John and Alice

My name is John Whitley. I'm nobody special, just another face in the crowd. I'm in my mid 20's, average height, brown hair, average weight with a slim build. I live alone, in a small two bedroom apartment, selling car parts for a living. My daily schedule is go to work, come home, have a few drinks while watching TV, and go to bed. Sometimes I'll change it up and play a game or read a book, but no matter what the booze is always there; my only friend and companion since I drove the rest away.

	Monsters have always been around, but its only been a few years since they decided to try and integrate into regular human society. Before that they just kidnapped whatever men they could to keep their species going. It was rocky at first, no one can deny that, but they eventually caught on to the correct way of approaching a man they fancied. Comprehensive sex education for all home-stays/tourists and aggressive information campaigns by the federal government saw to that.

	I have been propositioned by no less than four Succbi since the integration, but denied each of them. Well, I would have, but after talking to me for a few minutes, they see the tattoo on my arm, suddenly go stiff and excuse themselves.With a bit of suave tact I was able to befriend the last one who came after me. She's a cute thing, name of Janeazi-Axealianstae. Important note: Succubi, by tradition, have weird and complicated names. Don't ask why, I never bothered to. In the interest of brevity, I just call her Jane. While we did have a lot of fun together (ok she had fun, I usually woke up hungover and missing chunks of what happened the night before,) we've only had one serious conversation. That occurred after I asked her why all the Succubi who had approached me acted the same way.

	With an eyeroll she replied, “Because Johnny-boy, we can read that writing on your tattoo. For God sakes, where did you think that writer got it from? Did you think he just made it up himself for the tree-hugging hippies in that dreadful snore of a trilogy he wrote? No, we taught it to him as thanks for a, shall we say, productive weekend. We can see it and we can smell it, the truth you hide from everyone but can't hide from yourself no matter how much you drink: your heart is no longer your own and hasn't been for a very long time.”

	That somewhat awkward and disturbing literary revelation aside, what she said was true. Even after all these years I still loved her, even if she didnt love me. Her name is tattooed on my arm, in a small scroll over a rose. I was smart enough to have it tattooed in what I had, at the time, assumed was a fake language. Her ghost still haunts me, and what I wouldn't give for that to no longer be the case. What I wouldn't give to have someone to take her place and erase her prescence forever, to bring a close to my endless suffering. Turns out, the universe can have a funny way of granting wishes. Mine came to me in the form of Alice.

	One Friday, about an hour before my shift ended at the parts store, who should stroll in but Jane. Except she wasn't alone. Following her was a small girl, no, not a girl, a Succubus, but she wasn't like any I had ever seen. Most of the succubi are voluptous with big tits, sensous lips, dark hair, eyes with a come-hither stare and an ass so perfectly sculpted your hand almost smacks it on its own.  And while this girl had the wings, horns and tail of a succubi, she was the complete opposite of any other I had ever seen. She was no more than four feet high, no chest, small ass, and great big innocent eyes. Long blonde hair spilled down the back of her purple gothic lolita dress.

	One thing I have learned is that whenever Jane comes into my life, it means trouble ahead. With an urge to get this over with, I called her over and asked what headaches she was planning on causing me.

	“Johnnny boy, can't I just come by and see my buddy without having a reason?”

	I stared her down without saying a word.

	She sighed, “Oh all right, my car needs a new battery, and...” Jane walked up to me and ran a finger up my chest to my lips “I was hoping you could use your special brand of magic and help a girl out on the price.”

	“Jane, your're lucky I dont charge you double. After all you still owe me about two hundred bucks from the last few times we hung out.”

	With a pshh, she retorted. “Don't be that way Johnny boy, you know I love you.” She accentuated this with a blown kiss. “So, can't you do anything for your favorite girl?”

	God help me. “Favorite girl is one hell of a stretch, but I'll take 10% off. That's it.” I started punching information into the computer as she told me what kind of vehicle she had. From the corner of my eye I noticed the little girl was staring at me, an intense, innocent and awe filled stare that felt like it could pierce my soul. Shaking it off, I started rattling off prices to Jane. As I was explaining the benefits of the different batteries I had available, the little girl poked Jane in the side. Jane bent down and listened as the girl whispered in her ear.

	“Sweetie, are you sure? It may not work out the way you want, and you'll be sad if it dosen't.” More whispering. “Alright, if your're sure. If anyone could make it happen, it would be you.”

	Jane snapped her fingers, “Johnny boy, I forgot my wallet in the car. I'll be right back! Alice, you wait here and talk to Johnny.”

	The little girl turned to me and smiled. “Hi Onii-Chan, I'm Alice the Alice!”

	Momentarily confused, I responded, “I'm sorry, Alice the Alice?”

	She responded with a smile and a nod. “Alice the Alice!”

	I'll be the first to admit I'm not good with kids, throw in a monster girl on top of that and I have no idea what i'm doing. Well whatever, it's not like she's going to be here much longer. I'd just grin and bear it, then get further clarification from Jane the next time we went to the bar. Drinking with a Succubus had its fair share of perils, but it sure beat the hell out of drinking alone.

	Continuing the converstation, I asked, “What does that mean, Alice the Alice?”

	She continued to smile while she explained, “Alice is my name, and Alice is what Alice is!”

	As I started to question my sanity and wonder if I had forgotten my medication that day, Jane strolled back with a bag in hand, which she promptly handed to me.

	“Terrible news Johnny boy! I've just been summoned back home, and I can't take little Alice with me! Do me a favor and watch over her for the weekend?”

	I sputtered, “Now wait just a God damn...!”

	“Thanks Johnny-boy your're the best!” She interupted.

	“Oh and John?” She got very close and leaned in to whisper,

	“Just so you know, she may look young, but she's a full grown Succubi. Don't have too much fun.”

	She backed off and shot me a wink, then bent down to address the little girl, “Ok Alice, I have to go now, so I'm having Johnny-boy here take care of you for the weekend. Now, you be a big girl and behave.” She kissed Alices cheek, then before I had a chance to stop her, she turned around and walked out.

	“YAY!” The little monster ran up to me and threw her arms around me in a big, tight hug, “Alice gets to spend the whole weekend with Onii-Chan!”

	With a sigh, I scooped Alice up and sat her in the back of the store until my shift was over.

	Alice didnt say much on the drive over to my place, instead staring out the window to take in the sights of the city. As we walked in, her face became a mask of awe as she looked around my apartment. Placing her bag on a chair, I walked into the kitchen with Alice following swiftly behind me. Taking a glass from the cabinet, I poured myself a shot of booze, then quickly swallowed it in one gulp.

	“Onii-Chan, what's that?”

	“It's Gin, Alice, and before you ask, no you can't have any, it's only for grown ups.”

	Her hands balled into tiny fists, which she proceeded to put out in front of her and shake up and down. “But Alice is a big girl! Jane told Onii-Chan that!” Little tears began to form at the corner of her eyes as she continued her temper tantrum. I noticed that her wings and tail seemed to move in harmony with her fists as she whined. With a sigh I took down another glass and poured one for her and a double for me. Something told me I'd need more help from lady liqour to get through tonight.

	“Alright, alright. Just stop fussing. Now, watch me and drink it the same way I do.” I put the glass up to my lips and repeated my earlier motion. Alice sniffed  the contents, then scrunched her nose in disgust, but swallowed it all in one go. A little “Pah,” escaped her lips as her eyes crossed and she started swaying.

	“Onii-chan, Alice feels funny. Alice dosen't want any more of the burny water.” Her face turned red to accent the point of how hard it had hit her. Her wings drooped a little to further the case that combining this girl and alcohol was a very bad idea.

	I took another glass over to the sink to fill. “Alice, take this and drink it all up. Like a big girl.”
She raised it to her small mouth, draining it with a cute little glug-glug sound. Letting out an audible ahh she handed the glass back to me. This seemed to normalize her a bit, causing her wings and tail to straighten back out to their correct positions.



	Walking over the fridge I pulled out a gallon of 2%. “Ok then little lady, how about a big glass of milk?” Don't anyone ever say that John Whitley was a bad host.

	Her eyes lit up. “Yay! Milk! Alices favorite!”

	When I went to hand it to her, I was hit with a smell that wasn't there before, an intoxicating scent that sang a sirens song. It was a bouquet of my favorite fragrences: ripe peaches, expensive Gin, cheap beer, cotton candy perfume, cowboy killer cigs fresh in the pack, and cherry blossom tea. All blended together in a hypnotic symphony that weakend my knees, promising to send all caution and rational thinking out the window. The primal part of me, the one I had chained up and buried deep inside all those years ago, came right to the forefront. He practically begged me to ravish the little angel that stood before me, to take her to bed for a night of carnal passion.

	Through sheer force of will I forced the creature back into his box. I handed Alice her milk, then walked into the living room to take a breather. Taking deep steady breaths, I returned my mind to its former calm and collected state.

	“Onii-chan? Are you okay?”

	Turning around I looked at Alice. Her formerly bright eyes had turned downcast with a look of concern plastered over her face. My heart melted a touch as I looked into her gorgeous eyes. No, don't think those thoughts, I told myself. She's just here for the weekend. Don't let her get into your head. Two to three days and shes gone, you can do this.

	“Yeah, I'm fine Princess.” Princess?

	She breathed a sigh of relief. “Can we play together Onii-chan? Alice loves to play!”

	Of course you do, I thought. Outwardly I replied, “Not right now Alice. Why don't you take a bath while I prepare dinner?”

	Alice made crossed her arms and made a pouty face, then shot back with, “Only if Onii-chan takes one with me. Jane told Alice thats what an Onii-chan does.”

	God in heaven, what the hell else had Jane taught this girl?

	“Not tonight Alice, I just said I was going to make dinner. By the way, what would you like to eat?”

	Alice put a finger to her mouth as she rolled her eyes towards her forehead. “Uhhh......can Alice have chicken nuggets? With smiley face french fries and ketchup!” Her face lit up as she closed her eyes and a little drool rolled down her mouth as she imagined her perfect feast. So much for being a big girl, I thought sarcastically.

	“Alice, I don't have anything like that. Tell you what, why don't we go shopping tommorow, then we can have it for dinner. Is that alright?”

