The Demon

Lord Hokochu glared at the remains of the clumsy slave who had splashed wine on his arm. The fact that it had tripped over his sprawled leg was neither here nor there: the fact was a drop of the liquid was staining - he peered… well, had been staining - his flawless blue skin. Hn. It had evaporated. Never mind, it had left a sticky patch, that in itself was enough to warrant death…
      "Clear it up!" he snapped at one of the fifteen slaves staring open-mouthed in dismay: all of them immediately leapt to do the Dread Lord's bidding.
      Hokochu watched them as he sipped the fateful glass of wine, wondering vaguely why he felt so… irritable. Of course he didn't need a reason - he was Hokochu, Prince of Pain and Misery… but all the same… This bout of irritation felt different to his usual bouts of irritation, and not being able to work out why was irritating him.
      He picked his way through his sumptuous meal, finding fault with everything and blasting several more unfortunate slaves to atoms.
      As dessert - an exquisite fruit and iced cream confection - was served he brightened fractionally. That… groom-thing was visiting this afternoon.
      Good. That would cheer him up for a few minutes. And he'd be able to ask her about her master.

Hokochu knew of Menthis, of course - there were very few who didn't. But no-one seemed to know anything about him, other than where he came from and that he was part human. He was rumoured to have awesome demonic powers - though nobody had ever seen him in action. He was held in high regard by the senior demons, some of whom had even sought his advice on matters pertaining to the human plane… Ha! Fools and weaklings! Lord Hokochu needed no advice, on any subject!... And he was said to hold some great secret, although since it was a secret no-one had any idea as to what it could be. Even the half-demon's staff couldn't be tempted to speak of him, and that, more than anything, had convinced everyone that he was a force to be reckoned with. Slaves that couldn't be bribed or corrupted? Impossible! Except that it was indeed so…
      This was all far beneath the Dread Lord's notice, of course. Except… Menthis had evinced no awe when faced with his host, no fear, no cringing. His attitude had been, rather, one of long-suffering patience, of resignation. And he had sent one of his slaves - no, servants, the half-demon didn't have slaves. Hokochu couldn't see the difference, personally - to inform the Dread Lord that the groom would be his during the daylight hours (if the strange, fluid light that covered this everchanging land could be so termed), but that her master needed her the rest of the time.
      Hokochu had found himself irritated that Menthis hadn't delivered the message in person, and narrowly avoided blasting the cringing young messenger in his ire. Only the thought of possibly annoying the half-demon held him back. Not that he thought for one second that Menthis could actually do anything that might cause him harm - but it never hurt to be careful with unknown quantities. Well, either that or blast them, and right now Hokochu didn't particularly feel like blasting his guest. Wouldn't do his reputation much good.
      Besides - Menthis intrigued him.
      He tapped long nails on the table top, staring sightlessly at his melting dessert. Worried slaves had been taking away the plate and replacing it with another, non-melted one at intervals while the Dread Lord meditated, but this was the last of the confection… He suddenly noticed its shapeless state and raised a hand, palm outwards, to the slave who had brought it to him, his eyes narrowed in fury - when a low, gentle voice sounded from around the level of his stomach.
      "I trust I have not kept you waiting, my lord?"
      Hokochu jumped and lowered his hand, turning to glare down at Menthis' groom. The female stood sedately, hands clasped before her and head slightly lowered, gazing up at him from large pale eyes.
      "You dare interrupt my meal?"
      The little demon glanced at the table and bowed.
      "My most sincere apologies, my lord. I will come back later."
      She turned to leave, stopping at Hokochu's growled.
      "Since you're finally here…"
      He rose abruptly from his seat to tower over the female, swung his cloak dramatically around him, and stalked from the luxurious dining room, leaving Lin to trot along in his wake.

