The Generator: The Succubae Seduction (33 page)

“All the more reason to get her out of there, then,” I state firmly, cursing myself for all the delays and detours we’d taken. Had I known she was being mistreated, I would have been quicker. I don’t even wait as I charge for the castle, dragging Lisa behind me.

“Lyden, wait!” Angela yells behind me, but I don’t slow down, until she swims in front of me, blocking my path. “We can’t just go charging in there. We have to be more discreet.”

Looking around at our group, I realize she’s right. AnnaBelle and Lisa are still dressed in clothing from Earth, and while they can breathe underwater, they still look very human. It’s not likely that any human-looking non-humans will be down there. With my tail, and Angela looking like a mermaid, we’ll likely blend in well enough, but the other two women won’t.

“What. . . .” I begin, not sure exactly what to ask.

“Relax,” the succubus says soothingly. “I wouldn’t have let them come if I didn’t have a plan to get us in there. Just wait here for a moment.” She turns and looks down, waiting for something, and I start to get antsy. Why is she just waiting?

A few minutes later, I see a group of four creatures swimming towards us.

“Calm down,” Angela says when she sees me tense up. “Just follow my lead.”

As the creatures come closer, I see that they’re three mermen and a mermaid, all topless. The men’s muscles are thick, and ripple as they swim. Even the woman looks tough. Two of the men and the woman each have a sword in hand. The third man carries a trident, and seems to be in charge.

“State your business for coming to Atlantis,” the trident toting merman states officiously.

Atlantis?

Angela swims forward, stopping a respectful distance away and bows to their leader. The bow actually looks odd in the water, but she pulls it off. “Captain,” she starts, “I come bearing gifts from Marchosias. These two women have been bred to look human, yet are able to breathe in your lord’s realm. I have been told that Lord Varun is expecting this year’s tribute from the demon Marchosias.”

The captain approaches the two women. He gives my tail a cursory glance, and my bare groin an unhappy frown. “They look human, alright,” he states. “Where did you get the clothing? It looks authentic as well.”

Angela gives an easy laugh before replying. “I’m actually a succubus, only in this form to assist in delivering my master’s rent. I can travel freely between realms as long as I’m cautious.”

“I know what you are, demon. I could smell your stink a mile off.” It takes some effort not to whip the merman with my tail at his insulting comment. The man is arrogant, and condescending, but I see a warning glance from Angela, and hold still. He notices anyway. “Seems your lackey doesn’t know his place.”

“Please ignore him, captain. He was a failed breeding experiment. A mute. I only brought him to assist in delivering these other women,” she easily lies. I knew that succubae had to be masters of deceit, but if I didn’t know any better, she’d have me believing her.

I wonder though, if the laws state that there can be no interbreeding, how would Marchosias get away with something like this?

The captain grunts, and dismisses me like a piece of trash. “See that he behaves.” He swims around us once more, before adding, “You can leave them in my care and be gone.” He waves his three subordinates towards us, but Angela clears her throat.

“Respectfully, Captain, my orders were to deliver them directly into the dungeons. My master doesn’t want another incident.” Angela’s tone is respectful, but at the same time insistent.

The captain glares at the succubus, while the other three surround us. If this goes badly, we’re in trouble. Looking at the mer-people, I notice the mermaid sneaking glances at my package. I try to give her a winning smile, but she huffs and looks away. Her attitude doesn’t hide her slight blush though.

“That situation was rectified, and the one responsible punished. Do not impugn upon
my
honor, succubus.” There is no mistaking the anger in the merman’s voice.

What incident is this? I wonder, but things are moving too fast for me to think long on it.

“I understand, captain, but my orders were clear. My punishment will be severe if I fail my master.” My heart almost breaks to hear the pleading in her voice, even though I know the story is false.

“What do I care about the punishment of a succubus?” the captain glares at the dark-skinned succubus. The mermaid swims up to the captain and whispers something to him. He backhands her, sending her sprawling through the water. “Don’t presume to tell me my job, Ondine.” Despite being struck, Ondine rights herself. She takes up her post again, her cheek turning red where the captain had struck her. The captain turns back to Angela with a sour look on his face. “Fine, we will take you to the dungeons, succubus, and then you will depart, or face Lord Varun’s wrath.” He smiles wickedly as he adds, “And lately, his wrath has been vicious, indeed. Especially to women.”

