Chapter 40

First impressions are a precious thing; you only ever get one. And the first impression the denizens of this city got of you was a thoroughly battered lunatic.

Tsakali had managed to stifle the loss of mana after you had been quickly apprehended by the guards, preventing you from losing consciousness. Not that you were far from it. You were still too weak to even hold your head up properly. The chariot you had been stuffed into jostled your neck at painful angles as you dumbly stared back at the sea of onlooking monsters. You could scarcely hear their murmurs over the harsh white-noise ringing through your skull. Even in your addled state, you felt a profound sense of dread as the gate to the city closed behind you.

“Stupid. Stupid!” hissed Tsakali. She cracked the reins in anger. “What did I tell you?! All you had to do was listen. You could have had EVERYTHING! Just an obtuse, arrogant outsider who’s too moronic to act in their own self-interest.”

The chariot came to an abrupt stop and your head bounced painfully against the chassis. Tsakali hauled you to your feet with the help of a guard, and the duo carried you towards the entrance to the palace.

A grand and awe inspiring building, the palace towered over the rest of the city. It was beautiful and imperious, but in a strangely aesthetic way. The way the walls and towers loomed over the houses and shops below seemed threatening, but the slopes and curves of the walls detracted from the brutalist aspects of the structure. It seemed as if the palace was built with both defense and aesthetics in mind. Fort-like in shape and size, the palace sat squarely in the middle of the city providing a sort of citadel. Yet every column and wall were decorated in some fashion, be it a simple pattern of colors or a full-sized mural. A large segment of the palace jutted out towards the main avenue, with an observation area at the top. You could see a few curious monsters looking down at you from above. Harpies called from the minarets above, heralding your arrival to the denizens of the labyrinthian structure.

A lamia slithered over to you in a hurry and began to inspect your arm as Tsakali carried you up a flight of stairs towards a portcullis. Unstopping a vial, she gently tilted your head back and poured the contents into your mouth. You coughed and sputtered as the bitter liquid seeped down your throat, spraying a mist of medicine over your captors. Tsakali’s claws dug into you even harder.

“Can’t even drink properly…”

“Vizier, he needs to be inspected. Her Highness can wait a bit longer; he shouldn’t see her in this condition.” Said the lamia.

“He’ll be fine. I’ll make this quick, I promise.” Said Tsakali.

“Vizier…”

“Dismissed, doctor. We shall reconvene once Her Highness has seen him.” Growled Tsakali.

The lamia gave a small bow, but continued to slither along behind you. If a doctor was this worried for your life, it didn’t bode well for you…

As you were dragged through corridors, up staircases, and through the palace, you began to feel the potions effects. Nothing major, but you did feel strong enough to at least stagger along with Tsakali and the soldier. The denizens of the palace gawked at you as you passed. You could only imagine their shock; a disheveled alien dressed in tattered ceremonial robes being carried by one of the most powerful monsters in the city. In fact, they had probably been expecting you. Expecting you to arrive like a normal human being. WITHOUT blowing up the Vizier. Did attacking a city official make you a terrorist?

The crowd of monsters thickened as you approached what must be the throne room. Clearly they were nobles. Even without proper knowledge of Capsalisma fashion, the stark contrast between the people within the palace and the commoners you had seen on the way in was profound. So much gold that it was almost gaudy.

“Anon, do you remember what the first rule is?” said Tsakali coldly.

You clenched your jaw.

“That’s a good human.” Said Tsakali, clenching your arm for emphasis.

Two towering doors depicting serpents coiled around blazing suns opened inward before you reached them. The throne room was not a room at all, as it would seem. Instead, the entire area was exposed to the elements. You supposed that in a desert, the chances of rain interrupting court was basically zero. The patterned tile floor stretched all the way from the base of the throne down a small set of stairs to the vista you had seen from below. On either side of the atrium, rows of seats sat arranged under the overhangs. It would have been a nice place to relax, save for the coiled snake perched on the throne.

