Encounter

The coldest of winter cannot compare to the coldest of hearts. I found this out my 28th year. It was the early spring and the trees and flowers fragrant in their renewed birth. I moved along a busy street anxious to make an appointment I would surely be late for. The street was quite crowded and as I stared anxiously, dismayed by my situation I noticed her. She saw me as well. Her deep blue eyes moving nonchalantly over me scrutinizing, searching for the inner beast.

I stopped, appointment forgotten, my mind was trapped within the workings of my heart. I began toward her my knees weak as though I should collapsed at any given moment. She smiled coyly and gained and air of aloofness as she made her way through the crowd. She turned a corner before I could reach her and my heart sank, knowing I had lost her. I turned the corner seemingly in vain and almost ran into her so great was my resolute. She laughed softly, her voice like the clearest waters, bright, life giving and refreshing and I drank it all in.

"Laila." she commented casually. Her voice, my senses dissolved instantly a victim of desire. She held out a delicate hand and smiled again. This time the smile was just for me, the final turn in the knife of lust impaling my heart. She glanced down at my gloved hand. "Isn't it a little warm for those?" she asked. I stuffed them into my pockets suddenly self conscious.

"I am Savion." I said, despite the constricting of my breath. "My hands were disfigured when I was very young. I would like them to remain on." She nodded and pulled my hand from my pocket leading me through the busy streets. I followed along happy to go anywhere with her. I scarcely noticed when she stopped in front of a building. I graced her with a look of confusion as I recognized it to be the very one in which I lived.

"My apartment is 4A." she said as she led me inside. Despite the warmth of the day I shivered inwardly. How could I have neglected to notice such a magnificent beauty within my own building? She led me to the elevators like an obedient dog. Immediately she was upon me, ravaging me. Her lips rouged bright red and silken touching my own. Her tongue immediately in my mouth as her nails raked furiously at my back.

As soon as the elevator stopped she composed herself and led me to her apartment. It was a quaint place, small and cozy. Just as I expected from her. Though I just met her it seemed I had known her all my life. She offered me a drink and I accepted gratefully. Not a wise decision on my part as I was already intoxicated with her. She seemed to know my very thoughts and ran her hand over the seat of the sofa as she walked past it. "Sit, Savion. Make yourself at home while I get you a drink.

I sat back and relaxed. The place was so warm and inviting. She returned shortly carrying two glasses of the most exquisite wine. I accepted mine and drank it almost greedily and sat the glass upon the coffee table. I noticed her glass there too. I failed to notice yet it was still quite full. She was immediately upon me just as she had been in the elevator kissing, scratching, caressing, tearing at my clothes like a beast unrestrained. I undressed as quickly as my restricted movement would allow and began to remove her clothing.

She stood suddenly basking in the glory of her completely exposed body. I stood also and carried her into the bedroom, kissing, teasing her flesh, craving dominating her completely. She allowed me my way with her, details are not so important but a few hours later I fell from her exhausted, covered in a thin sweat, completely spent. She had brought me to new heights. "Savion, my love. You have done so well. Rest now and reclaim your energy." she said as she slowly ran her hand over my back. Complete bliss is all I knew and soon I slept from exhaustion.

Sometime later I awoke to the sound of the shower running. I forced myself from the warm bed my legs almost failing me as I stood. I felt so weak still, so exhausted. I sat back down, hard, and glanced around the room. I had not noticed before the lack of furniture in this the room. It seemed the bed and one rather small dresser where its entire contents. I tried once more to stand and managed to remain upon my feet. I steadied myself by remaining very near the wall. I moved through her apartment noticing the pattern was repetitive. The kitchen did not even have the essentials such as a stove and refrigerator. What was this? What was she?

I made my way back to the bedroom and lay upon the bed waiting. She would have some answers I was sure of it. Afterall I loved her and she had to ease my soul with the truth. The shower was still running and I found myself thinking how long it had been. I felt my strength returning, slowly, by degrees. By the time she emerged from the bathroom. I knew the answer to my query and knew what I must do. Though I was caught somewhere between waking and dreaming once again I turned my head and watched quietly as she approached the bed.

She glanced at me but said nothing. The look on her face was quite different than I expected. I felt a wave of disgust rush over me. The word slowly came from my lips. "Succubus." She turned, her eyes wide with surprise and what seemed to be fear. I moved stealthly to my feet and stood watching her. I could scarcely breath, this demon had caught me in her lies, in her treachery.

She rushed from the room. She seemed afraid but I knew her only fear was that I had found out her true nature. She headed toward the front door, holding desperately to the towel wrapped around her frail frame. I cut her off effectively. She allowed a small squeal and turned away. She stood shivering like a frightened rabbit. My heart almost melted as she looked upon me. Her eyes, her eyes caught my attention and in a moment of heated rage I rushed at her. Her eyes gave away everything, cold and cunning as she looked upon me. She ran toward the kitchen and I followed madly.