He begins to swim away, and the other three around us indicate we should follow. I take Lisa again as we’re escorted to the massive castle. I don’t miss the fact that Ondine swims next to me, with one merman behind us, and the other one on the other side of Angela and AnnaBelle.

Looking at Ondine, I begin to wonder if all mermaids have smaller breasts as her brown hair streams behind her in the water.

“Keep your eyes ahead of you, freak,” Ondine states as she glances at my crotch.

As we enter the city, I marvel at the architecture around us. Doors open up to the water on every level; there is no need to only have entryways at the base as anyone can swim.

“You swim worse than a newborn,” Ondine snidely says next to me, and I have to keep my mouth shut. I’m supposed to be mute. Instead I try to smile dumbly at her, nodding my head. She doesn’t seem impressed.

Our escort leads us down to the seafloor and over to a door in the side of one of the castle’s minarets.  He pounds on the door and a moment later a panel moves aside. The unmistakable black eyes of a Grindylow peep out.

“Tribute to Varun from the demon Marchosias,” the captain announces, disgust in his tone and the door opens a moment later. “Take them in, and come right back out.” He glances at the little Grindylow, and it’s obvious he thinks very little of the creature. “This thing will show you where they belong,” he states, referring to the Grindylow as an object.

“Might I ask one last boon?” Angela asks, and I see anger flare up in the captain’s eyes, but she continues. “The streets can be dangerous for my kind here, and I fear for our safety as we attempt to leave your great city. Would you mind escorting us out?”

My eyes nearly bulge at her request. Is she crazy? This self-centered merman would never let us leave all together, especially not if we have Brooke with us. What is she thinking?

The captain glares at the four of us, before responding. “I couldn’t care less about your safety, succubus, but for some reason Lord Varun allows that demon master of yours to reside on our borders. It won’t due to anger him any further.” Is that a smug look I see on Ondine’s face? Is that what she’d said to the captain to get him to escort us down here? Unfortunately, I’m not the only one to see it. “Ondine here can escort you back.” He turns to the mermaid, a malicious gleam in his eyes. “Escort them all the way in and back out; then when you have taken them outside the city, return and report directly to my chambers.” His tone indicates that she won’t like reporting back to him.

Great! Way to go, Angela, I think. Now we have a babysitter. Really, what is she
thinking
?

Before anything else can be said, the captain gathers up his other two mermen and they swim off.

Despite myself, I feel bad for the mermaid. We had gotten her into trouble, and while she might be the enemy and rude, she hadn’t done anything to us personally to deserve her treatment.

I open my mouth to apologize to her, but remember I’m supposed to be a mute. I close my lips, glaring at Angela.

“Come on,” Ondine says dejectedly. “Let’s get this over with.”

She swims through the opening, and we follow, but not before I shoot Angela another dark glance. For some reason she just smiles at me. I wonder what’s going through the two human women’s minds as we enter the dim corridor. They’ve remained silent the whole time.

I’m soon lost as we make turn after turn, until we enter an area full of cells. Most of them are full. Their occupants look at us dejectedly, but none of them speak.

“Why are the cells so full?” Angela asks the mermaid.

Ondine glares at her for a second, before sighing resignedly and answering, “Lord Varun is wise, and sees traitors better than his own guards.” Her words say one thing, her tone another. Lord Varun has grown paranoid. Is this because of TanaVesta’s treatment?

Ondine leads us ever deeper, and I notice that Grindylows are the jail keepers. Are they on our side? Not very likely, I realize. They wouldn’t have had time to hear about what happened on the beach.

Finally the disgruntled mermaid stops before an empty cell, and orders a Grindylow to open it. As the little green creature unlocks the cell, the real mermaid turns to us, and for some reason I see hope in her eyes.

“Would your master be willing to take me in?” The words surprise me, but Angela only smiles. She must have known this was coming, but how?

“He would be willing I think, but you know that you would be ostracized. No longer allowed back here,” the succubus mermaid says evenly. “You would be an outcast.”