	She put her finger to her mouth again. “Well.....ok! But what about tonight Onii-chan? What tasty food are we gonna eat?”

	That was a good question. Based on her requested meal, I doubt she would enjoy anything that I had lying around. Guess ordering delivery was the best bet. I walked over to the fridge and began scanning the menus I had from the local resteraunts. Picking one up I turned to Alice.

	“How about Pizza? Three meats for me and I assume cheese for you?”

	Her little face lit up bright again. “Yay! Pizza! And breadsticks?” She asked with big doe eyes staring right into mine and her arms behind her back.

	God damn it. “Alright, fine, we can get breadsticks.” She gave a big smile. “I'll call in the order, you go and take a bath.”

	Her face became a  devious mask, for lack of a better description. “Since Onii-chan isn't cooking....he can take a bath with Alice!”

	Shit. Almost backed myself into a corner.

	“No Princess, I can't.” Again, Princess? “I have to wait for the delivery guy, and while I'm waiting I have to do some things for work. You go and bathe, the bathroom is the first door on the right.”

	Once again she made her pouty face, but got some clothes out of her bag and headed to the bathroom without any further complaints. I made the order, set down my phone and walked over to my bookshelf. There was something I needed to do while Alice wasn't watching. Running my fingers along the spines, I searched until I found the volume I was looking for. The big book O' Monster Girls: Everything you ever wanted to know but were to afraid to ask.

	 I flipped to the section on Succubi, then started reading up on the different sub-races. I stopped when I found the one I was looking for, the Alice. Interesting that she held the same name as her race, but whatever, now's not the time for that line of inquiry. Right now all I needed was some basic info on what set's them apart and how they behave (although I was pretty sure I already had a good grasp on that.) Having found what I needed, I began to read:

	The Alice is a sub-race of note: They are one of the rarer forms of succubi and thus are hardly encountered by the general population. What sets the Alice apart is their appearance, and as the accomponied illustration shows, the way they look drastically differs from that of a normal Succubi. However do not be decieved, for while they look and act young in appearance, in reality any Alice encountered outside of the monster realm is guranteed to be an adult. While they may be full grown, all members of the Alice sub-racee who leave the monster realm are accomponied by a Succubus proper until the Alice finds her “Onii-chan,” the man she chooses to make her mate and later husband. How the Alice selects her “Onii-chan,” is not known for certain, but the two leading theories are that they are attracted to those who display outward signs of brotherly love or those who carry a great pain. While the former is easily explained, in the case of the latter, it is further theorized that the Alice feels that by having her selected “Onii-chan,” dote on and fall in love with her, his pain will be washed away and replaced with fun and happy memories he made with the Alice; after all, those who understand such pain have an even greater appreciation for happiness. One final note of interest, the Alice is able to use a magic that excudes a combination of all the selected Onii-chans favorite smells; mixed with her natural pheremones, it creates a powerful aphrodisiac that muddles the mind and......

	I stopped reading there. God damn it. Checking the time, I saw I had about twenty minutes until the pizza arrived. Grabbing my phone, smokes, and a lighter, I stepped out onto the porch of my tenth floor apartment to watch the sunset and give Jane a call. After lighting a cigarette, I dialed her number. The phone rang four times until she answered.

	“Johnny boy!”

	“Don't give me that Johnny boy shit Jane. What the hell are you playing at?”

	She laughed. “So im guessing you flipped through the encyclopedia I gave you? I figured you would've done it immediately, but I guess that Alice was being a handfull. That or your're better at tact and subtlety than I gave you credit for.”


	Taking a drag, I started my rant, “Yeah I read the damn entry. What is all this? Do you really expect me to fall in love with and eventually marry her? And would care you explain that magic to me?”

	A laugh came out of the reciever. “She hit you with a dose of that huh? I'm not shocked you were able to resist it, but I am shocked she used it so soon!”

	I was getting angrier. “Jane, enough with the bullshit! Let me repeat myself, do you really expect me to fall in love with and marry her? She's a kid for Christs sake!”

	She was silent for a moment before she explained, in a hushed voice, “She is a full grown Succubus, I told you that, and I hope you do marry her Johnny boy. You remember the two reasons that an Alice chooses her Onii-chan? Well if it isn't obvious, Mr. Only child, in your case it was for the second reason. That pain of yours is great, and while you may not see it, that pain is killing you. Slowly, in the form of sorrow, nicotine and alcohol. So I do hope you fall in love with her, I hope you make many happy memories together, and I hope, cowboy, that you'll stop carrying that weight.”

	Stunned, I tried to form a retort, but nothing would come to me. I let out an exasperated sigh and took another drag off my cigarette. Everything Jane had said was true, every word of it. I was dying slowly, and I was carrying a great pain; but I didn't ask for help goddamn it, I didnt want it or need it. Especially not from some woman-child with a demons face.

	“Alright Johnny-boy, I have to go. Oh, one more thing, you should quit the cigs, if you keep smoking it will make Alice sad. Have a good night.” With that she hung up.

	I let out a sigh as I placed my head into my hand. No matter how you looked at this I was stuck with Alice for the weekend. With another quick call I explained the basics of my situation to my boss, who was more than happy to give me the next few days off. Call me paranoid, but I'm 90% certain that Jane was pulling the strings here. Whatever, a few days off is better than working. Putting out my cigarette, I went inside just in time to answer the door for the delivery guy.

	I set the table, then called for Alice. I heard her walk into the room.

	“Onii-chan, where are the towels? Alice couldn't find them.”

	Turning to face her, I responded, “They're under the...” then took in a sharp breath. Alice was standing there naked. Her blonde hair was soaking wet, delicately sticking to her shoulders. Her smooth flesh was a pale cream color, unmarked by any blemishes or scars. Popping up from her flat chest were two little nipples, pink and perfect, just begging to be carressed and sucked. No hair was to be seen around her crotch, while the top of her little slit showed, hinting at a greater treasure to be found below. Her wings were fully extended and her tail was swishing about wildly, as if gesturing towards me, inviting me to partake in the greatest gift she could offer. She smiled with her arms behind her as I stared at her in stunned silence and awed revelery.

	The smell was back. That perfect mixture that fuzzied my head better than any alcohol, it forced that creature I had hidden to come crashing out of his box. He howled for me to release him from his prison, once again promising yet unknown and untold pleasure; pleasure found ravishing the beautiful creature before me. He sang to take control, to take this Princess as my own, to wash away the memories and the pain in a night of unbridled ecstacy. He showed me visions of the future, bright, happy and full of joy. He demanded to be let free, to save himself and to save me.

	I still had control, if only a brief amount. Spinning on my heel away from Alice, I shouted at her where to find the towels and to hurry and get dressed. As she left I unconciouslly turned to watch her leave, catching sight of the small but beautifully sculpted ass that would fit perfectly in my hands. This alone was enough to send the creature to give one more vain smash against his cage. But with perfect discipline I held him back. Walking into the kitchen, I grabbed my glass and poured another drink. As it always had, this soothed the creature, sending him back into his dreamless sleep.

	Taking several deep breaths, I slowly regained my composure. This was insane, even if she was a “big girl,” as she kept on insisting, that didnt change any facts. Her looks painted her as anything but, and no matter how much the beast begged and no matter how intoxicating her magic, I couldn't allow this to happen. I sat down and fixed a plate for myself and for Alice, waiting for her to emerge from the bathroom. She arrived a few minutes later, looking the same but at the same time somewhat sad. Her purple dress had been replaced with a thin white nightgown that allowed her beautifull nipples to poke through. A strong desire to caress them then take them into my mouth pervaded my mind; I wanted, no I needed this girl. I needed to caress her, to taste her, to feel every inch of her body under my rough hands. I pushed these thoughts aside, and when I regained my self-possesion, I asked:

	“Alice, why did you walk out here like that?”

	She stood there thoughtfully for a moment, before responding with a smile, “Cause Alice couldn't find the towels Onii-chan!”

	Damn she was infuriating. “Ok, fine, but why didnt you just put your dress back on?”

	“Silly Onii-chan, you don't put on clothes when your're wet!”

	“Ok, fair enough, then why didn't you yell for me?”

	“Alice dosen't know!” She accented this with a giggle.

	With an audible thud I slammed my head against the table. At that point I decided that the next time I saw Jane, I was going to smack her upside the head. I motioned for Alice to sit down so we could eat. Alice was oddly silent throughout dinner, which, honestly, was a nice change of pace. But I was confused, it seemed her normal mode was bubbly and goofy, but throughout our meal she was quiet and reserved. Once we finished I cleaned up the table, then went out onto the porch for my customary after dinner cigarette. I skipped the usual glass of Gin, since my head was already fuzzy enough.

	When I returned to the living room, I noticed Alice was standing there with her hands clasped in front of her staring at the floor. I asked what was wrong and waited for her response.


	Timidly, she replied, “Onii-chan, Jane told Alice that smoking is bad. That smoking can kill you.”

	I raised an eyebrow. “Yes it can. So?”

	Alice moved her left foot from side to side as she continued, “Alice dosent want Onii-chan to die.”

	“Duly noted.” I walked away to put my smokes in their usual resting place.

	I glanced over at Alice. She was looking down, her face hidden from me. Concern seemed to be painted on her face, but I got the sense that she couldn't talk about whatever was bothering her. Since I saw no end in sight to this, I  motioned towards the living room, asking Alice if she wanted to watch a movie. This seemed to cheer her up slightly. I turned on the TV, then sat down on the couch. Alice came over, then promptly sat herself on my lap. Putting one arm around her shoulders and one under her knees, I picked her up and uncerimoniously dropped her at the other end of the sofa.

	Going back to my original spot, I sat down and qued up the TV's built in streaming service. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Alice turned to the other direction with her trademark pouty face on. I decided against questioning her what was wrong, since I was quite certain that the answer would be related to Jane telling her thats how an Onii-chan was supposed to watch movies with Alice. Randomly scrolling through the options, I debated what to watch. My first instinct was a cartoon, but remembering Alices devious smile earlier, not to mention walking out here naked, I decided to have some fun of my own.

