Chapter 51: The Curious Succubus and The Serpent Who Steals Elyn’s Snacks
Chapter 51: The Curious Succubus and the Serpent Who Steals Elyn’s Snacks
The moon watched the capital of the demon realm with a lazy silver gaze, its glow slipping over rooftops, courtyards, and winding bridges of black stone. Somewhere in the heart of the city—just beyond the castle’s outer walls—rose a building known by every noble, merchant, and soldier with a pulse.
And especially those who enjoyed... indulgence.
The establishment towered over the street like a lavish jewel dropped in the middle of the night. Three stories tall, shaped like a crescent moon reclining on its side, the pleasure house shimmered in rose-gold glamour.
Lanterns shaped like blooming lilies glowed along its balconies, dripping a soft pinkish light that caressed the skin. Faint music drifted from within—low, melodic, with a subtle enchantment woven into every note. The air tasted faintly of rare incense, honeyed wine, and something sweeter... temptation.
Inside, the entry floor opened into a grand hall. Velvet curtains hung in deep violet waves, embroidered with shifting patterns that moved when no one touched them. Statues of winged figures—succubi and incubi—posed around a fountain that spilled shimmering water that seemed almost alive. The place was beautiful, luxurious, and above all, intoxicating.
And tonight, at the topmost floor, in a private suite reserved only for the house’s founder, a woman lounged across a chaise of midnight velvet.
Her name was Lady Seraphielle.
And she commanded attention even when she breathed.
Her purple hair cascaded around her in glossy waves, the strands so vibrant they glowed faintly under the lantern light. Those curls brushed over skin with a natural gleam that needed no oil or enchantment.
She wore only what could technically be called clothing: a draped strip of velvet silk that wrapped around her chest but left the sides of her body exposed, and a skirt of sheer fabric slit high enough to make modesty a foreign concept.
Her horns curled elegantly from her temples, obsidian at the base but fading to amethyst at the tips. Her wings were exposed tonight. Normally, she hid them.
They were large and tinged with purple smoke, resting lazily behind her. Even her nails were weapons of seduction—long, glossy, and shimmering under the light. They were painted a dark purple.
Her purple eyes glittered tonight. She pouted. She had been very excited to see who the queen was. She had even told her husband that she would be the first to see the queen because he wasn’t around after all.
But then Caleth, Draeven, and Pith had come back and informed them that the king wouldn’t be able to introduce them to the queen and that he had postponed the meeting date. And that, in the King’s English, meant that they wouldn’t be meeting the queen anytime soon.
She huffed in annoyance. By the time she met the queen, her husband would have returned from his visit, and he might even meet with the queen before she did.
It was an unwritten law that the king was to introduce the queen to every noble. And without that introduction, the others couldn’t meet with the queen—especially if they didn’t have any work to do with her.
She chose to stay in her establishment because she was scared of the demon king. Everyone was scared of him, and that was what made them love him more. They had never seen a better demon king than Zorathys.
Which was why she decided to stay here rather than in the demon castle—because Zorathys might discover what she was up to, get annoyed, and maybe take away her beauty.
The horror. She couldn’t even imagine herself without her beautiful face or body or even hair. Everything about her was beautiful. If he took her beauty away, she would not be able to even get laid.
But that fear wasn’t going to stop her from doing what she planned. She was going to find out what the queen looked like, and she was going to sneak into the castle tomorrow morning.
But for now, she turned to the male next to her. He had been massaging her shoulders. He was also an incubus but of a lower rank. She took his hand in hers and drew him closer, pressing a kiss on his lips, which he returned eagerly.
The succubus who had been pouring wine kissed her shoulders, and the last incubus removed her clothes.
Seraphielle smiled as she moved her hands through the succubus’s hair. This was the pleasure she sought.
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Meanwhile, while Seraphielle enjoyed her debauchery, something else was happening within the castle walls.
The gargoyles perched along the towers blinked their unblinking eyes from time to time, making it unclear whether they were fully alive, half alive, or just nosy. But everyone knew they were alive.
Inside the queen’s room, Elyn slept peacefully.
Her hair spilled across the pillow. The blanket curled around her waist from where she’d kicked it down unconsciously, and her face was soft and relaxed. The faint glow from the window bathed her in gentle light.
Nothing stirred.
Nothing moved.
Except—
A small shadow at the corner of the room.
It crouched near the floor, perfectly still at first... then very slowly shifted.
From the shadows emerged a child.
He looked no older than five or six in human years. His hair was a deep blue-black, soft and messy. It extended to the floor, trailing behind him as he moved. His skin was pale too. His eyes were a light blue color, but they looked just like a snake’s eyes would look—slitted, sharp.
He looked so innocent and cute.
He held Elyn’s snack box in his tiny hands.
The box—still beautifully plated, small and smooth—sparkled faintly under the moonlight from the window.
The child’s expression was one of pure, sweet joy.
He shook the box once.
Click.
A small treat fell out—a tiny green sphere no bigger than a marble, glowing faintly like crystallized mint. The scent of sweetness, bright and refreshing, drifted through the air.
He lit up immediately.
He popped it into his mouth with a soft, delighted gasp and chewed as quietly as he could. His little body wiggled with excitement, a tiny squeal leaking out despite his attempt at silence.
"Mm!"
Another shake.
Click.
Another sweet.
His blue eyes sparkled with joy.
This time, when he placed it in his mouth, something slipped out before he could stop it.
His tongue flicked—thin, forked, and serpent-like—tasting the air with instinctual delight.
The movement was quick, almost delicate, but unmistakably reptilian.
The child gasped softly in horror and slapped both hands over his mouth.
"Oops," he whispered.
The box slipped from his fingers as he did so.
It clattered against the floor noisily, making Elyn stir on the bed.
The child froze immediately.
His eyes widened in panic, pupils narrowing.
For a split second, he glanced at the window, then at Elyn, then at the fallen box.
Lightning-fast, he scooped up the snack box, placed it gently back onto the bedside table exactly where it had been, and tiptoed backward.
Elyn shifted again, her fingers twitching toward the pillow.
The child held his breath, waiting to see if Elyn would wake up—but she didn’t.
Elyn settled back into sleep.
The child let out the tiniest sigh of relief... then turned and ran straight to the window.
He hopped up onto the sill—tiny feet silent as feathers—and looked back into the room one last time, his expression filled with longing, but he knew he had to go.
His small form shimmered. It shrank and also stretched at the same time, then he shifted.
In the space of a second, the child was gone—and in his place coiled a massive serpent. His scales were a deep, stormy blue—so dark they were nearly black—each scale edged with a faint metallic shine. Under the moonlight, they glimmered.
His eyes remained that same light blue, slit like a predator’s.
He flicked his tongue once—long, forked, tasting the night air with a soft hiss of satisfaction. The sweet flavor still lingered on it.
He slithered out the window with eerie grace, disappearing onto the outer wall.
High above, perched on the nearest tower, two gargoyles watched.
One tilted its stone head questioningly.
The other shook its head slowly.
Then both looked forward again, suddenly as still and lifeless as decorative statues.
As if they had seen absolutely nothing at all.
And inside the room, Elyn slept peacefully, unaware of what had just occurred.