Your eyes met as soon as you passed through the door. You froze in place, lurching as Tsakali and the mummy were forced to compensate for the unexpected resistance. Those eyes. You had seen a lot of cruel, mischievous, jealous, and even evil looks in your time in this land, but never had you seen such a malevolent physiognomy. Seeing the way the apophis looked you over gave you chills. Her gaze was both predatory and aloof at the same time; filled with anticipation but reserved enough not to show it.

The apophis rose off her throne. She extended her arms toward you with a self-satisfied smile. For once, the profile picture in the encyclopedia was spot on. It occurred to you that this may be the very same apophis the wandering scholar used as a reference in his book. Purple skin, the gradient hair, the lustrous deep-purple scales… Even the silver jewelry she wore looked similar.

“Ahh~ The obstreperous groom arrives.” She said in a husky voice.

Tsakali and the guard quickly forced you to stand in front of their mistress, and took a step back to kneel. You stood paralyzed with fear, unable to take your eyes off the creature before you. You wanted to run. You wanted to fight. You wanted to do anything to escape this woman. Anything to make this hair-raising sensation go away.

“You’re just as handsome as the accounts made you out to be. And just as they said, you do have the skin of an albino. But not quite…”
The apophis slithered towards you. Your breath caught in your throat. She was massive. It was always hard to tell exactly how “tall” a lamia was, but this apophis was large enough to force you to look up at her. She smiled down at you. You let out a small groan of fear as her fangs glinted in the sunlight. A tinge of purple colored her cheeks. Was that a blush?

“My name is Nauraea: Empress of Darkness, Sultaness of Chaos, Ruin of Empires, and Harbinger of the Long Night to Come. And I’ve waited so very long to meet you. You traveled so far to reach me, hmm?”

She frowned when she saw the tear in your shawl where Tsakali had stabbed you. Nauraea reached out to inspect the fabric. You flinched and tried to stagger back. Nauraea caught you by the shoulder and prodded your wound with one of her long nails. You inhaled sharply as the sharp digit traced around the hole in your clothing.

“I see your nerves got the better of you again, Tsakali.” Said Nauraea.

“Your Highness, I-… He was too quick to anger!” Pleaded Tsakali.

Nauraea clicked her tongue. “His bellicose disposition was known to both of us before you embarked on the journey. We anticipated that he would resist, but I thought that you would at LEAST be capable of containing this outburst to within the confines of the city walls.”

 “Apologies, your highness.” Said Tsakali, with a quivering voice.

“Do not despair, Vizier. You did bring him here in one piece as I commanded you to.” She sniffed you. “And he is indeed unspoiled. What of the other task I gave you?”

“Just as the reports claimed, he does indeed keep a record of his travels. I was able to translate most of the important passages contained within.” Said Tsakali. Confidence had crept back into her voice. “My transcriptions are still amidst my things, but they should be brought up shortly.”

“And where is the book itself?” asked Nauraea.

“Blown away in the explosion. The soldiers are currently combing the sands. They should have it within the hour.” Said Tsakali.
“Excellent. Anything immediately pertinent?” purred Nauraea.

“Yes, your Highness. He intended to use the trip south to hitch a ride on a ship to Zipangu. Apparently he seeks to court a ryu as a wife.” Said Tsakali.

You could only listen in despair as the two conversed. To think that the whole thing had been a trap from the start. And you had walked right into it. Of course you had, why wouldn’t you? You didn’t know anything about Kyriavalissa or Nefkara. If a dark elf with a trained python had pulled up on a hay wagon and said she was a pharaoh, you probably would have gotten in.

“A ryu! Well, not quite the species I was hoping for, but that’s close enough I suppose. Horns notwithstanding, I have the royalty and body aspects. Tsakali, the harbor master that no ship may leave port unless Anon is accounted for.” Said Nauraea. She cupped your face in her hands and looked into your eyes. “So, you like powerful women hmm?~ Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to give you everything you want. In exchange…?”

She ran her forked tongue over her fangs. A bead of venom dripped onto the floor. “…All I ask is your loyalty.”