The mermaid seems to think this over for a bit, before replying. “Every day it becomes more dangerous here. Varun has grown more and more paranoid. I will never advance as a guard, and there is no place for me here.” She looks around nervously, and I’m surprised she ignores the Grindylow. I don’t miss her leaving out the ‘Lord’ before saying the Pillar of Water’s name. “Females are in the most danger. Any slight mistake and we’re thrown in one of these cells. Even after Brooke rescued our Lord from the Pillar of Fire, he refuses to trust any mermaids.”

Thinking back, I realize that most of the creatures down here that I could recognize the gender of, have been female. With Ondine ordered to come back and face her captain, I don’t blame her for wanting to get away when she has the chance. Hearing Brooke’s name, though, sends a bolt of electricity through my system, and it takes all of my effort not to demand to know where my childhood friend is being kept.

Before I have the chance to act, however, the Grindylow does, striking the mermaid in the back of the skull and knocking her out. He then drags her into the cell, and locks it.

I stare in shock at the little creature, wondering what’s going on. “Come Generator,” the little green creature says. “Your friend is this way.”

“What’s going on?” Lisa asks, speaking for the first time in a while. Angela and I exchange glances, but apparently even she hadn’t been expecting this.

“We can’t just leave this poor creature,” AnnaBelle says, but the Grindylow is already taking off. I can worry about Ondine later. Right now, Brooke needs me.

Grabbing Lisa once more, I use my dragon’s tail to propel me through the water after our little helper. We don’t go far, before he stops and unlocks another cell.

“Don’t look,” Angela warns, but it’s too late.

Brooke is inside. Or what’s left of her. Fingers are missing from her right hand, and the fins on her tail are completely missing. Her face is mottled with bruises and cuts as is the rest of her bare torso. Her normally small breasts are swollen with bruises, and I can’t imagine the torture she’s been through.

Tears come to my eyes, but they blend in immediately with the surrounding water. I’m too late, I realize. She’s already dead. Once again, I curse myself for not rushing right down here to rescue her. I know I never would have made it without doing everything else, but I still can’t stop the self-recriminating thoughts accusing me of not doing enough.

“No!” I cry out as I enter the cell, not wanting to believe it. Picking her up in my arms, I cradle her damaged face to my chest, sobbing at the futility of it all. Why couldn’t I have been quicker?

Then I remember that she had left to warn others of TanaVesta’s treachery, when she’d been captured. If I hadn’t told her about the Pillar of Fire’s plans, she never would have left, and she’d be alive now.

“Lyden,” AnnaBelle says to me softly, “we need to go.”

Looking up, I glare at the woman, ready to unleash my wrath. I know she doesn’t deserve it, but damn it, doesn’t she understand? The woman that had been there for me ever since I was a child is dead, and it’s my fault.

A groan pulls my attention away from AnnaBelle as I try to find the source. I find myself looking down into open sea-green eyes.

“Lyden?” Brooke asks, confusion thick in her raw voice. She pushes me away from her, shaking her head. “No! You can’t be. Lyden can’t come down here. He’s too afraid of the water.” She tries to scuttle away from me, but she’s weak and her tail isn’t working properly.

“Brooke, it’s me,” I tell her excitedly. She’s
ALIVE
! “I got over my fear to rescue you!”

“Not so loud,” Angela hisses at me, but I don’t care. Brooke is alive, and that’s all that matters. I wasn’t too late.

“But . . . but
how
?” the damaged mermaid asks.

“That doesn’t matter right now,” I say, swimming over to her. “We need to get you out of here.”

“I-I can’t,” she stutters, looking at her ruined tail and hand.

I ignore her as I pull her into a tight embrace, forgetting about her injuries until I hear her grunt in pain. I loosen my grip, but she pulls me back to her, hugging me as tightly as her weakened arms are able to.

“Generator,” I hear the Grindylow say respectfully, recalling to me that the little creature was still there, “you need to go, before someone else arrives.”

Looking to the little green guy I nod, before looking back into Brooke’s swollen eyes. “I’m not leaving you behind,” I tell her. I cut off any protests she might have with a soft kiss.

Glittering multi-colored light suddenly shines brightly in the cell, and something tickles my mind. Almost, I feel as though I should be hearing something, but my ears feel stopped up.