	Scrolling through the horror section, I found what I was looking for: some generic slasher filled to the brim with violence and scores of wanton bloodshed. Without asking Alice what she thought I selected the movie then sat back to watch the entertainment unfold.

	“Onii-chan, this movie looks scary.....”

	With a wave of my hand, I answered, “It is scary. One of the scariest movies ever made (that was a lie.) But, Alice, arent you a big girl?”

	Alice nodded in agreemant.

	“Well then, big girls don't have any problems with scary movies, right?”

	Hesitantly, Alice nodded again.

	I laughed, “Alright then, lets enjoy the film!”

	About thirty minutes in, I started to feel kind of bad. Through little side glances, I observed Alice and her reactions to the intense flick I had chosen. It seemed like she was trying to tough it out, to prove to me that she was a big girl just like she continued to claim. But it was painfully obvious she was scared out of her wits, between her trembling, big eyes on the verge of tears and constantly scrunching her nightgown between her fists.

	“Alice, do you want to sit on my lap?” I said, not even thinking before speaking. God damn it, well, there was no taking it back now.

	Her face brightened a little as she scooched over to me then lifted herself onto my lap. She grabbed my arms and wrapped them around her, then drew them close to her body as tightly as she could.

	As we continued to watch I could tell she was getting more and more frightened. This came to a head when the killer was revealed while brandishing a giant butcher knife, which he used to promptly slash into his first victim; the sterotypical idiot who decides to investigate the strange noise. Alice quickly turned around to bury her face in my chest as she let out a little squeak. I felt my shirt get wet as she quietly sobbed into my shirt.

	“Hey, Princess, its ok, its ok.” I turned off the movie with a click of the remote. Her face looked up at me, tears in her eyes that accented how terrified she was.

	To calm her down, I held her firmly against me as I suggested that we just watch some cartoons. Alice gave a hiccuped giggle and looked me in the eye with a tear stained smile on her face. Clearly this plan sat well with her. After a few minutes of searching, we found a series that she liked. Putting it on, she hugged my arms against her as she started singing along to the theme song. Once again, I resolved to smack Jane for getting me into this mess.

	After four episodes, I heard tiny little snores. With a movement of my head, I saw that Alice was fast asleep. All on its own a smile found its way to my lips. I shut off the TV, then gently carried Alice into my room to tuck her in. I pulled the blanket down, set Alice on the bed, then gently covered her with it before I headed to the living room to watch some TV before falling asleep on the couch.

	My head was still in turmoil from the days events. I had sobered up a bit, so I decided that another glass of booze wasnt a bad idea. Reaching into the fridge, I pulled out a lime and carefully cut it into quarters. With one hand I pulled out my drinking glass, and with the other I took out a bottle of gin. I poured a triple into the glass, then accented it by squeezing two of the lime parts into it, then gave the drink a quick swirl.

	While I had intended to watch the news, I felt that it wouldnt help my current mental state. Right now I needed to think. And when I need to think, I've found that booze, a cigarette, and music helps. Taking my phone, earbuds, smokes and drink in hand, I went out to the porch. Night had fallen on the city I called home, and the lights from the buildings painted a serene and calming picture. I had found that Jazz Noir music was best when facing tough questions, so I turned on a loop of it. As I sat there, listening to the calming tunes, my mind began to rehash what had occurred tonight, and then I began to argue with myself.

	No matter what Jane had said about Alices age, I couldnt get over how she looked. It seemed so wrong to me, almost sick somehow. And even if she was fully grown, did that make it right? Societal norms had changed since the advent of monster girls, sure, but I couldnt fathom what the general consensus would be in this situation. To top it off the only one I could turn to for help was Jane, and I already knew what her answer to my moral conundrum would be. I had so many questions, few answers, and no one I could bounce my thoughts off of.

	Taking a swig of my drink, I set the glass on the table to set my head in my hands. With a giggle that evolved into a feverful laugh, I realized that it probably didnt matter what my issues with this situation were; at the rate Alices magic was hitting me, I probably wouldnt have a choice as to how this would end. All of my convictions were futile. I sat in the chair for a while, slowly consuming my Gin while burning a few more smokes and listening to my music; as if this ritual would help me come to terms with the fate I could not avoid. I watched the skyline as I sat there, thinking to myself just how gorgeous the city really was.

	After a time my glass was empty, and as quietly as I could I stumbled back inside to pass out on the couch. Tommorow was another day, one that promised to be longer than this one.

	The next morning I was violently woken up by Alice jumping on top of me.

	“Onii-chan, Onii-chan! It's morning Onii-chan, time to wake up!” She giggled as she bounced on my stomach.

	“Alice what the...oh fuck!” The hangover from last night began to kick in, making me insticinctivley raise a hand to my head.

	She kept jumping, “Onii-chan! Let's have pancakes for breakfast! With milk! Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan, Onii-chan!” Repeating this chorus with every hop on my body.

	I started getting angry. Thinking I was way to hung over for this, I picked her up, set her down then started walking towards the kitchen. Alice quickly ran up behind me and hugged my back, all while continuing her chant. That, along with the throbbing headache, was enough to make me snap.

	Turning on her, I screamed, “Alice, knock it off! My head is killing me and I'm not in the mood for this! Let me go, sit down on the couch, and BE QUIET!” I accented this order by pointing at the afformentioned furniture.

	Her face became a mask of fear, but before she started crying she hung her head then slowly walked over to the sofa, then  lifted herself onto the cusion. She gripped her nightgown in her hands, her view never leaving the floor. In the interest of keeping her silent, I turned on the TV to the cartoon we were watching last night.

	Thats better, I thought. With the Alice problem solved, I made my way to the kitchen to consume my patented hangover cure. Opening the fridge, I pulled out an energy drink and a microwaveable burger. While I nuked the sandwich, I reached into the medicine cabinet for two different types of pain relievers. Swallowing those, I then proceeded to pound the energy drink, then a bottle of water. After the microwave dinged to tell me it was done cooking, I ate the burger while pounding yet another energy drink.

	Without looking at Alice, I went out to the deck to allow my food to digest with a smoke. Out of nowhere my phone began to ring, with caller ID telling me it was, who else, but Jane.

	Answering it, I began, “Jane, I am in no mood for your bullshit.”

	“And I'm not in any mood for yours! What did you do to Alice?!”

	Taken aback, I replied, “What the hell are you talking about you psycho bitch?”

	I could practically feel her rage through the phone, “I'll show you a psycho bitch Johnny-boy! Alice just texted me, she said you yelled at her!”

	“So what?”

	Jane sputtered, “So what? She's upset John, not at you but at herself! Alice is afraid she hurt you, and she thinks you don't want her around!”

	I was in to much pain for this, so I snapped back, “Jane, if you recall, I didnt want her around! You just saddled me with her for the weekend! I'm fucking hungover and I get woken up by a hyperactive Succubi jumping on my stomach, yelling at me over and over! So tell you what, you want to come and get her away from her mean Onii-chan, be my fucking guest!”

	It was silent on her end for a while. Finally, she spoke in a hushed voice, “No. She dosent want that and neither do I. Go inside and apologize, you know you overreacted.” With a click the line went dead. God damn it. Lighting a smoke, I felt my headache dull to an almost unnoticable throb. As I took a drag, I realized that maybe Jane was right, maybe I did overreact. After I finished my cigarette, I went inside to apologize to Alice.

	She hadnt moved from the spot on the sofa. It looked like she was watching her cartoon, but her eyes were miles away. With a sigh, I knelt down in front of her; at the same time she averted her gaze.

	“Alice, I shouldnt have yelled at you, I was out of line, and I'm sorry.”

	She turned to look at me. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying. She hiccuped before she spoke.

	“Onii-chan, Alice is sorry! Alice didn't mean to hurt you Onii-chan! Please dont send Alice away!”

	With this statement finished she charged at me and threw her arms around my back. Her  embrace tigtened on me as she sobbed into my shoulder. Putting one hand on her back and one her head, I reciprocated her embrace. She continuted to cry with the occasional hiccup added in for good measure.

	“Princess, I'm not going to send you away, but from now on, when you want to wake up Onii-chan, gently shake me and say my name. Ok?”


	With a smile she nodded at me. I smiled back. Since this was resolved, I suggested that I make Alice some pancakes. Smiling again, she gave me a quick nod. Taking her hand, I led her into the kitchen. Over the next fifteen minutes I had her assist me while I made her breakfast. When the pancakes were done, I piled them neatly on a plate, then drizzled plenty syrup and butter over the top. Alices eyes lit up when I handed her the plate with instructions to go and sit at the table while I cleaned up.

	Not even a moment later, I heard a crash and a wail. Running to the living room, I beheld the scene in front of me: Alice was sitting, fists up to her eyes crying at what had just happened. The pancakes were on the floor, while Alice herself was covered in syrup and butter from head to foot. It seemed she had slipped and fallen as she made her way to the table to eat.

	With a sigh I grabbed a towel and began to clean up the mess. After I had thrown away the pancakes and put the plate in the dishwasher, I turned to see Alice looking up at me.

	With hiccuped sobs, she said, “Alice is sorry Onii-chan, Alice didnt mean to make a mess!”

	Another sigh escaped my lips. “Alice, it was an accident. I'm not mad. Tell you what, why dont we go to a little cafe I know? They serve crepes that Im sure you'd like.”

	The waterworks suddenly stopped, and a look of joy replaced them. “Onii-chan, Alice loves crepes! Do they make them with strawberries and whipped cream?”

	I had to take a pause to comprehend this quick emotional turnaround. “I believe that they do Alice.” I replied. “But before we go, you have to take another bath, we cant go out when you're all sticky.”

	A moments notice was all I had before I noticed that devious look had subtley appeared on Alices face. And before I could prepare myself Alice unleashed her magic on me, subtley using the smell to cloud my judgement.

	“Onii-chan,” she started, “Alice can't clean Alices hair on Alices own. Won't you help Alice?”

	Before I could come up with a proper discouragement, Alice had grabbed my hand and began walking towards the bathroom. The magic made me powerless, forcing me to wordlessly shuffle on to help her wash her hair. While the garden sized tub filled with water, Alice, with no warning, promptly slid off her nightgown, giving me another view of her gorgeous body. Her beautiful blonde hair cascaded like a waterfall down her back, reposing on her shoulders before perfectly resting above the tiny peach that was her ass. Taking a deep breath, I felt the blood leave my head and spread throughout my body, causing all rational thinking to leave my mind.

