Taking Karus's hand in hers, Lilly brought Karus to the Treasury. It was a large stone building in the back of the village close to the church. It was one of the best looking buildings and that was due to the large amount of money that was spent on it. Stepping inside, a large man dressed in fine clothes sat at a desk. He glanced up and the obvious surprise on his face made Lilly flinch a little. "Good day, Sir. We have come to get some coin for some ore. Can you help us?" The man nodded. "Of course, of course. Welcome, please come show me what you have." In the back of the Treasury, a very surprised Preston stared from around the corner at Lilly. Who was this man that she was with, and why was she holding his hand? Preston stepped out, letting a smirk pull his lips back. "Good day, Lilly. What a pleasant surprise. Who's... this?" He said, staring at Karus. Lilly looked between Karus, to Preston, then back to Karus. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his. "This is my Master, Karus." Preston's smirk faltered a bit at the word 'master'. "I see. It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Karus." He smiled, forcing his grin. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus was digging in his pocket for the small ingots of silver when the young man stepped around the corner in the back. He frowned, feeling in her change in posture and the tightness of her grip how this man's presence affected Lilly--never mind the way the thread that bound them together seemed to flare. Useful to know that he might gauge her feelings of apprehension or danger from a distance, though he'd hate to rely on it since that would mean he wasn't near her when danger was close. He smirked at the exchange between them, then leveled a cold stare at the young man. "The pleasure is all yours, sir," he said, lacing the courtesy with a heavy helping of sarcasm. Drawing the small ingots of silver from his pocket, he thumped them down on the desk of the large man in the fine clothes. "Thirty ounces of pure silver," he said, pushing them across the desk. "I am not a man who likes being shorted, so I expect a fair exchange." In truth, he had no idea what sort of price the precious metal would fetch. In his time, 30 ounces of silver could keep a modest man in food, clothes, and shelter for months, but he had no idea what it would buy him these days. He hoped he had guessed correctly on an amount that would be useful, but would not raise too many eyebrows or make too many suspicious of his means. Trading ingots like this felt risky enough as it was, but he had few options unless he wanted to go hire himself onto a farm or something, and that felt more like a last resort.

4:42 AM

@Vava

The man nodded at Karus’s request. “Of course. Just wait a moment and I’ll return with your exchange.” He said, turning and taking the ores from the counter. He walked in the back to grab the exchange amount of coins. Preston glared at Karus, his smirk faltering a bit. “So, he’s your master, huh? And just what kind of master is he?” He asked, crossing his arms across his chest as he stared down at Lilly. Lilly flinched again, staring back at Preston with hard eyes. “He is a strong man who helped me, and I owe him my life.” Preston felt a shiver run down his spine as she said this, and he didn’t know why. “Interesting. You seem quick to cling to him, Lilly.” He stepped out from behind the counter as he chuckled darkly. “Does he know that you were begging for my attention not even twenty four hours ago?” Lilly felt her blood run cold as she quickly stammered. “I-I was not!” “If I recall correctly, you were giving me gifts trying to get me to pay attention to you. Like a dog begging it’s master for attention.” Preston then smirked at Karus. “I’d find a new ‘servant’, Sir. This one might drop you the second she finds a better man.” He laughed darkly. “There you are sir, thirty ounces of pure silver equals seventy silver coins.” The man returned and set the coins down on the counter. “Will that be all?” @In the Dave Tonight

The demon nodded to the man in the fine clothes and took the coin. Together in his hand it certainly seemed to weigh a bit less than the 30 ounces he had handed over, and he supposed the coins were not pure silver. But he would get a sense soon of whether or not he had been cheated. He tucked the coins into his pocket as the young man came around the counter. Karus turned to face him, putting himself between the insolent whelp and Lilly. Twisting his own arm behind his back, he allowed Lilly to keep hold of his hand while he faced the young man, with only his left hand free. The demon smiled widely, baring his teeth, perhaps giving this young man a look at how sharp his teeth were. Not quite human. He reached out and clapped the young man on the shoulder, a companionable gesture turned... something else as he dug his fingers in a little. Not too hard, just enough to demonstrate his strength. "You confuse me, sir, with someone who cares in the slightest what you think." He lifted his hand and patted the young man's cheek gently, very gently. But as he did, his eyes flared red. Not a conscious choice on his part, but definitely in keeping with his mood. "Don't make that mistake again." The thought had occurred to him to rise to the young man's baiting, to look again at the trembling woman at his side when accused of being frivolous and flighty. But that thought itself was fleeting and weightless. He was a demon, after all, accustomed after thousands of years to judging men and their moods, and he knew well enough that Lilly was not faking her fear, and this whelp could not hope to hide his contempt--the contempt of an abuser, and a rejected one at that. "So yes, that will be all," he said, facing the young man at first, but then turning to the older man and inclining his head slightly. Turning back, he ushered Lilly along before him and cast one more look at the young man, before heading out of the Treasury. @Vava

Preston's eyes widened in fright as Karus grabbed his shoulder, the pain in his shoulder causing him to flinch in pain. As Karus's eyes flashed bright red, he let out a whimper. "R-Right..." He whispered. A warm trickle of liquid dribbled down his leg. Lilly did not see this, but the man at the counter saw the flash of red from Karus's eyes. His own eyes widened, and once Karus and Lilly departed the store, Preston bolted out the back door, running straight to the church. Lilly held onto Karus's hand as they left. She felt relieved that he didn't believe Preston's words. Preston was known to try to tear people down with his words, so having Karus believe her over him validated her. She needed him to believe her, and thankfully, he did. The town was getting busier now, and as they stepped out into the market area, Lilly looked up at Karus, "Is there anything else you wish to gather while we are out, Master?" ~~~~ Preston ran fast and hard to the church. The church was only a building away from the Treasury House. The leader of the church, Father Tristane, was currently praying at the altar as Preston burst in the door. "F-Father! Father!" Father Tristane turned, his brow raised. "What is it, dear boy?" "I-It...A demon! A demon is in our village!" Father Tristane's blood ran cold and he stalked forward towards Preston, his wrinkled face nearly pulled taut with fear. "How do you know this?" "L-Lilly. She's made a pact with a demon. It was just in the Treasury! This man, he calls himself Karus, and his eyes...they...they flashed red! She stated that he was her master and-" Father Tristane grabbed his wrist, "Bring her to me. Now..." Preston nodded, but he was still shaking. "Yes, Father." With that, he departed back to his home to change, and prepared to bring Lilly to Father Tristane. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus noticed the young man pissing himself and just shook his head, turning to walk away with Lilly, barely even registering the young man's flight out the back door. "Well, the money was for buying a proper bed, and perhaps other supplies," he said as they left the Treasury. "It has been a long time since I've had to spend any money. Will 70 silver coins allow us to buy a proper mattress?" he asked. He hated having so little notion of how much things cost, how to navigate the world around him as a functional adult. But then... when he had been at the peak of his power, his servants had done that for him, so even then he hadn't had a good idea of how to do it. And was Lilly not his servant now? He indulged in a daydream for a moment of returning to power, casting down the corrupt and useless organizations that oppressed this world, with Lilly by his side, his chief servant and full-time bed mate. The thread between them seemed to glow brighter at these thoughts and he could feel a bit more of his power returning to him. Now he was to the point of wondering what would happen if he tried to regain his demonic form. He still did not feel sure, though, and thus had no interest in doing it while wandering this village with Lilly on his arm. But sometime soon he might try to find a secluded patch of forest and try. "So let's find the market and see what we can see," he said. But he got the sense that they were already moving in that direction. He could see the colorful awnings of stalls. As they approached, he saw two young town women standing near a flower stall, whispering together and looking at them. They were pretty and buxom young women, one with dark hair the other blonde, both well-proportioned, with tunics cut a little low to show off soft cleavage. He smiled at them as he and Lilly approached the market, happy to see someone who didn't seem too put out to see them. @Vava

Lilly nodded at Karus's question. "70 coins will purchase the largest room at the inn for roughly a few days, probably five, if I last recall the prices. However, the room's always seemed to increase in price whenever I would bring the proper amount..." She said curiously, her tone light, as if she didn't understand what the tavern keeper had been doing to her. She noticed the women and she stiffed. Not because she knew the girls, but because they were beautiful. Far more conventionally beautiful than Lilly, at least in her eyes. The two women were best friends and had grown up in the village. The dark haired one approached Lilly and Karus, holding a few bouquets of flowers. "Hello there! Would you be interested in some flowers? They are freshly picked." She grinned, reaching forward and taking Karus's hand and placing the bouquet in it. "The petals are so soft and their scent is so sweet." She leaned forward at this, essentially ignoring Lilly. Swallowing a bit, Lilly stepped towards the woman. "We don't need any-" "But, this one is free. Just for you." She smiled, squeezing Karus's hand. "As a token of welcoming." She cooed. The blonde girl approached, holding a small plate of baked goods. "Please, also try one of our father's baked treats." Both girls surrounded Karus, blocking Lilly from him. She felt her chest tighten as she stared at the girls. Was she invisible? Did they not believe that someone like her could be with someone like Karus? Her lips curled downwards, but she stayed silent. @In the Dave Tonight

For a moment, the demon was transported. The way they approached him, touched him, offered him their... goods... It took him back to his years as a warlord. He smiled and nodded at them, taking hold of the flowers, picking up one of the offered baked goods to try it. He didn't need to eat, not like this, and yet still he could, for pleasure's sake if nothing else. And yes, in that moment, he was back in one of his massive castles, being feted and doted on by his own adoring servants. Then, later, one of the nubile women offering him dainties or scents or other day-to-day comforts would end up in his bed. He would feast on them, at least in terms of pleasure, but the demonic transformation that had taken him from simple incubus to one capable of conquering nations had awakened in him a literal thirst for blood. And sometimes his bedmates would feel most acutely the full weight of that awakening. He would be sorry to see them gone, especially if they had been particularly pleasing, but then there were always so many more willing to throw themselves in his path, never mind the rumors that some such servants did not survive their time alone with him. He was a bloodthirsty warlord, what did anyone expect? Even now, he felt a little more of that hunger returning as he looked over the two before him. Until he remembered the very first taste of blood and pleasure he'd had in centuries. Lilly. Startled from his reverie, he looked around. How long had he been smiling and exchanging pleasantries with the women? His pale muse and servant was nowhere to be seen, and the thread that bound them, that ethereal lifeline that had drawn him from the abyss of banishment, was thin, attenuated, at a breaking point. She was gone. "Lilly!" he shouted, shoving the flowers back at the dark-haired girl, and began searching through the market. @Vava

Lilly attempted once more to get close to Karus, but the girls kept her away, subtly casting a glare or two her way as they cooed at Karus, giving him the pastries and flowers, doting on him. Lilly felt her face heat up from frustration, but then, she saw Karus's expression. He smiled at them. He took their pastries and their flowers, and he seemed to enjoy them and the attention they threw at him. Karus had been a ruler in these lands. He was a demon that had conquered lands and kingdoms. He was not a human man who had committed to one person. He was a demon lord and one who had many servants, most likely. He didn't need just her. Had he grown tired of her already? Had she already exhausted her usefulness? Was she no longer enough? The feeling of jealousy and insecurity filled Lilly like a bowl in the rain. She felt ashamed for feeling this way, especially when Karus had taken such good care of her. However, she was human, and human feelings complicated things. "I will go see how much the beds at the tavern are." She said, though she doubted he heard her over the giggles and laughs of the girls that were oggling him. Turning quickly, Lilly covered her head with her hood, hiding her face as tears dripped down her cheeks.

10:40 AM

She made her way through the market towards where the tavern was. But, she walked past it. She needed a moment to collect herself and regain her composure. Her behavior was shameful. She knew this, but, her feelings for Karus... were making things hard. Living a life where no one had ever truly wanted her made her jealous of those that could seek attention from others. She wondered if Karus would add those women as his servants. Would he feed off of them too? Would he no longer feed off of her? Quickly shaking her head, Lilly rid her mind of such thoughts. No. Karus was not like the people here. Karus was kind, caring, and he needed her. He said so! He valued her. He cherished her. He had saved her at her darkest moments, and she was disrespecting him by thinking that he wouldn't need her. She wiped her eyes and lowered her hood, looking back towards where she had walked. She had walked completely out of the village and near the woods. "Shit." She mumbled. Karus was probably looking for her. She began to make her way back towards the market, when all of a sudden, she felt a hand clasp itself around her mouth, a cloth pressed against her mouth and nose. Lilly started to thrash wildly, but a powerful hold kept her still. "Thought you'd bring a demon in to curse us all, huh? You satantic bitch." Preston hissed in her ear. Lilly tried to bite his hand, but he had her mouth covered so much with the cloth, that her air was cut off. Lilly's thrashing slowed as the oxygen left her. She fell limp as she went unconscious. All she could think about was how foolish she had been. How pathetic... ~~~

10:40 AM

Lilly came to in a cell, a soft whimper leaving her. "K-Karus...?" "Calling the name of your demon?" Father Tristane hissed darkly, staring at her from behind the bars of the cell. "Father Tristane! What is this? Where am I?" "Where you should have been all along. But do not worry, dear girl, you will be returned to His Light, soon enough." "What? What are you-" Father Tristane turned to a guard, "Prepare the pyre. Send word to the village that our plague will be cast out at sunset." The guard nodded and left. "No!" Lilly shot forward, but realized she was chained to the cell. There were no windows, and she had no idea where she was. "Let me out! Please!" Father Tristane glared down at her. "I knew we should have sent you out when you were abandoned at our village gate. Soon, dear girl, you will be cast into the pits of Hell with His Light. You and your demonic pest." He spat, turning and leaving her. Lilly was shaking, her eyes wide in terror. "No...No no no! Karus! Karus, where are you?" She screamed. She screamed until her voice gave out. She then curled into a ball and sobbed softly. "Karus..." @In the Dave Tonight

Karus cast about in increasing panic. He knew she was still in the village, that much he could sense, but the attenuation of their connection made it so hard to seek her out. At one point it felt as though she had gone beyond the village, but no. The more he searched, the more he was certain she was in the village, but the more he struggled to find her. Like there was something that shielded her from his sight somehow. He had sworn to protect her. He had sworn to do so, assured her at every turn he would do so, and he let his attention be turned by two pretty maids for just a few minutes and now... now he felt as though he was failing her. The rage he felt, not at the maids but himself, could have leveled the town if he was a this old heights of power. Finally, in his enraged stalking through the town, he came upon the square before the church. The Treasury stood right next door--two old stone buildings that could have been here when he met his fate outside of town, centuries before. There in the square a pyre was being assembled, with stacks of wood all around and a single tall wooden post in the center. His blood ran cold. This could be no coincidence. Lilly--poor, abused, mistreated Lilly--had vanished shortly after he deliberately frightened one of her enemies in town and now. Now... He cursed himself again, but the rage he felt toward his own foolishness hardened his resolve to rescue her. If anyone should pay for his foolishness and his inattention it should be him, not his own servant, long mistreated by this town. Casting about for a likely place to watch and--ultimately--intervene, he found a shadowed arch with a long boarded up door with a perfect view of the pyre. With growing confidence that might also have been desperation to be right, he drew the dagger he had taken from his cache in the hills and settled in to wait. @Vava

Hours passed, and Lilly grew more and more hopeless with each passing second. Had Karus abandoned her? No. No, she couldn’t even believe that in her darkest moments. She knew he was probably tearing the village apart in his search for her. She sat curled in a ball, her knees pulled up to her chest and her face buried in her knees. She felt sick. She wanted Karus. She wanted to apologize for her behavior; for feeling jealous. She’d never doubt him again. The rattling of the cell door shook her from her thoughts. Two large guards entered and unchained her, roughly pulling her to her feet. They chained her wrists as she tried to jerk away, though one guard held her firmly. They dragged her out of the cell and down a long damp hallway. Torch sconces lit the way in a dim orange flow, casting shadows everywhere. “Wh-Where are we-“ “Shut up.” He hissed. Lilly flinched, but remained silent. As they brought her outside, she realized she was in a dungeon under the church. What had that been used for prior? The thoughts made her shudder. Then, she saw the pyre. The crowd that started to grow at the face of it. “No…No! No no no!” Lilly screamed. The guards grabbed her and pulled her onto the pyre, tying her to the pole.

