image [https://i.imgur.com/xcQhW8Y.jpg]

Aurelia skidded to a stop within the shelter of the trees, the last remnants of my Burst fizzling out. Behind her, the clash between Sluttia—Slutty, Slaethia!—forces—my bad, I’ll eventually get it right—and the undead thundered on, a brilliant display of dead soldiers reanimated from their own fallen. Poetic shit, right?

With a pang of reluctance, I oozed and peeled away from the coolness of Aurelia’s pale flesh, which I had coated in utter reverie. My gaze lingered, captivated by her gleaming body as the last remnants of the lunar eclipse faded, revealing the luminescent blue and pink planet of Völuspá overhead. Meanwhile, my form reshaped itself, silk threads weaving across my face to craft a white mask of false skin—no, that’s not right.

Remember, Blake! I need to truly believe the silk is my skin; that way, the subconscious casting of it will be easier and more lifelike.

Hmm… Embrace the delusion and insanity to become a great sorceress—got it!

Aurelia stood there smirking at me, as unmoving and expectant as a nude Greek statue. I had no clue what she was waiting for, so I just stared back, lost in my thoughts.

“My beloved, as much as I’d love to keep this little game going, we really should get moving,” Aurelia cooed.

I nodded absentmindedly.

“Um... your hands,” she said, her lips twitching as she fought back laughter.

Glancing down, I realized my hands were still cupping her bare breasts. “Oh, right,” I mumbled, yanking them away quickly and clasping them behind my back—as if worried they might wander back on their own.

“And my robe,” she added, the amusement in her tone clear.

“Ah, yes,” I nodded, pulling open the Stellar Void to retrieve the robe I’d stashed inside.

The hole opened within my chest, resembling a tunnel into the blackest of abysses. I caught Aurelia gazing into it with a mix of surprise and awe, utterly captivated. I reached in and easily retrieved the robe—there wasn’t much else in there, well, that I could remember, anyway. I won’t lie, I’m pretty forgetful... Oh, and there was that spare phylactery I had no idea what to use for... Speaking of which, I had a nagging feeling Aurelia and I were forgetting something. I glanced at Aurelia’s hand; she was still clutching the other phylactery, so no, nothing was amiss.

Where was she hiding that during the battle?

I shrugged it off as she placed the orb within her dimensional ring—or was it a bracelet? I mean, it was on her wrist, but it had also been a cock ring prior to her wearing it…

As I handed the robe over, I hesitated, stealing another long glance at Aurelia’s perfect form.

Damn, those things are perky.

Of course, Aurelia caught my gaze—it wasn’t like I was hiding it or anything.

“Still thinking with your dick... Hmm, I suppose I can’t use that line anymore, can I?” she mused as she slid on her robe while I glanced down at my female form. “Reincarnated as a woman,” she softly chuckled. “Though, I’m surprised you still remembered my true name,” Aurelia added—no, Aislinn stated.

“I witnessed what happened in a dream,” I softly whispered. “Us running through a winter forest, a village burning… our deaths at the hands of the Romans,” I sighed, noting how Aislinn flinched, her hand instinctively clutching her stomach as though mourning a loss. “However, I watched it all as though it were someone else’s experience,” I laughed bitterly. “If it wasn’t for Duskara’s explanation, I don’t think I would have realized I was witnessing one of my own past lives,” I concluded, lifting my eyes to meet Aislinn’s. “My entire life, something was missing—a void I couldn’t explain. For the first time I can remember, I feel whole when I’m with you.”

“It’s the same with me,” Aislinn smiled, cupping my cheek. Her cool hand sent waves of butterflies through my being. “Who’s Duskara?”

“Oh, uh, the Crone?” I scratched my chin.

“The Crone told you her true name? No, that’s not important,” Aislinn corrected herself, stepping closer.

I leaned in for a soft kiss that spoke of more passion than I’d ever known, my body quivering under her touch. It wasn’t that I was inexperienced, but until now, my encounters had been driven more by kinky-fueled lust than actual passion. This was different. This was so much more. Could this be love?

“We need to leave,” her breath tickled my lips as she whispered.

I glanced over her shoulder to see the battle with the undead still raging on and nodded.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Aislinn continued, “Hikari and the other vampires you freed should be nearing the Ockpool Dungeon by now. They’ve likely rounded up any of the beastkin who fled into the woods, though it’s unclear if they’ve taken them in as allies or as food. We really need to hurry back and find out. Now’s not the time to be making new enemies.” She flashed a smile, revealing her seductive fangs, and held up her wrist to show a golden bracelet. “Besides, I have the dungeon core.”

“Take it! Take it, now!” an all too familiar and infuriating voice bellowed in my mind. “Take it, and ascension is yours!”

I stepped back from Aislinn, clutching my head. It felt like I’d been bitch-slapped and received the world’s worst ice cream headache all at once.

“What’s wrong?” Aislinn’s face filled with panic at my sudden reaction.

“Take it!”

Argh—fuck off!

“Ugh. That blue-assed magic-bitch of a goddess quested me with grabbing that core, and now she’s having a meltdown, demanding I snatch it from you,” I groaned, still clutching my head.

“A goddess? Which goddess?” Aislinn’s tone darkened as if she were ready to unleash unholy hell on anyone who dared harm me.