You glared at her. Her arrogance incensed you to the point that you forgot your fear for a second. You hadn't come this far for your dragon wife just to quit now.

Nauraea grinned at your vexation. “Am I to take that as a no? It may sound greedy, but I WAS a little hopeful you would make this interesting~”

Her massive tail coiled around you. Fuck was she fast! You wheezed as Nauraea crushed the air from your lungs with a sadistic giggle. She sneered down at you, at her mercy within her grasp.

“You’re already mine, HUSBAND~” She said, hissing the last word for emphasis. “How hard you make this is up to you. And for my sake, I hope you make it VERY hard.”

Nauraea cooed as you squirmed in her coils. “Mmm~ So vigorous! I was thinking about holding back until you had recovered, but I think you’re strong enough…”

“Your Highness, no! He’s still too weak!” pleaded the lamia doctor.

“Silence.” Said Nauraea coldly. “Just a taste…”

Bringing your body closer to her human torso, she wrapped her arms around your back. You panted quickly, awash with fear, anger, and arousal. She may be evil, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t sensual. You tried to twist away as her breasts pressed into you.
Nauraea was having none of your defiance. Seizing your head, she pressed her lips into yours. You stopped squirming at once, for fear of skewering your lips on her fangs. Nauraea took advantage of your sudden docility to slip her tongue between your teeth. She hummed happily, and relaxed her death grip on the side of your head. For a few seconds, she was content to swirl her tongue around your mouth, exploring her conquest. Pulling out of the kiss, she flicked your ear with her tongue and whispered in your ear.

“Feel free to scream all you like~”

For a moment, you wondered what she meant. Then her head dipped down and you felt a searing pain in your shoulder. You screamed. It felt like she was injecting molten lead into your veins through her fangs. Heat shot through your body, radiating out from the bite. Your arms flailed uselessly in Nauraea’s embrace as you writhed. Your member was now fully erect, and a subtle shift in Nauraea’s muscles around your crotch was enough to send you over the edge. Stars clouded your vision as you came inside the waistcloth. The bliss you would normally feel after such a powerful ejaculation was overshadowed by the gut-wrenching sensation of mana poisoning. You groaned in pain as the world began to spin. Your head pounded as the feverish pain threatened to overwhelm you.

Nauraea released you just in time to avoid the first bout of black vomit spewing out of your mouth. Your body convulsed as it tried to purge the offending mana from your system. The lamia doctor hurried over to prop you up.

“I told you he was still too weak!” she screamed.

Nauraea watched apprehensively as the lamia rummaged through her bag. Uncorking another vial, she tried to dribble the liquid into your mouth before realizing that the medicine couldn’t beat the deluge of black mana pouring out. Pulling out a syringe, she filled the needle and jabbed it into your arm.

The relief was not nearly as instantaneous as the agony of the venom. Though your heart was racing, the antivenom seemed to ooze through your veins at a snail’s pace. Slowly, the fire in your blood abated, and you were left whimpering in a pile of sludge.
Nauraea huffed. “He may be weak now, but he will grow stronger. Take him, give him proper care.” Said the empress, waving her hand at the doctor.

