Have you ever seen yourself, but you're not using a mirror? Unless you're a twin, you probably wouldn't be familiar with that feeling, but Tamamo was experiencing it and wasn't quite sure she would ever get used to it. Except for Earth, the birth world of her husband, she had not been a dimensional traveler. And Earth had no counterparts that she knew of, the Tamamo of that world having been slain thousands of years ago during the Great Monster Wars that had resulted in total victory for the humans. Tamamo hadn't believed it at first when Promestein proposed the theory that had gotten her her latest Nobel Prize, but as the evidence piled up once scientists knew what to look for, it had become irrefutable. Earth had once been like her own world, but like Monster World and Angel World, the Great Monster Wars had not ended inconclusively, but with total victory for one side.
But that was the past. In the present, an unsealed Tamamo was staring at a sealed version of herself sitting on the Monster Lord's throne. Not an unusual sight, of course. Tamamo had filled in for Monster Lords frequently. If there was one thing all Monster Lords had in common, it was a desire to see the world.
"Are you going to be returning to your world now, to await the return of your husband?" little Tamamo asked.
"You know, I've given it some thought," big Tamamo replied. "And if it's all right with you, I'd like to stay for awhile. This world…. It's so much like the world I spent most of my life on, before technology changed everything. Since I have no responsibilities where I come from…."
"Must be nice," little Tamamo giggled.
"Oh, I've been in your position SO many times!" big Tamamo said. "Sometimes I wondered if I should just win the succession battle and become Monster Lord myself."
"Permanent Monster Lord is no job for an immortal," little Tamamo replied. "Our vast experience makes us ideal for filling in, but to take the job forever…. A horrible fate, not just for us, but for monsterkind."
"True enough. But as I was saying, this world brings back so many memories. And there are counterparts of people I loved here. I'd like to meet some of them. Starting with the Monster Lord herself. Could you commune with her and find out where she is?"
"You just missed her," little Tamamo said. "She informed me she was going off world."
"You don't sound happy about that," big Tamamo observed.
"She has a good reason," little Tamamo replied. "but yes, with both her and her daughter not on this world anymore, that worries me. Not only that, she took both of her heir apparents with her off world. That leaves Cassandra as the most ambitious monster willing to compete for the throne. I might have to become Monster Lord out of necessity."
"From what I understand, Alice XVI is at least in good hands, on a world designed to be safe for her."
"Yes, with that reformed goddess pulling the strings," little Tamamo scoffed. "Far be it from me to judge others. My path in life has been all too similar to Ilias'. But I'd feel better if Alice was here. What Ilias did was selfish and not wholly necessary. Alice and Luka would have been well cared for here at the castle while they recovered."
"I can't say I disagree, but Promestein sides with Ilias in this matter, which is a very unusual thing for her to do."
"I've heard the arguments from my Promestein as well," little Tamamo said. "If Luka and Alice were here, their lives would follow a very different path and Ilias wants them to find each other again, to grow close in the crucible of a quest. I just feel it will all be undone the second the find out the truth."
"Well, we could intervene, but since they are safe, I'll let Ilias do things her way for now. So if Alice XV is off world, I guess I'll have to wait until she returns to see her. Is Granberia here by any chance?"
"Granberia is also on a quest. But that quest is on this world, so it should be a simple matter for you to go and see her."
"A quest?" big Tamamo asked. "What kind of quest?"
"Oh, this and that," little Tamamo answered. "She's just helping, providing reliable muscle. I also had an ulterior motive for suggesting she go on this quest. She needs to learn how to use her new powers."
"New powers?" big Tamamo asked.
"You'll see," little Tamamo giggled. "I don't want to spoil the surprise! Anyway, Spider Princess is with her, as well as Sonya and the Luka from this world. Seeing a counterpart of Luka's won't be a problem for you, will it? Remember that this Luka is married to Sonya, and she's not the sharing type."
"You know me. You are me. It will be a little awkward to talk to a Luka and not treat him as my husband, but I'll manage. It will be good to see Granberia again, though. I'd never really appreciated how much I loved her until she was gone."
"I'm contacting her now," little Tamamo said, concentrating. "Interesting. They've teleported all the way to Sabasa. I'll give you the coordinates as soon as you're ready."
"Thank you, acting Monster Lord."
"Albert! We're leaving in ten minutes!" Tamamo yelled.
"But why?!" Albert asked, distraught. "I've made so many friends here! Friends who think my semen is actually good!"
"No one thinks you semen is good, Albert."
"Well, maybe not good, per se, but they don't make a face like you do!"
