James’ spirit flew through the air, carried not by the large bat-like wings that had sprouted from his mortal body, but by pure magic. Warm rays of golden sunlight cascaded down upon him as he drifted on the wind. The world was far below him, beneath the clouds. “Am I dead?” James wondered, somehow at peace with the idea.

His mind was clear and free, his body weightless and without pain. James knew instinctively that he had left his demonic appearance behind, and he was now back in the body Lilith had given him.

“Lilith…” James spoke his mistress’ name wistfully. He would never see her again. He had died, and he was being carried to whatever afterlife awaited him. As James lamented his sad fate and mentally said goodbye to his family and friends, he began to descend into the clouds below.

“Down?” he wondered as the magic carried him lower and lower. James had assumed that flying above the clouds boded well for his eternal soul, but now he was beginning to worry. His calm tranquility evaporated as he considered the prospect of damnation. “Fuuuck!” he shouted into the wind as he fell through the sky. “Of course you’re going to Hell,” he thought to himself, “You sold your soul to a demoness, you idiot. What else was going to happen?”

Mortal peril and infinite torture in a burning hellscape loomed on the fast-approaching horizon. Despite his certainly bleak future, James couldn’t bring himself to feel regret. He had agreed to a deal with Lilith; he had willingly accepted her as his mistress. However brief, their time together had made him happy. He would do it all over again if he could, even if it meant burning for eternity.

Plummeting through the sky, the bright sun and white clouds far above him, James looked down at the Earth for the last time. He didn’t recognize the world beneath him. Vast deserts and dry highlands at his periphery, James was falling toward a lush green stretch of fertile land sandwiched between two mighty rivers. Directly beneath him, surrounded by vast farmland, was a huge walled city. But it was like no city James had ever seen.

Now only a few thousand feet up, he could make out more distinct details of the world below. The walls of the city, like most of the buildings within them, appeared to be constructed out of mud bricks. He spotted no towering skyscrapers, no massive arenas, no super highways, nothing that he might associate with modern cities. Though there was one large stone temple with tall spires in the middle of the town. The people were dressed simply, wearing sewn skirts and shawls with basic leather belts and sandals. The men in the fields worked bare-chested and without the use of any modern tools, relying on archaic-looking plows drawn by oxen.

“Where on Earth am I?” wondered James, continuing his descent. He fell straight down toward the monolithic ziggurat, the wind blowing through his hair and his heart beating rapidly with fearful trepidation. As he approached the ancient-looking city, James began to slow. When he was about to reach the surface, he halted almost entirely, floating softly the last few feet before touching down. He stood in the middle of a dusty street, bustling with busy people who paid him no mind.

In fact, it didn’t seem like anyone had seen James fall from the sky at all. “Okay…” he said out loud, “What’s going on here? Am I dead or not?” Not a soul answered or even acknowledged him. He waved his hand in front of a woman’s face as she walked briskly by, carrying a tall ceramic urn. He was about to yell at her when a loud shout caught his attention and everyone else’s. Fast approaching, a large donkey raced down the road, pulling a rickety wooden cart. Running after it, a tired-looking man waved a leather crop and shouted in a language James did not understand.

As the run-away beast of burden bared down upon them, James turned quickly to the woman with the urn. Paralyzed with fear and indecision, she stood in the middle of the dirty street. “Move!” James screamed at her. When she didn’t react, he began to run to her, hoping to get there before it was too late. Luckily, the donkey’s loud braying startled the woman back to her senses. She dropped the clay pot and scrambled to the side in a panic just as the angry ass stampeded over the spot where she had been standing a split-second before.

Unluckily, this left James alone in the animal’s path, stranded due to his would-be heroism. Cursing his good intentions, he threw his arms up to protect his head as the beast ran through him. Literally through him.

“What the…?” James began, not finishing the thought as he stared down at himself. He was unharmed. The donkey had passed right through him and carried on its rampage. A second later, the animal’s owner sprinted through James’ phantasmal form as well. “That settles it,” James thought, “I’m definitely dead.”

He remained where he stood as he watched the bystanders go back to their routine, the near-disaster quickly forgotten. James tried in vain a couple more times to get the attention of the townspeople, but his voice never reached them.

“Great,” he mused, “I’m a ghost trapped in ancient… where am I?” Looking around at the primitive architecture, the simple people, and the archaic technology they used, James tried to remember what he’d learned in his History class. “Mesopotamia?” he finished his last thought. “Yeah, that sounds right. Now what the hell do I do with that information?”

As if on cue, a strong gust of wind that only James could feel pushed him a few steps toward the towering temple before him. Taking the hint, he began walking toward the massive stone staircase that led up into the great ziggurat. He ascended the steps, climbing up to the temple and passing through the outer walls that enclosed it. A large courtyard now stood between him and the temple proper. Within the courtyard itself was a large garden, and many people moved about it. These people were well-dressed priests and priestesses in finer clean linens, as well as fierce-looking warriors armed with bronze-tipped spears.

Walking through the courtyard, James soon came to the great central tower of the ziggurat. He felt he was going the right way, as he seemed drawn deeper into the compound. Stepping into the temple, James stared in awe at the simplistic beauty of the place. A vast stone hall stretched out before him; towering pillars, decorated with geometric patterns, flanked him on either side. He seemed to be alone inside the temple. He shuffled slowly through the ancient cathedral, not knowing where to go next.

Sudden movement in the corner of his eye caught James’ attention. Turning, he saw a tall man in opulent, colorful robes made of the finest linen stride down the corridor past him. James shrugged, having no better leads. He followed.

Walking behind the man, James looked him over carefully. He was clearly very wealthy; his fine clothes and jewelry gave that away. He wore several rings of gold and silver on his fingers. At his waist was a small dagger in a jewel-encrusted sheathe. The man was old, but he didn’t seem weak. His frame was thin, but not frail. Long gray hair and a matching beard contrasted his deep bronze-colored skin. His dark brown eyes surveyed the temple as he walked, often turning his head to look around in admiration of the beautiful architecture.