	Gently Alice slid herself into the bath. Without needing any prompting I walked over. Rolling up my sleeves to my shoulders, I readied myself for the task ahead. She sat there for a moment, then at my prompting dunked her head under the water. When she came up, I kneeled by the tub, took the shampoo and gently rubbed it into her head and scalp. Satisfied with the suds produced, I took the removable showerhead from its resting place. After I finished rinsing her off, I noticed that the sight of her hair clinging to her body stirred emotions in me, and as if she sensed them, she tilted her head into a seductive glare. Those eyes sang to me, calling me to join her in a union of flesh that would end in combined ecstacy the likes neither of us had ever known.

	With no warning my body moved on its own. Taking her face into my hand, I guided it towards mine. Alice offered no resistance as I joined my lips to hers. They were more saccharine than I could have dared imagine; sweet, warm and full of life. Full of joy and happiness, promising love and devotion for the rest of time. Nothing else in this world mattered at that moment, she was my entire universe.

	Alice pulled away from me, looking into my eyes, practically begging me to finish what I had started. However, this brief pause was enough to allow my eroding rational side to take control. With robotic motions, I stood up and turned around, “Alice, finish your bath, dry off, dress, brush your hair and teeth, then meet me in the living room.” With that I walked out, not daring to look back lest I lose control again.

	While I took a quick shower in the guest bathroom, I argued with myself again: This is crazy. No way I can do this. Sure that kiss was good, Hell it was the best I've ever had, but this is still wrong. She may be a succubus, but she's still a kid; ok not a kid, but still, she looks like one. This is fucked up. After combing my hair and changing my clothes, I continued to rationalize my moral qunadary as I went to the living room. Suddenly, Alice stepped out of the bathroom. She had forgone the gothic lolita style in lieu of a simple sundress. My arguments temporarily forgotten, I noted that Its true what they say; no girl looks bad in a sundress.

	Alice looked disapointed, but perked up when I suggested we head out for our  late breakfast. Walking up to me, she took my hand in hers. Leading her out the door, I locked it behind us before we began the short walk to the Cafe Cherez. Her grip never wavered on the trip over, almost as if she believed that if she let go I would disapear and never return.

	The waitress that sat us at our table was your standard twenty-something girl trying to make her way through college. At least that was the first impression I got, but a moment later I noticed she had the pointed ears of a cat-girl, her tail only viewable when she turned around. She took our order, then hustled to the kitchen. After she left, there was a silence between myself and Alice; one she was hesitant to break and one I had no interest in breaking. Some time later our waitress returned.

	“Ok, so one strawberry and whipped cream crepe for the young lady and a black coffee for the gentleman. Will there be anything else?” The waitress asked with an honest smile.

	Alice shook her head. “Does Onii-chan need anything?”

	With that the waitress inquired, “Spending time with your big brother today?”

	Giggling, Alice responded, “The whole weekend!”

	“Well im sure he's happy to be with you!”

	Alice nodded, “One day, Alice is going to marry Onii-chan, then Alice can spend every day with him!” With this statement a huge smile found its way to Alices face, and my olfactory senses tingled with the encroachment of her magic to make the idea seem more amenable to me.

	Our waitress didnt seemed fazed by this as I feared she might've, “Well, Alice, I'm sure that one day you two will get hitched and live happily ever after!”

	 Thank God she neglected to bring up the apparent age difference, but then I kicked myself mentally; this woman was a monster after all and she probably knew more about the succubus sitting across from me than I did.

	Wearing a smile the cat-girl left our table to attend to her other patrons. With clumsy gestures Alice lifted her fork and knife to dig into her meal. She put great effort into her movements, but it was clear she was having difficulty cutting her crepe into bites manageable for her small mouth. A sigh escaping my lips, I gently removed the tools from her hands and partitioned her food into the perfect size. After I finished, I looked at Alice to see her mouth open and an 'Aaa,' escaping her lips. What the hell, I thought as I speared a bit on her fork and placed it into her mouth, ignoring the urge to make airplane noises as I moved the food towards her.

	With a little glomp Alice took a bite, slowly chewing to savor every flavor she was experiencing. When she finished, her eyes sparkled as her smile grew wide. Taking the fork from my hand, she quickly devoured the treat before her. I noticed that her face was becoming covered in whipped cream with each bite mouthfull. My initial reaction was to lean over and wipe it off, but the rational part of me realized it was probably smarter to wait until she was done.

	 Not even five minutes passed before she finished her crepe. Wetting my napkin on my tounge, I leaned over to clean her up. Alice fidgeted the whole time, struggling against my advances to clean her up into a presentable girl, but I noticed she was lightly releasing her smell while I did so. It seemed that she was enjoying the way I was doting on her, and wanted me to enjoy it as much if not more than she was.  As I watched her squirm against me, a pang attacked my heart.  This proved that what I had assumed the night before was making itself known as an irrefutable truth: no matter my protests and my moral conflicts, this girl would have me as her own.

	When the cleaning ordeal was done, I sat sipping my coffee. It was truly enjoyable; bitter, but not overly so. The perfect temperature, hot without being scalding. Good coffee is truly a rare experience that must be relished, regardless of what crazy circumstances may surround a person. As I drank, Alice sat back in her chair, hands on her stomach, a look of pure joy on her face. Out of no where, I heard a tiny belch escape her lips.

	“Excuse Alice.” Her face turned a light shade of crimson upon finishing this statement required by good etiquette and polite society.

	The sheer absurdity of a little succubus burping was too much for me, and I had to set down my cup as I laughed for a solid minute at what had just occurred in front of me. Alice turned even redder as my chortling continued. Wiping a tear from my eye, I reached across the table and sat a hand on Alices shoulder.

	“I'm sorry Princess, but that was so unexpected that I just couldnt help myself. If it makes you feel better, it was quite cute.” To prove my sincerity I allowed a rare smile to plaster itself upon my lips.

	Alices face slowly regained its real complextion as her face transformed into an innocent smile as her wings bobbed and her tail waved along in happy agreemant. Once again she used her magic against me, but at that point she didnt need to. I was truly happy in that moment, which I stressed with a pat on Alices head.

	As the check was being paid, and the waitress being given a hefty tip, I noticed Alice was antsy, practically bouncing up and down in her chair. If I was to take her shopping as I had intended, this level of energy wouldnt do. Walking out of the cafe, Alice taking my hand into hers, I settled on a course of action. Turning to Alice, I began to speak.

	“Alice,” I started, “Why don't we go to the park? Theres one nearby that has an excellent playground.”

	Out of nowhere Alice charged into me, wrapping her arms around me.

	“Yay! Will Onii-chan push Alice on the swings?”

	“Sure Princess, whatever you want.”

	This excited her to no end, and when I told her the direction we were heading, she practically yanked off my arm as she ran towards our destination. It was nice to see her happy, I thought to myself,  considering the rocky way the morning had begun for us. My imagination may have been running wild,  but I swear the whole way I felt her magic permeating my sense, confusing my mind to further her own goals.

	It didnt take us long to arrive at the promised land. I pushed Alice on the swings for a bit before she wanted down to run around and enjoy the monkey bars and other assorted equipment the playground had to offer. Setting myself on a bench, I watched her play and enjoy herself. After a time, some local kids came to join in on her fun, oblivious or outright ignoring the fact that she was a monster girl.

	These observations brought back the part of my brain that had been further befuddled since the morning by the almost sinister magic of the succubi, magic that she had used against me since day one. It may be stated by many sources she was fully grown, but the behavior that was playing out before me seemed to encourage my doubts that she was anything but. Never in my life had I found myself attracted to someone who, shall we say, shared her charecteristics. But with her, it was different. No, it wasn't. It was magic. It was wrong. I never asked for this, I never wanted to be saved.

	The growl of the beast I kept locked away entered my mind: Then why dont you throw her out. Do it, call Jane, tell her what you did. Alice would be fine. You can go back to what you were, no harm no foul. Well, why dont you? You know damn well why. Alices magic has changed you. You werent keen on this to begin with, but she's wormed her way into your mind, whether you want to admit it or not. Embrace this madness, go with it. Who you were died once, let him die again, lets see what you get reborn as. Before I could begin to respond, Alice ran up to me, forcing me out of my stupor. She planted a kiss on my cheek, then giggled at her stolen prize as she returned to playing with the local children.

	A couple hours later, she ran up to me with a grin plastered on her face, “That was fun Onii-chan! But Alice is done playing, can we go get food now?”

	That smile she gave made me realize the beast was right. My arguments were pointless, my hesitance futile. Alice would have my heart, she would erase my past and make me happy again. I could fight this till the end or just accept what I couldnt change. That third option, throwing her out and betraying the few scraps of humanity I still held was unthinkable. I would be hers, and she would be mine. My course was decided: I would follow this rabbit hole of insanity until its inevitable conclusion.

	With that decison, a small plan hatched in my brain. Deviously, I decided to get a more appropriate revenge for Alices little stunt last night; so I began to tease Alice, “Sure thing Princess, now what did you want for dinner again? Oh, thats right! Boiled chicken breast with plain baked potatoes.”

	Alice crossed her arms as she started her pouty face, retorting, “That's not right Onii-chan! Alice knows Onii-chan remembers what Alice wants!”

	*Snap* “Thats right! Im sorry Princess, you wanted steamed broccoli and roasted asparagus!”

	Her wings and tail began to flail about as she began a tantrum, “Onii-chan! Stop teasing Alice!”

	With a laugh I picked her up and held her in my arms. “Ok, ok. I remember Alice. You want chicken nuggets. With smiley face french fries, right?”

	She nodded with a smile, “And Alice wants...”

	“Ketchup!” I interupted.

	With that interupption we both burst out laughing. Setting her down, I took her hand. Since the day was still early, I explained to Alice that we would window shop for a few hours at the local stores. Eventually, when I heard her stomach growl, I knew it was time to get a jump on dinner. Smiles on our faces, we headed into the direction of the supermarket. We reached the store in about fifteen minutes, and as we walked in Alice gravitated towards the shopping carts.

