Inhumans Pt. 01

"That's got to hurt," Janice said. "I can't imagine."

"Of course, you all know what this is going to mean, right?" Mia asked. "He's not going to feed unless it's her, and it's because she wants to."

"His instincts are going to take control," Cassidy said.

"Let me handle his instincts," Angel said. "I can take it."

"If they kick in around her, she'll die for real," Mia warned. "Instinctively, Tentacle Demons and Slime Girls kill each other. They're no different, even given their history."

"Let me worry about that," Angel repeated.

I knocked on the door and after a moment it opened and Crystal stared up at me, now looking like a normal human being. She had bleach blonde hair, pale skin, turquoise eyes, and perfect, pure white teeth. She was every bit as beautiful as I remembered. To me, she even put Sarah to shame. Of course, I'm extremely biased in this case.

"How come I look normal again now?" Crystal asked.

"It's one of your species' abilities," I said as she allowed me into the room, the same she had lived in once before. "In order to blend in with humans, and to more easily hunt, you have the ability to appear human."

"What does my species hunt?" she asked.

"Humans," I said. "Most of the time they kill them. They dissolve their prey's bodies inside of themselves and become stronger for it. Sometimes, rather than dissolving them, they simply drain their life energy."

"How?" she asked.

"The same way we feed," I said. "Sexual contact. Sexual energy feeds us, you as well, and it's how most monsters either kill or reproduce."

"Sexual contact?" she asked. "So, if I gave someone a blow job I wouldn't be hungry anymore?"

"Well, as long as it's been since you probably last fed, I'd say that it'd take more than one blow job," I said. "But it would help. On the other hand, Slime Girls are special because they can survive off of human food. The only problem with that is that they're constantly hungry. As I'm sure you've noticed."

She nodded.

"So, if I fed like you all, would I be able to go back to human food after?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "But you'd be hungrier. The more you feed like a monster, the more your instincts will affect your appetite. You'll be hungrier and hungrier, and crave it more and more until you snap. There are ways to negate that, but none are available to you at the moment."

"So, I'm stuck with human food?" she asked.

"I'd suggest yes," I said. "But you don't have to be. The hunger would only grow if you tried to stop feeding. If you feed regularly like us it'd be about the same as a human eating food. Some days you're hungrier than others, and you can easily work up an appetite, but your hunger can't take control as long as you don't starve yourself."

"What'll happen if I snap?" Crystal asked.

"We'll be forced to kill you," I said.

"Didn't you say I was one of the most powerful?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "But I'm the other most powerful type. Like I said, our species have been at war for millennia. Hard to fight a war if you can't kill the other side, right?"

She nodded.

"So, if we fought, I would lose?" she asked.

"Maybe not," I said. "Your instincts would kick in. And then mine would. The most likely scenario is that we both die."

She nodded just as an alarm overhead blared.

"What's that?" she asked.

"We've got a job," I said. "No rest for the wicked. There should be some weapons in the closet. Grab some then go back to the lift. I'll come get you and lead you to the garage."

She nodded and I turned, sprinting out of the room then back to my own, grabbing my sword and pistols then returning to the lift. Crystal was standing in front of it with a few knives, a shotgun, and a pistol, looking to have no idea how to hold any of it. I took the pistol and put it in a side holster, quickly slipping it on her, allowing her to hold the shotgun with both hands. Then, I turned, running out of the room with her behind me.

As we reached the garage, I opened the door and the van revved to life. I jumped in and Crystal followed. Then, Janice pulled out of the garage and started down the highway.

"A van?" Crystal asked after a moment, breaking the awkward and tense silence. "I would have expected muscle cars and sports bikes."

"The van is the only thing with enough room for to-go meals," Cassidy said.

Crystal blushed bright red and nodded silently. I sighed, leaning my head against the cool window. The tension wasn't bad. But I was getting hungry. Seeing the others having fun and not joining in, and getting only a small snack from them, had gotten my appetite ready, only for it to not be fed. It was not pleased. The ride was quiet. Silent, actually. No one said a word. No one dared. Finally I turned to Janice.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Succubus," Janice said. "It's been leaving corpses that all look alike."

"What do they look like?" I asked.

"You," Janice said. "They look like you."

I blinked. Me? A succubus had a vendetta against me? Why?

"Alright," I shrugged. "No one's splitting from the group. We don't need..."