The bath had taken two hours this time. Hokochu had claimed he needed to relax thoroughly after a morning spent accepting the compliments and assurances of fealty from his guests - all very boring…

"Your master was not present."
      Lin had resurfaced after a prolonged time underwater, licking and suckling this time, teasing up the flanges of his organ with her forked tongue, licking inside the opening and sucking him deeply into her throat, holding him there as her cilia rippled and stroked him to an orgasm that had him seeing stars. She smiled gently at him, her face flushed and hand stealing down to her goin.
      "My master sent his regrets, my lord…"
      He caught her wrist.
      "Stop that. Get out of the bath and sit on the edge. I want to watch."
      Blinking her surprise, she clambered out and sat as instructed, legs widely spread, tunic pulled up to her waist. He peered at her groin, frowning in what appeared to be puzzlement, and Lin smiled to herself. Her… unusual… charms notwithstanding, he was acting as though he'd never seen a female pudenda before. Then again, with all his time spent in taking over lands, blasting enemies and intimidating guests and enemies alike, maybe he'd never had the time to…
      No, that was silly. He knew what 'fuck' meant - although he had looked a little… disgusted?... at the thought of her master fucking her…
      Her eyes widened.
      Maybe he only liked other males?
      But he was speaking.
      "Show me what it was I touched, last time."
      Muscles flexing, she obligingly opened herself, and his eyes widened at the sight of the long, prehensile cilia lining her cunt. She was pointing to a small raised patch on the end of a long shaft-like structure running along the upper wall of the orifice.
      "It was this, my lord. It is very sensitive."
      He touched it, and she gasped, thigh muscles trembling. He smirked and began to rub. And she came, drenching his hand in a sticky clear fluid as he snatched it away, expression full of loathing.
      "I'm sorry, my lord. I should have warned you, but you gave me no time…"
      He rose from the water and stepped hurriedly out, heading for the shower with his hand held outstretched from his body.
      "Set the shower going, if you value your life and that of your master."
      She hastily worked the controls, biting her lip so as not to chuckle as he rinsed and scrubbed at the hand until it shone dark blue. Then he swung to glower at her.
      "That was deliberate."
      She bowed her head.
      "I assure you it was not, my lord. But I can see you are…" she considered. Upset wouldn't go down too well. Nor would distressed… "… annoyed. Perhaps I might massage you, to express my sorrow and regret… I am quite skilled, my lord."
      Well, he'd enjoyed the touches she'd proffered yesterday. And she didn't seem to boast. He nodded curtly.
      "Very well. Dry me first."

A little later, skin dry, hair brushed to a shining clean softness, Hokochu lay on his front on his bed being treated to the most luxurious experience of his life. Made all the better when she quietly suggested he roll over, then took his penis back into her mouth. He all but exploded as he climaxed…

"No doubt you serve your master in this fashion."
      Lin, concentrating on easing a creamy lotion down one long leg, nodded.
      "Yes, my lord. My master enjoys this very much."
      "Hn. What else does he enjoy?"
      She smiled cautiously at the Dread Lord.
      "Everything that I have done for you, my lord, I learned from my master's body."
      Hokochu hmphed.
      "And does your master have any… family?"
      She was silent for a moment, wondering where this questioning was going, wondering what to answer.
      The truth, if not the whole truth, was probably safest.
      "No, my lord. He has no immediate family."
      "Are his entertainments as lavish as mine?"
      She shook her head.
      "My master rarely entertains, my lord."
      "He travels?"
      "Rarely, my lord."
      "What does he do, then?"
      "He is a scholar, my lord." She shifted to give the other leg equal attention. "He studies the reactions between the human and demon planes."
      "Why? What use is that?"
      "None, my lord. He is simply deeply interested in the subject." No point in telling Hokochu the full truth - she doubted he'd understand it anyway.
      The Dread Lord smirked.
      "And for diversions? What gives him pleasure?"
      She shrugged lightly.
      "He has none, my lord. My master is wholly devoted to his studies."
      "I see."
      Lin was beginning to grow alarmed. Why this sudden interest in her master? She sat back on her heels, every instinct urging her to get back to her master and somehow make him return home...
      "Is there anything else I can do for you, my lord?"
      Hokochu pulled himself upright and stood before her.
      "Dress me."
      His excuse for clothing came off a great deal more easily than it went on, she found out over the next half an hour, especially that damned groin guard, but she managed it, and stood with her head lowered, waiting to be dismissed. But the Dread Lord had her wait while he dug around in a small chest he took out of a cupboard, finally handing her an old-fashioned envelope.
      "Give this to your master. Tell him I will see him later to discuss it."
      Itching to know what was inside, she nevertheless bowed, thanked him, and made her way sedately back to her master's rooms.