Before long, the two men reached the end of the hall and passed through a huge doorway into another large chamber. Here too there were rows of stone columns, but there were also tall bronze statues lining the walls. The statues depicted powerful beasts, great warriors, and beautiful women. They were expertly crafted and in impeccable condition, and the old man looked upon them with reverence and respect. “These must be their gods…” thought James.

At the far end of the room was the largest and most marvelous statue. Also made of bronze, the tall and elegant woman stood nude but for a tall headdress. Spread behind the woman were two feathery wings, and she held an ornate scepter in her hand. Behind the statue, the wall was covered in a colorful geometric mosaic.

Behind him, James heard the patter of footsteps approaching. He looked to see a beautiful, young, olive-skinned woman with black hair and blue eyes run around the corner.

“Lilith…?” James spoke aloud.

There was no mistaking it. Though she looked slightly younger and lacked the demonic features she wore now, James recognized her stunning eyes, shining with joy and light. Her linen skirts marked her as a cut above the common folk, though she wore no jewelry or mark of nobility. She carried a small clay tablet and stone stylus.

He watched as Lilith stopped before the old man and bowed her head respectfully before speaking. Though James could not understand the language, he could tell by her tone that Lilith was apologizing for something. God, it was amazing to hear her voice again, it felt like an eternity had passed his James last saw his mistress.

The old man smiled lovingly down at the girl before placing a hand fondly on her shoulder and kissing her forehead. The two spoke back and forth for a short time, sounding friendly and happy. James wasn’t sure what the nature of their relationship was. Father and daughter? Teacher and student? Something more?

Before long, at the man’s behest, Lilith took up her tablet and began marking it with her stylus. She wrote as the man spoke, sometimes nodding her head or looking up at him, occasionally interjecting with a clarifying question. While Lilith scribed his words, the old man began to pace down the rows of idols. He stopped before one of the older-looking statues, considering it quietly before raising his hand. A dull light emanated from his palm, falling on the tarnished bronze. Any damage and oxidation quickly reversed, leaving the statue shining with breathtaking luster.

“Woah…” James spoke to himself. “Was that magic?” He hadn’t expected to see someone else use magic; was that why he was there? Was he supposed to learn something from the old man?

James followed him as he resumed pacing and dictating his words to Lilith. James watched and waited, hoping to see another display of power. Suddenly, he became aware that Lilith had stopped writing, the scratching of her stylus no longer audible. He turned to see her staring up at the large statue of the beautiful, winged woman. James felt a chill run through him; something was very wrong.

Lilith’s eyes were wide, unfocused, and unseeing. Entranced, she began to slowly walk toward the great bronze idol. James turned to look at the old man; he was still talking, lost in thought as he stroked his beard contemplatively. James shouted at the man, trying to get his attention, but it was pointless – no one could hear him. He looked back to see that Lilith had gotten closer to the statue. The bronze goddess’ eyes began to glow yellow as she approached.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” James thought, “but I’ve got a really bad feeling about that fucking statue.” He tried to summon his power and use magic to call out to Lilith, but nothing happened. He could feel his magic within him, but it was somehow out of reach, locked away. He tried in desperation to force his power to come to him, but it was in vain. He could only watch as his mistress grew ever closer to the statue.

With a clatter, Lilith’s tablet and stylus slipped from her numb fingers and fell to the stone floor. The noise echoed around the temple, at last drawing the old man’s attention. A look of shock and fear flashed across his face as he turned to see Lilith standing before the tall idol, a hand outstretched toward the beautiful statue.

“Adīni lā, Lilith!” he shouted in his ancient tongue. His voice thundered through the hall, but it did not wake the woman from her trance. With Lilith a hair’s breadth away from the statue, the man reached out with his magic.

But it was too late.

As Lilith touched the beautiful idol, the entire statue flared brightly, filling the temple with blinding light. The old man’s spell immediately rebounded back, and he was flung across the room, where he fell in a motionless heap. Immense magical power pressed down upon James. Even in his incorporeal state, he was helpless to resist the weight of such energy and he was pinned to the ground. The temple shook under the strain, and shouts of confusion and terror could be heard from the courtyard and the town below.

Standing still before the glowing statue, Lilith was surrounded by the menacing magical aura. A magical barrier encompassed her and the idol, protecting them as the great ziggurat began to fall apart. Pillars crumbling and walls cracking, the entire temple shook. A statue on the other side of the room shattered into pieces spontaneously. A large piece of the stone ceiling broke off and fell where James lay; it would have crushed him if he had a physical body. But James barely even noticed it, he was too focused on his mistress to register what was happening around him.

Lilith thrashed on the ground as the statue’s magic claimed her. In a quick flash, her clothes ignited and burned away, leaving her naked but unburnt. Though she wasn’t hurt from the fire, she screamed in anguish. James couldn’t hear her voice outside the barrier, but he felt her pain, and tears welled in his eyes as he watched Lilith suffer. She clasped her head in her hands; a moment later, two large horns rose from her hair and curled upward. Her eye color flickered between blue and red before finally settling on the latter. Her facial features hardened, becoming fiercer and more angular, while still retaining her natural beauty. She moaned as her breasts swelled, growing larger and more sensitive. On hands and knees, Lilith arched her back and howled in agony as her shoulder blades elongated and pierced through her skin, growing and transforming into two large, black wings. James shuddered in sympathetic pain as he watched; he had undergone that same painful transition recently, and it hurt him to watch Lilith’s torment. Next, a long tail sprang from her tailbone, lashing back and forth as it expressed Lilith’s pain. Finally, her toes fused together, and her feet changed into heavy hooves. A light layer of dark fur climbed from her feet to just above her knees, creating the appearance of natural stockings.