"Don't worry, we're not leaving this world," Tamamo assured him. "We're just going to hang out with an old friend of mine."
"Is she hot?"
"Yesssss….." Tamamo said hesitantly. "But don't expect to get anywhere with her unless you're prepared to fight her. But you shouldn't spend much time worrying about Granberia. You're in a world full of monster girls. Plenty of easier prospects here. And if you're good…."
"Yes?" Albert asked eagerly.
"I might skip a few tails and give you my third best."
"I'll get my things! Oh wait, I don't have any things! You do realize I'm tethered to you, right? I can just go whever you go."
"I know," Tamamo said. "I just wanted to give you the courtesy of telling you where we're going."
"Where are we going?"
"Sabasa. Apparently this old friend of mine, or at least a variant of her, is on some kind of quest. Since the question of Luka's fate seems to be settled for the moment, we can focus on helping Granberia and her companions with whatever it is they are doing."
"Well, if there's one thing I'm great at, it's being helpful!" Albert said eagerly. "I can't wait to find out what this quest is for!"
The group sat around the campfire, having spent much of the night getting to know one another. Heinrich and Marcellus had gotten along famously, seemingly in awe of each other. Heinrich was the legendary hero, but Marcellus had surpassed him and seen things Heinrich never would.
Likewise, Black Alice was impressed with Alice XV. Whereas Black Alice was volatile and impulsive, Alice XV seemed wise and level headed. It seemed inconceivable that such a being could be fated to always die, just like Black Alice herself.
The humans, tiring easily, went to their tents early. Morrigan and Allison decided to sleep in a tree nearby, Morrigan in the branches, Allison wrapped around the trunk. That left Black Alice and Alice XV a measure of privacy.
"I've been experiencing this unusual feeling lately," Black Alice confided.
"Love?" Alice XV asked.
"No. Fear," Black Alice replied. "Everything just seemed so right for Heinrich and I last night, but now it's a new day and the reality is setting in."
"Ilias," Alice XV said.
"Yes, that damned goddess,' Black Alice confirmed. "I haven't figured out how to have THAT conversation with Heinrich yet. He loves me, and he doesn't hate monsters anymore, but he still worships Ilias. He thinks that this must all be part of Ilias' grand plan. I fear he might be right."
"Ilias does indeed work in mysterious ways," Alice XV mused. "Obviously, she sees no reason to interfere with you and Heinrich yet. Clearly, she believes that the story will end the same way regardless."
"That's why I'm afraid. I told Luka I wouldn't fight Ancestors for him, and I meant it. For all my power, I'm nothing compared to a god. Even death doesn't seem to free us from her. Heinrich's soul gets imprisoned and I end up being her slave! Is there any way out for us?"
Alice XV felt for Black Alice. The Black Alice of legend was merciless, even sadistic. She had gleefully misled the hero Heinrich, in order to corrupt him. Morally, she had failed, but she'd corrupted the hero in ways she hadn't intended. On his own, he had come to realize that Ilias was the problem, not the solution, that she was a selfish, cruel goddess. But Black Alice had been just as cruel herself, and Heinrich had fulfilled Ilias' will by slaying her. It had broken him. And broken Black Alice even more, as she was forced to go on living, a slave to the cruel goddess.
But this Black Alice was a real person. Unstable, to be sure. Violent and cruel, definitely. And yet, seeing her future and fully coming to term with her feelings for Heinrich had changed her almost overnight. Now she was in love and afraid. And vulnerable.
"Before I knew of Luka and my daughter, I would have assumed your fates to be sealed," Alice XV said. "I'd thought the goddess unbeatable. I sought to outsmart her, a very foolish idea."
"What did you do?"
"I provoked Marcellus and his friends to kill me," Alice XV replied.
"And that was…. Your smart idea?"
"Oh, even at the time I was aware of how crazy it was," Alice XV said. "But it was the only thing I could think of that had a chance to screw up Ilias' plans. The one thing I thought that Ilias could not defeat was coexistence. If human and monster could befriend one another, then Ilias couldn't very well kill everyone, could she? Little did I know that she was very willing to do just that. And in any case, my plan failed without a genocide even being necessary. My daughter killed two of the heroes who had come to slay me, and the other two never revealed what they had done, so filled with guilt as they were. My death changed nothing other than to leave my child an orphan."
"So how did Luka and Alice succeed where we failed?"
"Part of it was simply that Luka was powerful enough to defeat the goddess," Alice XV answered. "But even that is not a permanent solution. The goddess cannot truly be slain, at least not without dire consequences for our world. In the end, he had to appeal to her better nature. Such as it was."