4:12 PM

Father Tristane stood before the pyre, a book in his hand. He raised his hand toward Lilly, his eyes shut and his palm out towards her. He turned to the crowd and his eyes opened. “Beloved people, cast your eyes upon this holy pyre! I bring to you today a witch! A witch who tried to curse our village by summoning a demon! A monster born from the fiery pits of Hell itself! She attempted to curse our lands and our lives. For this, she is hereby punished by His Light. His Light shall cast the demons out of our village!” He called. The crowd roared with joy as the guards began to pour oil along the logs at the pyre. Lilly thrashed, her eyes wide with fear. She frantically looked for Karus, but she did not see him. “No! No, I’m not a witch! Stop! Stop this! Karus! Karus, where are you?!” She screamed. “See how she calls for this demon? She has sold her soul to Hell. Praise His Light as it casts the evil from our home!” He yelled, snapping his fingers. The guards clacked two stones together, casting sparks. The sparks lit the oil, sending flames erupting around the pyre. Lilly was not yet caught in the fire, but the heat began to ebb closer. She screamed, squeezing her eyes shut. “Master Karus!” @In the Dave Tonight

He was slow to understand what was happening as it played out in front of him, partly because the growing crowd obscured his view of the pyre. A ripple of cheers he thought to be the appearance of the prisoner was in fact the crowd encouraging the guards to pour on the oil. He was barely to his feet and pushing through the crowd when the first flames went up. Rage and fear burned in his eyes. Tears ran down his cheeks. He elbowed stout men out of the way, pushed women to the ground and forced his way to the front of the crowd, bursting out into a zone between them and the pyre where the heat was keeping them back. But not him. He felt the heat of the growing inferno and it felt like the warm embrace of home. Guards, struggling against the heat themselves, closed in on him from either direction. He flung his dagger at one, burying it in the man's chest, then grabbed another by the neck and flung him into the crowd behind him, bowling over more people. He heeded them not, but leapt up into the flames. His clothing smoldered but did not catch. Muscles bunched under his skin, his flesh turning ashen grey, riven with cracks of fire. His eyes burned red, fangs grew in his mouth. The heat of the fire awoke him, the glowing thread connecting him to Lilly pulsed with life and energy. Screams erupted from every direction. A priest made a futile sign of warding. Karus grabbed up a burning brand and flung it at the man, striking him in the face. He fell and did not stir. Kicking wood away from the pole in the center, he created a pocket in the center of the flames. Smoke roiled up now every side, but there she was, pale and trembling and bound to the pole. As yet unharmed, though fire had licked near her feet. Fingers now tipped with claws raked down either side of the pole, slicing at the ropes that bound his servant, his love to this hateful pyre. If he had been taller than her before, he now towered over her. He scooped her into his arms, cradling her against his

4:31 AM

chest, her head on his shoulder. Huge wings had sprouted from his back and now they beat hard, spreading the smoke, catching the rising hot air and he leapt up toward the sky. @Vava

Lilly screamed as thick grey smoke started to billow out from the orange and red flames. The flames reached for her, touching the edge of her thin gown and the skin of her feet and legs. “No!! No! Stop! It’s hot! Help!!” She screamed, tears cascading down her cheeks. The smoke began to suffocate her and blind her. “Master! Master Karus!” She wailed between coughs, her voice getting rougher and more hoarse. She didn’t want to die here… not like this. Not now. She was just starting to be happy. She wanted to continue to be happy! “Ka…rus!” The crackling of the fire and the rush of the wind was broken by the sound of screaming. Screams of pure terror. Was she in Hell? All she could see was fire… Then, a massive beast broke through the flames. But, that ‘beast’ had a familiar appearance. Through her tears and the stinging smoke, Lilly could see the outline of- “Karus!” She felt her eyes widen at the sight of him, but it was too much to process with the fire still threatening to consume her. But one thought did stick in her fore thought. ‘He looked like a true demon… and it both frightened her and made her feel pride.’ Her master was no demon. He was her savior.

9:46 AM

He freed her from the pyre and she instantly fell into his arms, clutching onto him like he was a life boat and she was drowning in the ocean. They flew into the air and she squeezed her eyes shut, her tears turning black from the soot and dirt. Once they were up high enough, she wrapped her arms around him so tight that she thought she might hurt him. She sobbed hard, hiding her face in his massive chest. “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to leave! Forgive me! I’m sorry!” She cried between rough agonizing coughs. Her chest was burning and the edges of her feet had gotten burned, though just slightly her dress had burned but the wind from him flying had extinguished it, leaving behind dark black scorch marks in the gown. Her hands were shaking despite their white knuckled grip. Her silvery white hair was dingy from the smoke, and her face was stained with tears. @In the Dave Tonight

"Do not be sorry, my love, my servant, my kitten," he said, his voice the same, but rendered now as a deep and guttural growl. "I failed you through my own inattention. You take no blame in what happened here today." He beat his wings, rising higher as the smoke thinned. Far below he could still hear screams and cries. The church bell tolled, but he heeded it not. The absurdity of the townspeople caused him no end of confusion. Such petty evil in their souls that they took out on his harmless and helpless servant, yet when real power appears to chastise them for it, they call that evil. But so, he figured, would all who managed to justify their own cruelty in such ways, especially under the cover of faith. They would need to claim that any who opposed them were evil or risk their own hypocrisies being exposed. The opportunity presented by such a paradox was, indeed, part of his original rise to power, and he did feel again the tug to exploit these stupid people's fears for his own ends. But right now, he mostly just wanted to be away from them. No longer just rising, he tilted over to carry them toward the cottage. He was not sure it would be safe for them there, but it was a place to go for a moment at least, to catch their breath and make a plan for the road. But even as he aimed in the direction of Lilly's small cabin, he could see another black column of smoke rising, companion to the pyre in town. In moments they were there, his great wings beating as he settled them onto the path, just beyond the halo of heat that would be intolerable to Lilly. The whole little house was consumed in flames, and everything in it well beyond rescue. And now on the ground, he could feel his demonic form slipping away. The outlay of energy to assume it, maintain it had been great, and he was still regaining his strength from his banishment. "I am sorry for this, Lilly," he said, easing her down to the ground, to her own feet, hoping they were not too burnt, for it

10:53 AM

looked like they had a great deal of walking ahead of them. "These people are cruel, and do not deserve you." @Vava

Lilly couldn't contain her sobs, even though he told her that she held no blame in this. While that was probably true, she was unable to restrain her emotions right now. The village she had been raised by had just tried to kill her. They called her a witch. A satanist. All because she found someone she cared about. Lilly sobbed harder, but this time her sobs were not from sorrow or fear, they were from anger. She had almost been murdered! She had spent her entire life trying to be accepted by these people, and for what? For them to try to kill her? She cried until her voice became hoarse and her tears ran dry, and still her shoulders were wracked with the shaking of her sobs. "I hate them...I hate them! How could they do this? How...How could they be so evil?" She had experienced her first true heart break. A village she had sought so much acceptance from... had tried to kill her. When they made it back to her home, she couldn't even feel surprised at the sight of the shack being consumed by the same flames that tried to consume her. The heat was boiling hot and Lilly didn't attempt to try to run in and save anything. She had nothing to save. Karus apologized and she shook her head. Her feet hurt, but she didn't care. She stepped forward and then she dropped to her knees. She stared hard at the fire, the heat stinging her face. Her tears no longer fell down her face. "Master...? Are humans always this cruel to others? Is this...normal? Are humans always going to be like this?" She looked hard at the crumbling structure of her former house. A place she had sought safety and comfort. She watched as the boards cracked and splintered, collapsing under their own weight. The shed burned quickly, and soon, her shack wasn't even standing.

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Lilly soon dragged herself up to her feet, standing now. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run and kill every single person in the village. She wanted them to feel the same pain she felt... and yet... she stood still. However, she stepped forward once again, and she knelt down. A piece of hot coal was still burning hot, the dark red mingling with the cracked black of the coal. She reached down and she grabbed it with her hand. She hissed as the coal burned her hand. She threw the coal quickly into the burning rubble of the shack. She clutched her hand to her chest and panted as she waited for the pain to disappear. "I...I will never be like them. Ever! I will never be as evil as them!" She said firmly. She stood back up, and she looked back to Karus. "Where...shall we go, Master?" @In the Dave Tonight

Karus reached for her when she went to grab the red hot coal, but she was lightning quick in her anger and hurt. He sighed, a little bit of exasperation at the pain that no doubt blossomed across her hand. He could feel a whisper of it through the thread that bound them, now strong and sure again, brighter than it had been at any time. He loved that they were so much closer now through this, but he hated that she'd been put through such peril. "Evil is... a strange thing," he said with a sigh. "It comes so often in the guise of good intentions, or wrapped in lofty thoughts, but so often it is little more than greed and lust. People don't want to face their own problems, or accept painful solutions, so they choose someone, or some group and--" he laughed, bitterly "--demonize them. The cruel irony is that we demons wear our intentions on our faces, our desires are on our sleeves. Humans like these have to hide behind churches and men of the cloth to satisfy a desire for unfathomable cruelty." He shook his head, then stepped up to his servant. He was back to his human form, reaching for her injured hand, peeling it away from her chest. He leaned over her hand, uncurling her fingers, kissing her wounded palm, putting what energy he could into it to heal it. He did not having healing powers of any kind, that he was aware of, but he hoped to be able to soothe the hurt at least. "As for where to go... I'm not sure," he said. "I'm loath to simply walk down the road to the next town, as I'm sure news of today will follow us, and we may find no better welcome. I'm inclined to set off through the wilderness, head in an unexpected direction, but I don't know enough of the layout of these lands in these days. So unless you know of someplace, we may have to take our chances with the next town. And hopefully there we could find a map, or get some idea." He took her by her good hand and started up the path to the road out of the town. "I dream of finding a place where we

4:13 PM

could live openly and without our neighbors fearing us. But I don't know if such a place exists." @Vava

Lilly stayed silent as he explained that evil was strange. It was… oddly comforting to hear a demon lord explain the difference between humans and demons. From the sounds of it, demons were more honest than humans, and that thought hurt. But she didn’t hold it against Karus. Humans had proven that they were worse than demons… and Lilly had first hand experience with this. She flinched slightly as he kissed the burnt flesh of her hand. However, as he kissed it, the pain began to dissipate. The wound was less raw, though her normally pale alabaster skin now bore a dark red mark. It felt oddly soothing. She was now marked almost through Karus… through her promise to never be like these people. “I believe the next town is a good idea. We could cut through the woods as I believe it is faster that way. The road to the next town takes roughly three days travel, but the hunters would traverse the woods and make it back within a day and a half.” She looked off towards the woods. It was dark now, and she bit her lip. “We have no weapons, or supplies. Do you believe we will be alright?” She asked, tilting her head slightly. “I know plenty of foraging foods that I can make us some rations.” @In the Dave Tonight

"I have strength enough for both of us for days, if need be. I've fed plenty in the past day," he said, taking both of her hands and squeezing them lightly. "Forage for yourself, and I will carry you at need. But a day's travel to the nearest town should not trouble even a light belly. So let's be off, and we'll see if we can beat the news to the next town. And there we should have less trouble finding a bed in an inn to share. If you point me in the general direction of this next town, I'll be able to maintain a true line even through dark woods for quite some way." When he had some idea of where they were heading, he took just one hand, the burnt hand, and walked beside her. They splashed through the stream behind the now-smoldering ruins of her cabin, and then up the other bank. The sun had not yet set, but darkness gathered rapidly under the trees, and they lost sight of the sun almost immediately. Despite some superstitions, he had no hate of the sun or daylight or any such thing, but for all that he felt safer and stronger in the shade of the forest. Both of them stepped lightly, carrying so little and not wearing heavy boots, so their trail would be tough to follow even in broad light by experts at tracking. And he thought perhaps the villagers would have no desire to confront him in the dark woods, even in great numbers. He wondered, too, if the townspeople would be happy enough that they were gone and some other town's problem. But the... the boy from the Treasury had an air about him of one who harbored grudges. And he had little doubt that his grudge was behind the afternoon's misadventures. It reeked of the pettiness of one who thought himself powerful being made a fool. So the next town would not be safe, though perhaps it would be safe enough for a day or two. Long enough to rest and make good provision and consider their next move, perhaps. An idea came to him then, though, and as the walked in growing darkness he questioned Lilly about wha

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t she knew about the world beyond this town. "Tell me, my dear Lilly, do you know of any circuses, or traveling troupes of entertainers? Ever was the case when I was a lowly incubus that such groups could often be a refuge for those who are cast out or looked down upon. And even if there are none that could take us on, the might know of others, or have some land or town where those such as themselves--such as us, perhaps, even--take refuge from the road and from the cruelty of those such as these townfolk." @Vava

The two started into the woods and Lilly followed dedicatedly. She didn't mind that her feet hurt, or that some sharp rocks stabbed the balls of her feet. She didn't really pay it much mind anyway. She had been in these woods ever since she was little, so the feeling was relatively familiar to her. She had pointed them in the direction of the town, and off they went. Karus asked if she knew of any circuses or traveling troupes and she nodded. "I never saw them, but a circus did come to town a few years ago. I believe they called themselves the Traveling Star. I wasn't able to see a lot of their show because Father Tristane had me clean the whole church that day, but I got to see the final act. It was a man who did magic! He pulled a rabbit out of his hat, and then he blew fire! It was really fun. I think his name was... Master Fiero." She recalled the final act. Master Fiero had essentially captivated his entire audience, almost as if they were in a trance... He blew fire into the air, and the embers had turned into little sparkling stars. It was so beautiful that no one noticed the stange hands grab a young woman and pull her back stage into Master Fiero's dressing room. One thing that Lilly did recall, was that Master Fiero had a beautiful smile, and he was handsome, far more handsome than any human man she had ever seen before that. Karus was far more handsome than Master Fiero, but he was a close second. "Have you ever been in a circus, Master?" @In the Dave Tonight