Tremoring, Lilith looked over her shoulder at the old man. He did not stir. A single tear fell from the newborn succubus’ scarlet eye, and the room was once again flooded with searing white light. James watched in horror through squinting eyes as Lilith turned into pure magical energy and was absorbed into the glowing idol. The light began to fade, though the shimmering barrier protecting the statue remained. The crushing magical presence of the idol gone, James was able to stand again. Though the damage was done, and he could only watch as the ziggurat fell to ruin. With a thunderous crack, the ceiling gave in completely, showering the idols and the lifeless old man in rock. A moment later, the entire temple lurched and collapsed in on itself, burying its secrets within.

Because James could not be harmed in his ghostly state, he merely floated above the ruin and wreckage. He seethed with anger at the evil that had taken Lilith away from her life and left such devastation in its wake. His heart ached with sadness for his mistress; he finally understood her words, finally understood her pain.

As the dust settled on the destroyed scene, James felt a warm darkness descend over him. He didn’t fight the sensation, he closed his eyes and readied himself for whatever came next. Fading away, his phantasmal form shimmered for a moment before disappearing completely. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself back in his real body.

The sweet smell of smoldering incense filled James’ nostrils. Light rained down through the clouded sky, which was supported by enormous, gilded pillars that climbed upward and out of sight. James sat on a large marble throne, raised above the rest of the golden realm. He looked down at himself, at his normal, naked, human body. No claws, no hooves, no tail. He was glad his monstrous form had not followed him into his dreams. James let out a slow breath, an involuntary sigh of relief. He wasn’t dead; he was in the Temple of Venus, and that meant he was alive.

But the Temple was different. The towering columns of gold didn’t shine as they had before. The clouds seemed darker. The tiled floor had cracks running through it. The Temple had aged a great deal over the last two days, and it no longer held the same beauty and mystery. There were more important things to deal with at the moment though. James looked around, expecting to see Lilith, but she wasn’t there. He tried to reach out with his magic to find her, but his power was still sealed deep within him.

Rising slowly from the throne, James stood. “Lilith?” he called out. He turned, scanning the endless expanse of the Temple for his mistress. He found her sitting on the steps of the large marble dais behind the great throne. She was holding herself and staring off into the distance, apparently deep in thought. “Lilith…” James spoke her name gently, but the demoness didn’t answer.

He walked around the throne and approached the woman. When she didn’t acknowledge him, James sat down on the step next to her, leaving a respectful distance between them. He watched her as they sat in silence.

Lilith’s appearance, like the Temple’s, had changed again. James was taller than her for once, and he actually had to look down at his beautiful mistress. Instead of cloven hooves, her bare legs ended in slender feet, which rested on the cool marble steps. At the base of her spine, above her shapely buttocks, there was no trace of her whip-like tail. Two wings remained on her back, but they were much smaller than the intimidating sails that she normally kept folded behind her. James doubted very much that the demoness could fly with those tiny wings. The nubs of two small horns rose from Lilith’s head, barely visible above her long, jet-back hair, which flowed gently down her back and over her shoulders, framing her heart-shaped face. Her pronounced cheek bones were softer, her fierce features subtler. She looked less like the dangerous demoness James had first encountered two weeks ago, and more like the scared girl in James’ vision. But she was still Lilith, wasn’t she?

Her sapphire eyes, focused on the realm’s infinite horizon, held considerable sadness. Her expression was otherwise neutral, but James knew she was hurting.

“Lilith,” he said again, with more conviction than before, “please look at me.” The raven-haired woman turned to face him slowly. She kept her eyes down, unable to look him in the eyes.

“James…” she spoke quietly, “I have something to tell you. I…”

“No,” James interrupted, “I have to tell you something. I-“

“I’M SO SORRY.” They both spoke loudly in unison.

“You… you’re sorry?” Lilith asked, shocked. “I’m the one to blame, James. I shut you out and left you alone. I brought you into this mess, I made you my agent. And you’ve suffered because of me.”

James responded quickly, sliding closer to his mistress. “No, Lilith. I was out of line; I should never have said the horrible things I said to you. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“Yes, I do,” Lilith spoke, “Everything you said was true. I… I’ve hurt you, like I’ve hurt everyone I’ve ever known. I deserve to be hated; I deserve to waste away with this ugly place.” Tears began to well in the woman’s eyes.

James placed a hand gently on Lilith’s shoulder, forcing her to look up at him as he spoke. “You’re wrong, Lilith. You deserve to be happy, and to be loved. I was wrong to treat you like a villain… I let my anger and confusion blind me to your pain. I can see now that you’re hurting more than I ever was… and I can’t hate you for that.”

“But you should!” the demoness cried. “You should hate me! I’m vile, I’m evil, I’m… I’m-” Lilith’s words were cut off as she was pulled into a tight hug. She froze, James’ strong arms embracing her. Tears rolling down her beautiful face, her lip quivering, she let her head fall to her servant’s chest. “Why?” she choked. “Why won’t you hate me?”

“Because… I love you,” James stated simply, smiling down at his mistress.

Lilith lifted her head and met James’ eyes with her own. Still holding her, James used his thumb to wipe away the demoness’ tears. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly. Lilith returned the kiss passionately. Their tongues clashed desperately, expressing everything they were feeling, all the love, anger, and pain. James held Lilith tight against him, and she clung to him just as tightly. Their sensuous meeting was heavenly, and soon their emotions gave way to a baser need.

The two broke off their kiss long enough to stare into each other’s eyes for a moment. No words were needed; they understood one another perfectly. Life and energy had returned to the demoness’ eyes. Lilith threw herself onto James, forcing her mouth onto his as they fell to the floor. As their lust competed, their sexual energy coalesced into a perfect balance. They held each other as they writhed on the marble dais, kissing and caressing. Their passionate wrestling match brought them close to the edge, and with a sudden drop, the two lovers tumbled down the few steps to the ground below.

When they had stopped rolling, James – now on top – looked down at Lilith. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Never better,” answered the demoness, smiling up at her agent.