	“Onii-chan, can Alice ride in the basket?”

	“Arent you a bit old for that?”

	She crossed her arms, then stuck her tounge out at me.

	Defeated, I replied, “Alright, fine. But if you fall out and get hurt I'm not kissing any boo-boos.”

	Victory was hers, and she reveled in it as I lifted her into the cart. With that, we began the task of purchasing food for tonight and tommorow. Our trip through the wonderland of food and home neccesities was an uneventful one, and soon we returned to my apartment; our arms laden with the goods we had purchased. Putting away everything but tonights requested meal, I had Alice help me with the cooking. Once the prep work was done, I set the timer then led Alice into the living room to resume watching the cartoon we had started last night.

	Soon enough the timer dinged. Shutting off the TV I went to prepare dinner, calling Alice into the dining room when I had the table set. I picked at my food, preffering to watch Alice eat. Her little face never stopped smiling as she ate, dipping her chicken and fries in liberal amounts of ketchup. Unsurprisingly, several times throughout the meal I had to lean over and clean off her face. What also came to no surprise was her subtle use of magic on my mind, to the point where everything had a somewhat rosy tint to it; as if it was being viewed through a special camera lens.

	When we finished eating and cleaning up, I suggested that we spend the evening playing video games, to which Alice gave an enthusiastic yes. After she changed into her bedclothes, we played for a few hours; I noted that Alice was quite good, beating me more times than I beat her. After a time she requested to watch cartoons again. She set herself on my lap as if she had done so a thousand times, a gesture to which I made no complaints. And just like the other night, after a few episodes the din of her tiny snores reached my ears. Gently, I lifted her up, taking her to my room, covering her with the blankets, this time planting a kiss on her forehead.

	When I turned to leave, I felt a gentle tug on my sleeve that kept me from leaving. Alice was awake and staring into my eyes.

	“Onii-chan, don't leave. Alice wants you in bed with her. Alice wants Onii-chan to hug her tight, just like Jane said he would.”

	I had only a moment before it returned. The smell was back, thicker than ever, and as soon as it hit me I knew my resolve against it was gone. I knew I was going to conquer the Princess, to take her as my own. My moral dilemma had evaporated in a magic-fueled haze. Who I was forever disapeared at that moment, and only time could tell who I was to become. The beast would be appeased: who I was now was going to die in a firey blaze of passion, and who I was to be would be reborn from the ashes of this night.

	With more strength than I thought she had, Alice pulled me down towards her lips. When our lips met, the fire inside me was lit. The beast had been set free, combining himself with me into one powerful creature of lust. My passion ignited, I kissed her over and over again. I slid my tounge into her mouth, mixing with hers in an age old dance. Alice sat up, gently biting my neck, which I quickly reciprocated. Her little hands tried to take my shirt off, but it was clear she was struggling.

	I decided to help her, and with a deft motion had it off and on the floor. Alice wrapped her arms around my back, then kissed up and down my chest. After a moment she looked back into my eyes. In hers I saw the promise of a night of passion, and many subsequent nights to come. I saw joy, happiness, and the death of my sorrows. Bending down, I took her face into my hand, bringing it closer to mine to shower it with kisses. With my other hand, I used a technique Jane had mentioned in passing once; I started gently running my fingers up and down Alices horns. This caused her to gasp slightly, and after a time take my hand in hers, then slowly sucked on my finger, which caused slight gasps of my own to be released.

	We were panting now, the two of us, our spirits and our bodies coming together in perfect harmony. I slid her nightgown off to get a better view. She was a beautiful sight to behold, her naked body glistening in the weak light of a celing lamp. Her pink nipples called out to me with a song I could not ignore, and with careful motions I took one into my mouth. I ran my tounge around it, feeling every inch of it in careful motions. She let out a little cry, but then small sighs of pleasure escaped her lips. Gently, I sucked on it, tasting its sweetness, which caused further sounds of enjoyment to come from Alice.

	I removed my mouth from her chest, kissed her again, then slowly and gently carressed her pussy through her white cotton panties. More cries of passion escaped her mouth, it was clear how much she enjoyed this. Her face had begun to turn light shades of scarlet, and her body were begging for me for me to slide into her, to finally join us together as one. In quick succession I had my pants off, and positioned myself above Alice.

	Before I could continue, her hand grasped the base of my manhood. With slow careful motions, she licked it up and down, the gently slid it into her tiny mouth. She moved her head up and down, from tip to base, over and over in motions that sent pure ecstasy to every neuron in my body, combined with her tail brusing up and down my spine the experience was as close to nirvana as I had ever felt. After a time she stopped, while keeping my cock in her hand she looked deep into my eyes. I brushed her hand away, then bent down over her vulva. With my teeth I removed her panties, then used my tounge to lick her  from top to bottom in slow, careful motions. The taste of her pussy was astounding; sweet as cherries and smooth as velvet. After several minutes of this, I turned my attention towards her clitoris. Her mouth let out cries and moans of passion as I stroked it with my tounge, begging for the pleasure I could bring her. Eventually, I could take no more. I had to have her.

	Positioning myself above Alice, in a rough and husky voice, I said, “Princess, this may hurt a little, but be brave and it will start to feel good, I promise.”

	With trusting eyes she stared at me, then nodded in understanding. Slowly, I slid my cock inside of her. She let out a cry of pain as I slowly thrusted into her. I stopped my motions to lean down and kiss her, as if to reassure her that everything was all right.

	After several minutes of joining our lips, Alice spoke up, “Onii-chan, keep going.”

	I obliged her with slow and careful thrusts. Her sex was smooth, warm and tight. I could feel every inch  as I slid in and out of her. She kissed me, I kissed her back. She nibbled at my neck, I nibbled back. At that moment, there was no one else, nothing anywhere existed except this, and there was no other world then the one we were creating right now at this very moment.

	Slowly I felt the build-up increase, I felt pressure in my cock aching to be released. Alices face was even more crimson than before. Suddenly, she let out a cry of pleasure while simoltaneously her pussy clamped down on me, a tight grip that refused to let me move. Her wings wrapped around my back drawing me closer to her body.

	“Onii-chan, Alice wants that to happen again. Keep going Onii-chan, dont stop.”

	I continued my thrusting, still moving at a measured pace. My cock could feel her pussy getting wetter, I could feel the build up inside of her as the pressire in me continued to increase. We shared more kisses, we shared more nibbles. We both moaned and gasped as the pleasure increased, as our very souls began to move towards a shared pleasure. Taking her other nipple into my mouth, I tasted it with my tounge as I continued with my thrusting. Propping myself up with my left hand, I used my right to grab the small of her back and gently lift her up. This allowed me to thrust deeper inside of her, to feel even more of her, and for her to feel even more of me.

	Alice let out a gasp when I did this, turned even redder, then begged me to keep going, to go a little faster. With quicker motions I penetrated her, over and over. I knew I didnt have much longer, and I prayed she came soon. The Gods answered my prayers, as I felt her pussy clamp down on me as she let out a loud cry of pleasure. That was it for me; as soon as she tightened I came inside of her in an orgasm that was harder and more amazing than any other in my life. I collapsed on top of her, both of us panting hard. Turning my head, I kissed her on the cheek, which she reciprocated with a small peck of her own.

	Rolling off of her, I laid down on the bed, then drew Alice close to me. Eyes closed, she rested her head on my chest. Poor dear was tuckered out, but then again so was I. We had taken a lot out of each other, and I knew we would both sleep well tonight. Placing one hand on her thigh, I leaned down to kiss her.

	Before passing out, Alice kissed my chest. “I love you Onii-chan.” Her little tail wrapped itself around my waist, bringing me closer to her.

	With a smile, I said, “I love you too, my little Princess. Sweet dreams.”

	With this pleasant exchange to conclude the amazing day we had shared together, I felt my eyelids get heavy. Turning off the light with a flick of a switch, my last thought was of what wonderful things the new day would bring.

	I awoke the next morning, slowly opening one eye to take in my surrounding. Alice lay snoring on my chest, those small and cute little snores she was so good at making. With a smile, I turned towards the clock to check the time. It was a little later than I expected, but since I didnt have to work that day, what did it matter? Slowly and carefully I got out of bed, gently resting my princesses head on a pillow. Taking my pack and lighter, I went out to the balcony to give little miss pain in my ass a text.

	Me: Hey bitch, you busy?

	Jane: For you Johnny-boy, never. So did you hug Alice tight yet ;)

		Awfull perceptive of her.

	Me: As loathe as I am to admit it, yes. Last night before we fell asleep.

	Jane: Wait, really? Damn that girl works fast. You did use some form of protection right?

	Me: No, didnt think about it.

	Jane: WHAT? Johnny-boy this is bad!

	Me: Goddamn it Jane! This is all your fault for bringing her around me!

	Jane: Don't pin this on me! Your're supposed to be the smart one!

		What the hell was I going to do? After a moment of freaking out phone dinged to 			announce it had a message for me.

	Jane: Gotcha.

	Me:.....what?

	Jane: Did you really think we'd take her out to find a mate/husband without planning for this?

	Jane: Don't worry, she's on the Succubi equivalent of the pill.

	Me:.....You're not as funny as you think you are.

	Jane: LOL. Gotta go Johnny-boy, have a good day with Alice!

	With a groan I set my head on the rail of my deck. Mentally settting the score to three hits for Jane, I took a drag on my cigarette to calm my nerves. At least Alice wouldn't get pregnant. But now what? What would our future be, I knew I meant it when I said I loved her, but what kind of life could we have? A light tapping on the door glass got my attention, and I turned around to behold Alice standing there in her thin nightgown smiling at me. Suddenly, those thoughts of the future weren't that important, all that mattered was that smile, and making sure I saw it every day for the rest of my life.

	Bending down, I picked Alice up in my arms and gave her a great big spinning hug. Before setting her down, I gave her a deep and passionate kiss. When I set her down, I saw her close her eyes and grimace, then stick her tounge out.

	With concern I asked, “Alice, is everything ok?”

