The Generator: The Succubae Seduction (74 page)

“I’m glad we had your lights to make the prism work,” she tells me, landing on my opposite shoulder. Thankfully she’s dry this time. “We would have had to wait for morning, otherwise.”

“Where have you taken me, beast?” Emmet demands from his cage, fear staining his voice.

“Over the rainbow,” I tell him, smiling at my own little joke. He apparently doesn’t like my sense of humor.

“You have a promise to keep,” the pixie states, and I groan as I realize what she’s referring to. Despite the distortion of my windshield, I recognize the creature is in front of us.

“Aren’t there more important things we need to be about?” I ask, not liking this one bit.

“Do you really want to go face Gaia with a broken promise in your heart?” the golden woman asks me a bit too merrily. She’s receiving too much enjoyment from this. “Besides, your dragon girlfriend is right there waiting for you.”
Looking out, I stare at the massive blue object. I know that it’s the female dragon Areth brought into. . . . Wait a minute. . . .

“Areth, this is all your fault!” I proclaim, glaring at her indignantly.

“Perhaps,” she concedes, not seeming in the least bit apologetic, “but that doesn’t change the fact that you need to go out there and do perverted things with your newest girlfriend.”

While I admit that she’s right, I don’t let up on my glare until I get out of the Orange Bubble.

Blue looks down at me, and somehow I can tell she’s not happy. Considering she stands about twelve feet tall, and has a mouth full of very sharp teeth, I feel a little unsettled. It takes a great deal of effort to change forms—still worn out from yesterday and nothing to fully recharge my system—and I leave a small crater behind me, using the mass of the ground for my current shape. Odd, how I hadn’t noticed that the first time I’d changed. Luckily every time I make the change, it gets easier.

The less said about the next few hours the better. Suffice to say that it was violent, slightly bloody on both ends, but I did my duty and have plenty of energy. As Areth had said, I did a lot of perverted things to Blue. For her part, Blue was surprised to find herself fully healed after the culmination of our mating.

For my part. . . . Naw, nevermind. I’m going to just block out those hours from my memory.

I am however, surprised when Blue follows me back to my car, and sticks with me after changing back into my usual human body with clothing. Thankfully I have
plenty
of energy for
that
!

“I did what I needed to,” I state, wondering if there was something I had missed. “Why is she following me now?”

“We know you did,” Jennifer laughs lewdly. “We could hear it from here. I didn’t realize she was a growler . . . or was that you?”

Despite myself, I can feel my cheeks blushing at the bawdy woman’s remarks.

“Dragon’s don’t lay their eggs for at least a couple months after mating,” Ondine states, talking for the first time, her voice subdued for some reason. What’s happened to her over the last few days? She’d been so happy when Thomas agreed to take her in, but she seems withdrawn now. “It looks like you’ve gotten yourself another loyal follower.” Her melancholy tone makes that sound like a bad thing.

Looking back up at Blue, part of me is happy to have her on my side. The more rational part of me wonders what on Earth, or the Shadow World, I’m going to do with a dragon.

Knowing that there is little I can do about it at the moment, I get back into my car. Continuing to follow Areth’s directions, my car jounces as it travels over rough ground. By the time we come upon a large city, a lone mountain peak rising out of its center to tower into the clouds, everyone with the exception of the wounded Paladonic Healer is ready to get out and walk.

“Gaia has promised us safe passage,” Areth states as we step out and look at the buildings that make up the city. Every building looks as if it was carved straight from the ground. Solid rock walls with veins of marble, gold, silver, and every other rock and mineral, surround windows and doorways. Grass grows on almost every building.

“What do we do about him?” Jewkes asks, tilting his head towards our prisoner.

“The Earth Mother requests that he come along as well,” a new gravelly voice states. I spin around, hand on Murasame’s hilt ready to do battle as Blue growls menacingly behind me. I become a little hesitant when I see the speaker. “Relax Generator, I am sent to guide you to the Earth Mother.” The thing is made entirely of rock, with what appears to be mud or clay for joints, and stands an easy ten feet tall.

“Golems are Gaia’s elite force,” Brooke says, placing her hand atop mine, and I have to force myself to let go of my sword’s hilt.