James grinned before lowering his lips to Lilith’s again. As he did, he dropped a hand to her large breasts. In her weakened state, Lilith’s tits weren’t as massive as before, but they were still a healthy handful for James. He delighted in their heft and softness, kneading her breasts greedily. The succubus moaned, but James suffocated the noise with his mouth while he rolled one of her sensitive nipples between his fingers.

Lilith bit her agent’s lip playfully and snaked a hand between them to feel his hardness. This time it was his turn to moan into their kiss. James’ hips thrust forward slightly, an involuntary reaction to his mistress’ touch. Sensing his urgent desire, Lilith grasped James’ thick shaft in her delicate fingers and began to stroke him slowly, sending chills through his body. Lilith found that her own lust was rousing her both inwardly and outwardly, and James could feel the damp heat growing between her legs.

Rising up, he moved into position between Lilith’s thighs. She helped him guide his cock to her slick entrance, nestling the head between her soft folds. The two lovers locked eyes once more as James pushed slowly into the gorgeous woman. Engulfed in bliss, the pair held each other and savored the feeling of being together again. After a brief pause, James began moving inside his mistress, driving his manhood deeper into her wet pussy with each rhythmic thrust.

Moaning loudly at the sensation, Lilith drove her hips up to meet James’, generating even more pleasure. Their tempo accelerated and soon they were fucking at a desperate pace. With every powerful thrust, every euphoric moan, every rush of pleasure, James bottomed out inside the sexy demoness. The loud slapping of flesh against flesh echoed through the infinite palace. The air was heavy with the couple’s shared lust, and it pervaded all their senses, heightening their pleasure and arousing them further.

Lilith could feel her climax building rapidly, and with a sudden gasp, she began to convulse in ecstasy. Her pussy tightened around James’ cock, squeezing him as she moaned in orgasmic bliss. Lilith’s tight embrace pulsated around James, overwhelming him with euphoria of his own. He shuddered and succumbed to his orgasm, pleasure flooding his brain and dominating his senses. His balls contracted as he emptied his seed into his mistress, splashing her walls with his cum.

James felt no overpowering energy take hold of him. He felt no weakness in his willpower being exploited by his magic. He felt no pain, no need to resist said pain, and no fear of losing control. He felt relief, knowing he couldn’t hurt his mistress; his pleasure could only make her stronger. He felt joy, the kind of joy that one can only feel when holding the person they love in their arms and knowing all is well.

While James experienced deep contentment, Lilith was lost to the throes of her orgasm and the exquisite sensation of James’ energy pouring into her. She had gone the last 48 hours without her agent, without his love, and without the sexual essence he supplied her. The demoness and the Temple of Venus both weakened without a source of power, but her exhaustion was made worse by the necessity to suppress James magic. When he had fallen asleep that night, he was on the cusp of being destroyed by his power; Lilith had had no choice but to expend what little energy she had to bind his power with her own. Add to that the vision she had shown him, and Lilith was on the brink of sexual starvation.

But all of this was easily remedied, and her fatigue, tiredness, and hunger were all washed away by the tides of ecstasy. As James literally pumped her full of sexual energy, Lilith felt her power returning in full force. Screaming in tortuous pleasure, Lilith gripped her sensitive tits and surrendered to a second consecutive climax. And with it, came the changes.

James watched his mistress squirm beneath him, moaning as multiple orgasms wracked her senses. Before his eyes, her body began to shift back to its demonic appearance. Her eyes shot open, suddenly blood red, and she howled in rapturous euphoria. Her breasts swelled beneath her hands, and her entire body grew as she returned to her impressive height. Her shapely legs, which were wrapped around James back, regained their thin veneer of dark hair and her feet transformed back into hooves. Her powerful limbs pulled James closer, nearly crushing him with their monstrous strength. Lilith arched her back as her wings grew to their full size and her tail erupted from her spine. Her horns extended, eliciting another soft moan.

Fixing her agent with a look of ravenous hunger, she leaned forward and pushed James onto his back, falling into his lap, still impaled on his cock. The hard member twitched inside her, and Lilith was pleased that he still had stamina for another round.

“Uh, Lilith?” James said, suddenly pinned beneath the demonic vixen.

“Shh, my love,” she responded, placing a slender finger at his lips. He watched as her eyes turned from red to purple to blue. He felt comfortable beneath her sapphire gaze, so he relaxed a bit. Lilith lifted herself up slowly, holding James’ long cock as she slid off it, letting their mingled juices spill from her. As soon as she had freed her servant’s dick from her folds, Lilith repositioned and placed the tip of his member against her asshole. “We can talk later,” she whispered sultrily to James. “Right now…” she rubbed his cockhead against her sphincter, teasing his sensitive head while moistening herself with their cum. “Right now… I need you to fuck my ass.”

With that, she dropped onto his cock. James groaned as Lilith’s rim devoured his manhood and the demoness sank down his length. Resting her hands on James’ muscled torso, Lilith held herself steady as she descended his pole, stopping when she could sink no farther. “Mmmm,” she moaned, grinding lightly on top of her agent.

James held his mistress’ wide hips and moaned again when she rose up slightly before sliding back down. The tightness of Lilith’s pussy couldn’t compare to the way her ass gripped his cock, and James was immobilized by rapturous euphoria. Her snug passage squeezed him tightly as she worked her way up and down his length. He could only watch while the demoness pleasured herself with his tool.

Lilith climbed to the apex of James’ cock, leaving just the tip inside her, before impaling herself again and again, taking him to the absolute hilt every time. Her glorious ass rippled every time she slammed down on her agent. Her tender hole felt incredible, stretched around her lover’s incredible girth. She rode James relentlessly, reveling in the waves of hot pleasure that possessed her, and the look of euphoric helplessness that possessed him. She delighted in every moan that she forced from his lips.

James too was content to lie back and be fucked, enchanted by his mistress’ extraordinary beauty and captivated by the pleasure radiating from his cock. He looked up into Lilith’s eyes, entranced by the love – and lust – they held for him. She smiled mischievously down at him as she bounced on his dick. James knew that look too well; she was planning something.