I was too busy clutching my head to truly notice the threat in her tone, grappling with the lingering aftershocks of the pain that had just seared through me. I straightened up, shaking my head from side to side as if trying to shake the last remnants of pain away.

“Hm? Oh, um... The Primordial of Magic, I think? Yeah... that was it,” I nodded, finally noticing the enraged expression on Aislinn’s face. “It’s fine,” I quickly added. “I already got what I wanted. That bitch can sit on her thumb and spin for all I care,” I said with a smile, “I’ve got you,” hoping to lighten Aislinn’s mood.

Geez, a bit protective of me, isn’t she?

Yeah. It’s hot as fuck!

“Hmm,” was her only response as she took my hand and led me deeper into the forest, away from the battle and toward the dungeon.

I think she’s pissed.

As we made our way through the forest, I noticed a few beastkin who had escaped were now trailing us; apparently, not all who fled had followed... Hikari? I have a pretty shitty memory, but I’m almost certain that was the vampire with the gray feline features. Though, if I had to guess, some had also darted off in the opposite direction, probably back to wherever they came from—the Yeastveil Kingdom? Ha! Maybe my memory isn’t as terrible as I thought.

That all said, Aislinn—or Aurelia, when speaking in front of others—was being rather quiet. Yeah, she was still pissed after Magic had given me one hell of a migraine. I can’t say I minded; I’ve never had anyone this protective and enraged on my behalf... like, ever! It was surprisingly sweet.

Especially when I glanced down at our hands. She was grasping mine rather tightly, as if afraid to let go. I didn’t blame her; I felt the same way. Unlike her, I didn’t have a lifetime of memories from when we were together in another life, back when I was some dude named Bowen. Instead, all my memories were from being Blake, a twenty-something goth chick with intimacy issues… among others. I knew of those memories of Aislinn and Bowen, even received a glimpse of how they tragically died, but I didn’t share those precious moments of happiness, of love, of being together like she did.

And yet, I still felt so strongly drawn to her, as though my very soul couldn’t bear the thought of being separated from her ever again. It was strange, yet it felt so right. Still, I wished I understood this unspoken, magnetic pull.

We stepped out of the forest and into the aftermath of a battle, facing the dungeon ruins—a stone fortress that appeared as though it had been decimated in a brutal siege. Stone slabs, boulders, and rubble were strewn everywhere among the dead.

“What’s the plan?” I glanced over at my sexy vampire, who was still taller than me. I was going to have to change that, and soon.

“We’ll have to refortify the dungeon and use the core’s power to create a gate—what are you doing?” Aislinn paused, glancing at me.

A sly grin spread across my face as I maintained eye contact, a tentacle slipping out from my dress to gobble up a nearby corpse. As I devoured it, I gradually increased in height until I matched Aislinn’s. I probably could have done this when I first freed her from her cell, but after that battle as her dress, I had lost so much mass I didn’t have anything extra to spare... Still unsure where I store anything extra, but that was going to remain one of the great Blake Pudding mysteries.

“Nothing,” I sweetly replied, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

“Ah-ha,” Aislinn gave me a knowing glare that promised playful punishment later. “Please refrain from eating any more of our soldiers.”

“Soldiers?”

Aislinn smiled as the first undead rose from the ground, creaking and groaning. “Yes, my love, soldiers.”

“I’m surprised the Slaethians didn’t burn the corpses after the battle,” I noted.

“They typically don’t need to. Instead, they sanctify the area with Holy, preventing any necromancer from raising the dead. Though, that has never stopped me,” her smile turned a bit darker.

Gods, I want to take her right now!

I glanced over, noticing the beastkin that had quietly followed us here looking rather nervous as the dead rose. A few appeared ready to sprint off into the forest, but they held their ground, likely not out of confidence but due to a lack of alternatives. No, they were terrified and seemed unsure where else to go.

“Aw, my lady,” croaked a raspy voice.

Turning my gaze from the beastkin, I noticed the frog man who had been tortured exiting the ruins. His movements were flooded with happiness, reminiscent of a loyal dog, as he rushed over. It was rather pathetic, but I wouldn’t strike down anyone who showed loyalty to my sexy vampire. No, if I had my way, everyone would kneel before her as she sat her perfect ass down on a throne made of my gooey flesh, with my face serving as the cushion. What—jealous?

“Vorigan,” Aislinn—no, it was Aurelia now—her entire demeanor shifted from passion and desire to one of stern seriousness, as though she was all business. “Has Lady Hikari and the other vampires made it back?”

“Yes, my lady,” the frog nodded in affirmation.

“I’ll raise the dead and get them to fortify the area while I use the dungeon core’s power to create a gate out of here,” Aurelia informed the frogman.

“About that,” he paused, seemingly unsure before continuing, “the dungeon denizens were waiting for us. Apparently, they had a deal with your…” the frog glanced at me, uncertain of what title to use. “Mate?”

Mate? Not the word I’d use, but I can work with it.

Aurelia seemed not to notice the title as her attention turned toward me. “What agreement?” she asked.

“Hmm? Oh, uh, they wanted the core. Apparently, everyone wants that thing,” I shrugged. “It’s yours as far as I’m concerned.”

“We can use this,” Aurelia mused, tapping her lower lip thoughtfully. “Vorigan, lead me to their leader.”