"I attended a number of fairs and festivals, when I was a lowly incubus. By the time I started my rise to power, I wouldn't and couldn't just wander into such things. But entertainers did come to me. I confess, though, that I've never seen anyone pulling a rabbit out of a hat. I wonder if he was truly a magic user, leveraging his power for such a trick, or simply a master of slight of hand. It certainly sounds interesting, though, and perhaps the kind of place where we might find welcome," he said, helping her over a fallen log. He took his bearings again, finding the direction in which she pointed, and carrying on. He held her hand much as they walked, occasionally pausing to inspect the red mark upon it. Not a scar, but more like a birthmark of some kind, or even a poorly done tattoo, the kind that fades and loses definition over time. "Either way," he said as they stepped deeper into the forest. "This Master Fiero sounds like an interesting character, and one I might like to meet." The town was soon completely lost behind them, no view of it to be seen, not even a glimmer of torchlight through the trees as night fell. Karus was at home in the dark, moving as easily as in the light, though he was aware that Lilly did not necessarily have such facility. When he judged that they had gone at least four miles, he called for a little pause, at the very least. "We must think to rest, and at least a modicum of shelter, my dear servant," he said, urging her to sit on a tree stump. He knelt before her then and took up one small foot in his hand to inspect any damage done by the fire. "The night isn't cold, and I don't feel like any rain is coming, but even so. I'd feel better if we were both under cover somewhat when we rest. And you must be weary after all that has happened today." @Vava

Lilly was curious to the life Karus had led prior to becoming a warlord. He kept mentioning that he was just a ‘lowly incubus.’ But could a demon truly be lowly? She wasn’t from Hell so she knew nothing of the hierarchy of their people. If incubi were lowly demons, then what rank did he fall under? The walk was soon becoming tiring for Lilly’s human body, and when she thought she might collapse, Karus called for a rest. She silently thanked him as she sat down on the stump. Her feet were sore and burnt, and little scratches had opened on the balls of her feet. She flinched lightly, sighing softly. “I…I must admit that I am rather tired. It’s been a long day.” She said, forcing a small laugh. She looked around to see if there was any form of shelter close by. She found a cave mouth and she pointed towards it. “I think that cave could do for shelter, Master.” She smiled, slowly standing. She winced as her feet ached and throbbed. But, she could make it to the cave. She had to! She led Karus to the cave and she poked her head inside but was empty and rather shallow. Lilly was thankful that they didn’t have to push something out of the cave, or find somewhere else. “I can make us a fire if you wish, Master.” She saw several small trees and sticks she could use as Tinder and from here she could see several berry bushes and a few weeds that she could use as nourishment for the evening. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus shook his head, marveling at her will to serve him. He would have to consider carrying her piggyback for some of the distance the next day, at least, to preserve her poor feet. But the cave she located was acceptable--certainly enough to shelter them from a sudden rain should one crop up, and to retain any heat from a fire to keep at least her warm all night. "Just a small fire, kitten," he said. "And don't range too far for the food. Your feet need rest, and I don't require anything to eat." As she busied herself, he settled down just inside the mouth of the cave, content to watch her as she moved about in the dark. For his eyes it was a perpetual gloaming, though he could tell she was having a little more trouble. But not as much as he expected. And though he'd considered telling her to rest while he picked whatever she directed him to, something told him that she needed this activity. He'd had his own brushes with death, before finally being banished--brushes that would have likely been far more permanent--and he remembered needing to be busy once it was all said and done. When it seemed like she was starting to gather enough for a bonfire and seven course meal, he called her back to the cave to actually build a small fire and eat of her gathered berries and weeds as she would. Even knowing that she could subsist on such stuff, even for the short time that they were in the woods, seeing the reality of what little she considered a meal hurt him. He vowed never to let it be necessary for her to eat such a stingy meal ever again. "Eat and rest, my servant. You've had a hard day." @Vava

Lilly did as Karus instructed and she went out into the brush to gather tinder and some berries for a light dinner. She felt almost a sense of nostalgia to her gathering, as just a few days ago she was doing the same thing but with less, pressure. Now, she needed to ensure she brought something into the cave, at least for her own survival. Karus did not need to eat, so he was fine, but she did. She had to eat, so she needed to collect as much as she could. She gathered several handfuls of tinder wood and brought it back into the cave. She then went back in and she gathered a few handfuls of bush berries, wild raspberries, and some dandilion weeds. It wasn't much, but it had some nutrients that would sustain her for at least a day or two. Though protein was preferred, she had to work with what she had. Once she had collected what she needed, she returned to the cave. She knelt down in the center of the cave and she piled several of the tinder pieces into a pyramid like structure, and then clacked two stones together. However, as the fire erupted, and the wood began to be eaten away by the hot flames, Lilly gasped, falling backwards onto her backside. She backed away and turned from the fire, gasping and shaking, tears running down her face. The trauma of nearly being burned at the stake was still too fresh, and she felt foolish. She shook her head, wiping her eyes. She rubbed her arms, then the ground, touching everything she could feel immediately. She then slowly made her way over to Karus. Shakily, she rested her head on his lap, looking in towards him, not at the fire. "F-Forgive me, Master. I will be stronger for you. I promise." @In the Dave Tonight

Karus watched with concern as she reacted so strongly to the fire, at first not understanding, looking between her and the meager flames, brows furrowed in confusion. But as she crawled to him, laying her head in his lap, and begging forgiveness, he understood. Reaching for her, he slid his hands under her arms and lifted her, bringing her fully into his lap, helping her curl up against his chest. The fire burned low, but bright and merry all the same, at least to his eyes. That she should be so afraid of it made him a little sad, not the least of which on account of his own feelings of responsibility at the chain of events that brought her there. But as he hugged her to his chest, his mind cleared and he pushed the blame onto who it belonged: the intolerant and ignorant people of the town. He kissed the top of Lilly's head and rocked her a little in his lap. Such nurturing care seemed so alien to him, yet came so easily, and he marveled at that. "Here," he said, gathering up a small handful of berries from the pile she had brought back. He held them up near her face in his open palm. "Eat. You need to nourish yourself, my servant. This is the only way I need you to be stronger for me. Your strength of character and your courage are already more than I could ever hope for in a servant." He sighed. "I've known too many others, faced with death, who could not be uncurled from a ball lying on the floor for days afterward. You have a deep store of resilience and grit and I value that in you." He kissed the top of her head and nuzzled a bit in her hair. It smelled of smoke still, and it amused him that this was a more alluring perfume than she could ever hope to wear. @Vava

Lilly didn't protest as Karus lifted her up into his lap. He kissed her head and Lilly sniffled, hiding her face in his neck and shoulders. She had been so blind to the abuse and hatred that her village had sent her way, and because of that, she was nearly killed. Thankfully Karus had been there. If he hadn't, then she would be burning on a pyre spike right now. The memory of the heat stinging her face and her body made her shudder. Karus seemed to try to distract her with berries that she had picked. She opened her mouth and took the berries into her hands, munching on them at a slow pace. Karus praised her, stating that her strength of character and courage were more than enough. She swallowed the berries like she had a lump in her throat. She felt that lump sit in her throat for a while, and tears ran heavily down her cheeks. She sat there in silence while she processed her emotions. Crying felt... almost comforting right now. She needed to cry, and she wasn't going to be ashamed of that. Karus wasn't harassing her, nor was he trying to hurt her. He was soothing her, and the gentleness of his care was calming to her. She stayed curled up against him as she listened to him speak. "Thank you, Master. I hope that I can continue to be of assistance to you." She wrapped her arms around him again, nuzzling against his neck. She shut her eyes. She needed rest. Her body felt so heavy now. She couldn't be this weak anymore. While Karus praised her, she felt as though... perhaps she could be stronger or even more skilled. She'd talk to Karus in the morning to discuss that. Perhaps he would have some ideas on what she could do. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus held her against his chest, nuzzling in her hair. She smelled of smoke still, and he knew when they reached that next town that he would need to make sure they had an inn with a private bath. He wanted to bathe her himself, try to wash away the hurts and depredations of such an unfeeling and horrific people. Were he to rise to power again, like he’d had of old, he had no doubt that such folk would be his first target of conquest. They deserved to be in chains, and to know what cruelty felt like, since they were so quick to mete it out. Her body seemed to grow heavier in his arms, and he knew that meant she was relaxing, finally. She’d eaten some of the food he’d offered and he hoped the rest of it would keep until morning, for now it seemed as though sleep was overtaking her. Having no need himself, he simply rested, occasionally caressing her soft body, trying to will away the hurts that had been visited on her that day. Whether he possessed healing magic in some unexamined corner of his being, or she herself healed more quickly than others, it seemed as though as he watched some bruises and marks faded more quickly than they ought. Still, he caressed her, cared for her, watched over her and—occasionally—shooed away small woodland creatures that crept close to try to steal from the small pile of fruit and weeds. The fire burned low as the night wore on and he himself remained still as a stature—thought hopefully much more soft and comfortable—to allow her to rest undisturbed in a cradle of sorts made by his arms and chest. The next night, he vowed to himself, she would have a proper bed. And he would lay beside her in it. As he contemplated all the things he hoped he could do for her, for them together, dawn eventually began to peek through the trees, lightening the forest by slow degrees until a gray light seemed to suffuse the whole of it and the rosy red fingers of first true sunlight filtered up in the east. “Awake, my darling,” he whispered to her. The fire had gone out and her primary warmth would come from his own body. “Awake and eat, and let’s carry on.” @Vava

Lilly drifted to sleep as Karus caressed her body. The orange glow of the fire and the warmth that radiated from his body and the flames lulled her into a comforting sleep. She had no dreams and perhaps that was best for now. Dreams could lead to nightmares, and right now, Lilly needed all the help she could get if she was going to learn to be a better servant for Karus. As she slept, Karus as right to notice that her bruises and scars started to vanish little by little. Soon, only a few scars and bruises remained on her body. She curled inwards towards Karus. Through the night she slept peacefully. She stirred a little here and there but there were no night terrors, no thrashing and no fits of fear. She felt almost calm and relaxed. Which was such a strange feeling. In the morning, Karus roused her awake. She yawned and stretched her arms up above her head, a weak pop sounding from her back. "Mmm, good morning." She cooed. She shivered lightly at the chill of the morning air, but Lilly sat up and climbed off of Karus. She reached for her pile of berries and she took a hand ful and started to munch on them. They were pleasantly sweet and while they wouldn't fill her belly at this quantity, she was regaining some energy. After eating a few handful of berries and weeds, she felt more awake. "All ready, Master." She smiled. She stepped out of the cave and she shielded her eyes from the sun. "I think the town is this direction. Just down the path. We're close. Shouldn't be more than a few hours." She turned to him and smiled. "Shall we head out, Master?" @In the Dave Tonight

Karus marveled at the change in her. He liked to think that it was his own presence that aided her recovery, but he knew there was something intrinsic in her as well, some quality of life that fought to regain its full luster. He smiled and offered her his hand to take, to walk alongside him. "You are correct, I think, my servant. Based on the direction you pointed me in last night, that is indeed the way." He squeezed her hand and kissed the top of her head as they stepped off. "It would be most troubling to walk right back into the village we had just left, after all." But the less talked or thought about that, the better. At least beyond the prudent avoidance of that village or their people. "I think first we should find this new town's market and buy ourselves some clothes, then find an inn that will give us a private room, hopefully with its own bath, and then hole up there for a day or two at least. We can make plans on where to go from there, but I don't really feel comfortable staying in this area for very long at all. What say you to that plan?" he asked. In truth, one of the things he was most amazed by was that he was very comfortable with leaving the entire area. He had worried at once point about being too far separated from the place on which he was vanquished, the place which had anchored him to this world and allowed him to return. But he felt no pangs of loss as they moved further away from it. And he realized, in fact, that the only anchor he truly needed was walking along beside him. @Vava

Lilly laughed softly at Karus's comment. "Yes, it would be bad to walk right back to the old village." She didn't want to be back there, but thankfully the direction they were going in now was away from that horrible place. They were on their way to a brand new town, one that they could have a better time in. "I think I heard some travelers talking about the next town a few months ago. The inn at this town is really nice. I hear they have a hot spring bath. It looks out to the mountains, and I've always wanted to see it." She smiled, thinking about what the inn would be like. She hadn't even stayed at the inn in her own village, so thinking of a new one was exciting. The two continued on their walk for several hours, and by the later afternoon, they had arrived at a large town. The town's gate read, "Arbindelle" and Lilly could easily see a large market, and in the back center, a large building with a sign reading, "Wandering Traveler Resting Spot," was visible. She pointed to the sign and smiled. "I think that's the inn. The market's right before the inn. I can find us a clothing store." She held his hand as they walked further into the town. The market was large and before Lilly could even look at one stall, she was grabbed by a bubbly woman with fluffy brown hair. "Hello, Madam! Would you like to try a new dress? I have just the one. Sir, would your wife like a new dress?" The woman was full of joy and excitement, and if someone looked at her closely, they would see that her left leg was missing, and in its place, a wooden replica. She smiled at Karus, but her smile was one of excitement. She had no malicious intent, and no form of lust. For once, it was encouraging to se a woman who was just, loving. Lilly looked up at Karus, her cheeks bright red at the thought of her being called Karus' wife. "Master?" @In the Dave Tonight

Karus enjoyed the long walk in the woods with Lilly, at times lapsing into complete silence, but never feeling strange or awkward about it, just enjoying her company, so close beside him. He found himself often looking at her, in part just to make sure she was still there, but also out of the sheer joy of seeing her. It was easy to say no one had touched his heart in centuries, since he'd existed in a banished limbo for so long, without any form of interaction with anyone, but even so. It had been centuries before that since he'd interacted so pleasantly with anyone. Especially toward the end of his reign as the continent's most feared warlord, his time with people had been little but strife and anger and despair as he'd tried to subdue the whole continent under his demonic rule. Now... this was different, and he wondered if he'd had anything at al exactly like this. When they reached the town, he let her take the lead, and he was surprised at the bubby young woman taking to them so easily, with no sense of the anger or evil that had chased them from the previous village. He smiled when she mentioned Lilly being his wife, and raised an eyebrow as he turned to Lilly on her question. He could see a sign advertising the prices of the dresses. "Why not two for my love," he said, turning back toward the bright and happy shopkeeper. "We've lost all our things and she should have two at least." @Vava

The woman smiled widely and nodded, "Yes, Sir! Come on darling~" Lilly's eyes widened in shock as Karus called her, 'his love', "W-What? M-Master!" The woman pulled Lilly into her stall. The stall was more like a large tent like tarp. The woman brought Lilly to a corner where another small curtain separated them from the rest of the tent. Racks upon racks of brightly colored dresses, many made of different material like lace, silk, and cotton lined the inside of the tent. "Stand right here dear. Oh, Gods, look at this gown! What happened, were you walking through coals?!" Lilly frowned, looking down at the ground. "I, uhm, I was... burned. My dress was." The shopkeeper stared at her and then smiled sadly. "You need a fresh one, or seven, instantly. Now, with your skin color, I'd say pink or purple would be best! Maybe even blue! Oh, blue! Now that's a gorgeous color, but what about red? Or even crimson? Ah! I have just the two perfect dresses in mind!" She beamed. She rushed to two racks, and she grabbed two dresses. She rushed back to Lilly and handed them to her. "Here! Try these." She smiled. "I think your husband is really going to like these one. Plus," She smirked and grabbed a third one, "This one's on me. I think you should thank your husband with this one later this evening." Lilly's face darkened heavily. "O-Okay." She took the gowns in her hand and she tried both on. She loved each one, and when she picked the one she was going to wear, the other two were bagged up. She headed outside to Karus with the shopkeeper in tow. "That'll be two silver, Sir! How does she look?" The dress Lilly was wearing was an emerald gown with golden filigree along the edges of the skirt and up the bodice. It circled under her breast and up the back. Her hair was tied back now and brushed. The dirt wiped from her face and hands, and she hoped that Karus liked the gown. "Master...?" @In the Dave Tonight