Before he could figure out what that plan was, James felt something poke him softly on the cheek. Turning his head toward the culprit, he saw Lilith’s long tail flicking lazily in the air before him. The tip of the tail snaked slowly toward him again; however, this time it rubbed delicately across his lips. James raised an amused eyebrow at his mistress and allowed a smile to tug at the corner of his mouth. He extended his tongue from his mouth and licked the end of her tail lightly.

Above him, Lilith hummed softly, riding his cock all the while. James made another pass at the tail, gingerly running his tongue over it. Lilith tossed her hair back and moaned loudly. Then, without warning, she pushed her tail into her servant’s mouth, sliding over his soft lips. James gave a muffled, “Hey!” but then quickly resumed toying with the end of his mistress’ tail. The tail was hardly a mouthful, barely wider than two of the woman’s fingers, so he had plenty of room to maneuver his skilled tongue around it. He hadn’t known before just how erogenous the long appendage was, but as he sucked it softly and felt Lilith shudder on top of him, James realized that it was extremely sensitive. And that gave him an idea of his own.

Lilith continued to moan, loving the dual sensation of being ass-fucked while James sucked her tail. Suddenly, she felt James remove a hand from her waist. A second later, his strong fingers wrapped around the base of her sensitive tail. “Ohhh, fuuuuck!” Lilith cried at the sudden stimulation. A twinge of pleasure shot through her pussy, and she gasped at the sensation. “Fuck. James. I’m- ahh!” She was cut off as he squeezed her tail and gave it a long stroke.

Lilith leaned back, placing a hand on James’ thigh to support herself. He began to thrust upwards into her as she focused on her rising ecstasy. James enjoyed the show, watching his mistress caress her perfect body and build toward climax. She touched her neck softly with her free hand before trailing lower down her collar bone. She took one large breast in her hand and played with it, squeezing and pinching her nipple. Her hand fell lower still, however, and it came to rest on her hyper-sensitive clit. She immediately took two fingers to the tender button and began rubbing it frantically.

An instant later, her body exploded in an intense orgasm. “JAMES! OHHH FUCK! JAAAAAMES!” she screamed her lover’s name and gripped his cock with her tight passage as she came on top of him. Lilith’s face was etched with bliss and she spasmed frenziedly, carnal pleasure filling her mind. Throughout her powerful orgasm, James continued to stroke and lick her tail, unwilling to let up until she came down from her euphoric summit. And she did, eventually, come down. Her heavy breathing evened out and she relaxed her tense body and just sat there, glowing with sexual radiance. She removed her tail from James’ mouth once he’d stopped his ministrations.

“Not bad… for a first-timer,” she teased. “Let me show you how it’s done.”

Standing slowly, she let James’ cock fall from her ass. James looked up at her expectantly but was suddenly surprised when he felt himself pulled to his feet by Lilith’s magic. The demoness smiled playfully and dropped to her knees before her agent, lowering herself to his cock and taking the turgid member in her hand. His dick was warm after being inside her, and it radiated their shared heat.

Lilith cast a quick glance upward and winked at James before wrapping her lips around his cock and sucking hard, causing him to groan softly at the pleasurable pressure. The strong odor and biting taste of his dick was pungent, but Lilith relished it. The act was dirty and perverse and oh so delectable. The succubus licked up and down James’ considerable length, cleaning him of their combined juices. With a resounding pop, she released the head of his cock from between her luscious lips. She held it against her cheek, nuzzling it with her face.

While she worshiped his cock, she brought her fingers to her lips, licking and sucking them sexily. She replaced the tip of James’ dick in her mouth, swirling her tongue around him and stimulated his most sensitive spots. Moaning, he placed a hand on Lilith’s head, lest he collapse from the pleasure. The demoness grinned with her mouth full and began bobbing on her agent’s hard member. As she worked her way down his shaft, she placed her hands on his ass, pulling him closer.

She was deepthroating James in no time, easily taking his enormous length. She slurped and sucked, savoring his taste and driving him mad with pleasure. Suddenly, James felt pressure against his rectum. Lilith looked up at him and smiled impishly.

“No way!” James exclaimed, “Do not-“

Too late. With a little resistance, Lilith pushed a moistened finger into James’ asshole. She removed his cock from her mouth for a moment and spoke up to the man, “Relax. You’ll enjoy it more if you relax.”

“Hnnng,” James grunted, “You’re a bitch, you know that?”

“Mmhm,” Lilith responded through a mouthful of dick, grinning.

James did as she suggested and tried to relax his pelvic floor. Lilith’s invading finger wriggled inside him, teasing his anus and exploring his tender cavity. James had to admit… it wasn’t unpleasant. But that didn’t mean he was ready for a second finger!

“HEY,” he shouted. “Cut that o-ohhh.” Lilith used her expert fingers to pressure a particularly sensitive spot. James felt his knees go weak, and he held tightly onto his mistress’ raven-haired head. He clamped his eyes shut as a completely foreign pleasure joined with the intense ecstasy of Lilith’s mind-blowing blowjob. He grabbed the demoness by the horns, causing her to moan a muffled protest around James’ cock.

Groaning in joyous release, James was overtaken by a powerful orgasm. “Fuuuck, Lilith!” He moaned, cumming into the woman’s mouth as he was assailed by pleasure. Lilith took his load easily, gulping down his delicious seed and sucking his sensitive head as he came. She savored the taste, as well as the taste of the sexual energy he had gathered over the last 48 hours. When at last his orgasm subsided, Lilith pulled fingers out of James’ asshole. The young man opened his eyes and offered his mistress a groggy smile. He let go of her horns, and she rose from her kneeling position.

Once standing, Lilith leaned down to kiss her agent tenderly. James reciprocated and the two locked lips and tangled with their tongues, expressing their raw passion and tasting themselves on the other’s lips. When they at last came up for air, Lilith closed her eyes and rested her head against James’.