"If anyone could do it, it was Luka. I met an Ilias. She was actually…. Not the worst person ever. Still very annoying. I wanted to eat her. But…. Not a genocidal tyrant. Actually, a bit of a pervert. If I had eaten her, she would have liked it."
"That was due to her having to live as a mortal," Alice XV pointed out. "There are possibilities. Don't give up hope. Now that you know, you and Heinrich can find a way."
"Yeah, I guess so. I just don't know how to get through to Heinrich."
"I'm sure Marcellus is already preparing him for the truth," Alice XV said.
"Marcellus is so smart!" Black Alice said. "I love Heinrich, but he's not all that bright."
"Intelligence in men is overrated," Alice XV laughed. "Believe me, you want them dumb and compliant."
"I heard that!" Marcellus yelled from inside his tent.
"Go to sleep, dearest!" Alice XV yelled back.
"Are you two… married?" Black Alice asked.
"Married?" Alice XV scoffed. "oh no, no, no. Never. There is too much resentment between us. Plenty of passion as well, but the resentment will forever prevent us from becoming that close. He is not as forgiving as your Heinrich or my daughter's Luka. I swear, every human hero who has accompanied a Monster Lord has gone through at least one attempt to eat them. They really should get over it."
"I know, it's so tough!" Black Alice laughed. "it's like walking around with a delicious cupcake and not devouring it!"
"Should I be worried?" Heinrich called out from his own tent.
"No, darling, I would never!" Black Alice yelled back, then whispered to Alice XV, "I totally would."
The pyramid was entirely too cramped and dark for Sariela's tastes. It would probably seem strange to hear that an angel who managed the largest prison in the multiverse say that, but the prison she ran had a lot of outdoor spaces and was brightly lit in most of the indoor spaces. Despite her dabbling in black magic, she was still an angel, and brightness and open skies were simply what she was used to.
Tamamo, on the other hand, seemed to find the pyramid fascinating. Typical of a monster, Sariela scoffed to herself. Loves dark places with dark denizens.
One of those dark denizens, a cobra girl, was currently battling Luka and Princess Sara. Despite Ilias' weakening of the monsters of this world to make things easy for Luka, he was still hard pressed due to not having any spirits. Tamamo and Sariela's interference had at least accomplished that much, causing Alice and Luka to flee San Ilia and the Natalia region entirely without having acquired the book that held the locations of the spirits. That meant that Ilias' "nerfs" were no longer as helpful as they should have been, given that Luka should have had the power of the wind, and possibly the power of the earth as well, before facing the dangerous monsters of the Sphinx's pyramid.
Still, Sariela was already tired of being in such a place, and the battle was taking a long time.
"Couldn't I just tip the scales a tiny bit with some magic, so that the cobra girl wins?" Sariela asked Tamamo.
"We can't do that here," Tamamo replied. "All of the monsters here are killers. The Sphinx isn't evil, but she is harsh towards those who invade her domain to waste her time. Remember the rules. We don't kill Luka."
"Those are your rules, not mine," Sariela said sourly. She was sorely tempted to intervene to cause Luka's death anyway. After all, the agreement she had made with Tamamo was only to insure her assistance. Once Luka was dead, she required no further assistance. But she had to admit that Tamamo was right. Killing Luka did little good. Sariela would have had to remain on this world indefinitely to prevent Ilias from rewinding time or otherwise resurrecting him, something she had no desire to do. And since Ilias had so far chosen not to confront them directly, removing her from the picture wasn't yet possible. The only way to succeed was to set Luka on a different path that might be harder for Ilias to undo without risk. But if Sariela could remove Ilias, all bets were off as far as Luka's fate was concerned.
Finally, Luka's sword sealed the cobra girl and the two adventurers moved on.
"The third challenge are the Nefertiti lamia sisters," Sariela said.
"I didn't have to read the book to know that," Tamamo retorted. "I haven't been here often, but I've been here enough times to know who lives here. This will be the toughest fight of all. Our quarry loves lamias and his will may not stand up to four of them playing with him."
"On the other hand, they aren't warriors," Sariela said. "They are actually weak for lamias."
"That's because Sphinx chose them to test mens' resistance to temptation," Tamamo explained. "They aren't supposed to physically subdue intruders. Anyone who can get past that cobra girl can get past the Nefertiti sisters if they don't succumb to the pleasure."