Karus waited patiently just outside the little tent as the efficient proprietor bustled Lilly inside for fittings. He was surprised, then, when she came out wearing a stunning emerald green gown with some kind of lacy gold trim. He tilted his head, smiling as he looked her over, not even aware of how big the grin on his face was. "Two silver?" he asked the woman, and smiled, though he hardly took his eyes off of Lilly. Not only was the gown gorgeous, and exquisite on her, he saw that she had cleaned up a little, which only enhanced the effect. He reached into his pocket and fished out two silver coins, handing them over to the proprietor with extreme gratitude. "Thank you, thank you so much," he said to her, offering Lilly his arm to guide her on into the market. He spotted a men's clothier a couple stalls down and spends five silver on breeches and shirts, stockings, and a pair of decent leather boots. He doesn't change right there, instead bundling them up and buying a knapsack at the next stall. He pushes the clothes into the knapsack, noticing the clothier included a couple of leather vests among his purchases and looked at them a bit intrigued before pushign them into the knapsack. Feeling better about their immediate prospects, he then leads Lilly up to the Wandering Traveler inn. @Vava

Lilly was a bit hesitant, as wearing nice dresses was not something she normally did. But, the look on Karus's face told her all she needed to know. He thought she looked good. She smiled, tucking some hair behind her ears as he paid for the gowns. "Thank you, Master." With that handled, the two went to a stall where Karus purchased his own clothing. Once they both had a simple wardrobe they could use to be dressed and blend into other cities, they headed to the Inn. The Wandering Traveler Inn was a large wooden building with a large dining area in the main room of the building. A long counter sat in the back corner with a wide range of the entire space. Numerous tables and booths lined the edges and were scattered around the floor. A platform in the back right corner sat empty, but seemed to be a perfect location for a bard to take up a night of entertainment. Lilly followed Karus as they went to the counter and purchased a room for the evening. "It's a silver per night." The gruff man at the table mumbled, wiping down a mug. Once the room was paid for, her brought them up the steps to a large upper floor. The stairs turned to the left and went down a long hallway with numerous rooms on the right side, a railing revealing the lower floor to the left. "Your room's all the way down. Last door." Lilly nodded and followed Karus. The room was decently sized and had just a simple bed that could fit two people, a storage chest, and a desk and chair. It was simple, but that was fine with Lilly. It was a bed! A real bed! She walked inside and she hesitantly sat down on the plush mattress. Once she did, she let out a moan. "It's so comfortable!" She laid down fully, gasping at the feeling of the blankets and pillows. "They're so warm! Oh, Master, please come feel! This is so warm and comfortable! It's like sleeping on a cloud!" @In the Dave Tonight

Karus escorted Lilly into the inn and happily paid the fee asked for. This seemed reasonable, and he was happy to see all throughout their interactions so far, that no one seemed to harbor any ill will toward his servant. Ill will toward himself was of course easier to stomach, especially given his lack of recent history with anyone in the region; it just meant that the person in question was surly toward any and all who crossed their path, to his mind. But hostility toward Lilly, when she herself had done so little deserving of it, if anything at all, made him... angry. Deeply. That he could put such anger aside for now was as much of a relief as a warm bed and a roof over their heads. He followed Lilly to the room indicated, then closed and bolted the door behind them. He set down their new purchases on the storage chest, smiling as she luxuriated in the softness of the bed beneath her. "I'm sure it feels amazing after last night sleeping in a cave," he said, and settled onto the bed beside her, his near hand going at once to her lap to caress gently. Indeed, though, the bed was surpassingly soft yet supporting, something he had not felt himself in untold centuries. "You're right, my darling servant, this is... wonderful, truly," he said and looked to her with another warm smile. "You have done well and steered us true since leaving... that place." He wouldn't name it again, except to curse it. "However shall I reward such brilliant service?" @Vava

Suddenly sitting up, Lilly remembered the bag she had been given by the dress shopkeeper earlier today. She blushed at Karus's compliments and for a moment, she didn't feel insecure. She felt truly loved and cared for, and those insecurities had been silenced. "Actually, Master... I wish to give you a gift. If...If it pleases you." Then again, she didn't give him a chance to approve or deny the request. She was too eager to give him the gift. She got up from the bed and she grabbed the bag and headed into the little washroom that was attached to the room. This Inn was extremely fancy for Lilly but rather common amongst other inns. Each room had a washroom attached to it. The washroom had a large two person wooden basin and a pipe that extended over it. The Inn had a large basin full of water with a perpetual fire that kept it hot so that everyone had enough water for a bath. There were perfumed soaps and shampoos and oils for one to groom themself with. She took a small wash cloth and she turned the little knob on the pipe and hot water poured into the basin. She dipped the cloth in and she used one of the soaps and she quickly washed herself as much as she could. Once she felt clean, she removed the item from the bag. She slipped it on and she pulled her hair back into a half up half down ponytailed combination. She ran her hand over the item and she let out a small breath. She was nervous, but, she felt like Karus would enjoy this. Lilly stepped out and she was now dressed in a tight silk royal blue mini dress that clung to her body. The breasts were made of black lace and along the blue silk were golden filigree designs. The black lace was tied in the front with gold silk strings. She looked at Karus. "D-Do you like it?" @In the Dave Tonight

While she busied herself in the washroom, Karus went through his own purchases, hanging them up in the room's small wardrobe. He didn't need much, personally, in the way of clothing, but he did like having something for most occasions. Still, two nice sets of clothes and two of a more rugged variety worked for him. The knapsack would be serviceable as well. The clothes he was wearing, meanwhile... well, they would launder and perhaps come out okay. He would see later if there was a washing service in town. The clothes had come with him out of his banishment, so he figured he ought to keep them, especially as he had no memory of wearing them in his previous life. He had just stripped out of the tunic when Lilly opened the door, looking radiant and beautiful in her newly purchased item. The black lace both hid and revealed her breasts perfectly and he found his gaze riveted on her--while at the same time running over every inch of the apparel and every bit of her body. "I... I love it," he said, stepping toward her, shirtless, letting his tunic drop to the floor. "You are beautiful to me in any circumstance, but this just... amplifies your beauty, my little one." He stepped closer to her still, then reached up to cup her face. He dipped his head to kiss her forehead, then her lips. He felt like he would grime up the soft and silky material, but he couldn't help but bring his other hand to her hip, then glide slowly up to caress her through the mini dress. @Vava

Lilly was thrilled that he loved the outfit. She had seen it and immediately thought of him, so to have him state his love for it, only solidified in her mind that she had picked a good outfit. She couldn't help but let her eyes roam over every inch of his body. He was so handsome and attractive. He called her beautiful, and Lilly couldn't stop the smile that pulled at her lips. "Thank you, Master. I thought of you when I selected this" She whispered, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. She blushed at his kiss to her forehead, and once his lips touched hers she returned it quickly, her arms tightening a bit around his neck, pulling her body closer to his. She shuddered as his hands caressed her body, sending a beautiful heat through her belly. She moaned sweetly against his kiss, her fingers touching the dark soft treses of his hair. She wanted to touch him all the time, and now was no different. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus pressed himself into the kiss, at first intending just a sweet peck on the lips, but as he felt her under his hands and felt her own hands on his body, he couldn't help but press close. He dragged his hands up her back, touching her through the thin and silky material, then back down to cup and squeeze her backside. Then he gathered up the material a little to let his hands find her flesh, gliding over her soft skin, her delicate curves. His body reacted to her own touches and he soon found a powerful desire for her building. He worked to carefully master it, lest he shred the garment in his haste to get it off of her. Such a thoughtful gift deserved thoughtful care, and he gently lifted it higher, working up her body to strip it off of her. He wanted to see her in it again, after all. Breaking the kiss, pressing his forehead against her, he whispered: "I was so afraid of losing you. And then I was afraid you'd be too terrified of my true form to remain with me. And then we simply had to move, and I took no time to show you how important you are to me. And I want to remedy that now," he whispered. @Vava

Lilly moaned as the intensity of his kiss grew. Her fingers curled lightly against him. Freshly cleaned nails dug against his neck. His touch sparked the deepest of fires within her that she had to struggle to contain herself. With each rise of his hands along her body, Lilly’s back arched higher up against him, eager to receive more of his affection. She moaned again, her eyes fluttering slightly. “Master…” His praise, his compliments, they all sent shivers up her spine. “I was scared too… I was scared that I was going to die and… and you’d never get to me. I knew you would but… I didn’t know if perhaps they had caught you and…” She couldn’t even think of it. She didn’t want to think of Karus dying. She tightened her hold on him and she kissed him again. Her kiss was more intense much like his, and her body seemed to ache with need. “Master… I need you.” She whispered suddenly. @In the Dave Tonight

Carefully, delicately, he peeled the minidress off of her, leaving her naked against him. Gently setting the garment aside, he pushed his own trousers down, letting them fall and exposing himself fully to her again. Then, with a quick bend and scoop, he lifted her into his arms and cradled her against his broad chest. Carrying her to the bed, he laid her down in it, her pale body almost seeming to blend into the brilliant white sheets. But he climbed atop her, hands on either side of her shoulders, looking down into her beautiful eyes. "I need you, too, my precious little one," he whispered, then leaned in to kiss her again. Though he ached just to take her, penetrate her right then, he held back and broke the kiss to her lips before it went on very long. He continued to kiss her, though, raining kisses down on her naked body, starting with her neck, then to her gorgeous breasts, teasing each nipple, kissing and sucking on them, before working his way lower, down her tummy, and down lower still. Soon he had shifted most of his body back off the foot of the bed, bent over it, burying his face between her legs. His tongue snaked out and pressed into her folds, flicking up and down, slowly at first, to taste her, tease her. He sought out her clit, flicking over it with the tip of his tongue, then slipping down again. His tongue was long, even in fully human form, and he had some more control over the very shape of his body now that he had completed one full transformation into his demonic self. So he urged his tongue to lengthen a little and he worked his tongue deeper into her, teasing her, seeking her core. @Vava

Lilly cling onto Karus as he scooped her up and brought her to the bed. She let out a soft breathy moan as he placed her on the bed. His kisses were captivating and she reached up to cup his cheeks as she returned the kiss, her legs spread and circling his hips. However, Karus trailed his kisses down her bare torso and each kiss sparked a burning flame within her skin. She moaned each time, her head falling back onto the bedding. “Master…” She purred softly, her hips slowly grinding against his body. His kisses to her breasts caused her nipples to harden and she felt an electric pleasure coursing through her body. She arched her back, pressing her breasts further against him. “Master~” With each kiss trailing lower and lower… she wondered where he would stop. However, her internal question was answered as his mouth pressed against her bare and exposed pussy. Lilly was hairless save for the hair on her head, her eyelashes and her eyebrows. So her delicate soft folds were completely open to him. She gasped loudly, a surprised and choked moan clawing itself from her throat. Her head snapped up and she immediately placed her hands against Karus’s head. “M-Master!! Th-That’s dirty! Y-You can’t… aah… l-lick there!” She gasped. However, as she tried to tell him it was dirty, her hips were grinding against him, desperate for his tongue to reach her deepest spots. “Master…!” @In the Dave Tonight

Karus simply chuckled against her soft and hairless folds, delighting in the feel of smooth skin against his lips, his face, his tongue. His tongue darted deeper into her, swirling inside her, seeking out the spots that made her squeak and moan more than any others. His nose rubbed against her clit when he pushed his tongue in deeper, and the old hunger awoke in him, needing her pleasure. This was feeding on her in a way she didn't yet seem to understand, and as always in times like this, he wondered if it was an incubus who first coined the term "eating out" since it literally did sate his own hunger, nourishing him. His hands moved over her body, eyes meeting hers as she looked down at him, silently asking her to be patient, to be soothed, though his tongue and nose and lips were after a much different effect. In truth, he loved how she protested, and how the protests were undercut by moans of pleasure. Roaming hands found their way to her breasts again, and he squeezed them hard, massaging them, kneading her soft flesh, finding her hard nipples and pinching them, tugging on them. His tongue swirled inside her as he fondled and tortured her breasts, curling in as though to scoop up her essence and drink it down, then darting deep into her, exploring her, trying to unlock her secrets. @Vava

Lilly's 'protests' went unheeded and she couldn't even continue to try to stop Karus. Her voice got louder as she started moaning more. Her back arched higher and higher and her hips grinding more against his mouth, absolutely desperate for his tongue to press deeper into her. Lilly's fingers tugged at his hair with one hand, and her other hand pushed his head further against him. When his hands went to her breasts, teasing and playing with the pink peaks, she cried out louder, her head falling back further. Her release was building so quickly that she was afraid that she might start wailing and disturb the other guests. She could feel his tongue squirming within her and she was now gasping and whimpering, her mouth slightly agape with each moan and cry. "M-Master! I'm so close! Oh Gods, Master! I-I can't hold it! I'm coming! Master! Master! Master! Oh Gods, Master!" She cried, her hips wildly grinding and her toes curling as she arched her back so high up towards the ceiling, her body writhing under him. Her pussy spasmed wildly, and her feminine essence seemed to splash against his mouth. As her release died down, she collapsed, panting heavily, her hands twitching. Her cheeks were bright red with blush, and her nipples were still hard with need. Her belly was throbbing, still eager for more. "Master... Please, I need you inside of me. Please..." She begged. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus grinned and straightened up from his feast, her pleasure suffusing through him, making him shine almost. He crawled back up on the bed and took his servant in his powerful hands. He loved to see her like this, spent and trembling, pale cheeks bright red with her blush. But he could see her need before she ever spoke it aloud. "We've only just started, my darling little one," he whispered to her. Grabbing her by the waist, her turned her over, pulled her up onto her knees. Kneeling between her spread legs, he pressed the head of his rampant cock against her soft and slippery folds, pushing in slowly, letting her feel every bit of the penetration. Her dripping cunt opened for him with relative ease, though he could still feel her stretching to her limit around him, and he wondered again what it might be like in his other form. But that would be for a time and place where he could reveal himself again. For now, he pushed deeper into her, bending over her body at the same time. His arms encirlced her, pulling her back against his chest, his hands caressing and massaging her, teasing her breasts as he slipped deeper and deeper inside. He nuzzled in her pale hair, kissing the top of her head, groaning as her body clenched around him, resisting and accepting his penetration of her at the same time, it seemed. "I've told you that your pleasure is my food, literally," he said, rocking his hips deeper and licking his lips to refresh his taste of her in his mouth. "And I have been going hungry the past couple of days, thanks to those vile villagers. And now I intend to feed at my leisure for a good little while." @Vava