“I love you too,” she whispered.

James embraced the woman warmly. They held one another for a while, content to feel what was unspoken between them. But fatigue caught up with James, and he felt his legs go weak again. Sensing the inevitable, Lilith summoned their pile of opulent cushions and the two fell with a light thud onto the pillows.

“Thanks,” said James, laughing lightly. He shifted on the cushions until he was lying next to Lilith, shoulder to shoulder. They stared up into the clouds, comfortable in their silent companionship. When James felt his mistress’ hand on his, he turned to see her watching him, her cheeks blushing ever so slightly. Smiling, he interlocked his fingers with hers, and she smiled softly back at him.

After several long minutes of tranquil harmony, Lilith broke the silence. She spoke softly and with uncertainty. “James…?”

“Hm?” responded the young man, still staring into the sky.

“I really am sorry,” said Lilith, “for abandoning you for the last two days. ” James turned his head to look at the beautiful demoness. He saw sincere contrition in her deep blue eyes. “I know it’s no excuse… but I did have a reason for keeping you out of the Temple.”

Raising himself up on his elbows to better look at his mistress, James gave her his full attention. “What do you mean?” he asked. He wasn’t angry with Lilith anymore; he felt as guilty as she did for their fight, so now he was just curious.

“I couldn’t let you back into the Temple of Venus,” she continued, “Not until I knew we would be alone. Not until I knew she was gone…”

“She?” James queried.

“My goddess.” Lilith spoke the words with bitterness, her voice carrying the loathing she felt inside for the oppressive deity.

“Your goddess…”James mused aloud. “You don’t mean that statue? The idol from the vision?” Lilith nodded and turned her gaze back to the sky. “Who is she?” James asked.

“Ishtar,” Lilith spat the name. “She’s had many names and taken many forms: Inanna, Aphrodite, Venus. But in Babylon, we knew her as Ishtar. She wouldn’t be pleased if she knew I’d shared with you the memory of how she took me, but I could think of no other way to explain… no other way to show you.” James could hear the pain in Lilith’s voice and see the sadness in her eyes. She looked longingly into the clouds and let out a sigh.

James squeezed her hand, letting her know he was there for her. She held his hand and smiled kindly, grateful for his presence and the comfort it brought her.

“So that’s why I had to wait,” Lilith continued. “I knew Ishtar would be away for a time, and once she was gone, I would be able to see you again and speak to you honestly. So I’m sorry… for shutting you out these past two days.” Tears began to well in her sparkling eyes again, and she turned away to hide them from James. “I believed you would be able to survive that long on your own, but I know you must have had an awful time, and you probably resent me…”

“Lilith,” James said softly as he reached out a hand and brushed his mistress’ cheek, “I told you, I could never hate you. I survived and made it back to you; that’s all that matters.”

The demoness wiped away her tears then raised her hand and placed it over James’, holding it against her face. Turning back to him, she met his brown eyes with a look of appreciation and compassion. “I really am falling for him…” she thought to herself.

Leaning forward, she kissed the man tenderly. James held Lilith lightly, stroking her hair as she nuzzled against him. When their lips parted, she lowered her head and lay it against his shoulder, careful to keep her horns out of his face. James rested his hand on her back and held her against him.

“So, we’re alone now? This… Ishtar, she’s gone?” he asked tentatively, worried that bringing the goddess up again might upset Lilith. But he had too many unanswered questions to ignore.

“For now,” she answered. “She said she’d be traveling for a while. I don’t know what that means exactly, but she’s usually away for a week or two at a time.” As Lilith spoke, she traced gentle circles on James’ chest and watched her finger’s hypnotic movement.

James himself was lost in thought as he processed Lilith’s words. “I guess gods are real then, huh?” he said.

“Not all of them,” responded the demoness, looking up at her agent, “Just the ones that humans give power to.” When James raised a questioning eyebrow, Lilith elaborated. “Gods are human inventions, but they’re made real by the magic of those devoted to them. Divine power relies on the belief of mortals. And Ishtar was once the most powerful goddess of them all.”

“Was?” James said, “Is she weaker now that she isn’t worshipped?”

“All gods are weaker now, James,” Lilith stated matter-of-factly. “Humans have little magic today, compared to the powerful figures of my time. As such, they have little power to give their gods. It doesn’t matter that Ishtar is no longer praised by mortals; her power has not dwindled in the last four millennia. In fact, she’s likely grown stronger.”

This confused James. “Wait, how? You said-“

Lilith interrupted him, explaining herself. “She draws no power from priests or worshippers as she once did… She is strengthened by the sexual energy that you and I rely on.”

James sat up slowly, realizing the implication of Lilith’s words. “So, every time I… Every time we…” He trailed off, struggling to put his thoughts to words. After a pause, he continued. “We’re just making her stronger, aren’t we? Digging ourselves deeper into this hole?”

Lilith nodded sadly and sat up as well. She held her hands in her lap, looking down as she spoke. “Ishtar imprisoned me in this realm so that I, and my agents, could serve her forever.”

James jumped to his feet. “Fuck that!” he exclaimed. “There’s gotta be a way out!” He stood there holding his head for some time, brow furrowed in frustration as he tried to think of something, anything, he could do.

Lilith sat and watched him with sympathetic sorrow. “There’s no way out, James. Trust me, I’ve tried. For four thousand years, I’ve tried.”

James felt the despair of his mistress’ words and began to understand just how long she’d been trapped in the Temple.

“No way,” he said, “no fucking way. I’m not giving up. What… what would happen if we just stopped? If we didn’t gather any more power for Ishtar? You look more human when you don’t have sexual energy; what would happen if we just quit cold-turkey?”

Lilith offered James a sad smile. “Starving ourselves of energy won’t change me back to a human, nor will it weaken Ishtar’s hold over me. We would merely inconvenience her and draw her ire. She would kill you and torture me until I agreed to resume my duties.”