“Awe, I wanted to see who would win,” Areth pouts, but gets over it quickly as she flies up to the thing’s head and sits down. “George here, is Gaia’s head general.”

“George?” I ask. The thing doesn’t
look
like a George.

“He doesn’t have his own name, no golem does, so I named him George,” the fairy informs me haughtily.

“You couldn’t have come up with something like Rocky?” Jennifer asks, sizing up the golem.

“Hmph,” Areth grumps, before turning and pointing the way into the city. “Onward, George.” She commands, and the golem obeys her. Despite his large size, the being walks silently.

Jewkes quickly unlocks Emmet’s cage—where had he gotten a key?—and pulls out a pair of handcuffs, cuffing the man’s wrists. “No funny business and I can guarantee you won’t have any problems from us,” the officer informs him. Richard has to help the wounded man walk, until Areth notices and commands George to carry Emmet.

The man squeaks in panic as he’s hoisted into the air, and I can see him trying desperately to scramble out of the Golem’s arms, but George implacably keeps a hold of him—holding the man much as an adult carries a small rambunctious baby—until Emmet calms down. The whole scene is rather comical to watch, and I even catch Becky smiling smugly at the wounded man.

Until now, I’d never considered how she must feel, having one of the order that’s responsible for her friend’s death with us, but from the almost malicious glee she’s receiving while watching Emmet struggle, I wonder if I’m going to have to protect him from her, or if I’m even willing to. We all know Emmet wasn’t responsible for Lisa’s death, and we likely wouldn’t have made it away if not for his help, but that doesn’t make him a friend, either. Who knows what dark acts he’d performed in the past against creatures from this world?

“Come on, Blue,” I state, turning to face the dragon. “I’ll feel a lot safer with you at my back.” She lowers her large head, nuzzling my shoulder as we begin walking. When she keeps doing it after a few steps, I realize she wants me to ride her. It takes me a couple minutes to figure out the best way to climb safely onto her back, but once up here, I get a good view of the city. George isn’t the only golem in sight as they can be seen patrolling many of the streets. As I’ve noticed in other populated places here in the Shadow World, there are more creatures than I know how to describe or recognize, all around us. I spot two large orcs at one point, but they shy away from our group, giving sullen glares to George and Blue.

“Where were you the last time I crossed paths with orcs?” I ask the dragon beneath me sarcastically. Whether she understands me or not, she just continues crawling after the golem.

We receive a number of stares as we pass through the busy streets, and I hear a number of mumblings about humans, and curiosity about what’s going on, but every creature we pass gives George and Blue a wide berth. We pass through the streets unmolested on our way to the mountain peak. I receive the most stares, and comments; apparently someone riding on the back of a dragon is unheard of or very rare.

“Is that how you mounted her earlier?” Jennifer asks me, arching one eyebrow. “No wonder she was making so much noise. I figured that after your skill at mounting me, you’d know how to mount such a large and magnificent creature.”

Jewkes gives the woman an odd look, a cross between confusion and shock. He probably has no idea how large she used to be.

“You were no easy conquest,” I shoot back at the large breasted woman, “and you bucked a lot more. But I seem to recall your only complaint being how sore you were afterwards.”

She laughs loudly, enjoying our little back and forth. I see Richard approach Thomas and ask him something, and from my coworker’s hand gestures, he’s describing what Jennifer used to look like. The officer gives me an odd look afterwards, and I can only chuckle inside, wondering what he must think of me. I don’t miss that Ondine is directly behind Thomas, head down and sullenly walking. I’m going to have to ask Brooke to find out what’s going on with her.

After about half an hour of walking, the ground noticeably slopes upwards, and the golem leads us towards a doorway in the side of a brown rock building.

George turns to Blue, addressing the dragon directly for the first time. A series of growls comes from the rock creature that Blue seems to understand, and she turns to indicate I should climb down. As soon as my feet touch solid ground, Blue picks up Emmet up with her teeth as George proffers the balding man, and begins to climb the outside of the mountain. The poor healer becomes apoplectic, and hyperventilates before passing out. I’d feel bad for the man, if Lisa’s death weren’t still so fresh in my heart.

“Your girlfriend is taking him up,” Areth announces, “to where we’ll meet Gaia. I know the way from here, George. Thank you!”

