I froze in place amongst the sharp shards of the broken mirror. The Ca’Vagiri came closer, the sound of their combined hum rattling me right down to my bones. Frank screamed so loud my ear rang as he beat his wide wings and flew into the air. The hum intensified as the Ca’Vagiri stopped in place, all of them lifting their horribly deformed and lumpy heads to follow the bird.

I shuddered and slowly curled into a tight ball. The noise was screaming inside my head and out. I clamped my eyes shut, covering my ears with my hands. Neither helped me escape the unending waves of pain, vertigo, and misery.

I couldn’t reach my sword. My arms were cramping and felt like they weighed a ton. I stuck my shaking fingers in my bum bag. Pain shot through me like lightning, burning every nerve in my body. I tried to scream but no sound came out. The hum. It had to stop. Why wouldn’t it stop?

I drew out the dagger and pressed it against my throat. The sharp point of the blade dug into my skin. My hand was shaking. The pain of it was almost a relief. A distraction against the rest.

“Shut the hell up!” Frank screamed as he circled overhead.

The hum of the Ca’Vagiri stopped instantly leaving me lying there on the hot hard ground shuddering as I sucked in one deep breath after another. My hand dropped and my dagger along with it.

Maybe Frank truly was a treasure.

Frank flew back toward the enormous carved door, screaming with every wing beat. The Ca’Vagiri followed him, no longer interested in me. I climbed to my feet and limped toward the exit. My health bar was slowly creeping back toward full. The pain began to ease as my body speedily healed. Vitality was a fucking wonderful thing. I needed to throw some more ability points in there at some stage.

It was a frustrating game dynamic to only get one ability point per level. It made progress slow in my opinion. I didn’t like the constant waiting even if it did give me time to think about what to assign it to. It was never enough time anyway so why the wait? I would have to have a word with Melumek about it. You know, because I have the power to influence gods and all that. I’m sure he wouldn’t just reach into my chest and snatch out my soul to sprinkle on top of his cornflakes.

I stepped over the threshold and sighed my relief before turning back and holding out my arm.

“Oy, Frank! Get your ass over here.”

The large crow screeched and turned about flying to me with impressive speed. He alighted on my arm, clutching the limb with his powerful talons, and began preening his feathers, clearly proud of himself.

Together Frank and I sped through five floors of the ridiculous spire. Having him with me was fucking spectacular. He would distract whatever monster the room held and I would sneak through it until my feet hit the first step to the next floor up. It was clean, quick, and highly preferable to constantly battling monsters I knew nothing about. I’d give my left hand for a bestiary right about now.

The next floor, number nine if I hadn’t somehow lost count, was a wonder like nothing I had ever seen. The room was draped in crimson silk not just around the walls but also hanging in delicate sheets from the ceiling. In the center of the room, below a large ornate chandelier and sitting atop a podium, was an enormous bed decorated with golden silk sheets. Hundreds of pillows in every shape imaginable were spread atop it and over the floor around it.

I felt like I was back at Lucinda’s Dance House. A feeling confirmed by the sleepy moan of the woman curled atop the bed, her luxuriantly dark skin smooth and flawless. The thick curls of her dark hair were parted by a pair of small horns decorated by golden rings.

She rose from her slumber, rubbing at her eyes. Her plump lips parted just a little revealing pearly white teeth. The sheer fabric of her skin-tight bodysuit left nothing to the imagination and I couldn’t be more grateful that it didn’t.

“Another, so soon? I’m still full from the last,” she said in a willowy whisper that carried across the room.

I bowed to her with a twirling hand fanfare, like I was some gentleman from the regency era and not a country bumpkin from an old dusty cattle station.

“Apologies for the intrusion,” I said. “I’ll be on my way.”

I moved into the room, giving her a wide berth. I tried not to stare at her but she was making it difficult, crawling to the edge of the bed and flicking her slender tail as she ogled me with stunning silver eyes.

“You are not like the rest, are you, stranger?” she asked.

I swallowed past the dryness in my throat. She was a monster of some kind but she had truly taken my breath away. My eyes flickered to the stairs at the end of the room. I knew I needed to get there and as fast as possible, I just couldn’t remember why.

I could hear her purring. The sound was magical. A balm on my poor ears that still rang from my battle against the Ca’Vagiri. I wanted to go to her. To curl up on the sheets and wrap her in my arms. Maybe I could brush her hair to one side and taste the flesh of her neck. A nip by her ear might draw out another of her glorious moans. Even the thought of it almost had me blowing my load.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Shut the hell up!”

I yelped and jumped back, the fog that had commanded my brain dissipating just a little. I blinked and looked around, wondering when the fuck I had climbed onto the podium.

The woman sighed and rolled onto her back, her ample chest on full display as her hard nipples pressed against her bodysuit. “And we were so close to having a wonderful time. Your silly pet is a spoilsport.”