James knew she spoke the truth, but he was undeterred; he kept trying to think of a solution. Desperately, he cast his eyes around the infinite plane. An idea came to him. “What if the Temple was destroyed? Would that free you? Or…” he left the question hanging, unwilling to finish the thought out loud.

“Or kill me?” Lilith finished bluntly. James nodded slowly, staring down at his mistress. “I don’t know. We’ll probably never know.” James opened his mouth to ask why, but was silenced when Lilith opened her palm and conjured a ball of fire in her hand. He watched as she threw her arm out and sent the tiny flame hurdling through the air. When it impacted with a golden pillar, it exploded in a massive firestorm that shook the Temple and blasted the couple with waves of hot air.

James watched the smoke clear, revealing the damage to the giant column. The gilded pillar was blown apart, massive chunks missing, and much of it melting away under the intense heat of the demoness’ magic. But before James’ eyes, the Temple began to repair itself. He stared as the pillar reformed. Within seconds, it was as if nothing had even happened.

Lilith closed her eyes and sighed. “I have torn this place apart a thousand times, only to watch it rebuild itself immediately. I have flown in every direction until my wings bled, and gone nowhere. I have screamed and cried until Ishtar herself silenced me. I have starved myself until she brought her wrath down upon me, forcing me to continue my role as her slave. I… I’ve killed myself a hundred times, James. I just wake up on that fucking throne, every time.” Lilith trembled, anger and despair welling up within her. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself, opened her eyes, and looked up at her agent. “I’ve given up hope, James. I won’t tell you to do the same, but please… please, promise me you won’t try anything that will get you killed.”

James sat back down next to his mistress. “I don’t know that I can just accept this without fighting back, Lilith. You showed me that vision; you showed me how Ishtar hurt you, stole you away, and destroyed your home. Why show me that if you didn’t want me to fight?”

Sitting face to face, Lilith looked deep into James’ eyes and spoke from her heart. “Because I love you. I haven’t felt this way about anyone since I was human… I showed you my memory of that fateful day because I’m tired of lying. I want to be honest with someone for once. I don’t want you to fight, because I don’t know that I could live without you.” A tear rolled down Lilith’s cheek.

“Lilith…” he began sadly, “You’ll have to live without me someday. I’m not immortal like you.” He took her hand as he spoke. “I’m okay with that though… even if it’s just for a month or a week, I want to stay with you as long as I can.”

Lilith was nearly moved to tears by James’ words. But the demoness shook her head and smiled. “You remember our pact, don’t you? I offered you power, wealth, and immortality in exchange for serving me. I wasn’t lying.”

“You mean…?” James trailed off, but Lilith nodded, answering his unfinished question.

“Sustained by sexual energy, you really could live forever.”

James had honestly forgotten the terms of his agreement with his mistress; he’d been more focused on the woman herself since then. The prospect of immortality was an interesting one, though.

“But, Lilith,” he said, “you said none of your agents had ever survived for more than a few months…” James looked down as he spoke, “What makes you think it’s even possible?”

The demoness lifted her hands and held James’ handsome face, turning his countenance to meet hers. She flashed him a wide, loving smile. “You idiot,” she said humorously. “How many times do I have to tell you that you’re different? With your power, we really could be together forever.”

James had doubts though. Lilith’s smile turned to a look of concern when James removed her hands and turned away. “You’re wrong,” he spoke. “I’m not different. I’m weak… I barely survived these last 48 hours, and I wasn’t myself for most of that time. I’m not strong enough for the power you’ve given me.”

“You’re still not getting it, James,” Lilith responded. “Your power is your own. You have your own magic.”

James stared blankly at his mistress, “Huh?”

She smiled sweetly and elaborated for him. “I’ve been thinking about it lately. The rate at which you’ve progressed in learning how to control and manifest your power… it’s abnormal. There’s only one explanation I could think of. You have a gift, James, but it wasn’t from me. You’ve probably always had latent magic; I think the power I gave you just served to wake it up.”

This was a revelation to James. He struggled to comprehend the implications of Lilith’s words. Staring at his mistress, he spoke uncertainly. “What does that mean for me though? I thought you said magic was rare now?”

“Exceedingly,” answered Lilith, nodding. “You probably have a powerful mage somewhere in your family tree, or maybe one or both of your parents made a bargain with a demon. That’s less likely, but I suppose anything is possible. What’s important is that you are your own source of magic, and you have a great deal of it.”

James tried to imagine his happy-go-lucky mother selling her soul to the devil and agreed that it seemed rather unlikely. “But how does this change anything? I still nearly died trying to contain my magic, what does it matter what the source is?”

“James, you have magical potential like I’ve never seen before. I’ll do everything I can to help you realize that potential… and I’ll never leave you alone again.” Lilith’s eyes shone with love and determination, and James felt reassured by her words. He nodded and smiled back at the demoness.

He still felt uncertain about his power, but he would try to learn to control it. It seemed to James that he still knew so little about magic. Speaking of which…

“Mistress,” James began, “In the vision you showed me… there was a man who could use magic as well. Who was he?”

Lilith adopted a more somber expression immediately. She looked up into the clouds and was silent for a moment before she answered. “His name was Sumis.” The demoness smiled sadly as she remembered the man.

James could sense Lilith’s sad nostalgia and felt bad for bringing up another obviously painful subject. “You don’t have to tell me about him if you don’t want to,” said James.

But Lilith shook her head slowly. “No. I want to. The living should remember the dead, so that they can live on with us.” She turned to face James as she continued. “Sumis was Babylon’s greatest king, as well as a powerful mage. Though you’ll not find his name in any history book, as we had not yet finished writing the chronicle of his life when… when he died.”

James took Lilith’s hand to comfort her, and she gave him an appreciative look before continuing. “Sumis was my king, my master, and my mentor. I was little more than a slave when he took me under his wing. He sensed in me an affinity for the arcane, much like I saw in you.”

“You had magic too? How rare was that back then?” asked James.