We follow the fairy inside, and I can immediately see why Blue had to take a different route. The hallways are just too small for the female dragon. For that matter, even the golem would have a hard time walking down this hallway.

Glowing moss adorns the rock walls, providing an eerie green light—at least, I think it’s green—and we walk in silence. I can’t speak for the others, but I actually start to feel a bit claustrophobic as though I can feel the weight of the Earth all around us. The floor gently slopes upwards, and at least it’s smooth.

I note that I’m not the only one to breathe a sigh of relief when we enter a large round chamber, numerous doors around the outside and a balcony with Blue sitting contentedly sunning herself. At her front paws, Emmet lies unconscious.

“Gaia will be with you shortly,” a voice rings out. It takes me a moment to identify the source of the speaker, and I have to shake my head once I finally do. What I had at first taken to be an ugly statue in the center of the room, is in reality a gargoyle. The thing stands so still, that even though I know it was the one that talked, I have a hard time believing it. “Please rest in your rooms, someone will be along shortly to see to any needs you may have. Your rooms are marked with your names, and no one but the owner may enter.” The stone creature stretches its wings and waddles off.

“What now?” Becky asks, coming to my side, and holding my hand.

“We do as the gargoyle suggested,” I state, already seeing a door with my name on it. ‘Lyden’ is written in quartz atop one door, and looking around, I see the names of my other companions on other doors. Everyone except Annabelle’s name that is. I find that peculiar, though. How did she know Annabelle wouldn’t be with us? For that matter, how did she know Emmet would?

“I’ll come with you,” Becky says, following me, but when I step through, she lets go of my arm. I turn to see what’s going on, and notice that her hands and arms are pressed flat against an invisible force, keeping her out.

“What’s going on?” I ask, stepping out and noting that nothing tries to stop me.

“The gargoyle said we can only enter our own rooms,” Brooke states as she comes out of her room, and tries to enter Jennifer’s room next to hers. She is stopped before she can pass the threshold.

“I don’t want to be alone,” Becky wines, and I can feel my heart break for her.

“Gaia wants us split up for a bit,” I say, wondering what the Pillar of Earth’s motives are, but knowing I’m right. “She promised us safe passage. Stay out here if you like, but I could use a shower. I can’t remember the last time I felt clean.” I hug the short brunette to me briefly, enjoying the feeling of her arms tightening around me.

I notice Thomas glaring angrily at his doorframe as Ondine’s unable to follow him into his room. He’d better be treating her right, I think to myself, pulling Becky tighter to me. I know I could treat the short brunette better right now, but I really want to wash away the days’ events.

“I love you,” I murmur as I pull away and smile reassuringly as I enter my room.

Closing the heavy door behind me, I head straight for what I had seen upon entering: a very modern looking standup shower. The walls look to be made of smooth gems, and I wonder how much wealth resides in just this one shower.

Stripping off my clothes, I turn on the water, and then groan in delight as steam begins to fill the open space. A porous rock sits on a shelf, and I guess correctly that it’s there for cleaning. I begin to scrape off what feels like years of dirt and debris from my skin and soul.

“I can see why so many women follow you,” a rich feminine voice states confidently, startling me, and making me drop the cleaning rock. “Hmm, it’s a good thing this isn’t one of your prisons, or you’d be in trouble for dropping that soap.”

“Who are you?” I gasp, trying to cover myself, until I see she’s only gaining more mirth at my attempts, and I finally just stand there, letting her get an eyeful. Looking at her, I can’t deny she’s attractive, with her dark rich skin the color of newly turned earth, and eyes equally as brown. She’s not exactly skinny, but well-proportioned nonetheless, with broad shoulders and wide hips.

“Didn’t the gargoyle inform you that someone would be along to see to any needs you might have?” She has on a slight smile, and I realize that the statue
had
mentioned this.

“Well, I’m fine,” I state, not missing the fact that she keeps looking at my package. “You can see to the others, if you want.”

“Oh, I can, can I?” she chortles. “They are being seen to already, young Generator. I was the one lucky enough to be able to service you.” The way she says that, makes me think the wrong kind of thoughts, and I can’t help but grow a little hard down below. Naturally she doesn’t miss this, either. “I could scrub your . . . back, if you like.” Her hesitation makes me think she was going to offer to scrub something else.