Sariela and Tamamo were silent as they walked invisibly behind Luka and Sara. Luka and Sara seemed to be bonding well. Tamamo felt that Alice had made a mistake by letting Luka explore the pyramid with Sara. Alice never helped Luka in their original adventure, at least not in ways he could see. Due to Alice's dimly understood feelings for Luka on this world, she had been more direct about it, but still had never physically intervened, and as in the original adventure had allowed Luka to brave the pyramid alone. Well, not alone, but without her assistance. Which made him vulnerable to a different kind of temptation, one of the heart, not the body. Luka obviously had feelings for Sara left over from his old life that he couldn't remember. The way he reassured her when she wondered if she was useless. The way he looked at her, as if she was the long lost friend he didn't know he had. Which she was. This will make my plan so much easier, Tamamo thought.
The Nefertiti lamias emerged from hidden passageways and challenged the two adventurers. The battle began two lamias each facing off against Sara and Luka. Sara had already been stripped naked. Luka had lost his pants but getting his shirt off was proving more of a challenge for his two opponents, as he frantically swung his sword as if possessed, trying to save Sara from getting violated. Oh yes, Tamamo thought. He cares about her a lot.
"Explain something to me, dear fox," Sariela said as they watched the battle unfold. "You say you are in debt to Luka for saving everything you love."
"I am," Tamamo agreed.
"And the way a monster pays back a man for doing something nice for her is to have sex with him?" Sariela asked.
"Yes, if possible, that's the best way," Tamamo said. "There could be circumstances that prevent it. He might be loyal in his marriage, or gay, or impotent. The latter isn't a problem for me, but not all monsters have powerful enough sexual magic to wake the dead, so to speak. If the debt can't be paid with pleasure, then it has to be repaid another way. Some monsters accumulate money for that purpose. Monsters otherwise have no use for money, unless they live among humans. Sometimes a man might have a favor in mind of a nonsexual nature. An item that is dangerous for him to get to but fairly easy for a monster to acquire, for example. It can get complicated. That's why a good lay is best for resolving debts. It's simple and both parties get something out of it."
"And if you owe a debt of vengeance," Sariela continued. "You gain vengeance by…. Also having sex with him?"
"Yes, although then his consent doesn't matter and while it will be hellishly pleasurable, the emphasis will be on hellish. If his crime against the monster is severe enough, she will pleasure him to death. Eat him if she is capable of that. Pain will often be inflicted alongside the pleasure."
"I thought it was against monsters' values to inflict pain," Sariela said.
"It's against our credo to inflict pain unnecessarily, or to kill with pain," Tamamo explained. "Using pain as part of a punishment is allowed. For example, abusing his penis at the same time we pleasure it. Biting it, squeezing it too hard with our powerful vaginal muscles, jerking it too hard with our hands…. But our favorite is to simply overload his senses with pleasure to drive him mad. Or violate him in ways that he never imagined and which disgust him. The fact that he enjoys it will disgust him even more and affect his self worth should death not be the end point of our revenge. But most importantly, especially with men who have a high opinion of themselves, the purpose is to show them they are worthless and weak."
"Luka seems to be very weak to all that licking," Sariela observed. "Is what they are doing now punishment?"
"Combat is different," Tamamo explained, highly interested in the Nefertiti lamias' attack on their two opponents. Sara had nearly ceased resistance as her breasts and crotch were licked mercilessly by her two opponents. Luka was putting up a little more of a fight, but even he seemed to be on the verge of just giving in. The Nefertiti sisters may not have been warriors, but they were expert lovers. Tamamo knew that they even liked to share their mates and their claims with each other, making any man lucky enough to be with one getting four for the price of one. And the sisters were extremely attentive and generous lovers to those they cared about.
"In combat," Tamamo said. "The purpose is to inflict critical ecstasy. For these lamias, it's a little different. Luka would have already come if they were trying to make him ejaculate. But their purpose is temptation, so they are giving him more than a fair chance to recover his fortitude and defeat them. But once it's obvious he's given in, they'll concentrate on making him come. And then one of them will eat him."
"Monsters views' of sex are so complicated," Sariela said, grimacing.
"Is it really any different for you angels?" Tamamo asked. "Angels subdue men with sexual techniques as well, more often than not. Your rewards and punishments also tend to involve various perversions. The only thing you don't do is feed. Feeding is different, in that most monsters don't even regard feeding as sex. We just try to get the semen out as quickly and efficiently as possible."
Luka, loyal to his friends as always, found new energy and determination when Sara called out to him. He sprang up and fought so hard that the lamias suddenly ended the battle. Their purpose was not to fight until they were sealed or killed, but simply to test intruders' will. Luka hadn't passed with flying colors, but he had passed. He would be permitted to see the Sphinx.
