Lemuria

Chapter 5

Fighting Like...

Volkner's Bay, Five Years Ago

Kaya hated dogs. She also hated this stupid town, the people in it, the damn fish that started this incident, and Volkner him-, her-, or themself. Whoever the fuck the town-founding bastard was.

But, she thought, skidding desperately around a street corner, hoping that maneuverability would see her escape when raw speed hadn't, I really, really hate the dogs.

For the Goddess's sake, the fish had been lying on the ground! The accusation of theft had been one thing. But unleashing the hounds as if Kaya was a fleeing murderer? Ridiculous. The stupid fish barely even had any meat on it.

She was fast approaching the aptly-named, if unimaginative, Main Street. Surprisingly large crowds today, considering it wasn't even market day. Not that Kaya minded. Crowds are cover. The beastkin sinuously maneuvered through the packed mass of people at almost her full speed. A few onlookers gasped in shock or fright as the bedraggled feline slipped by, but none attempted to stop her. Chancing a look back, she couldn't see any of her pursuers, either man or beast. Now all she needed was--

Kaya's would-be plan came to a tumbling halt as she breached the edge of the crowd and ran full-speed into a procession working its way down Main Street. Bowling over the figure in front of her, Kaya tripped, stumbled, and landed flat on her face. Before she could react, a collective shout of outrage rang out from all sides.

Strong arms grabbed Kaya by the shoulders, yanking her violently to her feet. In front of the struggling beastkin, the young woman Kaya had inadvertently tackled to the ground stood, attempting briefly to brush away the mud now plastered in a thick layer on her ornate armor. Quickly accepting the futility of this task, the woman turned to Kaya with a withering glare. As the angry crowd began working itself up to a fever pitch, Kaya met the noblewoman's piercing gaze and did something she had never tried before. She asked for help.

When the woman silenced the crowd with a gesture, Kaya was surprised. When she ordered her guards to release Kaya, and they called the girl "your highness," the beastkin was utterly shocked. By the time Princess Cleome conducted an impromptu hearing, demanded that the fishmongers compensate Kaya for her troubles, and issued a proclamation establishing a free food storehouse for the town's most impoverished citizens (to be funded in full by the crown), Kaya was completely enamoured.

After the excitement finally died down, and the Princess quietly asked Kaya if there was anything else she needed, there was only one answer the feline could give. "Let me stay at your side."

Ephiran Castle, Guest Wing, Present Day

"I'm genuinely surprised to see you still alive, let alone unscathed. Kaya was positively seething after your little chat." Verity turned toward the unexpected voice, blearily blinking the sleep from her eyes.

The heavy oak door of the gilded cage was still shut and locked, yet Princess Anise sat in one of the room's sumptuous, velvety chairs. The young royal eyed the demoness appraisingly by the light of a candle she had placed on a nearby table. Princess Anise held a finger to her lips conspiratorially. "Don't worry about the guards. So long as we speak quietly, they'll never hear."

Verity drew herself up into a sitting position, taking stock of the figure sitting before her. Aside from the lovely blue eyes and blonde hair shared by her older sister and mother, Anise bore only a passing resemblance to her stunning kin. A wisp of a woman, bordering on skeletal. Boyish, if Verity was feeling charitable. Still, she had a pleasant face, if overly pale, with thick, kissable lips. The young royal's kind, easy stare was only briefly interrupted as her eyes flicked down momentarily toward Verity's pierced nipples, which gleamed in the flickering candlelight.

"How did you get in here? If anyone sees you, my head will--"

The princess waved aside her concerns. "No one will find out unless you tell them. And I would advise against that. Mother and Clee are extremely protective of me. It's honestly exhausting."

Still trying to gauge the situation, Verity waited as the princess continued on. "I was a sickly child, you know. It comes with the bloodline, although our family keeps quiet about it. Some of us have a bit too much of the Goddess's essence, and it takes a toll on the body. Of course, none in our recorded lineage have been quite as 'blessed' as me."

