A Beating of Wings and a Late Night Feeding

I stand at the roof of my apartment building stretching my wings. The dark black and red heathens groaning and straining at the years of unuse.

Damn. This is going to hurt.

It was irresponsible, really, that I don't exercise them or pay them any heed. Like disregarding to use your legs for years.

It would be a treacherous journey.

I launch off the roof in one steady beat. The ache subsides after a few more beats and a minute later the town of Celine is at my back.

The glamour I keep in place makes it impossible for humans to see me. Keeps me hidden among the clouds and the sky.

Hours seemed to pass before night comes. I find a small overgrowth in the wood somewhere near the coast and nestle under the branches. I can smell the salt of the sea from miles away. Sweat covers every inch of my body and the clothes that cling to me are proof enough that I was beyond out of shape. Even so, my wings have not yet failed me. They are proof of the great endurance and stamina my body holds.

I doze on and off for some time before I sense dawn breaking through the skies. Once again, I take off into the skies. This time every single muscle strains and barks in protest as I truly feel the consequence of years without training.

I fight against every complaint that rises up within me and push through the pain. Tomorrow, tomorrow I would be in Astruwen with a warm bath and great bed with a beautiful human beside me. Tomorrow. Get through today and tomorrow would be better.

Today, today I would have to cross the sea that keeps two continents apart. It sounds more like a sad love story than the reality that it really is. There is something utterly terrifying about flying freely above the sea. If I were to fall there would be nowhere to land and no help for hundreds of miles. The sea is an unforgiving mistress that listened to none. She obeys none. She belongs to none. If she wishes, we would not be here tomorrow. Tomorrows would cease to exist. I would cease to exist. She was soothing and mighty and beautiful all the same.

How I wished I could be like this mistress.

I don't dare fly anywhere close the expansive sea below me for fear of it swallowing me whole. For hours I keep my breath steady and my wings in continuous motion. I do not falter once and when I see land my heart swells with joy. I plummet towards the earth as soon as I'm able to, stretching out onto the hard ground of a cliff.

It isn't the first time I've flown across the sea, but each time is always a terrifying thing. Each time I've flown were for different reasons. The first because I'd been scouring the earth for Cleopatra. The second because Lilith had instructed me to for some sort of exercise. And the third and last time I'd been running.

Now, I was on my way to a 'demon meeting' of sorts. It was interesting, nonetheless.

I am mere hours away from the port city of Astruwen but instead I opt for a good night's rest rather than pushing myself any further than I already have. A small ache had begun to form behind my eyes indicating I had gone out of my way to waste my energy and would need to feed soon. I find a small village a few miles off the coast. At first glance it looks largely unpopulated and poor. But if you look closely you can see the modesty of the village and the simplistic décor in each home. I quickly head to the only inn the village seems to have, an old rundown building of rotting wood and stone.

At dusk, the village is visibly empty with a few lanterns lighting windows and no humans strolling the streets. The streets themselves are of pure earth unlike that of the clean cobblestone walkways of Celine. It went to say this village was either too unfunded to expand or just entertained itself in the filthiness of it all. I opted for the first one since it seemed most logical.

A single lantern lit the outside illuminating the words of the Moonview Inn. I stop for a moment, forgetting to cast my glamour as well as hide any of the attributes that label me as the demon that I am. I step inside the inn appearing utterly human. Well, except for the natural seductive aura that no manner of training can remove. The entrance is empty, with only a single bell to warn the innkeepers that company has arrived.

I ring it once, twice and a third time before finally a young woman steps out. She is pretty, in a simple way. "Hello," she gets out before laying eyes on me and taking in that essence that makes all her senses go out of control. "O-Oh my," she seems to gasp and takes a deep breath.

It is always different for every human, some are seduced by smell, others by voice but most, especially men, are seduced by what they see. A succubae's most notable trait is her lure, her way of drawing all five, or six, senses to herself to seduce.

"You smell lovely, like roses and earth." The young woman shakes her head, possibly trying to shake off the allure she is experiencing. "Excuse me, that was very rude of me. I assume you are here for a room. I've never seen you around here, you are traveling if I am correct?"

"Yes, love. If I can trouble you with a room and perhaps a... meal?" I can't help myself; I need to keep my wits about me for tomorrow and the constant flying has drained a great deal of my energy. I swear at Silas for making me come all the way on such short notice. It'd been almost two days since my last meal, and I was ready for something new.

On normal circumstances I could make a single meal last a week even a month. But it had been much too long since I'd last flown, and I was clearly out of training and out of shape. Perhaps it was time I start training once again. It didn't seem like such a bad idea, immortality was long after all and who knew what tomorrow's events would bring.

I grasped the young woman's hand bringing it to my lips, "Will you show me to my room, love?" I amplify my power, wrapping it around her.

"O-of course."

She leads me down a narrow hall into a room that is as simple as the village itself, consisting of a bed, a nightstand, and a small armoire.

"Do you possibly have a bath I could use? I've had a long journey and would like to get some of this grime off me." I smile trying to be as sweet and flirtatious as I can with layers of sweat coating me.

"Yes, madam. We have a communal bath in the inn. It should be mostly empty."

"Is that so? You'll join me, won't you...?" I slide my fingers up her arm, her simple blue dress keeping me from touching her skin. "What is your name, darling?"

"Mara, madam." She dips her head. "I will show you to the bath house."

I follow silently behind her as she leads me to a stairwell, each step I feel the heat deliciously prickling my skin.

When she slides open a door, I see a large pool built into the ground, the steam rising lazily beckoning me to get in.

I shut the door behind me making sure to lock it and follow where the human girl is now preparing supplies.

I unfasten some of the supplies I had brought with me and set them down in a pile, then I proceed to strip off my clothes. I start with my jacket then my tunic.

I grab the human girls face and turn her towards me. "Will you join me, Mara?"

She swallows and looks down at me, at my bare breasts, and nods.

In a swift motion I tear off her dress and look down at her fragile body. The monster in me hungry for lust and ready for its dinner. Grabbing her wrist, I lead her towards the water. I loosen her locks from their entrapment and watch them tumble down her soft body. I twirl a lock in my finger and press my lips to her neck feeling her soul brush against me. The soul is soft and bright and lasting, this human will surely live a meaningful life if she wishes.

I feel her reach for my breeches struggling to unbuckle them and rid me of them. Soon they are gone and I am upon her grasping for her hair and greedy for her body.I leave no place untouched her small ample breasts beckoning me to savor and unleash myself unto them.

I feast on her soul and her body. I feast on all that she is.

I drain until there is enough of her left that she is able to survive. Enough for me to be satisfied until my next meal.

The girl, Mara, has no clue that I feast upon her. She only feels the waves of pleasurable sensation and the feeling of exhaustion at the back of her mind. Her desire primal above all.

Because if demons are one thing, they are selfish. Selfish for their needs. Selfish for their desires. Selfish for our own survival.