"What?" Crystal asked.

"We don't need to start hiring again the same day as we finished," I said.

I glanced at Angel to my left and she nodded. She and Sarah would look after Crystal for me. I nodded back and looked ahead to the road again. Finally, Janice turned into an alleyway and stopped.

"We're here," Janice said. "This is where she's been feeding."

I got out, looking around before the others followed. It was dirty, spray-painted, and had trash everywhere. Typical Succubus. Easy prey, easy food, easy trap.

"Stay vigilant," I said. "Succubi are notoriously good at controlling people."

The others nodded and we all started into the alleyway silently. I drew both of my pistols, keeping one held at a ninety degree angle but aiming down the alleyway with the other. I glanced at Crystal, seeing her sweeping the side alleyways with her shotgun, her muscle memory for work apparently not having left. I turned to the front again, seeing that the path forked. I slowed to a stop, then stepped out, aiming down both alleyways. Empty. I started down the left one, the others following. I hated this part of the city. You could walk through back alleys for miles and still not find a street. Perfect hunting ground for a Succubus. I glanced at Crystal again.

"Would you stop worrying about me?" Crystal said as she glanced at me. "I may be new but I'm going to be fine. Besides, I'm not about to sleep with some monster. I do have standards, you know."

The rest of the team winced and I felt myself deflate, lowering my pistols to my sides and stopping.

"Right," I said. "Of course. I didn't mean to assume..."

I stopped before I said something I'd regret and turned, walking toward a side alleyway.

"You guys go straight," I said.

"James no!" Angel snapped. "What the hell do you think you're doing! You can't go off on you own!"

"This is the job Angel!" I snapped, instantly seeing the hurt in her eyes, my voice softening in response. "We're hunters. And the best way to hunt is with bait."

"Why does it have to be you?" Angel asked, swallowing hard.

My heart broke seeing her so close to tears because of me. But I had to do this.

"Because I'm the one she wants," I said. "So I'll be the bait. I'll draw her out. And I'll kill her."

"What if she takes control of you?" Angel asked.

"That's why I have all of you," I said.

Angel nodded slowly and I managed a weak smile.

"I'll see you in a little bit, alright?" I said.

Angel nodded, staring at the ground and I turned, walking into the alleyway. I put my pistols away. I wouldn't need them. She'd get close before I even realized she was there. I strode calmly down alleyway after alleyway, not bothering to keep track of where I was going. Finally, I came to a dead end and turned. There she was. An exact replica of the one that had attacked Crystal. Pale skin, revealing black dress ending a quarter of the way down her thighs and with the top in a slim V-cut to below her navel, revealing more than plenty of cleavage from her C-cup breasts, wavy red hair.

"You're the one that killed my sister," she said. "I'm so glad you decided to ditch the others. Now, you and I can have some alone time."

"Sure," I said, drawing my sword. "Let's play."

She grinned, fingernails extending into claws and her formerly beautiful face contorting as her mouth stretched into a grin well beyond unnaturally high.

Angel walked calmly down the alleyway, the others behind her as she aimed her pistol down each alleyway.

"Where'd that son of a bitch go this time?" Angel growled.

"Maybe she already found him," Cassidy said. "He's probably fighting her."

"He hasn't eaten in a while, though," Janice pointed out. "When we're hungry..."

"We're at our most susceptible," Mia said. "Maybe we should have stopped him after all."

"Relax," Angel said. "He's never been one to fall for a Succubus. It's in his nature to kill them."

"His nature isn't exactly a good thing," Mia said.

"What's wrong with his nature?" Alicia asked.

"He's a Tentacle Demon," Angel said.

"Oh," Alicia said. "That."

"I will go and find him," Sarah decided. "I will not fall prey to a Succubus so easily."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Mia said. "You're like a monster magnet. You'll probably attract another Succubus or two if you don't have us around to mask your holy presence."

"I will be fine," Sarah said, taking off down a side alley, flying between the buildings with a remarkable grace.

"Shit!" Angel growled. "Janice, Cassidy, watch Crystal."

Then, she was sprinting after Angel. Crystal instantly took off as well, taking her own path and Janice and Cassidy groaned.

"Mia, Alicia, let's go," Janice said, the four of them chasing Crystal.

Sarah landed as she reached her third dead end.