Anise looked wistfully out the open window at the moonlit city below. "I spent my first decade cooped up in this castle, under the constant care of the best physicians in the land. It did give me plenty of time to read and learn, though. I even found some of the palace's original plans. So many secret passages and tunnels to explore. I can make my way almost anywhere in the building without anyone being the wiser." A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. "You can imagine how simple it made the occasional illicit rendezvous."

"And is that why you're here? To slip in and ravish the imprisoned demon?" Anise laughed dismissively, but Verity was sure she spotted a hint of a blush. "No, I'm not here to despoil you. Or be despoiled by you. You may think yourself roguishly charming, but it takes more than a lustful wink to moisten my underclothes."

"If you aren't here for fun, then why did you skulk your way into my chambers and ruin the first good sleep I've had in ages?"

Anise smiled prettily. "Boredom, would you believe? Even now, all these years later, I still don't get out of the palace much. Mother seems to think I'll shatter if I fall. And I can only greet so many empty-headed dignitaries and diplomats before they all start to blend together. But you're something different. Intriguing."

Verity raised an eyebrow at that, flustering the princess, if only a little. "Oh, get your mind out of the gutter! I've never had the chance to speak with a demon. I thought conversing with you could prove illuminating, based on your rather...unique perspective and experience. I'm sure you have plenty of tales to tell. And assuming you actually meant what you said earlier, and want to play nice with mother and Clee, you could probably use some of my help. So that's the deal. You answer whatever questions I have, and I tell you everything you need to make nice with Ephiran nobility."

The princess extended a hand, endeavouring to maintain eye contact with the naked demoness. So different from her sister, and yet so similar. Giving her most winning smile, Verity took the proffered hand as intended and shook. "I think this will be the beginning of a lovely friendship."

Anise certainly had questions to spare. To Verity's surprise, many were quite mundane. How the common folk spoke to each other, what their traditions were, things of that sort. Her inquiries of a more sexual nature were surprisingly focused on Verity herself, how she could drain, store, and channel the essences she took in and so forth.

Verity, in turn, learned far more than she cared to about Anise's overworked mother and comically noble sister. Still, knowledge was knowledge, no matter how mundane. The demoness released small amounts of pheromones to accompany each explicit answer, tailoring the dose to the lewdness of the query. Not enough to drive the scrawny thing mad with lust, though. That would surely give away the game. Just enough to cement Verity's place in the sweet thing's next wet dream.

The first tinges of sunlight were beginning to lighten the horizon when the princess took her leave, insisting that Verity face the wall so as not to uncover her point of egress. Not that the succubus planned on fleeing. No, best to play nice for now, until the Marlow situation is resolved. Maybe then Anise and I can have some real fun.

Verdant Womb, One Month Later

Kaya and her hand-selected scouts slipped silently through the thick undergrowth. They had travelled south, along Lemuria's western coast, until reaching The Womb. There, they finally turned east toward Nearheath. This roundabout route was time-consuming, but would allow the beastkin assassins to approach Marlow's base from the south. The sorcerer, focused on his creeping invasion of Ephira, would never see them coming.

For the umpteenth time in the past several weeks, Kaya felt a pang of regret. I should have said goodbye. I should have told her where we were going. I should have told her that I--

Shaking her head, she pushed aside the unwelcome thoughts. Princess Cleome would have forbidden the assassination attempt. And not out of misplaced compassion for the monster the beastkin now hunted, no. Out of fear for her assassin's safety. Kaya blushed slightly, the sight thankfully hidden from her compatriots by the darkened, canopy-covered sky. Wait for me, my love. This will be over soon.

Briarwood, Central Ephira,

"Right there, running along that street. Better do the same a block back as well, just to be safe." The mages looked at the succubus, in human guise and awkwardly wearing the garb of an Ephiran soldier, with uncertainty.