	“Onii-chan, your breath tastes yucky.”

	Shit, I forgot I just burned a smoke. This was a problem, one I could easily remedy. “Alice, why don't I quit smoking? I know that it makes you sad, and I cant stand to see my Princess unhappy.”

	Her face brightened a little, then she said, “Onii-chan, that means smoking won't kill you! But...it didnt sound like Onii-chan cared if he died.”

	I took a knee, then looked her in the eyes. “Princess, for the first time in a long time, I want to live. I don't want to die. Your Onii-chan wants to live a long and happy life with you, filled with many wonderful memories. And it's all because of you, you drove away my pain and sorrow. You made me want to live.” To further prove my point, I embraced her in a tight hug. Her little arms squeezed me just as tight, and I felt my shoulder get damp.

	“Onii-chan, kiss Alice. Even with yucky breath.”

	With a smile, I leaned in to give my Princess a deep and passionate kiss.

	Half an hour later, at Alices request, we were eating waffles topped with strawberries and whipped cream. Her mouth had formed into a delightful smile that only widened with each bite. Once again, several times throughout breakfast I had to lean over the table and wipe the cream from her mouth and face. Once we had finished, I took our plates into the kitchen, drafting Alice to help me by drying them when I had finished washing them.

	The dishes finished, I turned to Alice. “Hey sweetheart, I don't have anything I need to do today, is there anything you wanted to see in the city?”

	Tilting her head to one side, I observed as Alice became lost in thought. “Uhhhh....can we go somewhere fun Onii-chan?”

	“Somewhere fun huh?” With that I became the one lost in thought. I had already taken her to the park, so that was out. A movie maybe? But there wasnt anything good playing; nothing Alice would like at any rate. Suddenly, like a bolt of lightining, an idea popped into my head.

	“Princess, why dont we go to the local amusement park? Its got rides, games and lots of good food.”

	Alice looked puzzled for a moment. “Onii-chan, Alice dosent know what a muse-ment park is.”

	Well that settled it. “Trust me Alice, you'll love it. Before we go, we both need to bathe, considering last nights workout. So, do you want to take your bath first?”

	That devious look re-appeared on her lips and eyes. “Onii-chan, dont you know? Your'e supposed to take a bath with Alice.”

	Before I could retort, the smell had returned. “That's not fair Princess.”

	With a giggle, “But it makes Onii-chan take a bath with Alice.”

	Wordlessly I bent down, picked her up to carry her to the bathroom, planting a deep kiss on her lips the entire way. After all, that's what an Onii-chan is supposed to do.

	My bathrooom, as I mentioned, had a garden tub in it, big enough for two adults, and plenty big for an Alice and her Onii-chan. Once the tub was filled, I slid off Alices nightgown, then gently placed her in the bath. Stripping myself, I settled in on the other side of the tub, and in one deft motion turned on the jets. We both had our arms on the edge of our respective sides, savoring the heat and cleasing effects of the bath. After a time, I caught Alice staring at me, an alluring look in her eyes. Wordlessly I motioned for her to come over to me.

	She sat next to me, gently resting her head on my chest. I bent down to kiss her forehead, and in one movement she had her lips on mine. Using her magic, she befuddled my mind, and I kissed her deeper and deeper. Her hand found its way to my cock, stroking it in careful and slow movements. Likewise, I gently stroked her pussy. Our mouths let out simoltaneous gasps of pleasure as we continued our movements.  We looked into each others eyes, and without a word she placed her hands onto my shoulders to guide herself onto to my manhood.

	Carefully she lowered herself onto me, letting out a small cry of passion as I fully penetrated her. With an even pace she slowly bounced on me, sliding me in and out of her tight pussy. As her motions got faster, I felt the pressure building in me. Her tail and wings wrapped themselves around me tighter and tighter. While one hand was holding her against me, I used the other to stroke her horns. And just as I felt that I couldnt take anymore, her pussy tightened and clamped down on my cock, and I felt my seed burst out of me in another wonderfully violent orgasm that left me speechless as she loudly cried out in pleasure. We both sat there for who knows how long, hugging each other as the waves of orgasm dissapated and were replaced by feelings of mutual love and trust. Gently grabbing her face, I leaned in to give her a deep and passionate kiss, then drew her head to my shoulder. She gave me a peck on the cheek, which I reciprocated.

	I lifted her out of the bath, then undid the drain plug. Without a word I led her over to the shower, turning it on to a comfortable setting, I walked us into it. We bathed without a sound, me shampooing her hair before doing my own, and repeating this action for our bodies. But even if we didnt talk, our shared smiles and occasional kiss highlighted the truth; that for whatever reason, fate, magic, mutual trust or something indescribable, we did truly love each other, and we both knew that we always would. She was my Princess, and I was her Onii-chan.

	After we dressed, Alice in a pair of jeans and a pink cutsew, myself in a black shirt and dark pants; we hopped in my car to drive over to Super-Happy-Funland. This appropriatly named park was a point of note in this city, since anyone and everyone knew of it and had been at least once. I knew that Alice would enjoy our time here, and I knew that it would become one of our fondest memories.

	The first thing we did, well, I did, was to be dragged around by Alices almost superhuman strength as she took in the sights around her. She ran from stall to stall, admiring the games, drooling at the food, and staring at awe at the many rides the park had to offer. Seeing as she was an indecisive little thing, I took the lead and suggested we start with some rides. I knew it was a good idea to start off slow, so we rode the scrambler ride. My biggest fear, after we got off, was that It would cause Alice to become dizzy and potentially vomit; this was for naught as she gleefully begged me to ride it again. So, we did ride it again. And again. And again. After the fourth time, I was the one who might potentially puke, so I led Alice away with the promise of a funnel cake. Her little face radiated joy as we slowly made our way to the food stand that promised a golden fried powdered sugar delight.

	The rest of our day proceeded in a similar fasion: She'd drag me to a ride, we'd ride several times until I could take no more and then distracted Alice with either food or games. Alice ate so much I thought for sure she would pop; after the funnel cake it was hot dogs, then elephant ears, then cotton candy, then pizza and so much more that I began to lose track. As for the games, unlike the prior night with those of the video medium, Alice wasnt to good at these; but even though she didnt win anything, she never whined or threw a tantrum.

	One particular game did have a prize that I could tell she longed for. The prize in question was a small blue teddy bear, not one of a cheap carnival style, but a nice one, well made, possibly hand crafted. It was the grand prize awarded only when a player reached an almost unubtainably high score. I saw in Alices eyes a desire for this that burned quite bright. Being a good Onii-chan, I knew I had to make an attempt to win her this trophy; and then it was my eyes' turn to light up. The game was a shooting gallery, a skill I had perfected long ago.

	“Alice, would you like Onii-chan to win you that bear?”

	She turned to look at me, “Alice dosent need it Onii-chan.”

	I knew her too well, even though we had only known each other for a short time. Without a word, I went over to the stall, paid the fee, then brought the rifle to my shoulder. The attendant explained what score would be needed for the various prizes, but I ignored that until I heard what it would require for me to obtain the treasure I sought. A few quick mental calculations later, I tallied which targets I would have to hit to obtain the neccesary score.

	Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself to shoot as I had been taught so long ago. Emptying my mind, I allowed instinct to take over. In six seconds I had fired and scored all the shots neccesary to win the bear for my Princess. The attendants face was stunned, a trait currently shared by Alice. He handed me the bear after removing it from its resting place; prompting me to kneel down and hand it to Alice. I had seen her smile many times over the weekend, but I swear at that moment it was larger than it had ever appeared. Not because of the object currently in her hands, but moreso from the action required to obtain it, and the meaning behind her possesion of the stuffed doll. To her, it meant her Onii-chan truly loved her; and I knew in my heart this was the truth as the waves of her magic entralled my senses. Her little arms, tail and wings wrapping around me in a tight squeeze further verfied my assesment.

	Taking Alice by the hand, I led her in the direction of the next source of our entertainment. It wasnt long before she tugged at my sleeve to ask me the question I was expecting.

	“Onii-chan, how'd you do that?”

	With a laugh I explained, “I used to live in the country Princess, you had to learn to shoot where I grew up. So what do you want to do now?”

	Alice stopped for a minute, then began to speak, “Can we go home Onii-chan? Alice had lots of fun, but Alice is tired. Also....” she motioned for me to lean down closer to her.

	Whispering in my ear, she continued, “Alice wants to hug Onii-chan tight again before Alice falls asleep.”

	She didn't have to tell me twice. Picking her up, I walked us towards the gate and towards home. It was late in the afternoon, and the sun had begun its long journey towards the end of the horizon. This reminded me that the weekend was drawing to a close; and so was my time with Alice. In the beginning of this strange couple of days I would have been elated to see this moment arive. Now, I found myself sad that Jane would be coming by at some yet unspecified point to take my Princess back home. At that moment my resolve hardened: Jane wasnt taking her away from me. She was my Princess, I was her Onii-chan, and nothing would drive us apart.

	Walking into my apartment, I locked the door behind us then quickly completed my ritual of placing my wallet, keys and knife in a bowl on the end table near the entryway. Alice set her new toy on an end table, then went to sit on the couch, motioning for me to do the same. Sitting next to her, I took her hand in mine, then pulled her onto my lap. With one fluid motion I laid down with Alices head resting on my chest. I held her tight against me, savoring the feel of the skin on her arm and the rythmic motions of her breathing. I didnt know how long we lay there, all I knew was that time seemed to stop as the world around us dissapeared. To be honest, I could not recall any other time that I was as happy as I was in that moment.

	Eventually, Alice placed both her hands on my chest to hoist herself up. She stared deep into my eyes, so deep that I was chilled to the bone. Without a word she intiated the act, that sacred but almost profane act that brought us closer together. Taking my face in her hand, she leaned in and kissed me in a manner that excited all of my senses at once. I put one hand on the back of her head and the other around the small of her back. Our tounges combined, our fingers ran over each other. The passion between us built up at a steady pace, neither of us wanting the moment to end.