"I was sure it would be this way," Sarah said. "I can't risk flying over the buildings. Perhaps it was that other right."

She turned and stopped, spotting a woman wearing a black braw and cut-off jean shorts with her red hair shaved off on one side and long on the other, and bare feet. Her skin pale, almost grey.

"Succubus," Sarah said. "You should know that it is foolish to come near me."

"Perhaps," the Succubus said, drawing out the word. "Or maybe, you want me to."

Sarah blinked, something scratching at the back of her mind.

"No," Sarah said. "I do not. I am warning you. Keep your distance or I shall be forced to destroy you."

"Aw, don't be like that," the Succubus said, walking forward. "I just want a hug."

Sarah felt that feeling in the back of her mind again, trying desperately to figure out what it was. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. Maybe the Succubus wasn't so awful. After all, she was taught that all monsters were evil, and here she was working with a team of them, two of which were reputed as the most evil in existence. She tried to focus on the feeling at the back of her mind again, her mind beginning to ignore other things as it focused. She blinked. Her brain felt hazy. Had she forgotten something? She saw the Succubus walking toward her, swaying her hips seductively. Her eyes glued themselves to the Succubus's hips. She tried to tear her gaze away but she couldn't. Her brain was too groggy, and she felt oddly drawn to the woman before her.

"You see?" the Succubus asked. "I'm not really so bad. Right?"

"No," Sarah breathed, the succubus stopping before her, leaning forward until her lips were a centimeter from Sarah's, Sarah's breath hitching in her throat.

"I bet you'd like to kiss me, wouldn't you?" the Succubus asked. "You'd love to make love to me. Right?"

Sarah blinked. Something wasn't right. She shouldn't want that. Should she?

"Yes," Sarah breathed, leaning forward only for the Succubus to lean back, grinning devilishly.

"Tell me you want me," the Succubus grinned. "Tell me that you want me to make you writhe below me and scream my name."

Sarah fought to pull back, but she couldn't. Instead, she leaned closer, her lips barely brushing against the Succubus's as she spoke the words.

"I want you," Sarah said obediently. "I want you to make me writhe below you and scream your name."

"Good," the Succubus grinned.

A loud crack! filled the air and the Succubus reared back, unleashing a monstrous roar of pain and rage. Sarah blinked, her brain slowly starting to register what had been happening. She looked past the Succubus to where Angel was striding toward them, emptying her pistol into the Succubus, a look of pure rage on her face, her wings spreading from one end of the alley to the other, a pair of horns now sticking up from her hair and her tail thrashing back and forth, cracking the ground or a wall when it struck.

"Get your filthy hands off of her!" Angel snarled, firing the last bullet into the Succubus who crumpled to the ground, convulsing, blood frothing from her mouth.

Angel stepped up over her and drew a knife, driving it down into her head, the Succubus convulsing again, more violently, before falling still, then slowly melting into the ground. Angel took several breaths, her tail slowing and wings shrinking back down to their normal, small size and the horns sinking back into her head. She put the knife away, swapping out the mag in her pistol and glancing at Sarah.

"We told you you would attract more," Angel said before turning, walking away quickly, Sarah staring after her for several seconds before hurrying to catch up, following her.

Crystal ran through the alleyways, not sure how she knew which way to go but somehow knowing. Finally, she rounded a corner and stopped, seeing James standing at the far end, four tentacles holding a pale woman with bright red hair in the air, one wrapped around each leg, one binding her arms behind her, and one around her neck.

"I warned you not to take that fucking dress off," James snarled, holding her so that her face was close to his. "But you went and did it anyway. Now, you're going to have to deal with my instincts. Because I'm very hungry. And my instincts think you're the last one."

More tentacles began to grow out of his back just as Mia and the other three that had been chasing Crystal arrived and skidded to a stop.

"Oh, shit," Mia breathed. "James!"

Jame's head snapped around, his eyes completely red for a moment before the red faded, leaving his normal eyes. He took a breath and nodded, then drove his sword through the woman's face, the woman melting away into a thick black sludge and then fading.

"Thank you," James said. "Now, where's Angel and Sarah?"

"Sarah took off," Mia said. "Angel went after her."

"We're here," Angel said, stepping around the corner. "Sarah tried to find you but ended up being caught by a Succubus. I managed to get there before the Succubus did more than confuse her. I take it yours is dealt with?"