The lamia cursed under her breath, and dragged you away. One of the sphinx guards was kind enough to lend a paw, throwing you over her shoulder in a fireman’s carry to make things easier on the poor doc.

~~~~~~~

Nauraea watched him go. The rest of the court parted as Anon passed, then looked back at their Queen. Not the first impression she had sought to make…

The plan was for Anon to be escorted into the city with a normal parade. He would see the people, smile, wave, look cute in his outfit, and then get to the palace. Once he was inside, she would spring the trap, he would be surprised, and then she would ravish him so thoroughly that he would be forced to love her.

Instead, her Vizier had gotten blow up, the citizens had seen their new king being dragged in by soldiers against his will, and she had almost killed her fiancé in front of her own court.

Nauraea slithered back onto her throne without a word and eyed the dark pool at the foot of the dais. Her lip curled in revulsion. She had known that Anon was susceptible to mana poisoning, but she had underestimated the… 'volatility' of the disease.

“Why hasn’t this been cleaned up?” she barked.

Some of the guards scrambled to find some housekeepers or cleaning supplies.

“And what are you all looking at?” snarled Nauraea.

The patrons of the court quickly found something more interesting to look at. All except for a gandharva, who scornfully stared back at her. Damn Eros cultists. They couldn’t be trusted. Their devotion was to love, not to her. Nauraea knew that the bird would give an unsavory account of what had transpired to the rest of her amorous clan.

But it wasn’t intentional! She had waited centuries for an opportunity like this. Nauraea clutched a hand over her chest. It was love! It must be! She hadn’t been able to articulate it very well, but seeing Anon had stirred something within her. Nauraea licked her lips, savoring the droplets of his blood that clung to them. A shudder of pleasure wracked her body. Delicious. Soon, he would be strong enough for her to drink her fill of his power.

Once the Eros cultists saw her affection for what it truly was, they would support her. Once Anon recovered and accepted her, her plans would progress. He would recover quickly, right? Of course he would. Tomorrow she would make it up to him. Anon was a man after all. Wooing someone may be beneath her, but Nauraea knew that winning Anon’s heart would be a simple task. Though she did hope that he resisted a LITTLE in the sack. That squirming felt wonderful.

Nauraea sniffed the air. Something smelled… off. Following her nose, she became aware of a small damp spot on one of her belly scales. Reaching down, she dragged her fingers through the viscous slime and inspected them. Realizing what it was, she quickly adjourned court and hurried off to her personal chamber, making sure not to drag as little of her tail on the ground as possible.

~~~~~~~~

You wheezed out an involuntary groan of pleasure as the cancer worked her magic. The tiny woman’s hands darted across your body at lightning speed, massaging you and cleansing your body of taint. Maybe you should just marry one of these critters and call it a day. They were pretty cute. Except for…

You cracked your eyes as wide as you dared with a head coated in shampoo. The cancer’s second set of eyes, perched on her crab body, stared back at you. Why did they have to have those?! They gave you the heebi jeebies.

“That’s enough.”

The cancer wiped the last froth away and stepped back. The lamia doctor held out her hand and you reluctantly offered her your arm. With a fresh needle, she drew a small blood sample and returned to her rack of reagents.

“You’re lucky Lussazan was so thorough with her research.” Said the lamia.

You grunted. That she was. You hoped she was doing well.

“I knew that narcissist would take a bite out of you the moment she saw you. Too selfish to think of anything but her own damn agenda!” said the lamia, flicking her tail in annoyance.

She sighed. “It looks like the mana levels in your body have normalized. All you’ll need is a good meal and some sleep to fully recover.”

“Okay.” You croaked.

The lamia gave you a pitied look. You were still too weak to even get up, splayed out on a stone bed in the infirmary.

“Listen, Anon… Your Majesty… The Queen means well. She really does. Lady Nauraea is just… eager to find love. I know that your first impression of her has been marred by what transpired today, but I hope that you can at least hear her apology before you judge her too harshly.”

Honestly, you were kind of used to this kind of thing by now. Kind of. The other monsters had been at least a LITTLE lenient with you. Even Petropa had allowed you a few hours of free time every day between your studies and spending time with Emballandae. You didn’t get that vibe from Nauraea; this snake was a power-hungry bastard to her core, you could already tell.

“I’ll die if I stay here.” You said softly. Maybe if you hammed it up a little, the doctor would help smuggle you out of the city to save your life.

“No you won’t. I’m too skilled for that to happen. Besides, it isn’t as if you have anywhere else to go.” Said the lamia.

Damn. Well, it was worth a shot. You raised your arm up a bit and inspected your wrist. Your veins were still a bit black. Looks like even apophis venom was resistant even to a cancer wash.

“Her Highness cares about all beings in her realm, you included. Especially you. In return, all she asks is our trust and complicity. This land… It is as the Demon Lord had envisaged all the world. A never-ending tumult of love and lust. Passion made manifest.” She mused, looking longingly out the latticed window over the streets below.