	When I could take no more, I sprang from the sofa, cuddling Alice against me as I did. Without a word we adjourned to the bedroom, our fiery kisses continuing the entire way. Flicking the light on with one quick motion, I slowly laid my Princess onto the bed. My hands ran across her horns to further excite and tittilate her already building tension. She gasped in a mixture of surprise and passion, then slowly stroked my cock through my pants in a rythimic, almost teasing motion. I responed with slow traces down her face, that soon led to her chest down to her sex. With careful motions I reached my hand inside her pants, then ran my fingers in a circular pattern around her vulva, delighting in the little moans that escaped her mouth. Her face turned redder and redder with each stroke, until it seemed she could take no more.

	“Onii-chan, I love you. Hug Alice tight Onii-chan.”

	That was all I needed to hear. As if I had done it a thousand times before, I threw my shirt to the floor. With deft motions I removed Alices cutsew, then proceeded to take her nipples into my mouth one at a time, while allowing my hands to tantalize the other nipple not being teased by my tounge. Alice let out more cries of pleasure, and responded to my movements by using her hands to stroke my manhood while running her tail up my spine, her wings drawing me closer to her all the while. Soon, I could take no more. I yanked off Alices pants and white cotton panties in one quick movement, then removed my own jeans in a similar manner. Positioning myself above my Princess, I was ready to enter her when suddenly she put a hand on my chest to stop me.

	“No, Onii-chan. This time, Alice is on top. Alice is going to hug Onii-chan just like he hugged Alice.”

	Once again using more strength then I thought she had, she rolled me over onto my back, then slowly slid into me. She put one hand on each of my shoulders, then cautiously brought herself down to chest level. Then, slowly at first, then quicker as time progressed, she moved herself up and down my cock. I felt the buildup in me increase with each thrust, and I felt Alices pussy getting wetter and wetter. As she rode me I stroked her horns, I sucked on her nipples, I ran my hands up and down her back and finally settling on her ass; grabbing on to it as tight as I dared. My Princess eventually settled herself into the cowgirl postion, bouncing on me with a little ah ah ah each time her pussy engulfed my cock, with her wings and tail bobbing along with each jump.

	Out of nowhere I felt her clamp down on me, her pussy tighting around me so violently I almost blacked out. However, my seed had not shot out, so when she had recovered from her orgasm I instructed her to keep going, but if she couldnt then I could take over. A gleam in her eyes told me she intended to prove she was a big girl with the achievement of making her Onii-chan cry out in ecstacy, so with this she continued her motions, releasing her magic at the same time.

	The weekend had proved to me that I was powerless to her magic, and once again it heightened my senses and made me feel even more of her. Her pussy got wetter, my cock got harder, and when Alice looked me in the eye I truly felt us becoming one in mind, body, and soul. As if on cue, she clamped down on me one final time as I felt myself release inside of her, the tension finally leaving me in a wonderful release that was far beyond any rational explanation. It seemed the orgasm was equally as wonderful for her, as I felt mine end she collapesed onto my chest, breathing heavily. Kissing her on the cheek, I used my right hand to slowly stroke her up from the top of her tail to the back of her head, instilling my feelings of true love.

	Slowly, I rolled her off my chest onto the bed. I cuddled her up close to me, then gave her a kiss. Her tail lazily swished up my leg before wrapping around it, her wings folding across my torso.

	“I love you Onii-chan.” With that she fell asleep, and with heavy eyelids I followed suit.

	I was awoken the next morning by the sound of my phone. It was Jane, of course. Quietly I slipped out to the porch.

	“Hey Johnny-boy, I'll be coming by to get Alice around noon. Does that work for you?”

	My anger came to the forefront, and with measured tones I allowed it to seep into my voice, “No Jane, it doesn't. I'm not letting you take her away. I love my Princess, and I will be damned if I let you break us apart. Maybe I wasnt to keen on this at first, but that dosent matter now, she's mine and I'm hers. And neither Hell, nor high water will break that bond.” With each passing second my resolve strengthened, when suddenly a laugh on the other end momentarily broke me out of my frame of mind.

	“Oh Johnny, I was hoping, no praying, to hear you say that! I'll be by soon, we have a lot to talk about.”

	“There is NOTHING to talk about Jane! My mind is made up!”

	More laughter from her, “I know it is, if your wearing it keep your shirt on!” Her tone softened, “Look, I'm not going to break you two up. But there are a lot of factors at play here, so please, calm down, and wait till I come by. I promise to explain everything. Go back to bed and cuddle with Alice.” With that the line went dead.

	Since there was nothing else I could do, I followed Janes advice. As soon as my arms wrapped around Alice, a smile found its way to her lips, and she quietly whispered 'Onii-chan.' Her tail and wings found their way to their familiar spots. I didn't know what Jane meant that there were many factors at play, but I didnt care. Allowing my anger to dissapate, I lazily stroked Alices hair to calm my mind. A couple of hours later Alice lazily opened her eyes, slowly sitting up in bed. She yawned great big, then streched out her delicate little arms.

	“Morning, Onii-chan. Can Alice have breakfast?”

	“Sure Princess, waffles ok?” I responded with a smile.

	She nodded an affirmative, then hopped out of bed. After we performed the usual morning rituals and changed for the day, we walked to the kitchen. With Alices help, I prepared her breakfast. I didnt much feel like eating, so as she ate the little bites I had cut for her, I drank a cup of coffee to get my mind going. Checking the time, I saw that Jane was set to arrive in a few hours, so when Alice finished I offered to put on some cartoons for her while I read a book. Laughing, she ran to the living room, only to run back at my command so I could clean off the syrup that had found its way to her face. Moving to the sofa, she lay her head on my shoulder while I read, not really paying attention to the words on the page but greatful for the distraction nonetheless.

	Right on schedule, a knock on my door soon arrived. Getting up, I walked over to greet our visitor.

	“Morning Johnny-boy!” Jane strolled in, accenting her greeting with a friendly hug. Taking advantage of the situation, I delivered upon Jane the three smacks she was owed.

	“What the fuck Johnny?!” She yelled.

	“You had that coming for the mess you put me in. Youve got this coming for how I feel.” Then, I reciprocated her hug, adding a peck on the cheek.

	Little footfalls echoed through the house, “Big sis!”

	Alice rushed forward into Jane's waiting arms. Setting her down, Jane did the unexpected; she bowed her head and knelt before Alice. Confused, I decided to stay quiet and wait for an explanation to be made. My patience was quickly rewarded:

	“Your Highness,” Jane began as she raised her head. “Did you have a good time with your Onii-chan?”

	Giggling my Princess responded, “Alice did! Onii-chan was kinda mean, but then Onii-chan got nice! Then, Onii-chan hugged Alice tight! Onii-chan took Alice to the park, to a cafe, to a muse-ment park, and thats where Onii-chan won Alice a bear!” Then her voice lost its happy edge and became troubled.

	“Big sis, are you taking Alice away?” Small tears began to form in her eyes.

	“Your highness, I have to. You need to go back home.” Alice began to cry, her little sobs accented by drooped wings and tail.

	“But Alice dosent want to! Alice wants to stay with Onii-chan!” More tears began to fall as her crying intinsified in volume.

	 I felt my anger surge at Alices statement; and unobtrusively set myself into a fighting stance, ready to pounce on Jane the moment the opportunity arose. I didnt know how much of a chance I stood, but I wasnt going to take this lying down.

	Dragging her close, Jane put Alice in a tight hug, “Its ok Alice! Look, we're all going back. You, me and Onii-chan.”

	My Princess changed her demanor from sad to one of hope, “Really Big sis, Onii-chan is coming with us? No fibbing?” Hiccuping, she wiped the last of her tears from her eyes.

	A smile rose to Jane's lips, “Yes sweetie, he really is. No fibbing.”

	With no warning Alice ran up and grabbed me in a hug so tight I felt like a bone might break. My pants began to dampen as tiny sobs of happiness escaped my Princess. Ruffling her hair, I bent down to hug her against me. Her sobs continued, and soon I gingerly pulled her away from me.

	“Princess,” I started, “I need to talk to Jane for a minute. Why don't you go back to your cartoons?”

	Alice gave a smile and tear encrusted nod, then made her way back to her former resting place. Turning to Jane, I allowed my face to become hard, then with a snap of my fingers motioned her to follow me. Adjouring to the deck, I closed the sliding door behind us. With a deft motion I removed a cigarette and lit it, taking a big inhale after doing so.

	“Thought you quit.”

	Exhale. “Special exception.” With that I turned to her. “Jane, would you mind telling me just what in the fuck is going on? Why are you calling her 'Your Highness?' Where exactly are you taking her back to? And, most important, why are you telling Alice that i'm coming along for the ride?”

	She waved her hand before beginning, “Johnny-boy, I'm taking her back home, like I said. But why I refer to her as your highness; well, its obvious you already know.”

	“No Jane, its obvious I don't.” I finished with another drag.

	With a puzzled cock of the head, Jane continued, “Then why are you calling her Princess?”

	I hadnt spent much time pondering that, but now that it was in front of my face I couldnt help but wonder. It just seemed so natural at first that I just kind of went with it. And with how crazy this weekend had been I had let a lot of questions go unaswered.

	“I don't know, I just do. It started right after she hit me with that magic for the first time.”

	Leaning on the railing, Jane computed this information for a moment, “Must be related to that.” Stepping back she gave a short laugh. “Well its not important, what is important is that you know that she really is a princess. Her fathers kingdom isnt the largest, but its a solid and important part of the monster lands; rich in trade, culture and people.”

	I was, for want of a better word, stunned.

	“Jane, what does that mean for us? Surely a princess cant marry, well, a commoner, I suppose.”

	“Johnny, things dont work that way in the royal family. Alice chose you, and you alone. Thats good enough for every party involved.”

	She settled in a chair before continuing, then motioned for me to do the same. “Alice is quite popular with the people of the nation, and its been decided that eventually she will lead it as their Queen. But theres a problem with that; one that I'm sure you can see.”

	I did see it, clear as day. Quite plainly, while she would be adored by all, a mascot who could easily lift the nations spirits in times of woes, Alice, due to her tempermant and maturity, would be unfit to truly lead a nation in all manners mundane or extravagent. A beloved leader the people would blindly follow, but not a leader fit to lead in times of strife.