"C'mon, let's go back to the castle," Tamamo said.
"Why? I'd like to see if the Sphinx will eat them," Sariela said.
"You know she won't," Tamamo said. "This was just for our entertainment and the entertainment is over. Now it's time to execute our plan."
Granberia was quite bored, and also quite annoyed. She'd known going in that this quest would be rather boring. Learning that she couldn't feed on Luka made the quest even less worth her time. At least she'd gotten to spar and train with Luka, which was improving his swordsmanship by leaps and bounds. There were flashes of the other Luka in his fighting style. The muscle memory was clearly there. The spirits made him able to defeat any opponent given enough practice. Granberia would be easily dominating him in sparring sessions and then all of a sudden Luka would attack her with something she didn't expect. At one point he actually cut her! He was deeply apologetic, but Granberia healed fast and said it was nothing.
But the teleportation to Sabasa seemed particularly pointless. Spider Princess had gotten it into her head that she needed to learn how to eat people better. The very idea disgusted Granberia. While monsters had every right to do whatever they wanted to a fallen opponent, eating was barbaric in her view, and perverted. Diplomacy was boring enough. Now perversion was being added to the quest on top of that?
Granberia was about to say something snide to Sonya, who seemed to agree wholeheartedly with Granberia on all counts, when two figures suddenly materialized in front of them. She recognized the first immediately: the evil, unsealed version of Tamamo! But with her was an even more insane, unlikely sight: a male monster!
"Vaporizing Rebellion Sword!" Granberia yelled. She didn't normally call her moves, but she was reacting on instinct.
"Cheese and crackers!" Tamamo exclaimed as Granberia's sword flashed, cutting her again and again.
The first few cuts got through and actually hurt Tamamo. She felt the power of the earth rise through her feet, summoning her earthpower so that she would be as immoveable, as invincible, as a mountain. Granberia's sword continued to hit her, but no longer did any damage. It still hurt, though.
"OwOwOwOw!!! Cut it out!" Tamamo yelled.
"Holy shit!" Albert exclaimed. "Crazy dragon lady!"
Albert possessed no weapon, but apparently none was needed, as his mighty fist found Granberia's jaw with a powerful uppercut, lifting her off the ground and sending her flying over a nearby residence.
Spider Princess drew her katana and slowed time. Sonya's arm changed into a machine gun. Luka drew his sword and charged.
"Wait!" Tamamo pleaded. "I come in peace!"
Time resumed its normal passing as Spider Princess dispelled her own magic. Luka lowered his sword, as gullible as ever, although in this case he was right to be trusting. Sonya was more skeptical keeping her gun aimed at Albert. Apparently the sight of a male monster had alarmed her more than Tamamo herself.
"Hey, beautiful, just put down the…. Whatever that is," Albert said cautiously.
"I'm not the Tamamo you think I am!" Tamamo said. "I'm the Tamamo that married the Luka you used to know."
Sonya's reply was cut off by the reappearance of Granberia, who flew over the house she had been knocked over and hovered in the air. At least, Tamamo thought it was Granberia. It looked like Granberia. But was that really Granberia? Granberia would never dress like that!
Somehow Granberia had shed her armor and had donned a fluffy white dress. Her headgear had been replaced by a bow tie, and her great sword Ares had been replaced by an umbrella.
"I told ya that dragon lady was crazy!" Albert said, diving for cover behind a wall as Granberia's umbrella shot out rainbows and stars.
The rainbows and stars hit Tamamo, who hadn't even bothered to move out of the way. Albert watched in horror as Tamamo was transformed into…. Well, still herself, but a much smaller version of herself. Even smaller than the sealed version that currently stood in for this world's Monster Lord.
"Pomf," the little kitsune said. "Fluffy fluffy! Tee hee!"
"There!" Granberia said in a high voice. "That takes care of that bad old fox! Now to turn that male monster into a gummy worm! Womus Gummus!"
Albert ducked behind the wall again as the stars and rainbows, with gumdrops included this time, impacted the wall, turning it into gingerbread. Albert, ever the glutton as much as his counterparts, ducked out long enough to take a bite out of the side of the wall, then retreated behind it again.
"Granberia! It's all right!" Spider Princess called out. "These are friends!"
"Friends?!" Granberia said excitedly. "I love friends! Friends make the world a happy place! Yay!"
Granberia landed next to Spider Princess. Sonya lowered her weapon as Albert cowered behind the wall, nervously stuffing his face with gingerbread.