Lilly recovered quickly and she moved with Karus as he scooped her up and flipped her over. Her hands went to the sheets, her legs opened for Karus. She cried out loudly as he plunged himself into her, slowly and letting her feel every inch of him. "Oh, Gods, Master! You feel so good!" She gasped. The sensation of being filled this slowly nearly sent her over the edge once again. It was like Karus had a button that he could press inside of her and it would push her over the edge. She gasped when he pulled her up against his chest, his cock pressing harder into her. She cried out again, her eyes fluttering. "M-Master! Your cock is so deep!" Lilly was not afraid of Karus, and she desperately needed to feel more of him. He had been going hungry for the past few days, and she felt sad for that. She vowed she was going to make his hungry go away tonight. She glanced down slightly and she could see the outline of his cock against her belly ever so slightly. With this in mind, she pressed her hands over the outline and she pressed inward, her hips grinding and thrusting back into his. It was essentially to stroke him through her body and give him additional pleasure. "I will feed you, Master. I promise...I promise, Master!" She turned her head to press her lips against his, moaning at the taste of herself on his lips. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus kissed her back, deeply, moaning into her mouth as his hips moved now, rocking back and forth. Still working more of his cock into her, but thrusting against the added pressure she applied to the bulge in her slender belly. His thick cock throbbed inside her, stretching her more, and again he marveled at her ability to take him so fully. She was truly something special, something unique, and he vowed to treasure her and her service to him. That it was becoming more than just service did not escape his notice. The way he behaved with her, moved with her, spoke with her... far different from how he'd been with any other mate, partner, or even passing fancy in all his years. And it thrilled him. He thrust harder, then harder still, finally sinking every inch of his manhood into her seeming-frail body. And yet she took it, embraced his needs, gave herself to him with an intensity than none had ever matched in his memory. And he drank it up, feeling her on the edge of her pleasure, and even feeding off of that in his present state. He couldn't get enough of her. He broke the kiss, growling softly as he moved his body with hers, in hers. "My precious kitten, my darling little one," he growled into her ear. "My most adored servant, you feed me like none other could." @Vava

His thrusts became harder and harder, and Lilly's back arched against him as she continued to grind against him. She was honestly surprised that she had been able to take him like this. When she first saw his cock back in her shack, she didn't think she would be able to take him, and yet, she easily was able to. His cock pushed deeply within her, filling her to the brim. She pushed back harder against her belly. This started to add to her own pleasure. She tilted her head back against his chest, her moans loud and full of ecstasy. She was not able to stop, and at this point, she didn't care if the neighbors in the inn heard her. "Master! Master, I'm going to come! I-I beg of you...please bite me. L-Let me feed you in every way possible!" As she kept grinding and thrusting her hips back into his, she was unable to stop the rather violent release that tore through her body. She screamed now, her hands slammed against her belly as she desperately tried to heighten his arousal too. She was losing herself to him, and she loved it. Then... she cried out, "I wish to be your servant for all of eternity, Master Karus! I love you!" She had completely and utterly bared her emotional and physical body to him. @In the Dave Tonight

Begging to feed him, not only with her pleasure but her blood nearly sent him over the edge, as did the intense pressure she brought on his thrusting cock as she came herself and pressed on the bulge in her belly. Like with his tongue, he now found himself more in control of smaller portions of his body and he felt fangs extending in his mouth as he opened wide and bit down on the neck she bared and offered for him. His teeth sunk into tender flesh and the hot splash of her blood over his tongue was like the first drops of ambrosia. He knew at once he could get carried away and drain her dry, a situation he wanted to avoid at all costs. But her cries of devotion made it difficult. His own orgasm came to a rescue of sorts as his pleasure built up in the base of his cock, tingling and pulsing, then suddenly surged forward. He opened his mouth to cry out, rivulets of blood dripping down her body, more on his chin as he buried his cock in her on one final thrust before unloading. "Oh ... oh yes... my precious little one, my servant, my darling love, I love you!" he moaned as he came, thick streams of gooey demon cum flooding her body, filling her womb, pouring into her with almost violent force. That her body could pleasure him, contain him, serve him in all the best possible ways told him all he needed to know about her suitability, not just as a servant, but as his companion, first of his servants, most precious and beloved. He held her tight as he continued to spill into her, perhaps not immediately understanding that due to their bond, he might actually be feeding her in return, a perfect little circle contained in their frantic lust for each other. @Vava

Another scream of ecstasy filled the room as Karus sank his fangs into her throat, her blood feeding the demon that filled her in more ways than one. Lilly screamed with pleasure, her hips grinding and thrusting back into his hips at the same time that his hips crashed into hers. Lilly cried and gasped as his cock swelled and throbbed within her before it finally unleashed his seed. His cry pushed her further over the edge, and their releases mingled together within her womb. She clawed at his hands as they held her hips, her body completely overwhelmed with the emotions she was feeling now. As he confessed his love for her, reciprocating her cry of her devotion, Lilly was pushed over the edge. Tears of joy and love ran down her cheeks as she came hard, her feminine juices splashing down her legs with his seed. Karus was right, his pleasure feeding her. While it wasn't necessarily physical feeding, her heart was fed with his affection and love. Lilly was moaning still, her womb so full of his essence that she was curious if she would bear him a child. She'd make a mental note to ask if demons could even impregnate humans. Finally, her release died down, and she slumped, panting heavily. Her hands were trembling, and her chest was rising and falling in quick bouts while she caught her breath. "M...Ma...Mas...ter..." She panted, her face and body slick with a thin sheen of sweat. "We...we may want... to take a bath." She laughed weakly. @In the Dave Tonight

He was surprised they hadn't already had the landlord knocking at their door, urging them to be quiet. But the place had been pretty empty when they'd come in, so maybe there was hardly anyone to disturb? It was still quite early in the day for sleepers, not even mid-afternoon yet. So unless there were vampires trying to sleep it off, which didn't seem likely, they had no one to disturb. Pulling out of her was not as easy as he felt it should be, her pussy clinging to him, and their combined juices not doing quite enough to let him slide freely out of her. But he did pull out and he marveled at how little of his seed spilled back out of her. Some did, to be sure, dripping down her pale thighs, but not nearly as much as he had pumped into her. He slumped beside her, sweating as well, though not panting as hard as she was, and gathered Lilly into his arms. "You are amazing," he whispered to her. "Without a doubt, one of a kind, and I can't imagine anyone I would want with me more." Blood still welled at the wounds on her neck and he flicked his tongue over them, shivering with delight at the taste of her essence. "A bath, however, sounds amazing," he said, still breathing a little heavy. "I'll be able to stand in a moment and carry you there, if you're not yet ready to walk those ten feet to the tub on your own," he said, teasing lightly as his arms held her tight and his fingers glided over her sweat-slicked skin. @Vava

Lilly chuckled softly and nodded. "I think I can stand... perhaps tomorrow." She teased. However, she did not notice that only a little seed left her body. She just knew she was exhausted and felt fantastic. However, before either of them could do anything further, there came a firm and harsh knock on the door. Lilly frowned and looked at the door. They hadn't been expecting anyone... Carefully after Karus gave her approval, she grabbed her dress and put it on quickly before she went to the door. She opened it a crack but suddenly, a woman with pale skin and dark pitch black hair stood in the doorway, her arms crossed across her plump breasts, her red eyes glaring daggers at Lilly. "Do you two have any idea what time it is? Peoplare trying to sleep! This isn't a brothel!" She hissed. "Now, now, Myna, we can't bother them. They were just being passionate." A smooth husky voice sounded. A tall muscular man with short but fluff black hair appeared beside the woman, his own red eyes flashing. "Good afternoon, little lady. I apologize for my wife's anger. She gets a bit... tired when she gets woken up. However," He leaned forward, pushing the door open slightly. He looked at Karus and chuckled. "I think an apology for disturbing our sleep is in order. Or... perhaps..." He glanced at Lilly's still bleeding neck, and his shoulders shuddered as he stepped closer. "We can arrange a little... 'make up' session... between us all." The woman stared at Lilly's neck, and Lilly backed up to the bed. "M-Master?" She whispered, looking back at him. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus grinned and swung himself around into a sitting position as the two vampires pushed their way into the room. He stood, still naked and stepped over beside Lilly. He could see the way they were eyeing her neck and the fresh blood still smeared there on her pale skin. "Our apologies for the disturbance, we were not being very neighborly. If we engage in any more activities after you have gone back to bed, my companion and I can surely work out some way to better muffle her cries." He stepped behind her, putting protective hands on her shoulders. But then his hands wandered lower, gliding down over her curves as though to accentuate them for their guests. "But please, make yourselves comfortable," he said. "Since we so rudely disturbed you, we must find something to do to make it right." The vampires grinned at each other and the female closed the door softly behind them. "The window," the male hissed, nodding toward. Bright golden beams of sunlight fell through cracks in the curtains onto the floor on that side of the room. "Be a dear, Lilly, and pull the blackout curtains so that our guests can be more comfortable," he said, and turned her around, pointing her at the window. This also got her out of the immediate reach of the vampires, which he wanted for a moment while he laid down some ground rules. In a lower voice, he said: "My name is Karus, and this is Lilly. Whatever other relationship we might have, she is my servant and I am her protector,"--and his own eyes flared red--"so whatever we can do to ease your discomfort, we will, but it stops short of draining her completely, or turning her. Are we understood?" @Vava

Lilly's eyes widened as Karus started to run his hands over her, almost as if he was... showing her off? She blushed heavily as he told her to pull the blackout curtains. "Y-Yes, Master." She went to the window and quickly shut them. The two vampires nodded. "We aren't in the business of draining people. Too messy. Besides, turning means she has to come with us. Not interested." The woman said. "She seems lovely, but I'm not interested in controlling a freshly turned vampire." The male nodded. "In exchange, we get to have a little bit of fun, and... some nourishment." He smirked. "Sound like a deal?" The rule with vampires was that if a deal was struck, any terms and conditions had to be met, or else the vampire would perish. It was an interesting fact, and the reason why vampires did not make deals very often. Lilly came back to the ground, a little shy about being freshly taken. The woman slowly made her way behind Lilly before she wrapped her thin arms around Lilly's hips, pulling her against her. She pressed a soft kiss to Lilly's neck. Lilly gasped, her cheeks flushed dark red. "M-Master?!" The woman chuckled. "He is your master? How cute. Come now, my sweet, wouldn't it be nice to have a gentle bite? Men can be so rough sometimes..." She cooed. She opened her mouth and pressed a delicate kiss to Lilly's shoulder, and Lilly let out a sudden moan mixed with a cry. The woman kept her kiss to her shoulder before she pulled back, revealing two smooth marks. Lilly whimpered. "M-Master? I-Is...Is this...okay?" @In the Dave Tonight

"We disturbed their sleep, Lilly," Karus said, smiling at her. "It's only polite for us to offer them a little recompense. They just want a taste of what I get from you all the time." His cock had already started rising again at the sight of the female vampire pressing her mouth to Lilly's neck. Not to be distracted, though, he quickly spelled out the very dry terms of a deal with the vampires. He had dealt with too many of them in his time as a warlord to be anything but precise and correct with them. The vampires gave their assent and he nodded. "Very well, we have a deal," he said and stepped up beside Lilly, and started lifting her minidress again, exposing her well-fucked body, her tummy still pooched out just a little from the huge load of cum that he'd pumped into her and that had remained, filling her womb. The male vampire, Markos, stepped up close as well, dropping the cloak which seemed to be all he was wearing himself, revealing a muscular, naked body, so pale as to make Lilly look almost flush in comparison. His hands slid up under her dress, even as Karus lifted it up and off. "Now be good, Lilly. Master will be right here with you, and they won't hurt you... much." His own words made Karus shiver in delight and his hands trailed over Lilly's slender body, seeming frail but he knew she had impressive stores of strength and resilience. This might tax her, but it would not be too trying... and perhaps she would enjoy herself once the shock of being shared wore off. He fully expected that they'd want to have a little taste of her first, to get things started, then likely feed a bit more from her just before heading back to their room. She would no doubt be left woozy by then, but she could sleep it off with him. "Where would our guests like to begin?" he asked, looking from Markos to Myna and back again. @Vava

Lilly nodded, now understanding that Karus was okay with this. While this was absolutely brand new to Lilly, she only needed his approval to begin enjoying it. Myna hummed in delight. “I can feel your arousal getting stronger. Does his approval mean that much to you? I don’t blame you. I felt the same way before.” She winked at Markos who chuckled. “Now now, Myna. Let’s not hog our new friend, shall we? Scoot.” He chuckled. Myna merely moved in front of Lilly, her hands playing with Lilly’s breasts. Markos came up behind Lilly and he guided the girls to the bed. He knelt on the center of the bed with Lilly in front of him facing Karus. Myna knelt beside him, her hands playing with Lilly’s nipples and her clitoris. Lilly moaned again, her eyes fluttering. “That feels so good…” she said softly. Then, Markos entered her, a husky groan leaving his throat. “Fuck, you’re tight…” He growled, his hands digging into Lilly’s hips. He suddenly pulled her up towards him, similar to how Lilly had been taken by Karus. “Look at your Master. Tell him how good this is. Thank him. Thank him for letting you feel this good.” Myna teased Lilly’s breasts more. “He’s right, sweet girl. Thank him for letting you feel this sense of euphoria.” She purred to Lilly, kissing her ear, but nipping slightly. Lilly moaned more and more, her eyes never leaving Karus. “Master! Master, thank you! Thank you for letting me… oh gods… feel this good! It feels so good! Master! Master!”

4:50 PM

Markos chuckled, his hips grinding and thrusting hard. “Are you thinking of him? Do you wish it was him? Myna, why don’t you help him feel a bit better?” Myna smirked and slid off the bed. She knelt before Karus and she choked him, leaning forward and licking the head. “You taste delicious.” she moaned. “So this is what a demon tastes like…” She opened her mouth and swiftly began to take him in. She moaned loudly, her hands holding the base as she began to deep throat him. Back and forth she bobbed her head. Her tongue swirling around his cock as she skillfully bobbed up and down. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus grinned as he watched Lilly get penetrated by Markos, pale flesh being enetered by even paler flesh. He loved how tight Lilly always seemed to be and despite what they'd just done, it seemed like her pussy was every bit as tight now as always. He played with his own stiff member for a while as he watched, seeing Markos thrusting into Lilly and Myna playing with her, teasing her, getting her hotter for the experience. "I knew you'd like it, my sweet pet," he said as she thanked him for the experience. He was a little surprised when Myna slipped to her knees in front of him and took his cock in her mouth, but very, very pleased. He gripped her by her raven black hair and held on as she took his cock deep into her throat. He started to rock his hips, forcing himself deeper into her, urging her to take every inch down her very talented throat. Vampires could be cool to the touch, and Myna at least was no exception, though the coolness around his cock was a delight of an experience, stimulating him in ways that he had not experienced in quite a long time. His dick throbbed in her throat and he started to fuck her face, curling his fingers tighter in her hair and driving in deep. Markos, as he fucked Lilly on the bed, kneeling behind her, started to kiss on her back, along her shoulder blades, up over her shoulder. Karus grinned, knowing where this was headed, as Markos clearly savored the slow approach. This would only be a little nibble, he figured, and that they would both snack on her a little more thoroughly just before departing to bed. Wouldn't do to leave Lilly too woozy and in need of rest at a time like this. And, indeed, he was right as he watched Markos finally work his way up to the unmarked side of Lilly's neck and open wide, his fangs extending as he clamped his lips against the side of her neck. The vampire pulled his mouth away almost immediately, just a few drops of blood dripping from the small marks on Lilly's neck. "Delicious," Markos his

5:20 PM

sed and grinned. "I can see why you like this one so much. Perhaps we can snack on her again the next time we meet." "Different deal at another time," Karus replied, winking at Markos, then groaning as he felt Myna juggling his heavy balls in her cool right hand. @Vava