	“What we need,” Jane finished my line of thought, “Is a solid king. A power behind the throne. Someone who can handle all the day to day issues and deal with the important matters of state. And that Johnny-boy, is going to be you.”

	The weight of that statement felt heavy on my shoulders. It was a large responsibility, and who was I to take it? Hell im a just a low ranking manager in a corporate chain, what did I know about leading a nation; thoughts I quickly espoused to Jane.

	“You'll learn, its not like your taking the mantle up anytime soon. The current king is an Incubus, (which we, Alices handmaidens, will make you into, she added) and thus has a very long lifespan. He may not retire for several decades, maybe even a couple of centuries. Until then, you have two jobs: First, observe, take notes, and assimilate all the information related to your future role; second and most important, keep little Alice happy.”

	I didnt know where to begin. “Jane, I cant just agree to this so suddenly! What about my life here, my family, my friends, and Hell even my job?!”

	Chuckling like she had all the answeres, Jane told me to look at my arm. Raising it, she quickly responded, “The other one idiot.”

	My right arm thus raised before me, I was puzzled why she had me do this.

	“Whats the point Jane?”

	“Look at it Johnny-boy. What do you notice?”

	Irritated, I snapped, “Nothing. Its my arm, so what?”

	Equally irritated, she fired back, “Whats missing?”

	Looking it over, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. Same birthmark, still in place. The scar I got a few years back was still present. Sensing no end in sight, she snapped her fingers.

	“The tattoo John, it's gone.”

	With a quick glance I was able to confirm Jane's statement: My ink was indeed, gone. The rose had dissapeared, the flower that had so much meaning behind it had left without leaving a shred of proof it had ever existed.

	“Let me guess, this weekend you barely thought about her, the reason your stupid ass got that tattoo. Now Johnny, do me a favor. Try to picture her. What color were her eyes? Her hair? Forget all that, what was her name?”

	Reaching for the memories, I found they werent there, not wholly intact anyway. She was just a shadow, grey and formless. Her name was forgotten to me, I couldnt even begin to hazard a guess. And Jane was right, I realized that not once that weekend had she pervaded my thoughts, even though she had been doing so everyday for countless years. She was gone; now and forever.

	“Succubi magic is a powerful thing.” Jane stated, shaking me out of my reverie. She smiled at me.

	“Leave all this behind Johnny; your job, your family, your friends, and your city. This life has nothing for you now.” Standing up, she went inside to check on my Princess and leave me to my thoughts.

	“Jane, wait a moment.” She turned to face me with one eybrow cocked.

	Taking a drag of my cigarette, I began to voice my suspicions, as everything she told me made all of the disjointed pieces fall into place. “Jane, something about this has been bothering me for a while now, but its all starting to make sense. You planned this. All of it: you brought Alice into my store on purpose. Im guessing you did it because you wanted to help me, you wanted to help Alice or you wanted to make sure she chose someone who could lead her nation. You wanted us to fall in love didnt you?.” My eyes hardened as I finished my accusation.

	She laughed, shrugged her shoulders, then began to exit the porch. Stopping partway inside, her head turned my direction.

	“Johnny-boy, so what if I did? Your're happy and Alice is happy. Isn't that all that matters?”

	I hung my head and sighed. Putting out my cigarette, I told Jane I'd be inside shortly. With a thin smile she crossed the threshold and closed the door behind her. I spun around to take in the view behind me.

	Even in the daytime, the beauty and majesty of this city awed me. At least, it used to. Now, it was just hollow, missing something. It didnt mean anything to me anymore; while it had been the place I called home for so very long, I knew that I had outgrown it. Happiness washed over me as the realization that I was free, truly free, made itself known to me. The shackles of sorrow and madness were replaced with the cooling breeze of freedom and serenity. There was just one thing left to do. Taking out my phone and popping in a few breath mints, I made the call.

	The phone rang three times before one of my co-workers answered the phone. Requesting to speak with the boss, I waited as the hold music played. Soon he answered, and I quickly explained that I was leaving the company, effective immediately. He was not happy with this, even though I profusely apologized for leaving him in the lurch. Mid-way through his rant where he tried to convince me to stay until a replacement could be found, a little tap started on the door. Turning around, I saw Alice grinning at me, her smile showing me hopes and dreams for our future together.

	“Hey boss.” I interupted.

	“What you miserable son of a bitch?! I couldve fired you a dozen times over for all the days you showed up still drunk, and this is how you repay me?! Leaving me for some monster girl whore you shacked up with?” And that insult to my Princess was the final straw that set all sense of loyalty and etiquette I had out the window.

	“Boss, get bent.”

	With that, I tossed my phone over my shoulder to make the ten story plunge to the ground below. Alice's face became stunned, then she doubled over laughing. Walking inside, I allowed my giggles to join hers. Picking her up, I spun her around and gave her a kiss. As if she knew what I was planning to do, Jane threw me a box. Deftly catching it, I hid it from my Princesses view as I inspected its contents. Inside was just what I had expected. A small but beautiful ring set with breathtaking gemstones of the finest cut; perfectly sized for a tiny finger. Taking the diamond ring out of its holding place, I knelt before Alice.

	Taking a breath, I made the proposition that would forever alter my life: “Princess, will you marry me?”

	Alices eyes lit up as she threw herself around me. “Yes Onii-chan! Alice wants to be Onii-chans wife and spend every day with Onii-chan!” She quickly kissed me over and over as if she was trying to further solidify her point. It was then I knew that the universe had answered my prayers; my memories and pain had been washed away forever, bringing a close to the suffering that had seemed endless. I had Alice, and Alice had me, and that was all that mattered.


														Many Years Later

	With a yawn and a pop I stretched out my wings. True to her word, Jane and the other handmaidens who attended to Alice had used a magical ritual to turn me into one of the Incubi shortly after I entered the kingdom; granting me wings, a tail, the preservation of my looks and a much longer life span. The handmaidens told me they could add horns if I so desired, but I decided to forgoe them. I was standing at the entrance to the courtyard of the royal castle, watching Alice chase after a butterfly.

	“Princess, be careful!” I called out after her.

	She giggled as she ran after her fluttering prey. “Alice is being careful Onii-chan!”

	I shook my head from side to side. With each passing day it seemed that I came to love little Alice more and more, even though I had felt that such a thing would be impossible on our wedding day. Out of nowhere footsteps fell and echoed behind me. Wordlessly, a figure walked behind me, slid one arm around my waist, then lay its head on my shoulder.

	“Mother truly loves you.”

	This voice belonged to Juliaexcorent-Vilante Whitley, my one and only daughter; and unlike her mother she was a Succubus proper. As her head rested on my shoulder I recalled how lucky Alice and I were to have her. When we learned that she was pregnant, Alice and I were both overjoyed.  But due to my Princesses size, complications soon arose. Each day until Julia was born was nothing short of a nail biting struggle, and after her delivery and hearing her first cries, I resolved that I would never put my Princess in such as position again. It was bad enough that I almost lost her and Julia; to actually live without Alice was a fate I could not live with.

	I wrapped my arm around my daughter. While I did love Alice with all my heart, I knew deep down that I loved my child even more. Drawing her close, I planted a kiss on her forehead. Alice continued to chase the insect that was her current object of attention.

	“You know,” I started, “Its almost time that a certain someone went out and tried to find herself a mate.” With this I turned and winked at my not so little girl.

	She shook her head, “Father, you know my feelings on this. I'll find one someday, but right now I'm just not ready.”

	This argument had been a point of contention between us for almost a year now, since Julia had ascened to adulthood. I had yet been unable to puzzle out as why she was so reluctant, but enough was enough; one way or the other today I'd have my answer. Removing my arm from her shoulders and hers from my waist, I put both my hands on Julias shoulders.

	“Julia, Its been a year since you were able to go on the hunt. Why havent you?”

	Shuffling her feet, Julia responded, “Like I said father, im not ready.”

	“Bullshit. Whats going on darling, why are you so reluctant?” I was gambling that my chosen endearment would be enough to weasel the answer out of her.

	Suddenly the tears began to flow. In the same vein as her mother, my child wrapped her tail and wings around me while my shirt began to get damp. I stroked her hair in slow motions, waiting for her to calm down before I began my probing.

	Ten minutes later, I asked, “Julia, just tell me. I wont get mad, I want you to be happy and no matter what it takes I'll help you with this.” I hugged her against me as hard as I dared to show her the depths of my affection.

	She took a few breaths to steady herself before explaining. “I'm afraid of leaving. I dont want to be apart from you or mother. And...I'm afraid of the human lands.” Her face became tinted with a few shades of red with this admission.

	“Julia,” I smiled, “Thats perfectly normal; lots of monsters are hesitant to leave for even a few hours. Look, why don't you ask Aunt Jane to go with you? I'm sure she'd be more than happy to.”

	She hesitated, “I would father, but she was recently married and I don't want to bother her right now.”

	I shrugged, “So request to go in a few months. You know your Aunt loves her husband, but he is a bit....soft. She asked me to work with him, so while you two ladies go hunting for a man, I'll take some time to train him, whip him into shape, as it were.”

	Tears began to flow again. “Thank you father. I'll ask her for help tommorow.” She kissed my cheek before returing to our former embrace. We were intterupted by the sound of Alice abandoning her pursuit of the butterfly to sprint towards us.

	“Onii-chan! Julia-kun!” She was laughing as she ran . With a quick look into each others eyes, Julia wiping hers, we readied ourselves for the excercize we had perfected so long ago. Right as Alice was in grabbing range, we hoisted her up towards us, then embraced her in a family hug. We stood there for who knows how long, holding each other tight, laughing without a care in the world, and reveling in the mutual love and trust between the three of us. Like I had so many times before, I thanked the powers that be for granting me such a blessing; a loving wife, a darling child, and a life that had real purpose and meaning. Minutes passed before we broke apart our embrace. We set Alice down, then I took her hand, suggesting that we all go and get some dinner. My wife and daughter both agreed to this suggestion with a smile and nod. Walking towards the dining hall, I knew that all was right with the world, that I had never been happier, and that everything was more perfect than I could have dared imagine. And while this tale from the life of John Whitley may be finished, the story is far from over.


														The End