"You can come out now, male!" Spider Princess called. "We were simply surprised by your appearance."
"Surprised?!" Albert said, speaking around a mouthful of gingerbread as he emerged from behind the wall. "How can you be surprised?! Didn't the other Tamamo tell you we were coming?"
"She told us to expect friends!" Granberia exclaimed. "But didn't tell us who!"
"You'd think she'd war you that a nine-tailed fox and a male monster were coming," Luka observed.
"If you believe that, then you don't really know Tamamo," Granberia said sourly,returning to her normal form, her white dress turning back into armor. "She gets playful when she stands in for the Monster Lord. I believe it's passive aggressiveness on her part. She hates the job, so amuses herself in various ways when forced to do so."
"You women are all crazy!" Albert said. "Every single damn one of you! But you're all super hot too, so I'll put up with it. Let me introduce myself. I'm Albert, the Monster Lord on my world. It is an absolute pleasure to meet such a fine woman as yourself."
Albert took Granberia's hand and kissed it. Spider Princess could not help but notice that she blushed a little.
"And you are a fine warrior yourself, nearly defeating me with one punch," Granberia said. "Do you like swords?"
"I love swords!" Albert said. "Unfortunately I left my collection back home."
"I'd love to talk about swords with you, if you're interested," Granberia said, winking at Albert.
Sonya rolled her eyes. Tamamo started playing with Albert's tail.
"Um…. Do you think you could restore my companion here?" Albert asked.
"I'm afraid I don't know how to reverse anything I do when I'm…. her," Granberia said.
"I wouldn't worry," Spider Princess assured Albert. "Everything she does in that form wears off shortly after she returns to her true form. Tamamo should return to her own form in mere minutes."
"That's good, because I'm not babysitter," Albert said, trying to shake the little fox girl off his tail.
"Wheeeee!!!!" Tamamo cheered as his tail flung her back and forth. But her grip was like iron. Albert sighed and gave up. If it was only for a few minutes, Tamamo could play with his tail.
"This tail isn't fluffy!" Tamamo said petulantly, putting it down voluntarily. "ooohhh!"
Tamamo ran over to Spider Princess and pulled on one of her legs. "What is it, child?" Spider Princess asked.
"Can I touch your neck floof?" Tamamo asked.
"Of course you can," Spider Princess said, lowering her head so that the tiny fox could reach. Tamamo giggled.
"Heehee! Fluffy!"
"So what was that?" Albert asked Granberia.
"What was what?" Granberia asked, almost angrily.
"That transformation you did," Albert said.
"I do not discuss it with strangers!" Granberia snapped.
"All righty, then."
Tamamo began to grow back to her full height. When she had achieved it, she inspected herself, including each and every one of her tails.
"So, first off, that was weird," Tamamo said. "But I guess if you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to, Granberia. I'm just glad to see you again. So what's this quest for?"
"Oh, a few things," Sonya said sourly.
"A few things? Like what things?"
"We are in Sabasa so that I may learn from a vore master," Spider Princess said bluntly.
"So you're here to see Sphinx," Tamamo observed. "And why is this a priority?"
"You don't want to know," Luka said. Sonya nodded her fierce agreement.
"Oh, I think I can figure it out," Tamamo said. "Spider Princess, the things you do to men already overwhelm them with the most exquisite pleasures, and I know that you take your craft as seriously as any succubus. But you don't need to get better than you already are."
"We are talking about the last experience these men will ever have!" Spider Princess argued. "I can ive them nothing less but the best! Since you are here, do you have any advice for me? How about you, male? You are a lamia. Presumably you have eaten people."
"Eaten people? Blech! Never!" Albert exclaimed. "I mean, who does that?! I supposed I COULD do that, but why?"
"To give your victims ultimate pleasure before they die," Spider Princess explained. "it is our law, our basic values to only kill with pleasure if at all possible. A man's last moments should be filled with ecstasy the likes of which he's never experienced before."
"So like a last meal for the condemned?" Albert asked. "I guess it makes a sort of twisted sense. And there are carnivorous monsters on my world, although I try to keep them in check."
"So I see you will be no help," Spider Princess said, frowning. "Tamamo, I realize kitsunes don't eat people, but someone as ancient and as skilled as you must have some advice to give me."
"In regards to vore techniques?" Tamamo said. "Not really. I know of only one way to do it, and I've rarely done it."
"You… You've eaten people?" Luka asked.
"No! Goodness gracious, no!" Tamamo said quickly. "Look, I'll show you."