Lilly seemed to unravel as Markos thrust harder, his gentle kisses betraying his pistoning hips. However, he suddenly bit down, piercing her throat for just a moment before he pulled away. Lilly screamed with pleasure, her hips and torso moving wildly against Markos. Myna smirked a little as Karus groaned above her. Her hands working everything her mouth didn’t have, her throat skilled enough to take him without issue. However, she decided she wasn’t receiving enough, so she stood and bent herself over the little desk table. She beckoned Karus over with a wink. “Come here.” She cooed sweetly, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulder like a wave of shadowy ink. Markos had pushed Lilly down onto the bed now, her face pressed into the mattress, though not hard enough to hurt her or suffocate her. He had a fistful of her silver hair in his fist as he slowly grounded his hips, pushing hard and bottoming out into the petite woman. He growled darkly. “How do you not drain her each time? I swear she’s like a candy…” he grunted. His other hand went to the sheets above Lilly, fisting them to hold back from hurting her. Myna moaned softly as she watched her husband. “Easy, my love. Save some of your strength for later.” She teased him. She looked back at Karus. “Now let me get a taste of what that cute girl gets.” She purred. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus grinned over at the sight on the bed, his cock throbbing in Myna's throat when Lilly screamed out her pleasure at being bitten as Markos railed her hard. As he moved to follow Myna, he chuckled at Markos's question. "Easy," he said, his voice a low rumble. "I just remember that I can have that forever if I don't drain her all at once." Though of course, that wasn't remotely the whole tale, given his protective drive, wanting Lilly to be safe, healthy, aware of her own worth. But he did understand the question, as her blood did strike his tongue like ambrosia and he knew he could drink her down to nothing if he ever gave himself over entirely to that thirst. But then there were her other joys and pleasures to consider. His cock twitched again and he turned back to find Myna bent over in front of him, asking for his cock. He pressed the bloated tip against Myna's cool, smooth folds and thrust in. He groaned, finding her almost perfectly lubricated, as he forced his cock in deep. Unlike with Lilly, he felt no need to restrain himself in the slightest. Vampires were damn near indestructible, and he eagerly put that to the test, hilting his considerable length and girth in her in one thrust, then thrusting hard, driving himself to her depths with every hard thrust. He loved the coolness of the vampire flesh, wrapping around his cock which felt superheated as he pounded into her. Reaching his hands around, he gripped her full, supernaturally buoyant breasts and squeezed them hard. He pinched at her nipples, tugging and twisting them as he banged her against the desk with abandon. He glanced back over at Markos and Lilly to see if the male vampire was anywhere near his peak, or if Lilly was on the verge of another. @Vava

"That definitely sounds like the best way to... ahh... handle it." Markos growled. His hips continued their relentless thrusting within Lilly's pussy. The pale folds of her pussy took Markos's cock easily and she was suddenly gasping and digging at the sheets. "Gonna...Gonna come!" She cried, her hips grinding and thrusting back into Markos's. "Fuck, yeah! What a good girl. Come for me. Come for me right now." He hissed, his eyes flashing red as he grabbed Lilly's throat, pulling her up to press against his chest. He lapped at the blood that ran down her neck, his hand pressing on her lower belly as he drove his cock in to the base. Lilly screamed with pleasure, her eyes rolling back as she experienced another release, one that tore through her already sensitive body without a care in the world. Markos suddenly roared loudly with unbridled ecstasy, his cock throbbing as he filled the petite human. Myna moaned as she was filled with Karus's cock. She clawed at the desk, her fingernails making thick marks. "Fuck... So this is how good a demon feels, huh?" She gasped. As Karus massaged her breasts, she moaned loudly, her head falling back towards him. "Harder! Don't you dare hold back a single ounce!" She groaned, her legs hooking behind his ankles, securing him to her. She pushed her ass back towards him, forcing him to bottom out within her. She turned her body so that one leg was up on his shoulder and the other down on the floor. She was an incredibly flexible vampire, and she dug her nails into his shoulder. She met his gaze and she smirked with delight. "Ever been with a vampire before?" @In the Dave Tonight

Karus grinned at Myna's gyrations, the twisting of her pussy around his cock massaging him all along his length as he pumped in and out of her. He reached up her back to grab her by her raven hair, using the other hand to grip the leg pressed against his shoulder. Holding her like that, his hips moved in a blur, pounding his hard shaft deep into her body. He could see her tummy bulging, almost as much as Lilly's did when he forced his cock deep into his servant. "Never one as gorgeous as you," he said and winked at her. In truth, he could barely remember all the people he'd been with in his thousands of years of life. So many in his incubus days. He'd had a vampire as a slave girl for a while, serving him, but he couldn't remember her very clearly. She wasn't Myna, though, that was for certain. He grunted as he thrust deep, moving his hand from her leg down to her tits, squeezing them again, hissing a little as her nails dug into his own skin, but not feeling very much pain at all. He glanced over at Lilly who seemed all but passed out on the bed, Markos hovering over her. The male vampire slowly withdrew his cock from the demon's servant, vampire spunk dripping onto Lilly's pale flesh. Her blood was smeared on Markos's chin and he extended a long red tongue to swipe some of it from his own face. "You must taste her, my love, really taste her," Markos said, grinning at Myna. @Vava

Myna threw her head back and cried out loudly with pleasure, her nails sinking in once more to Karus’s arm. She chuckled as Markos called to her. “I’d love to. Give me… just a… moment to savor this… demons cock first!” She moaned, her hips thrusting back into Karus’s with a speed that almost rivaled his own. The harder she went, the louder her moans became. She suddenly lurched herself up, her arms wrapped around his neck as she started to grind harder against him. “Fuck! Oh fuck, you’re so deep!” She hissed, her release building higher and higher. She growled low in her throat as she suddenly came, her own pussy clamping down on Karus’s cock. However, she leaned forward and bit down on Karus’s neck, her fangs piercing his neck. She pulled out immediately and screamed as her arousal went through the roof, her pussy almost spasming entirely as she came hard. Markos chuckled as he flipped Lilly over. “Seems your masters blood has given my wife one of her best orgasms. Now, how about you, little one. Let’s give you the best one yet.” He looked up at Karus. “Come here. Let’s take her at once. Myna, come enjoy your snack.”

5:44 PM

Lilly was panting softly on the bed, her eyes on Karus. He looked so handsome, and Myna looked so utterly full of bliss. She wanted that too. She reached for Karus, her eyes full of tears, but not tears of sorrow, or jealousy. “Master… I wish to feel… b-both.” She whispered, feeling a tad bit shameful. Myna’s eyes widened and then a wide smile broke out. “I love this human girl.” She climbed down off of Karus, a little more shaky legged, and she crawled over to her. “Come here, my dear.” She cooed. “While we wait for the boys to set up, let me have a taste.” She whispered. She leaned down and began to kiss along Lilly’s hips, nearing her husband’s cock. She suddenly sank her fangs into Lilly’s thigh, causing the girl to cry out. As Myna bit down, Markos thrust his still hardened cock into Lilly. Lilly cried out, her back arching. “Oh Gods! Master! P-Please hurry!” Myna licked her lips which were now covered in Lilly’s blood. “Oh Gods she’s delicious…” She moaned. She leaned back on the bed near Lilly’s hands. She rested herself against Lilly’s side as she reached forward and played with her breasts. “I want to watch her lose it…” Myna hummed sweetly. Markos grunted as he started to thrust harder. “It might be soon. All she needs is-“ “More! Master! Please! More!” She cried, her senses overwhelmed by the ecstasy she was trapped in. Myna started to use her free hand to penetrate herself, moaning as she bit Lilly again. “Fuck… this is too good!” @In the Dave Tonight

Karus raised an eyebrow at the suggestion. Lilly was extremely... pliant. Moreso than he expected, and he wondered if she was really that pliant. But with the way his cock throbbed at the suggestion, he knew there'd be only one way he'd find out. Before he took position, though, he grabbed Myna by the arm and whispered in her ear: "Careful. Demon blood can be addictive. Don't get yourself hooked, as I'm not responsible for your withdrawal." But he grinned as he said it and slapped her playfully on her bare ass. If he were to begin to build a new empire... or at least a small kingdom... he could do worse than these two as recruits to stand by his side, for sure. And they were fun in bed, which was a huge bonus. As the former warlord, though, he took immediate command of the situation. This needed some organization, as there was no way he'd get into Lilly's pussy from beside Markos. "Get on your back, Markos," he said, grabbing Lilly by the waist and pulling her away with powerful strength. The vampire complied, laying back, pale cock jutting up from his crotch and glistening. "Now Lilly, climb on and ride him." He put his servant back on the bed, smiling as Markos grabbed her upper arms as she positioned herself above him. Karus himself grabbed hold of the vampire's cock and held it steady as Lilly lowered herself on it. He gave them a few moments to get into sync as Myna watched and fingered herself almost frantically. When he figured Markos and Lilly had gotten the hang of it, he climbed onto the bed behind Lilly and lined his cock up with her hairless pussy, stretched around Markos's thrusting dick. Holding the base of his own, still slippery from Myna's juicy cunt, he pressed it against Lilly, rubbing against Markos. For a long moment, he thought there was no hope at all, and that he was either going to literally rip into Lilly or have to give up. Best would have been for Markos to get a little soft inside her, make it a bit easier for Karus. But the vam

8:32 AM

pire seemed all too aroused himself to have a demon cock rubbing against him. But then Lilly's body seemed to recognize the presence of her Master, and her pussy suddenly stretched to take them both and Karus almost toppled over, so suddenly did his cock start to sink into her. "OHhh... oh fuuuuuuuck," he moaned. If her pussy had been tight before, it was on the verge of being a torture device. Yet the heat, the wetness, even the motion of Markos alongside him made it the most exquisite torture he'd ever felt. And by Markos's moans, the vampire was feeling the same thing. Grabbing Lilly's hips, Karus thrust deeper, shuddering as he sunk more and more of his hard cock into her, filling her with two hard, large, thrusting supernatural dicks. @Vava

Markos groaned deeply, his fangs prominent as his hips rocked heavily against the human woman. His hands grasped her hips hard; so much so that it was possible that Lilly would bear some bruises due to the grip. "Fuuuuuck...." He growled. Once the demon male got behind Lilly and started to push inside her, Markos's eyes rolled back into his head. He reached over and grabbed Myna. "Get over here." His voice was thick and heavy and he placed Myna directly over his face. Myna's back arched and she screamed with pleasure as he began to lick and suck on her bare pussy. "Oh, fuck, Markos!" Myna screamed, playing with her breasts as she rocked her hips forward into his mouth. To say that Lilly was overwhelmed was an understatement. As Markos refilled her, she moaned, her hips grinding against his. While his cock was big, it wasn't as big as Karus's, and it just... wasn't enough. However, once Karus got behind her, and his cock started to fill her, she let out the most pleasured cry she had ever made. Her lower belly was filled with the two beings cocks. Lilly writhed against Karus's torso, her hips grinding and thrusting wildly. "Master! Oh Gods, Master!" She screamed, loving the feeling of their cocks inside her.

2:03 PM

One hand clawed at Karus's arm, the other pressed down hard on her lower belly, forcing their cocks to grind against her most sensitive spots within her belly. Lilly's eyes were so cloudy with desire and she was writhing and moaning non stop. "Master! Master, Oh Gods, Master, you're filling me so much! Master, I can't...I can't hold it back anymore! Please fill me! Fill me, please!" She screamed. Markos was licking and sucking hard on Myna's pussy, his tongue sliding within his beautiful wife. Myna was screaming too, loving how good Lilly and she were feeling together. She quickly turned so that she could face Lilly. She was oh so close, but she knew exactly what she wanted to taste while she was finishing. She grabbed Markos's left hand and she moved off of his face, letting him sit up. Myna straddled his left hand, using his three fingers to ride on. "A-At once. Taste her." She panted, her release oh so close... Markos was grunting heavily, his release right on the edge of erupting. "Fuck...Fuck! Oh fuck, I'm about to..." "M-Me too, my love! Oh Gods, me too!" Myna cried. Lilly was crying and moaning out as loud as possible, her eyes rolled back with pleasure, tears running down her cheeks. "Master, I'm going to come! Karus! Karus, I'm about to cum!" She screamed, her hips writhing wildly. She was going to lose it... @In the Dave Tonight

The whole moment was so insanely erotic that Karus wondered what ever could be better. His cock rocked in and out of Lilly as she pressed back against him, sliding alongside the cool flesh of the vampire's thrusting dick, filling and stretching his servant to what must be very near her breaking point. And he did worry, just a little, that the whole experience would break her poor mind. But his lust had seized him and even that stray thought did nothing to hold him back as he drove himself hard and deep into his squirming, squealing, moaning servant, her cunt clenching and rippling along the two shafts buried in her, filling her, bulging her tummy out obscenely. The moans of Myna seemed, well, minor in comparison, but the vampire woman was clearly deep in the throes of her own pleasure. As Markos approached his peak and Lilly seemed to be soaring toward hers, Karus felt his own boiling up. Both males had the same idea at the same time. Markos leaned up, fangs extending and then biting hard into Lilly's neck, just above her right shoulder. Karus's own fangs grew and he dropped his head, clamping down on the other side of her neck. Her blood flowed hot over both men's tongues and both of them forced her down, impaling her on their cocks. Karus was in a deadly silence, one that comes from the intense, orgasmic screaming of two women who are reaching impossible heights of pleasure, seeming so loud that it transcended sound itself and became something else entirely. His cock erupted in her, at the same moment that Markos's did, and felt Lilly's pussy clench as hard as it could around their invading pricks, as thick waves of spunk sprayed up into her. They flooded her with cum, demon and vampire, as they drank her blood. Though they didn't get her in spots that would drain her easily, both of them drank far more than they intended, locked to her almost in the throes of their own orgasms. Karus broke away first, her blood smeared on his chin and her pale flesh, his fin

2:32 PM

gers in her her silver hair, clenched tight. "BY THE GODS" he shouted, moaning, giving voice now to the peak of his pleasure, rattling the walls a little even in his force as he empties his heavy balls into his servant. The vampire's orgasm is no less intense, though he had just come in Lilly moments before, clearly pushed to new heights by the double penetration and Lilly's own savage enjoyment. They collapsed together in a sweaty heap, Myna falling on top of the locked-together trio, and Karus found himself caressing all three of them--and being caressed in return. @Vava

Lilly screamed as she felt the two men erupt within her. If Karus noticed that her belly was slightly poouched from earlier, her belly was definitely full now. While it wasn't obvious, if one had seen her before, and now looked, it would be obvious that her belly had filled out a little bit. She collapsed back onto Markos, Karus and Myna on top of the poor woman. She was shaking and panting, her fingers trembling and twitching. Her legs were so sore. She was certain that she was going to pass out. She couldn't even really think. All she could do was whimper a single word, "M...Ma...st...er..." Due to the overwhelming emotions, the numerous orgasms, and the lack of blood, Lilly fainted. Her head slumped back against Markos's chest. Her silvery blonde hair scattering around them. Markos chuckled softly, carefully helping Myna off of them, and slowly sliding out of Lilly, helping her and Karus to get comfortable while he moved out from under her. "Wow... That was incredible. I think that's the first time we've had a fourway with a demon and a human... and everyone's alive." He chuckled. Myna smacked his arm and he cleared his throat. "N-Not through our actions." Myna crawled over and she leaned forward, licking the wounds on Lilly's neck. The wounds sealed shut, and while the bite marks didn't vanish, they did not ooze anymore blood. "There. Now she won't bleed out. She is going to need food. I'll send the tavern chef up with some dinner. On us." She winked at Karus. The two vampires made their way out of the bed and back to their clothing. They got dressed and Myna fluffed her black hair, humming. "See you around, handsome." She cooed to Karus, waving her hand. "Take good care of her. I want to see and taste her again real soon~" She purred as she walked out and back to her room. Markos chuckled and nodded. "See you around. Thank you for being such a gracious Master." He winked as well and he walked out of the room and went to follow his wife. The door