"You heard our consultant." Bringing her steed up next to Verity's, Cleome spoke with absolute certainty. Any doubt banished from their minds, the mages began to unleash holy fire, searing a line straight through the centre of the ill-fated town, annihilating the buildings on the surface and, more importantly, cleansing the soil below of all life, including the roots of Marlow's abominations.

Briarwood, although luckier than some settlements they had encountered, would still need to be evacuated as a precaution. Most of its people were already on their way to the bustling port city of Melusine, where they would be cared for until permanent homes could be arranged.

The heat from the spell washed over the princess as she closed her eyes, trying not to think of their desperate plan's cost. It hadn't taken long for the scholars (helped along by Anise's near-encyclopedic knowledge of the palace's library) to find a suitable spell to cleanse Marlow's creeping tendrils at the root and prevent them from re-growing. However, they still had to rely on the demoness's senses to determine where to draw the scorching path that would soon cut her beloved country nearly in half.

Already, they had carved a line starting at the western coast, travelling east until encountering what some had started to call "the rot." At that point, Cleome's forces scorched a trail north. Once they finally reached the other trail, currently blazing south from the bitter cold of Lemuria's sparsely-populated, and thus hopefully "rot-free," northern coast, they would have a complete, defensible perimeter. A line behind which their people would be safe. Then, and only then, could they begin reclaiming their lost territory. And all it cost me is abandoning half of my country to a mad pervert's whims.

Many of the displaced citizens had eagerly volunteered to help build a series of watchtowers along this ashened line, to ensure that none of Marlowe's drones could pass the perimeter unseen and plant a new set of seeds in the newly-protected land. The sight of Lemurians who had lost everything coming together for the common good had filled the princess with pride. They were the true children of the Goddess.

Even their demonic consultant seemed less irritating than usual. The creature had kept the petty insults to a minimum, put her pheromones to a practical, non-sexual use calming panic-stricken or injured villagers, and had even somehow remembered to bring along a supply of Cleome's favourite tea. Aside from the fact that she occasionally had to tear the throat out of a goat and gulp down its lifeblood, one would almost think they were on the same side. Cleome sighed. Anise said it was only fair to give Verity a chance. After all, look at all the good that happened when I did the same with--the princess winced slightly. Another thought that needed banishing for the time being.

The two mages, spent, retreated to their tents to rest while their replacements approached, quickly resuming the grim work. As the new sorcerers began the pyrotechnic display anew, a shout rang out from behind. One of the princess's scouts had returned. The look on his face dashed any hope from Cleome's mind.

"Tea?" Five minutes later, Verity entered Cleome's tent with a cup. Staring intently at a map draped across the bulky table that dominated the cloth structure's interior, the princess gave a noncommittal wave. "I'll just leave it here in case you want it later." Again receiving no significant response, the succubus approached. "I'm sure she'll be back shortly. Isn't this her job? To go where she is needed, even if that is not necessarily where you want her to be?"

Cleome blinked and turned suspiciously toward the demon, who maintained a cautiously neutral expression. "This isn't the same as all those other times. That was protecting us from threats BEFORE they arose. This--" she gestured at the map, and the crude charcoal line carving away a significant chunk of her nation. "I needed her here. At my side. Not on some fool's errand."

"Well, at least you have the certainty of one who knows her well. I, for one, had started to worry she might have abandoned you and your people. But seeing your face right now, I know that couldn't possibly be the case."

Verity smacked herself on the back of the head theatrically. "Of course! She let you in on whatever her plan is. And you wouldn't tell me of it. I won't hold a grudge for that, mind. In your shoes I wouldn't trust a sneaky succubus with such privileged information either." She breathed a sigh of relief. "I am truly glad that you have such trustworthy compatriots."

"Y-yes. Kaya trusts me with everything, and I trust her in return. Everything..."