"Not Luka, you won't!" Sonya said, stepping in front of Luka.
"I wouldn't dream of doing anything to your husband without permission," Tamamo said. "I'll show you by finding another volunteer. Hey you! Kid with the T-shirt!"
A young man, not very attractive and kind of short and skinny, gestured to himself with his finger as if to say "Who me?" Tamamo nodded. The boy cautiously approached the strange group.
"I didn't think you to be the type to do charity cases," Albert whispered to Tamamo.
"Shush!" Tamamo scolded. "You men can be so shallow. Looks don't matter. Taste and smell are everything."
"And you call me shallow?"
"Just be happy for the guy," Tamamo giggled. "He's about to get the thrill of his life."
The boy stood in front of Tamamo, who cast a quick spell. The boy began to shrink, until he was only two inches tall. Tamamo gently picked him up in two fingers.
"Wh-What are you going to do with me?!" the boy, now speaking in a tiny, high pitched voice, said.
"We kitsunes are good monsters," Tamamo said, the tiny man dangling in front of her face. "If you are too afraid, I'll restore you to your full size and send you on your way. But if you consent to what I'm about to do, I'll let you come twice in my mouth. I promise not to hurt you. My human friends can vouch for me."
The boy looked over to Luka and Sonya, frightened but clearly excited as well. Luka nodded. Sonya nodded as well, reluctantly.
"O-okay then," the boy said. "Make me come."
Tamamo giggled, said a quick incantation to make his clothing disappear, and popped the boy into her mouth as if he was a piece of candy. Spider Princess and Luka watched in fascination as her cheeks bulged from the boy's thrashing and the movements of her tongue. Albert was transfixed as well as speechless.
Tamamo giggled again and held up a finger.
"What does that mean?" Albert asked Granberia.
"It means he's come one time," Granberia answered.
"That quick?" Albert asked.
"Tamamo and Alma Elma have a game they play with each other," Granberia said. "They race to see who can tie the most cherry stems into a knot with their tongues in five minutes. Tamamo usually wins. I can only imagine what she's doing to him in there."
Tamamo now held up two fingers. She spit the boy into her hand, covered in her saliva, and restored him to full height. He stumbled and was caught by Albert. With a quick flourish, Tamamo restored his clothes.
"And that, Spider Princess, is how I vore," Tamamo said.
"Fascinating," Spider Princess breathed. "You must teach me! I've never thought of doing it that way! Is the shrinking spell difficult?"
"Nope, it's an easy one!" Tamamo said cheerfully. "As for the technique, just practice tying a cherry stem inside your mouth with your tongue. Once you pull that off, you'll be all set!"
"Hmmm…." Spider Princess mused. "I'm not certain I want to do oral vore, but I wonder if I could adapt other parts of my anatomy to pleasure a man that way. I must give this some thought."
"D-Did you ever do that for your husband?" Luka asked. "He was really into being eaten. I guess it's not a secret anymore since it was in his book and all."
"It was in his book, but he's so oblivious sometimes!" Tamamo laughed. "He never knew Alice and I knew all about his fetish! But I never did it for him. I wanted him to ask me. He never had the guts to do it. But when he comes back to me, I'm going to surprise him!"
"You like being swallowed?!" Sara said in shock. "Don't worry, I'm not judging you. I think it's actually sweet that you shared that with me. I guess I can't do that for you, but…. I can swallow parts of you."
Sara illustrated the point by sucking on my finger. My resistance was swept aside. If we were going to be locked in a room together, and she wanted so badly to thank me for helping her in the pyramid, who was I to deny her? It's not as if Alice and I were together. Sure, we'd expressed feelings for each other, but she had spurned my attempts to make the relationship official, for reasons she refused to explain.
Smiling, Sara went to work.
"Mmmmm…" Tamamo said. "This is making me hungry."
"You monsters disgust me," Sariela said.
"Oh, you're just as perverted as me!" Tamamo retorted. "Wow, she's really bad at that."
"Isn't it her first time?" Sariela asked.
"I think so, although she had lessons and she's been practicing," Tamamo said. "But she's been practicing for a woman, not a penis. Still, she has a skilled tongue. She'll find his sweet spot soon enough."
"Is that your grand plan?" Sariela asked. "To watch a princess blow our enemy?"
"Did you even read the book you told me to read?" Tamamo responded. "Let's test you. What makes Sara different from your average human girl."
"She's a lesbian sucking a dick right now."
"Besides that."