4:02 PM

shut snuggly against the frame. Silence filled the room. Lilly was on the bed, completely spent and unconscious. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus waved at the vampires as they left, thinking he very much would like to keep in touch with them. He figured they would be around until nightfall, at least, which was still some hours away, so if he and Lilly did not nap too long he could stop in and see them, find out where they were headed and if not tag along, then at least know where best to find them should they so desire. And he did desire. If not even for his own pleasure, though both of them were quite attractive and fun in bed, then for Lilly's. She clearly had the time of her life with them and, though it was quite literally draining on her, he suspected that she would be happy to repeat the experience when the couple was available again. Just... probably not that night, or even that week. He smiled at her, laying back in the bed, gathering her in to cuddle against his body for a time, the little spoon around which he curled his larger body, almost putting her in a little den in the middle of the bed. He dozed like that for an hour or so, but could not actually sleep. The energy that their time in this room had provided wanted to be used, in some way, and while he was not about to go fight any battles, he found he had to do something. So, carefully, he got up out of bed and went into the washroom. He fiddled with the plumbing for a minute until he found how to draw water and started to fill the tub. A few scented oils were provided and he drizzled one he thought to be refreshing into the water as the tub filled, releasing its scent into the small washroom. Breathing in, he felt better still. Once the tub had adequate water in it, he went back into the bedroom and scooped Lilly into his arms. Cradling her against his chest, he carried her gently toward the tub, kissing her on the top of her head. "Wake up, my love," he whispered to her. "Let's get fresh and clean." @Vava

Lilly slept peacefully due to her exhausted state. She was definitely weaker now, and if her malnourished state had anything to do with it, she wouldn’t stir for a bit while Karus dozed with her. She only seemed to awaken when Karus lifted her up off the bed and kissed her. “Mmm,” She yawned, stretching her arms up and above her head. She was exhausted and her body felt like lead. But, she was alive! She was kind of shocked about that. “Where… where did they go?” She asked quietly, looking around for the two vampires. She leaned into his chest, her eyes shutting. “I’m so… sleepy…” The poor girl’s body was so heavy with the blood loss and orgasms, but she was smiling. “That was… a lot of… fun.” She said quietly. “Did I… make you proud?” @In the Dave Tonight

Karus smiled and kissed her forehead, nuzzling gently at her pale skin, grown paler by the blood loss. He knelt down, lowering her into the tub as he did, easing her into the warm, scented water, which came to just below her breasts. "They went back to their room," he said, to her, running a wet hand through her hair as she drowsed a little. "They were very, very pleased with you, as was I. And very proud of you. I don't know how often things like that might happen while you're with me, but an incubus has all kinds of interesting encounters like that." He was going to say more, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. Ensuring that Lilly wouldn't slip under the water, he got up and went to the door, opening it slightly and peeking out. A barmaid stood there, holding a tray laden with hot food and he chuckled, then blushed a bit. "Food, sir?" she asked. "Your neighbors ordered it for you." "Um, yes," he said, then eased the door open, keeping his naked body behind the door. He glanced at the bed, glad that the vampires were so dilligent about licking up spilled blood; he'd worried the sheets would look like a murder had happened, but they only appeared mussed up from vigorous activity and nothing more. "Yes, just set it on the desk, thank you," he said. The pretty redhead eased into the room, glancing into the washroom to see Lilly resting in the tub. It was only when she turned back from setting the food down did she notice Karus was naked, though still mostly hidden behind the door. With a blush and light laugh she hurried from the room and he closed the door behind her. He stepped over to the desk and, realizing the tray would double as a small table for the tub, carried it into the washroom. He settled it across the tub and knelt down again beside Lilly again, not wanting to get into the tub with her just yet. "And here's some food for you, my love. Steak, bread, soup, veggies... courtesy of our friends next door," he said. @Vava

Lilly hummed softly as the water surrounded her once Karus placed her in the bath tub. The scented water seemed to wake her a bit up, so she was able to sit up. She blushed as he mentioned that he used to do this all the time as an incubus. “Wow! How… how were you able to keep up?” She asked, surprised that anyone’s stamina could last that long! Then again, she didn’t know much about a demon’s stamina. Karus went to answer the door when a knock came, and she merely slumped back, her head above water, her silvery hair cascading down behind the bath. She shut her eyes and seemed to rest a little until he came back with a large tray full of food! Since Lilly had starved nearly all of her life, she had no idea that someone could even get this much food! Her eyes widened and she leaned forward, staring at everything. “Th-They got that for us? That’s so generous! Is… is this too much?” She asked quietly. She didn’t want to be considered greedy, but she also didn’t want to snub the kind offer of the vampires. Thinking back to the activities she had just done, she blushed and reached for her neck. “I got… bit so many times.”

7:09 AM

@In the Dave Tonight

Karus glanced at the tray. A substantial meal to be sure, but if this was "a lot" to Lilly, he wondered how she'd react to some of the banquets he'd been at as a warlord, and even as an incubus, preying on bored and lonesome noble wives? He kept that to himself for now. "You must remember, my love, that other people's pleasure nourishes me. Yours particularly right now, but even the vampires' own orgasms fed me somewhat. So I could keep going for quite a while. But don't let anyone spin you any tales of days-long orgies. The longest one I was ever at lasted about 6 hours, and that was with a few breaks for wine and refreshment," he said and grinned. He leaned close as she reached for her neck, inspecting the bites. She'd wear marks forever, though to most people they might just look like blemishes or tiny moles or something. They'd only become red and obvious in the presence of the vampires who made the marks. But he would always be able to see them, and he knew he'd enjoy this memory every time he noticed them. "Eat what you can, and we can see about saving some of the leftovers. And I'll eat too. Just because I don't need to doesn't mean I don't enjoy the taste of a well-prepared meal." He decided to slip into the tub, but dithered for a moment as to how to do so; the size of the tub gave him many options. In the end, he decided to scoot Lilly's body forward a little and climb in behind her, his legs spread around her smaller body, his arms encircling her when he reached for the tray of food. Kissing her on the top of the head, he said: "And I hope someday that this availability of food becomes more normal for you. It pains me to know you were so mistreated before I came along." @Vava

Lilly's eyes widened in complete shock when he reminded her that since other people's pleasure fed him, he could last a long time; even as long as six hours! She was completely shocked by that, but it didn't shock her. Not really. "I...I think I would die if I was involved in that." She laughed, but it was only in jest. She didn't think she would actually die. However, this session hadn't even lasted an hour, and she had been completely wiped! But, perhaps if she got stronger and she ate more often, maybe she'd be able to last longer for him. He told her to eat what she could, so she started to eat the vegetables, as they were sliced and chopped and easy for her to grab. The staff had been kind enough to provide utensils for her, so she was able to use them. Each bite was more delicious than the last, and the more she ate, the more she realized just how much... she suffered. Karus even reminded her of that. This amount of food was basic. But to Lilly, this was a feast. She ate some of the steak, then the stew, then the vegetables, and Lilly finished about a third of the platter before she called it good. She leaned back, moaning softly, leaning against Karus's chest. "I just... want to get stronger for you, my love. I don't mind if my food is less. I don't want to be greedy." That was always something Lilly feared; being greedy. She had seen what greed did to people. Greed, fear, and every vice under the sun caused people to hurt others. And... here she was, a victim of religious greed. "Master...? Do you think you could teach me to fight?" She asked quietly. "I...I should be able to defend myself. What if something happens to you. I can't defend myself, let alone help you! I...I need to learn how to fight." @In the Dave Tonight

Karus smiled as she ate, happy to see his servant and love nourishing herself properly. Not gathered berries and roots and nuts in the woods, not whatever scraps she had subsisted on in her home village, but a proper meal. As she ate, he continued to gently wash her body, gently scrubbing away whatever dried blood might be found still on her skin. He let the tub drain around them once, then refilled it, all the while remaining in close contact with her body. For one who had... endured the energetic love of a demon and two vampires, she had bounced back even quicker than he had thought. There might be some latent magic in the young woman that he had yet to detect consciously. Or perhaps she was just gifted with a propensity for healing. Either way, it made him feel a little better about traveling with her and building a future with her, knowing that she could keep up. And, by her words, desiring to keep up alongside him in multiple ways. "Learning to fight?" he said, rubbing his chin and reaching past her to nab a morsel of steak from the plate. He didn't need it, but it did taste good. "Yes, I think that's a fine goal for you. If there is some sort of sparring circle or the like in this village, we can perhaps start with a few simple things tomorrow. There's a lot to learn that needs no weapons or fancy equipment. How to strike, how to fall, how protect yourself. Depending on your aptitude, you might even be able to learn some magical defenses, if not attacks, though that will require us finding a proper teacher. I can teach fighting, and work some magic, but I don't think I'll be much good at teaching magic, especially to one who isn't magical by nature." @Vava

Lilly let herself relax as Karus washed her body. He most likely could feel her ribs as he rubbed her body. Her frame was so thin and frail looking. She didn't feel as self conscious as she normally had before, and that's because she knew Karus didn't dislike her appearance. While he didn't dislike her appearance, she knew he wanted her to have a fuller one. One that wasn't so frail. She wanted that as well. He mentioned that learning to fight was a good idea, and if she was magically inclined, then she might even be able to learn some magic! "I don't know if I am magically inclined. My mother was skilled with herbs and medicines, and... I don't know if I ever recall her practicing magic." She said softly, humming to herself. "I would like to try though!" Learning how to fight and even do magic would make Lilly feel as though she wasn't useless or worthless to Karus. She knew he didn't think she was useless, but it was hard to not feel that way whenever she was attacked or unable to walk for a long time, or if she felt weakened because of her malnourished state. She kept munching on the platter, thinking of what kind of magic she would like to learn. "I would want to learn healing magic. Or even some offensive magic. Then I could help if someone ever tried to hurt you." She looked back to him. "Healing magic wouldn't hurt you, right?" She wondered if due to his demonic race, would he be hurt by healing magic? She prayed not. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus continued to caress her body long past when she was clean, still marveling at her flesh and her strength despite the obvious frailty. It would take somet ime to build her up to where she should be, but if they could avoid serious stress for at least a short time, he knew the gains she'd make would be quick. That she had survived all that she'd been through so far told him she must have some innate magic, but it could be so hard to tell. "Healing magic can be fickle," he said. "But healing different types of people typically requires the caster to be familiar with the type of person they're healing. You could heal me, heal the vampires, heal yourself, all with the same magic, but would require some subtleties that you'd learn along the way. The only beings who healing magic would 'hurt' would be the truly undead. Restoring their bodies would dispel some of the magic that animates them after death." He kissed the top of her head, smiling as she continued to nibble at the food on the platter. "But offensive magic would also be useful for you to learn, as well as defensive," he said. "But we'd want to find a wizard who could evaluate you and your natural aptitudes first." His hands wrapped around her tummy and he pulled her back a little against his body, the feel of her flesh agains this a pleasant warmth and softness, despite the protrusion of her ribs. Good food, a warm bath, and the naked body of his servant and lover pressing against him, made it so he didn't want to move, maybe for days. @Vava

Lilly nodded as she listened. She wasn't familiar with the rules of magic, so having Karus explain how it worked was helpful. He suggested they go see a wizard who could evaluate her and she liked that idea. She wasn't sure what a wizard was, but she didn't really need to know. Karus knew what it was and she would find out soon enough. "So... offensive magic, defensive magic, healing magic, and combat skills." She counted on her fingers the four things she wished to learn and she smiled. "I think I can learn that!" She said with a wide smile. She wasn't afraid of learning new things, especially if they could make her more useful. Lilly hummed as Karus pulled her back against him, and she rested her hands on his. She felt so full, both from the food and from everything else that had happened earlier that evening. She had a quick thought, and it made her blush. What if she and Karus ended up having a baby? Was that even possible? If it was, she hoped it happened one day. She leaned back against Karus and nuzzled up against his neck. "I love you, Master." She said against his skin. Neither Karus nor Lilly noticed the dark shadowy figure that seemed to rest just outside of the door of their room. It glowered at the door, its 'eyes' wide with shock. Had his Master returned...? He could sense the energy... the power... But, this was not his Master. His master would not be bathing with a servant... No... NO. With an angry hiss, the shadow vanished, a scorched mark of anger burning itself onto the floor where it had stood. @In the Dave Tonight

Karus smiled at her, kissing the top of her head, then down at her shoulder as she nuzzled against his neck. His hands slid down her arms, caressing her in the slowly cooling water. He smiled for a moment and exerted the slightest bit of power, warming his own skin and heating the water around them. "I love you too, Lilly. My servant, my love. Simply... mine..." he said, turning his head to kiss her on the lips. As he did, he felt a faint prickle at the back of his neck. He dismissed it. A stray flare of ancient energy wafting through the world, no more, no less. He kissed Lilly deeper. He had no intention of trying to bed her again, not after the intensity of the afternoon and evening so far, but he couldn't help himself, wanting to touch her, be with her, engaged with her to an intense degree. Where had this intensity of desire and emotion come from? Was it just attachment and gratitude for her call of need bringing him out of banishment? No, not that. Or not just that, for he couldn't discount it entirely. There was simply something about Lilly. A combination of strength and vulnerability, coupled with a fascinating mind, a resilience to be marveled at. So many qualities to value, and so much he found himself drawn to in a servant and companion. He broke the kiss and caressed her face gently. "I will destroy anyone who tries to take you from me, again," he whispered. @Vava

Lilly was beyond content. She was honestly happier than ever. She wrapped her arm around Karus's neck, savoring the feeling of his lips on hers. She never thought that she could feel this way about someone. It was only spoken about in fairytales, but now... she felt she had a fairytale love. Her master, Karus. Her kiss was gentle, but she pushed as much love and passion she could into it. When he pulled away, she hummed softly, leaning into his hand. "Thank you, Master. I will do my best to not allow anyone else to take me away." She knew that she had to figure out how to fight in order to maintain that commitment. She leaned forward and hugged Karus. This time, despite the fact that she wouldn't have minded being bedded again, she wanted to show him this wasn't just a physical love she felt for him. Besides, she was starting to get sleepy. She quietly shut her eyes, her head slumped forward on his shoulders. In a few moments, she was fast asleep. Her body needed rest, and she had to struggle to stay awake. So.. she didn't struggle. @In the Dave Tonight

Leveraging his strength, Karus stood with her in his arms, cradling her against his broad chest. Stepping carefully out of the bath, he carried her into the bedroom, snagging a towel off its peg with his fingertips as he passed. He tossed the towel on the bed, then laid her gently on it, letting the fluffy linen soak up bath water that dripped from her body. He went back for two more towels, using one to gently dry her skin, dabbing it dry in most places. He took his time to examine her body as he did, counting her ribs, memorizing the marks on her body from the abuse she'd suffered through her life thus far. The rope marks from being bound had all but faded, and her feet showed no marks at all from the fire that had licked at them back in the other village. She healed marvelously well, perhaps even magically so, which gave him some notion that she might be more naturally adept with magic than others might. And suggested to him that she may owe her very survival to it, given how malnourished she clearly was. Well, he had plans to fix that. In the meantime, once he was done drying her off, he did the same to himself, then crawled into bed with her, curling his body around hers and wrapping his arms about her protectively. He didn't sleep as such, but drifted into a pleasant trance, communing with the energies of the world. @Vava