“Not terribly rare, though I suppose I showed enough potential that the king noticed.” Lilith shrugged, before continuing. “You have to understand something about my time, though. It’s not that people with magical power were more prevalent; magic itself was more prevalent. It was everywhere, part of the very world, and accessible to most. Any trained priest could use it to some small degree, but truly skilled practitioners of magic were uncommon. Sumis was one such mage; his power was formidable. But, not enough…” Lilith trailed off, remembering the day that she had lost her master. She shook off the dark memory and returned her focus to her conversation with James. “Nowadays, magic is spread thin – and controlled almost entirely by the gods and their servants.” Lilith gestured to herself. “Which is why it’s so incredibly rare for someone to be born with magic not given by the gods.

“Like me?” said James.

The demoness smiled. “Like you.” She laid a hand over James’, and the young man smiled back. He leaned in and brushed Lilith’s lips with his own. The two kissed softly before separating.

“Thank you, Lilith,” James spoke.

“Thank you for what?” asked the black-haired beauty.

“For telling me all this… for sharing your story with me.” James was certainly overwhelmed by all this new information, but he was glad to know it. And glad to know Lilith trusted him with it. James made up his mind at that moment; he would master his magic, learn to control it, so that he could stay at his mistress’ side. And so that he wouldn’t hurt anyone again…

James’ gaze drifted off into the distance as he remembered the events of the last 24 hours. He shuddered at the memory of what he’d done after losing control of his power. Lilith’s light touch on his arm brought him back to the moment. “James?” she said, “What’s wrong?”

“I… I have to tell you something,” James spoke quietly. He was ashamed of his actions and was angry with himself for losing control, but he felt the need to tell his mistress; he owed her honesty. James braced himself mentally and began to tell Lilith of his recent tribulations.

He expected to be on the receiving end of Lilith’s anger or disappointment, but Lilith’s eyes held only support and sympathy for her troubled agent. As James recounted the events of the last 48 hours, Lilith was silent. She held James’ hand and listened without judgement. The demoness had bared her soul to James only moments ago, and he had accepted her; so she would be supportive of him now.

As James told her of his powerless struggle against his own lust and anger, Lilith felt tremendous guilt. She had known James must have faced adversity on his own for the past few days without her, but she didn’t imagine he would have anguished so much under the effects of his magic. When James spoke of his loss of control at the coffee shop, Lilith could tell how much the memory pained him, and how much remorse he felt for turning Claire into a husk.

He told his mistress of his futile battle for command of his power, and of his need to make it back to her. He told her of the demise of his would-be mugger. James shuddered as he described his painful transformation and loss of control in the face of desperation and desire.

When he had finished his tale, Lilith pulled him into a tight embrace and spoke to him. “James, I’m so sorry. You’ve endured so much.” Her agent trembled against her before pulling away and wiping tears from his eyes. James was astonished by Lilith’s love and support, and he felt he did not deserve it.

“How can you look at me the same after that?” he asked, ashamed of his weakness and the terrible things he’d done. “I killed two people, Lilith. And I basically raped one of my best friends. Shouldn’t you be furious?”

Lilith shook her head slowly. “You’re not responsible for losing control, James. It’s my fault you suffered; I put you in that situation when I left you alone. But your strength of will is incredible, and I’m proud of you for just surviving that horrible experience.”

“But, what about the people I hurt? The people I…killed?” James responded weakly, still blaming himself.

“You’re not a murderer, James,” Lilith spoke. “What happened with that mugger was self-defense, and I doubt the world will mourn him. As for your roommate, I don’t think you forced him nearly as much as you think. Though, you may want to use a little magic to make him forget your demonic form; that’s harder to explain.”

“What about Claire?” asked James, his eyes watery again. “I drained her completely. She didn’t deserve that. She didn’t deserve to die…”

Lilith nodded sadly. “She didn’t. And doesn’t.”

James looked up at his mistress. “What…?”

“Claire isn’t dead, James,” responded the demoness. “You did drain her completely, but a husk isn’t a corpse.” The look in James’ eyes told Lilith that he didn’t understand, so she continued. “A husk is created when a human is sapped of all sexual energy. As husks, they ravenously seek out sexual energy for their master – literally living for sex. But they are alive.”

“Then… is there hope for Claire?” James asked, “Can she return to how she was?”

“I don’t know,” answered Lilith. “I’ve never attempted to restore a husk before… they don’t usually live long anyway.” James’ look of concern prompted Lilith to elaborate. “Husks are tied to the lifeforce of the one who created them. When their master dies… so do they. In the past, several of my agents have made husks, but they died shortly after. It may very well be possible to return Claire to her original state. If anyone can do that James, it’s you.” She offered him a comforting smile before standing. “You need to go now though.”

James climbed to his feet. “What? Why?” he asked.

Lilith took her agent’s hand in her own as she spoke. “It wasn’t your intention to do so, James, but you did create a husk last night. And now you need to go get her before anyone else finds her. There’s a reason I advise against completely draining the humans you have sex with. Husks are hard to control, and they can very quickly create new husks by draining people they come into contact with.”

That was news to James. “Wait, what? You’re telling me Claire is contagious?”

“That’s one way to put it, yeah,” answered Lilith. “But it won’t be a problem if you get to her first and can keep her away from anyone else until we figure out how to restore her.”

“Okay…” James said, thinking quickly. “I left her locked in the storeroom at work… shit! Sam’s opening this morning! I gotta go, Lilith.”

“I know,” said the demoness, smiling fondly at her servant. “Go. I’ll be here when you get back; I promise.”

James smiled back before closing the short distance between them and pressing his lips to Lilith’s. “I love you,” he whispered after breaking off their kiss.

James’ form began to shimmer and fade, leaving the golden sanctuary as he stirred in the real world. Lilith’s lips uttered an unheard response and the temple dissolved around James. He awoke on the floor of his bedroom, smiling peacefully, as his mistress’ words echoed through time and space to reach him.

“And I love you, James.”

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