“Yes, yes he is,” I agreed. Frank smacked me in the face with his wing as he screeched indignantly. I lifted a brow at him and snapped, “what? You are.”

The woman let out a tinkling laugh that sounded like bells. “You are funny. What do I call you?”

I’m not even going to bother.

“Call me Joe. And you are?”

You really are stupid.

“Davina.”

I smiled. “A lovely name.”

“Of course it is. A lovely creature like me can’t have a foul name. It would be deceitful,” she said.

I took a step toward her. Something clattered on the floor drawing my eyes downward. I swallowed hard as a pillow shifted, revealing a dead man wearing a euphoric death mask. The sword I had kicked settled beside his body.

Devina saw the look on my face and glanced over the edge of the bed. “Ah, my last meal. He was not as fun as you. The Goddess has blessed me with the grandest dessert a succubus could ask for.”

“Succubus?”

Devina giggled and shifted her position, kneeling on the soft mattress with her rear resting on her heels. “Of course silly, what did you think I was?”

“A goddess.”

“So sweet,” she purred, gesturing for me to come closer. “Join me, Joe. With me, you’ll touch heaven.”

“Shut the hell up!”

Devina growled. “It was funny one time you feathered brat. Now it is just rude.”

I bopped Frank on the head with a finger. “She’s right, enough.”

“Come, Joe, before I lose interest.”

I stepped back off the platform and away from her divine beauty. “Apologies, but I have a previous engagement.”

“Why so formal? I am sure whatever plans you have can wait just one itty bitty hour,” she said.

Frank leaped into the air, screaming and circling the bed like a vulture. Devina hissed as she watched him, her silver eyes turning into slits as her forked tongue escaped her red-hued lips.

“Enough you stupid flying rat,” Devina screamed.

Would you move your ass, please? The stairs are right there.

The voices inside my head broke the stupor I was in. I turned and ran for the stairs. Part of my divided brain screamed at me to stay. Her there was pleasure and fun and comfort. Who knows what lay ahead on the next floor?

“Shut the hell up!”

Devina howled her rage as she jumped up on the bed, her painted nails growing in moments into vicious-looking claws. She jumped off the bed and spun to face me, red fiery magic making her body glow.

“Get back here, right now,” she screamed. “No one escapes me.”

I jumped over the corpse of Daughter of Umbra who wore the same wide grin as the Nox Warrior by the bed. She must have tried to escape before succumbing to the succubus’ overpowering charm. I didn’t want to end up like them.

A strong hand circled my arm and yanked me back.

“How dare you try to escape me,” Devina snarled. “No one leaves my den without my say so.”

I glanced at the number of surviving players. “That’s not true, is it?”

Her tongue flickered out of her mouth, stroking my cheek. A thrill coursed through me, lingering in my nether regions. Her eyes were mesmerizing, drawing me in even though I could see the burning anger hidden in their depths. I would have to earn her love back. I couldn’t stand her being angry with me.

I grabbed her waist and drew her near, pressing my lips to her throat like I have dreamed of doing. She was as sweet as chocolate.

“That’s it, my dear,” she whispered in my ear. “Let it all go and come with me.”

She took my hand, leading me back toward the bed. I smiled, watching the way her hips swung from side to side in front of me. I touched her tail, it was silky soft like the rest of her.

Come on man, don’t do this.

I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the annoying voices. What did they know anyway? They weren’t living this hellish nightmare like I was. Why should I deny myself untold pleasure, hadn’t I been through enough already? I was stuck in this unknown place, separated from the people I called family. The spire disappeared into the clouds. There would be hundreds if not thousands of other rooms filled with monsters. I was no warrior. There was no way I could defeat them all. Nora would have reached the top already but here I was, still under double digits.

Devina turned to me, running her warm hand down my bearded cheek. “Stop torturing yourself my love, it will make you taste sour. You know I much prefer sweet.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, leaning my cheek into her soft palm.

“Don’t apologize, love. Just let it all go. It’s only me and you here.”

“Only you and me,” I repeated.

“That’s right. Now kiss me.”

I smiled and leaned in, my lips just a hairs width from hers.

“Shut the hell up!”

Frank slammed into Devina sending her reeling away from me. She hissed as she spun, clawing at the bird as he flew out of her reach. I stumbled back, the spell broken once more.

Devina turned to me, her beautiful face contorted by rage. “Enough of this. If I can’t feed off of you, I’ll just kill you.”

She screamed and charged me, her tongue flickering out past jagged, pointed teeth as she lifted her clawed hands. I reached for my blade, my mind truly clear for the first time since I’d stepped into the room.

I ducked under her wild swing and jammed my sword deep into her stomach, twisting it and yanking it free. Blood splattered across the floor.