Menthis was in his usual place, working, a slight frown on his beautiful pallid face, as she arrived back and knelt by his chair.
      "My lord, Lord Hokochu required me to deliver this to you."
      Hesitantly and with a dreadful feeling of foreboding she handed over the envelope. Menthis took it, examining it closely, smelling and listening to it before reaching for one of his knives to slit the parchment. Lin held her breath…
      Something slid out of the envelope, something long and thin and bright silver: it wrapped itself around his wrist before he had time to grab it, twining tightly around itself and settling close to his skin. He gasped and clutched at his arm, eyes widening hugely. Lin hurriedly rose.
      "My lord? Master, what is it? What's wrong? What can I do to help?"
      "Noth… nothing… it's…" he gazed at the door, jaw clenched, then moved towards it, fighting every step, obviously trying to resist some unseen, unheard imperative. "… a binding… old-style binding…"
      Lin gasped and grabbed for her master's wrist, trying to force her fingers under the living spell - which hissed and bit her, paralysing her fingers. As Menthis was forced to move inexorably to the door, he glanced back over his shoulder helplessly, but the spell now prevented him from speaking…
      In an instant he was gone. Heading for the Dread Lord's apartments.

Beal woke from a quick nap to find Lin on top of him, slapping his scaly jaw hard. He grabbed her hand, blinking sleep out of his tiny eyes.
      "What's that for!?"
      "Master's bound!"
      Beal was on his feet immediately, tumbling Lin to sprawl on the pallet.
      "Who? Where?"
      "Hokochu." Lin scrambled to her feet. Beal's jaw dropped open.
      "Aww fuck. What are we going to do…?"

The Dread Lord watched, an evil leer on his face, as Menthis walked stiffly into the royal apartments.
      "Lord Menthis. What a pleasant surprise." The half-demon halted on reaching Hokochu's seat, eyes closing with revulsion as the Dread Lord reached out and brushed a lock of black hair back from the pale face with a slender finger, the long deep blue nail scratching lightly at smooth warm skin. "Nothing to say? You surprise me… Ah, but of course…" He touched the spell briefly, releasing Menthis from silence.
      "What do you want with me?"
      Hokochu regarded his captive, beautiful blue eyes gazing into fathomless black, and smiled. It was not a pleasant smile.
      "You irritate me."
      "That is not my fault."
      "But it is. You seem to think you are superior, superior to me, the Dread Lord, the Prince of Pain and Misery."
      Menthis frowned slightly.
      "Why should that annoy you? I am, after all, nothing but a lowly scholar, of only minor powers, ruler of a realm worth nothing to anyone…"
      Hokochu blinked. Put that way, Menthis was really nothing more than an insignificant worm, worthy of no more attention than an insect. Then the revelation hit him.
      He wanted Menthis to respect him.
      More than that, he wanted Menthis to like him…
      Why?
      Why? Because Menthis was cultured and respected and intelligent and beautiful. He didn't need to force people to respond to him - they just did.
      A veritable flood of new insights tumbled through Hokochu's mind, none of them welcome. He was jealous of Menthis. He wanted to be like Menthis. He wanted to be respected for his power, rather than feared because of it. He envied Menthis' self-control, his calm demeanour, the admiration he inspired, so different from the fear that greeted Hokochu everywhere he went. And he loathed how Menthis could be so damned attractive in that all-enveloping, plain, undecorated black and red outfit.
      He smirked slowly.
      He would - could - never be like the scholar.
      So he'd have to make the scholar like himself…

© 2003 September 11^th Joules Taylor

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© 2003 WordWrights

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