Stretching, she turned back towards you to give you a melancholic smile. “That’s why so many servants of Eros flock to Apliseline. You can ask any of them if Nauraea’s love is true.”

“Apliseline… Is that what they call this place?” you asked.

The lamia stopped crushing with her pestle. “Yes. My, how embarrassing that you came so far without even learning where you are.”

You coughed hard. Flecks of mana spattered the crook of your arm. Looks like this was turning into an all-night affair.

“Don’t worry, it will be over by tomorrow night. You’ll feel a bit sick until the last of the venom flushes out of your system. Take this powder before you go to bed, and when you wake up. And make sure you drink plenty of water.” Said the lamia.

“Can I go to bed?” you asked groggily.

“You can, and in fact, I think that would be a good idea.” Said the doctor. Wheeling out a rickety looking wooden wheelchair and helped you slump into it. She draped a blanket over you, which you gratefully accepted.

Maybe it was the drugs, or the traces of lethal poison circulating through your cerebrum, but the palace felt more peaceful now. The sun was setting, and the halls were empty save for a few guards changing post or housekeepers (palace keepers?) changing some linens. You could already hear the din of monsters copulating with their husbands, both from the city streets below and other rooms within the palace. It didn’t bother you. When you lived in a monster city, you lived with the incessant sound of meaty slaps and moans. Part and parcel.

You squirmed under the blanket. Something was different about Apliseline. It was the same old sounds made for the same old reasons as Admaz, the Chiropta castle, and Valisias. This fucking sounded more… earnest. More furious and less sensual.

Fuck. You really HAD been in this crazy world for too long if you could get into sexual semantics based on thigh acoustics.

Your runaway train of thought was mercifully interrupted as your charge stopped your chair used the knocker on a massive door to announce herself.

“Your Highness? I’m coming in.” said the doctor.

The doors opened from the inside. Nauraea stood in the doorway, breathing a bit too heavily for someone who should have been lounging around their bedroom.

“Ahh! Sauritus! You brought him. Good. I’ll take him off your hands. You are dismissed, but sleep lightly lest I nee-“

“No.”

The doctor’s interjection startled both you and Nauraea. Maybe you weren’t TOTALLY without allies in this kingdom…

“W-What? What do you MEAN no?!” stammered Nauraea.

“He’s on death’s door. My medicine is the only thing keeping him alive. And YOU…” she pointed at Nauraea, who stared at the accusing finger. “Want to finish the job. Anon needs rest. Rest WITHOUT interruption. So either you find a guest room to sleep in, or I’ll find one for him. I forbid you from coming into contact with him until I deem him healthy.”

Nauraea stammered out the start of a few expletives and threats before groaning and throwing her hands up.

“Fine! My authority usurped in my own palace by my own head physician. Ha!” muttered Nauraea. “Guards! Prepare me a separate room. Anon sleeps in my bed. He has been bathed, correct?”

“He has.” Said Sauritus.

“Good. I don’t want sand in my sheets. Have him ready for tomorrow morning. I want him to be present for court tomorrow.”
Nauraea slithered off to find another place to sleep.

“Court… Not a chance.” Chuckled Sauritus. She wheeled you inside.

Nauraea’s room was everything you would expect for an empress of decadence. Fluffy pillows everywhere, a MASSIVE bed (even for an apophis), shelves of liquor, hookah pipes, expensive carpets, mirrors on the ceiling, and curtains that looked thicker than the carpets. Through a doorway on the far wall, a sprawling balcony overlooked Apliseline.

“The bathroom is just through that doorway. Can you walk?” asked Sauritus.

You nodded and wobbled out of the chair. Sauritus slithered along beside you, ready to catch you if you fell on your way to the sprawling expanse of mattress. Flopping down onto the bed, you crawled towards the pillows at the headboard.

“Call someone if you need anything. I mean it. Food, water, medicine…”

“I’ll be alright. I just need some sleep.” You said.

Sauritus pursed her lips and nodded. “Very well, Your Majesty.”

You sighed. “Please don’t call me that.”