Lilly slept peacefully. She did not stir and her body seemed to remain still through out the night, save for a few twitches or adjustments here and there. It was a calming time, and her dreams were kind to her. It was a very gentle way to wake up. In the morning she opened her eyes and she slowly sat up, her silver hair tussled and a few stray hairs sticking up from the static of the bed. She yawned and stretched her pales up above her head, letting out a soft moan as her muscles seemed to pop and adjust. She looked over at Karus and smiled, leaning down to press a kiss to his lips. "Good morning, Master." She said sweetly. The platter from the evening before was still in the bathroom, but thankfully all the food was good, as they had eaten all the meats that would have gone bad. She was feeling hungry, but for once, she didn't feel starved the second she awoke. Her wounds had healed for the most part, though some of her bruises and gashes still remained, though they were far fainter now. If one did not see her gaunt body, they might think she was actually of nobile birth with how pale and pristine her skin was. Her icy grey eyes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. "It is time to wake up, Master." @In the Dave Tonight

Karus smiled a little at her kiss, peeking one eye open to watch her naked form stretch. Gaunt but beautiful in every way. When she built up her strength, he knew she'd be quite formidable. Already a more-than-capable servant, he could not wait to see how she'd blossom under his care and protection. "Morning is awaiting us, is it not, my darling servant?" he asked, twisting to sit up on the edge of the bed. One hand trailed down her bare and bony back, and he leaned in to kiss her. His fingers moved to trace over the healing marks on her body, particularly the bite marks left by their companions of the day before. They would certainly be abed again now, if they had not moved on in the night, so he supposed they ought to be quiet for the moment. "Eat, my love, and if what's leftover from last night is not sufficient, I'll order some more food, or we can go down to the common room together," he said, still traling his fingers over her naked body. "After that... perhaps we can start making inquiries to help us to our next destination. What do you think?" @Vava

Lilly chuckled softly. "Morning is indeed awaiting us." She said softly, returning his kiss. Her stomach growled hungrily as he mentioned she should eat. Yes, eating sounded like a wonderful idea, and she would not argue that. "Yes, that sounds like a perfect plan, Master." She placed another kiss on his cheek before she climbed from the bed. She walked to the platter of food and she lifted one of the pastries. She munched down on the sweet pastries. It was so sweet and fluffy, even after the evening. She finished the pastry and then she ate a few pieces of fruit. Once she had her fill, she went to the bathroom and quickly freshened up. When she came out, she grabbed one of her dresses that she purchased. This dress was a dark royal blue gown with silver flowers on the skirt. Along the bodice was a black lace that synched the front together. The dress had long sleeves as well. She walked out into the room, taking Karus's hand. "Ready to go, Master?" @In the Dave Tonight

Karus used the washroom while she ate, then dressed while she was freshening up. He had picked up a few nice things the day before in the market, including a sturdy pair of boots, hose, and good sturdy trousers. He put those on, then donned his shirt and pulled out one of the leather vests that the merchant had packed in with the rest of his purchases. There were two, one in a rich brown leather, the other in a creamy blue suede. He chose the latter and put it on over his white tunic. The vest was snug, but appropriately so, cinching around his lower torso, while allowing him to retain full range of movement in his arms and upper body. He paused in front of the room's mirror and looked himself over. When Lilly finished dressing, he offered her his arm. "If you're full, my cherished servant, then we should maybe go down to the square and see if there are any notices posted that might help our inquiries. After that, perhaps we can just start asking around. I do think the circus that you mentioned might be a good destination, at least to start, if we can find out in what town they are performing these days," he said, then kissed the top of her head. @Vava

Lilly took Karus's arm, smiling up at him. "That sounds good, master!" She believed in whatever Karus had thought to be a good plan. This was her first time out of the village, and on an adventure like this, so she was looking to him for his guidance. He had a great idea, and she was willing to carry it out without issue. She was excited to check out the circus. She had only seen the circus from afar in her village, so she wondered if perhaps they might be able to see the shows that were being performed. She'd have to remember to ask Karus when they looked. Lilly and Karus went down into the town square. The sun was bright and shining beautifully in the town. Lilly kept a firm hold onto Karus's arm, but this time, she actually felt... good! She felt relieved, and for once, insecurity and fear did not grip her like a vice. "I believe the notices would be posted in the center. Shall we?" She tugged him along and soon, she found a large wooden sign with numerous papers tacked to it. "I believe this is it, Master!" She said excitedly. She grinned up at him, her eyes shining with pride. @In the Dave Tonight

For Karus, the visit to the town center was a somewhat uncomfortable reminder of what had happened in the previous village. Becoming separated from Lily had begun a spiral that led him to revealing himself long before he was ready. That they had escaped that situation without greater loss still surprised him. Perhaps that was why he felt an itch between his shoulderblades as they stood at the notice board--the itch of being watched. As he perused the notices, he glanced around, but no one seemed to be taking notice of them. No more than a glance sent their way, it seemed. So perhaps it was just a bit of paranoia, leftover from their adventures just a couple of days prior. Only a couple of days? So much had happened it felt like weeks had passed. When Lilly looked up at him, he banished the thoughts and smiled back at her. "It is indeed, my pet. Very well done," he said and kissed her on the forehead. He turned his attention again to the notice board, focusing now wholly on the task at hand. "Here's something," he said, after a long moment of perusing. "'Master Fiero's Menagerie of Wonders,' it says. And a list of dates." The calendar they were using was unfamiliar to him, but he did recognize the name of the previous village, and this town as well, around the middle of the itinerary. Dozens more were listed after. "Where does it say they will be now, my pet?" @Vava

Lilly grinned as he kissed her forehead, telling her that this was indeed it. She had done well! She felt proud that Karus had entrusted her with this task and that she was able to do it properly. Karus plucked one of the papers off of the board and read it aloud. It was for a Menagrie of Wonders. Lilly had never heard of such a thing and she was curious on what it could be. "It says that the Menagerie will be in this village tonight!" She said, pointing to the name of the village they were in and the date, which was that evening. "Master, what is a menagerie?" She looked at the flyer. It had the image of a man wearing a long cloak and his hands were up above one another, and in the center of them was a drawn ball of light, and in the center of that light were animals and fireworks. "Is it like magic? Or a circus?" She asked curiously, tilting her head up as she looked at Karus. @In the Dave Tonight

He stood close to her, one arm around her shoulders as they looked over the notice together. There seemed to be many of them pinned to the board, so he felt no regret in taking this one. The location on the notice said the Village Green, which would not be here--this was a cobbled square, very little greenery to be seen. But now that he had been studying the notice and its particular colors and motifs, when he looked up his eye caught a sign posted with an arrow done in a similar style, pointing off toward the south edge of the village. "Something like both, I would think, my pet," he said, steering her away from the notice board and in the direction the sign pointed. "In my day, 'menagerie' just meant a collection of exotic animals. I kept such a collection when I was... well... less humble than you see me now." He laughed a little. "And this might include some exotic animals, but it sounds more like feats of illusion and acrobatics and such," he said. "Shall we go watch them set up? If they're to perform tonight, they must already be here somewhere and preparing." He wondered, too, if this was what the vampire couple in the next room had come to town for--either with the circus, or to see it for themselves. @Vava

"That's a great idea, Master!" She grinned, wrapping her arm around Karus and hugging it lightly before she looked around. She could see off past the market a large field. In the field was a large tent that was being set up. She could see a few grizzly large men shouting but she couldn't hear them. "It looks like the tent is being set up over there, Master." She pointed towards the tent. With her arm around his, she tugged him towards the field. They moved past a few other patrons from the market, but since it was morning the market wasn't flooded with shoppers or tourists, or locals attempting to get their groceries for the evening. Arriving at the tent, they both could see the tent more clearly. The tent was large and made of a rough burlap material, but the colors were red and gold. It was peaked at the top. Ropes pulled the tent into its unique shape, and beside the tent were several cages, each one containing unique looking animals. One in particular, was a fluffy bear in a black and white pattern. It was seated in its cage, lazily chomping on a green stick. Lilly gasped, her eyes widened. "Master! Look at that!" She also saw a large cat with orange fur and black stripes. Then there was a tan cat with a large fluffy mane, and another bear, but this one was brown. Lilly went to step forward, her hand outstretched toward the cat with orange fur, "Hey!" Barked an angry man, stomping over. "Get away from that!" @In the Dave Tonight

Karus had been just about to snatch his pet's arm back when the man yelled, but he did so anyway, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her away from the bars of the cage. As much as he appreciated her curiosity, he could see easily enough that the beast was in the cage for a reason, and not just to keep it from running off. He held Lilly back against his body, half turning them both to face the man approaching. "No need to be angry, my good man," Karus said, his voice smooth--and razor sharp. He kept his hands on Lilly's shoulders, holding here there not as a shield, but as a sign of ownership. Lilly was his responsibility, not this stranger's. "My own pet here was just curious about yours. She's never seen hunting cats up close before, and doesn't know how vicious they can be." The man was dressed oddly, though Karus expected as much from circus folk--and, indeed, he and Lilly looked as though they might be entirely unremarkable among such folk, which was his real reason for wanting to come explore the circus and menagerie. The man's coat was of bright purple with long tails in the back, and he wore a cylindrical hat to match, with a narrow brim. His breeches were white, with tall black riding boots and a cream-colored tunic with many bunched ruffles visible in the open front of the coat. "You're welcome to explore and look," the man said. "But I warn you against touching. You'll loose a pretty little hand that way, or much more." He twirled one end of his elaborately curled mustache and looked the two of them up and down slowly. @Vava

Lilly yelped and jumped back just a Karus pulled her back. Karus swiftly handled the angry man, and the man glanced at the way Karus's hand rested on her shoulder. He stared hard at the man. Lilly wasn't offended as he called her his pet. She knew what she was to him, and being called a 'pet' didn't change that. The man gave them permission to look but not to touch, and he even teased her. Lilly glared a bit, not wanting him to call her hands pretty. Only Karus could call her hands pretty. "Understood, Sir." She said softly. As the man stood there, the orange cat with black stripes licked its large lips, but then yawned. Lilly felt an intense urge to reach out and pet it, but she kept still. "Are you two coming to my show, later?" The man asked, giving Karus a firm stare, but his lips were curled upwards in a devious smile. "If you're curious about my pets here, perhaps you should see them in action this evening." He stared at Lilly as he said this, his eyes almost flashing a royal purple color. "What do you say?" This time his question was directed at Karus. @In the Dave Tonight

"It would be a shame to come all this way and not enjoy the actual show, my good man," Karus replied. Something about him, the way his eyes flashed perhaps--but no, that must have just been something to do with his garish purple attire. He might remind Karus of someone he'd known in his earlier life as a demon warlord, but surely no one was left from those days, save for in the depths of dark refuges. Likely enough that he was just seeing echoes of other people, down throught he centuries. "So you'll be there?" the man asked again, prodding, it seemed. But not in a sinister way, more as a showman eager for marks. "Of course," Karus replied. "Show begins with the setting of the sun! Be early, though, to get the very best seats," the man replied, then pivoted and stepped away in a flutter of pruple coattails. Karus kissed the top of Lilly's head, then turned her to face him. "As tempting and fluffy as they are, I don't recommend doing that again, my girl. It would require all your healing arts and more to recover from what one of those cats could do to your hand," he said, then smiled. "And I'd be forced to reveal myself again in order to rescue you, and we don't want that here." @Vava

Lilly did not like the man in the purple coat. He was starting to creep her out, and she stayed close to Karus as the two men spoke about how they would attend the show that evening. She was interested in seeing the show, but the thought that the man would be there made her skin crawl. Her eyes roamed over to the orange cat once more, and despite its owner's creepiness, she was delighted to hear that Karus agreed that they would be there. The kiss to the top of her head made her smile. She nodded at Karus's instruction. "I apologize, Master. I just couldn't resist! They are so cute! It's not fair that they are locked in these cages away from everyone..." She felt her heart clench at the thought that these beautiful creatures were trapped within the cages. The idea of seeing Karus's true form again did peak her interest. The last time she had seen it was a few evenings ago, and under incredibly stressful circumstances. She bit her lip and wondered just how bad it would actually be to see his true form again... "What should we do before the show starts? I think that man knows we are around. Should we try to inspect the tent some more?" @In the Dave Tonight

"They're very dangerous, my dear," Karus said, sliding an arm around Lilly's shoulder and hugging her tight against his body. He was amused for a moment with the image of having to keep her close like a wayward puppy that might stick its nose into situations far too dangerous for such an excitable little pet. His amusement increased for a moment when he realized that's almost exactly what Lilly was. Capable and smart and strong enough on her own, yet so sheltered and unaware of the world in general. "If they were let out, they would hurt a lot of people. If not in these cages, they should be in whatever wilderness they were abducted from, far from people." As she asked about what to do, he steered her away from the cages. Around the other side of the big tent appeared to be a large thoroughfare, lined with other booths and attractions. "We can poke around in the tent, but probably shouldn't get in anyone's way. Otherwise, it looks like there some sideshows and juggling acts and the like around the other side. Perhaps you'd like to take a look at those?" he asked. He also did not like the feel of the man in purple, but he passed it off as simply the strange life of these nomadic circus folk. It would skew anyone's impressions of them. But if they wanted to become a part of their troupe, and gain some anonymity and protection among other people regarded as, well, freaks and weirdos, it might be worth it to try to get past that unease. @Vava

Lilly frowned at the idea of the large cats hurting people, but she felt even worse that they had been most likely kidnapped from somewhere else and forced into these cages to be entertainment for people. It made her heart break for the fluffy animals. She kept her hopes up that perhaps maybe they could help them somehow, but she didn't really know what they could do. Karus suggested they look at the other sideshows and acts and poke around there instead. "Yes, Master." She said softly. She took his hand and she walked towards the line of platforms where several sideshows were performing. There was an individual with several arms, but you could see the strings attaching the 'extra arms' to the man's uniform if you looked closely. The juggling acts were good, but the juggler got nervous and dropped the balls, one landing directly on his head. Then, they came to a 'snake man' which was just a man with green painted bark chips on his body holding a snake. Lilly continued to look around and her eyes caught a little shop stall that sold several crystals. She wandered over to it and she gazed about the gemstones. A woman with curly red hair appeared, smiling a toothless grin, or rather a single toothed grin, "Good morning my dear girl. Do any of my crystals speak to you?" She wore a deep purple cloak, her face wrinkled with age. Lilly looked about the table, and suddenly, her eyes fell onto a deep emerald green gemstone. She gasped softly. "This one! How much is-" "This one... is on me, my dear." She said, bowing her head. "A-Are you sure? It must be-" The woman raised her hand and Lilly felt as though her voice went silent. "Ah ah ah... Take it, young one. A gift is always accepted." She smiled. Lilly nodded quickly. "Thank you!" She turned and went back to Karus, eager to show him the gift. The woman smirked, slowly sinking back into the shadows of her stall. What Lilly nor Karus saw, was that the cloak turned into a deep purple coat, and neither saw the body of

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an elderly woman hidden under several tarps. "Enjoy the gift, my dear..." The man whispered before he vanished entirely. @In the Dave Tonight