"She has monster blood that was awakened later on in Luka's original adventure. Partially, anyway," Sariela answered. "In his adventure on the world we know, you awakened her monster blood early to cause chaos in the Sabasan kingdom."
"Bingo!" Tamamo said. "And that's the plan. Behold!"
Tamamo concentrated, wielding her powerful magic. As an Ancestor, she could awaken monster blood in those who possessed it at will. What was a difficult ritual even for queen level monsters was as natural as breathing to Tamamo.
Luka, who was having a wonderful time under Sara's ministrations, arched his back as the intensity of her sucking increased tenfold. He saw wings spring out of her back and strange tattoo like patterns write themselves on Sara's skin. Sara's sucking went from tender and uncertain to hungry and confident. Second later, Luka came in her mouth. She swallowed it eagerly, not even waiting for him to finish, swallowing each spurt as it erupted from his penis.
"Oh, so delicious!" Sara exclaimed. "I think I'll keep you!"
Not waiting for Luka's response, Sara rose up and inserted Luka's still very erect penis into her vagina. Her muscles clamped down immediately, instinctively conforming exactly to his shape and creating a bind he could never have broken out of, even if he'd had Gnome, which he didn't. Luka was at Sara's mercy now.
"Ah, now I begin to see," Sariela said. "He already likes Sara, and she would love to have him as her husband. In his first adventure, he didn't' say yes, but he didn't say no, either. After she gives him all the pleasure she's capable of as a succubus, there is no way he will turn her down now. But I fail to see how this is punishment."
"Are you kidding?!" Tamamo exclaimed. "She's a succubus! Yes, he'll get the finest of pleasures night after night, but his mind will slowly degrade since she has no control. Not only that, but she'll never truly love him. So not only does Luka not get to be with his true love, he will be married to a woman who doesn't even really love him, and he'll have responsibilities of managing a kingdom to boot, since Sabasa must have a male as king! His existence will be miserable except for the nights with Sara, and since she really likes women, he'll spend many of those nights alone! I couldn't design a more fitting punishment plus reward if I tried!"
Sariela had to admit that the plan was working like a charm. Luka was already professing his love for Sara as she rotated her hips, a technique that Sariela remembered that Luka loved, much to her disgust. Sara only laughed at Luka, although she didn't denigrate him further. Her affection for him was also real, but it was not truly love.
Luka came again and again, Sara never letting up for a second. Tamamo began to worry. She didn't want Luka to die here, and Sara was well on her way to accidentally killing him. Tamamo allowed Sara to make him ejaculate inside her two more times, then, as if cutting Sara's strings, forced her monster side back into remission.
Sara lay next to Luka, exhausted. Luka was barely conscious or intelligible.
"And that is how you execute a brilliant plan," Tamamo said. "Now we just wait for her to pop the question."
"Luka?" Sara asked. "I… I really think you might be the only man I could ever stand to be with."
"Stand to be with?" Sariela scoffed. "Oh, that's persuasive."
"Shush…." Tamamo said curtly. "I want to hear this."
"What are you saying, Sara?" Luka asked.
"Maybe my dad is right that I need a husband," Sara said reluctantly. "He's been trying to hook me up with all sorts of worthless so-called heroes, or other royalty from other kingdoms, but I can't stand any of them. I'm just not into guys, but it's more than that. They are shallow, selfish people. But you're different, Luka. I like you a lot. You're the bravest, most unselfish man I've ever met. And now that I know my monster side can come out sometimes, I'll actually enjoy making you happy in bed. We could be so happy together! I wouldn't even mind if you played around with other women, as long as you're fine with me doing so as well. How about it? When father opens that door, why not tell him that you'll marry me? You won't have to put yourself in danger anymore. We can just live here in this palace in the lap of luxury, together."
"Sara…..I…."
"C'mon, say yes," Tamamo prodded.
"I can't, Sara… I want to, so badly, but I just can't right now. I have a mission. And it's one only I can fulfill. But I'm not saying no to you. I just couldn't be worthy of you or this kingdom if I didn't stop the Heavenly Knights."
"Fuck!" Sariela exclaimed.
"Poo on a stick!" Tamamo yelled.
"You're amazing, Luka," Sara said, kissing me tenderly. "So, are you still horny? I hear that monster girls can make a man come over and over."
"Actually, I think I am," I said.
"Well, since I'm human at the moment, that means I can get one more out of you, and we still have twenty minutes."
Sara crawled down towards my crotch again.I sighed in pleasure at her gentle sucking. She may have been more intense as a succubus, but it felt so….. human when she did it this way. I actually liked it better.