Well, that was fun! Didn't even need to bother with the pheromones to fuck with little miss perfect princess. As Verity left the tent, she could practically taste the doubts as they began to creep in to the noble princess's heart. Each worry about Kaya's loyalty would only drive Verity's standing higher. She smiled, idly imagining the annoying beastkin lying dead in a ditch far from her paramour. Sorry, kitty. I DO want Marlow dead, but having your suspicious ass out of my way is a lovely consolation prize as well.

Nearheath

As the Sun finished sinking below the horizon, the last of Marlow's grotesque workers began trudging towards the town's centre. Careful scouting by Kaya's stealthiest compatriots had revealed that the drones congregated in the courtyard in a wretched orgy for an hour or so each evening. Hard to imagine a more effective, if unpleasant, distraction.

One hour. Plenty of time for Kaya and her cohort to cut the head off the serpent. Slowly, stealthily, the beastkin emerged from the treeline and maneuvered towards Nearheath proper. As the group advanced, Kaya couldn't help but feel a small surge of pride. Her much-maligned people would finally prove their worth to their Goddess-blessed kin.

The assassins reached the town square without incident, passing within feet of Marlow's rutting creations unnoticed. Very "attentive" lovers, to be sure. She shuddered in self-disgust, remembering that each creature represented a tormented Ephiran citizen. This has to stop. Keeping to the shadows, they worked their way around the moaning perimeter, approaching the inn that served as home for their nemesis.

Kaya's thoughts turned once again to Cleome. Surely the princess would bear no ill will once the Scout General presented her with Marlow's head. Visions of wedding bells flashed through the beastkin's head. Maybe I'll have that succu-bitch serve as my maid of honor. Serve the whore right for--

The wind shifted and Kaya realized too late that she had allowed herself to become distracted. A new scent filled her nostrils, both familiar and fundamentally...wrong. She turned to signal her fellow scouts, but it was too late. Huge, shadowy figures dropped from the rooftops and set upon her and her kin with claw and fang.

Nearheath Inn Interior

The drone's tendrils smoothly poured a carafe of wine into a waiting glass, then presented it to its master. Marlowe took a sip as the sounds of battle rang out through a nearby window. More of a rout, really. "It sounds like the Ephiran assassins have met my new hounds."

The drone let out an agonized moan in response, its host desperate for release as its two unoccupied tentacles ravaged her holes. Like all the hosts, her shattered mind was unable to find the orgasm it desperately craved until her master allowed it. I really do need to find some better sources of conversation. Marlow shrugged and took another sip. Not a bad vintage. He winced slightly as a spray of blood cascaded across his window, tainting the room a ghastly reddish tone. "My, they are certainly enthusiastic."

Nearheath

The skirmish was over in a matter of minutes. Kaya and her forces fought well, all things considered, taking out a pair of the bestial attackers. However, in the end they were simply overpowered by reckless fury of the massive, mutated canine beastkin. The grievously wounded Scout General could only watch helplessly as Marlow's drones broke away from their heaving revels and set about consuming and converting the dead and injured respectively.

Kaya had winced as Cole was ripped from the arms of his deceased partner and engulfed by a swarm of probing tentacles. She wept when the mass receded, leaving another of Marlow's faceless puppets behind.

A string of hot drool reached the ground next to Kaya's face. Her captor, the leader of the pack, had the general's broken body pinned beneath its two massive, claw-like hands. She closed her eyes, waiting for the beast's jaws to snuff her out.

"Oh, aren't you a mess?" Marlow casually sauntered into her line of sight. Kaya longed to lunge at him, but her her pain-wracked, broken body refused to obey. "Well, that just won't do. I can't have any fun with you if you bleed out. Thankfully, even Lemurian-loving, traitorous beastkin are pre-corrupted. Nice and easy for me to reshape."

He snapped his fingers, causing Kaya's flesh to knit painfully back together as her broken bones popped quickly back into their proper shapes. Hissing, the feline general attempted once again to rise and strike at her hated foe, but the weight of her snarling captor prevented anything other than ineffectual struggling.