Her intentions were directed at the back door. I grabbed her wrist and held it firmly, my grip vise-like and unyielding. "Explain this." I demanded. She looked at me quizzically, her expression one of incomprehension. "There is nothing here. No one lives without proper furnishing. No one but a demon. You do not have them because you do not need them."

Tears began to flow as she looked desperately around the room. "No," she said, her voice very weak and small "I just moved in, all of my things are to arrive tomorrow." I growled outraged and pulled her further from the door.

"Liar!" I accused. "You are just like the others. A lying demonic beast who sucks the life from men by using your sex. Admit it!" I screamed. She shook her head refusing to comply. Outrage built within me. It was explosive and hurting. It needed to be released and soon. I glanced around the room and detected a knife upon the counter. "If you have nothing here what need do you have of a knife?" I asked as I picked it up. It was a large hunting knife. The kind I had so often used to gut my prey when hunting.

"I was scared. I'm alone. I have been coming here to the building over the past few weeks getting things ready, renting the apartment and such. I saw you many times. You seemed so...nice...so reasonable and so secure. I thought...I don't know what I thought." she broke and began to sob heavily allowing herself to lean against the wall, all her energy leaving her in a rush.

I held the knife up to the light. The golden light of dusk seeped in and reflected off the blade. I glanced tentatively at her. Her soft white flesh. The knife would so easily move through it. Succubus are strong in draining you but the human forms they take are vulnerable indeed.

She bolted for the back door again. I leapt at her knocking her effectively to the floor sitting upon her back. She opened her mouth to scream but I stopped her. Ah yes, I stopped her. I grabbed her hair and held her head back then placed the knife in her mouth blade down and pushed sharply before pulling it forward, splitting her tongue from the back to the tip down its center. She began to choke on the blood as it rushed back into her throat. I almost laughed, the image of her drowning in her own blood too much to resist.

But of course I had other plans. I held tightly to her hair and dragged her back into the bedroom. I threw her upon the bed where she lay choking and coughing. There was not much to work with but then there never is. The succubi have little possessions it seems. I suppose this is so they might move on to their next victim quickly. I pulled the sheet from the bed and stood indecisively trying to decide where to tie it. There was ceiling fan but I doubted it would serve my purpose.

The living room had a light fixture with a hooked attachment. Perfect. I threw the sheet over it then dragged her into the living room. By now she was quite weak from blood loss. I tied her feet together and hauled her up. As I feared the fixture started to give way but stopped sort of breaking entirely. Her hands touched the floor but it was sufficient. She began to fight weakly as she hung suspended by her ankles. She curled her fingers into claws, I noted her nails were indeed quite long but this was more annoying than menacing. Something caught my attention, a hammer and nails she had been using to hang pictures. I thought this odd but there is no limit to the deceptions of a succubus.

With considerable effort I held her hands, one at a time to the floor, palms flat against it and secured them with a nail through the center. She tried to scream but by now was so weak I thought she might not make it to the finale. Blood ran from her mouth and from her awkward position through her nose. She was indeed drowning in her own blood now.

I laid the knife against her soft white stomach and held it for a brief moment. As usual only a moment to savor the kill. I placed the knife gently into her flesh careful not to puncture the bladder or intestines. Immediately a sanguine rush poured forth. I cupped my hands retrieving a drink. They say drinking the blood of an enemy you have killed gives you his power and a part of his soul. Were this true I must be overtly powerful.

I glanced down, enjoying myself and noticed to my disappointment my victim was quite dead. No need in continuing, so few made it to the end. I dropped the knife casually and looked around. I would have to remove all evidence of my being here. Not so much to do, the gloves always worked wonders. I would need to dispose of them as I had the others, yet it was hard to look at my hands as burned and disgusting to me as they were.

I used her shower and washed away the blood from my body. The gloves being wet were a liability but I had learned early on to manage, take them off to shower, dress and immediately replace them. So meticulous, so well planned. I showered and placed clean gloves on, burying the bloodied ones within the folds of a fresh towel. I dressed quickly and taking the towel went once again to admire my work. This one had been fairly easy. Some were very difficult and I had more than once sustained a bruise or two but never a cut nor a scratch. I would not allow them anything that could incriminate me in such a manner. Afterall I was doing the world a justice, righting a wrong so to speak.

I walked toward the door and a thought came to me. I picked up the knife once more and carved the numbers 43 into her skin, carefully so that I did not bloody my clothing or the fresh gloves. I stepped back and nodded my satisfaction. The police would know what it meant. I picked up the glass I used from the coffee table and noted hers was full still. Of course it was, not once had the succubi I encountered drank the wine. I exited her apartment as worrying questions seized me. How many times would I have to do this? Exactly how many succubi are there?