"Yes," James nodded. "Let's get back to the van. I need a nap."

"You need to eat, James," Angel said, crossing her arms.

"Don't," James growled. "Just don't. You especially, Angel."

Angel sighed and uncrossed her arms, nodding. Crystal stared between them. Clearly she was missing something. They all silently turned, walking away, James following at a distance.

The trip back was dead silent and more tense than the ride out. Janice was driving with Crystal beside her, Cassidy sat behind Janice, Sarah sat beside her, Mia and Alicia sat beside each other in the third seat, and Angel sat with her back against it, staring at me as I sat with my back against the doors, staring at the ground between my feet, my elbows on my raised knees.

It wasn't awkward. Awkward had been the ride out. Agitated was closer to what this was. I wanted to get away from the others, but I couldn't. I wanted Angel to look away from me, but she wouldn't. And she hadn't even looked at Sarah to my knowledge since saving her, despite Sarah not taking her eyes off of Angel. Whatever had happened, it had definitely not helped anything.

A smell suddenly reached my nose. Lust. I lifted my head, seeing Mia and Alicia kissing each other, and Cassidy reaching around the seat to play with Janice, who kept her eyes riveted on the road. I knew what they were doing. Breaking the tension, forcing me to feed. I managed a small smile, absorbing what I could from the air. Angel managed a small smile too, closing her eyes before exhaling slowly. I knew what she was doing. She had done it before when there wasn't enough time for a meal but I had needed to get under control. She was fantasizing. I closed my eyes, allowing my body to absorb as much as it could from the air. Then, all too soon, it ended. Janice backed the van in and I climbed out, closing the door then leaving the room, heading to mine and locking the door, setting my weapons aside and dropping my coat before dropping on the bed. I kicked my shoes off and closed my eyes. Sleep was definitely not coming any time soon though.

Angel closed her door and leaned back against it, staring at the far wall, her mind replaying what had happened. She had known that a Succubus would find Sarah. She had known that Sarah wouldn't be able to resist. Just like she wouldn't have been able to resist if one had found her. So why was she so angry about it? She had saved Sarah, killed the Succubus, and still she felt like she wanted to tear things limb from limb. She put her weapons aside and flopped onto her bed, leaving her boots on and burying her face into her pillow, groaning.

A knock on her door made her turn and she knew instantly who it was just by the way her stomach fluttered when she looked at the door. She sighed. She didn't want to deal with this now. She couldn't. She wasn't even able to speak to Sarah properly, or at all ever since the Succubus. Every time she tried her throat would close up and she'd lost the ability to speak.

Sarah knocked again.

"What?" Angel managed.

"May I come in?" Sarah asked.

"No," Angel said. "Not a good idea."

"I see," Sarah said, remaining silent for a moment, though Angel could still feel her outside the door. "Did I do something wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Angel asked, staring at the door.

"Have I done something to anger you?" Sarah asked. "When I first got here, you seemed uncomfortable around me, and you were not able to stay near me for long. Then, after you saved me from the Succubus, you were unable to look at me. I apologize for not heeding your warning. I believed I was stronger than I am. I believed I could resist because of what I am. Please, do you not wish for me to be here?"

Angel stared at the door in silence. How could she possible think that? Sure she had been too nervous to stay around her and remain in control, and she had taken the Succubus incident poorly, but she didn't want her to leave. Surely she knew that.

"I see," Sarah said. "I do not wish to put unnecessary strain on your team. If you do not feel that I belong here, then I will leave. I am sorry for offending you."

Angel felt Sarah begin to leave and leapt off of her bed, throwing the door open and flinging her arms around Sarah from behind, pressing her face into her back.

"Don't go!" Angel pleaded. "Please! Please stay!"

Sarah pulled her arms off and turned around, pushing her back. Angel stared at the ground, tears rolling down her face.

"I'm so sorry!" Angel cried. "I didn't mean to make you feel like you didn't belong! I was just so excited to have you here that I was nervous and couldn't talk right. And I was so angry with the Succubus for trying to control you that I just snapped! I'm so sorry that I treated you like that! I was just so scared, and then I saw her about to...a-and...I just lost it! And then, after I got control, I tried to say something but I couldn't! All I could think was what if you had let her control you, or what if I had been slower! A-and then...you were safe and...and we found James...and it just hurt!"