"Well, that is just rude. I spare you, I heal you, and you still have the gall to repay me with violence? I WAS going to enhance you like Vraka and his pack, maybe send you after your royal cunt, but I think such a fate might be a bit too generous for a feral bitch like yourself." Marlow's face lit up with the spark of an idea. "A bitch indeed. Guess what? I'm not going to waste my Exile-given gifts on reshaping you. Not when something much simpler will suffice."

Marlow reached into a pocket and removed a bundle of leather and steel. Tossing it toward Kaya's pinned form, he uttered a transmogrification incantation. Vraka yelped and leapt back, joining his mate on the periphery of the action. Kaya was unable to take advantage of the brief moment of freedom, however, as the bundle of materials rapidly warped and twisted, ensnaring her body.

Within seconds, the once-proud general found herself trapped in a seamless leather bodysuit from the neck down, covering most of her body save for strategically placed openings revealing her breasts, pussy, and ass. Feeling the cold night air on her nethers, she briefly attempted to cover herself before realizing that her arms and legs had been hopelessly bound hand-to-shoulder and ankle-to-ass, forcing her to her elbows and knees in a humiliating fashion.

Report

She could only express her displeasure through garbled moans as her lower face was swiftly covered by a gag shaped like a comical cat's snout, albeit with a built-in ring to force her jaws open invitingly.

"How convenient! I don't even need to add the ears and tail myself!" Marlow looked down at the new, piteous, bitch-suited pet with mocking affection. "Still missing one thing, though." With another snap, he conjured a studded leather collar. Bending over, he made sure to let Kaya read the engraving on the heart-shaped tag dangling from its front. Clittykat. After a brief, futile struggle, Kaya found the collar, and her new name, adorning her neck.

"I was debating leaving Verity like this permanently before you killed her. It seems almost poetic that you will take on her fate." Great. So the whore didn't even betray me. Marlow doesn't even know Cleome has her. No one to blame for this but my own idiotic self.

Marlow stood and began to walk away. "Now, I do have an invasion to plan, so I am afraid I don't really have the free time needed for responsible pet ownership at the moment. So as a compromise, I think I WILL revert to my original plan and have you join Vraka's pack. I'm sure he will find some use for you." Terrified, Kaya glanced over at the hunched creature, who was now staring at her with an entirely different form of hunger than before.

Marlow laughed again at the comical sight of the bitchsuit-bound general crawling three desperate, stumbling steps before the hound intercepted her. Vraka quickly forced her head and shoulders to the ground, leaving her ass wavering invitingly in the air for a few un-accosted seconds before burying his dangling, canine member in her freshly-presented snatch.

Kaya let out an unearthly wail as the creature began thrusting in and out, filling her far more deeply than any tool or toy Cleome had ever used on her before. It wasn't long before she felt the intruder tense up, a massive knot swelling at its base and locking the couple together as Vraka began the long process of emptying his seed into his new bitch's awaiting womb.

"I'd get used to that feeling if I were you," Marlow opined. "From my observations, sometimes my hounds last an hour or more before they are done." Closing her eyes to try and shut out the pain and, more horrifyingly, the building pleasure, Kaya didn't notice Cyan positioning herself in front of the bound feline's face until the hound's overwhelming feminine musk filled her nostrils.

Opening her eyes, she was shocked at the sight of the twisted beastkin's sopping cunt and inch-long clit hovering just in front of her gaping mouth. She turned her head away from the lewd sight until a low, rumbling growl from Vraka reminded her of her current helpless state. Grimacing through the scent, Kaya reluctantly extended her tongue through her ring gag and began flicking at Cyan's love button.

The hound, clearly enjoying the attention, abruptly shoved her loins backward and into Kaya's face, rubbing herself up and down over the helpless cat as she was forced to lavish attention on the beast's sopping cunt. The other pack members, a dozen or so, began to circle the rutting threesome, waiting for a hold to open up. Their Clittykat had a long night ahead.

Kaya fucking hated dogs.

End of Chapter 5