“Yes, Yo-… Very well.”

Sauritus gave a short bow and left the room. Grabbing the nearest pillow, you stuffed it under your head and fell asleep without even bothering to pull the covers over yourself.

~~~~~~~~

“Aaaanoooooon~”

Something prodded your nose. You scrunched your face and rolled over. A pair of hands began to rock you back and forth.

“Aaaanooon~ Time to wake up~ Coooooourt is about to start.”

“Fuck off, I’m sleeping.” You grumbled. Last night had been an onslaught of nightmares and fitful sleep. Whether that was the mana poisoning or sleeping in a new location, you couldn’t tell. And you had to get up to relieve yourself what felt like every hour. Seriously, was apophis venom a diuretic or something!?

“Fuck off?! My own fiancé tells ME to ‘fuck off’ in MY palace?!” bellowed Nauraea. Lilith’s nips she was loud…

“If you didn’t want me to be rude, you shouldn’t have abducted me, you fat bitch.” You snapped.

“FAT?!”

Nauraea’s tail coiled itself around you with enough force to crack your back. You screamed as your blissful morning snooze was turned into a violent struggle against your bride-to-be.

“You petulant little shit! I heard that you could be aggravating, but I never thought you could be THIS stupid...” Seethed Nauraea.
Someone began pounding on the door.

“Is this door LOCKED?! Your Highness! Open the door this instant! I know you can hear m- Don’t touch me, you savage! Huh? I don’t care what her ‘orders’ were! Let me in!”

Sauritus began to scuffle with the guards over the right to enter the room. Nauraea stared at the entrance to the room. Turning her attention back to you, she pulled one of your arms out from her tail coil. Fuck she was strong. She wasn’t very muscular, (or fat, you had just said that to piss her off), but powerful monsters seemed to retain some sort of freakish strength just by virtue of the mana they housed. Nauraea held your forearm to the sliver of light streaking through the curtains and hummed.

“Still a little black, I suppose…” she said, tracing a vein with one of her nails. She snorted. “What a pain.”

Unravelling from you, she used her tail to dexterously flip the sheets up and tuck you into the bed. You just stared at her in bewilderment, perplexed by her mood swing.

“Don’t look at me like that. I told you, I only want what’s best for you.” Chided Nauraea. “So… get some sleep and recover quickly. I need you healthy.”

Was she blushing?! You continued to watch the apophis as she leaned in for a kiss. Just before she made contact, she cracked her saffron eyes to see you staring back like a cornered animal.

“I said stop looking at me like that!” she snapped. “You are so… Oooh!”

Giving up on her breakfast smooch, she quickly slithered to the door and threw it open. Sauritus got into a brief argument with her before entering the room.

“Anon! Are you alright? She didn’t try anything, did she?” asked Sauritus, twisting your face in inspecting your eyes.

“No, she didn’t do anything.” You strained, shoving her hands out of your face.

Sauritus sighed. “Thank the moon. I brought you some breakfast and some medicine. Make sure you eat before you take it, or you’ll get cramps.”

“Then I can go back to sleep?” you asked.

“Yes.”

One of the guards brought in a tray of food and a cup of water. Sauritus took another blood sample from your left arm as you used your right to shovel the bread and hash into your mouth as fast as possible.

“Hmm… Looks like you still have a few lingering traces of venom in your blood, but that’s not unexpected. Even with the antivenom, it can take months to fully clear.” Said Sauritus.

“Okay.” You said, hardly listening to what she was saying.

The doctor sighed. “That means you can’t let her bite you anymore. Not even a nibble. I don’t care how horny she gets, put corks on her fangs if you have to.”

“I will.”

“Are you even listening?!”

“Uh huh.”
Sauritus sighed. “At least you two are a good match for each other…”

“We aren’t matched yet.” You said.

“Oh, forgive me. I’m sure that you’ll find some way to escape the city, cross hundreds of miles of scorching, monster infested desert, dodging the patrols Her Highness sends after you, find a way to sail to Zipangu, and marry a ryu.” Said Sauritus.

You set your silverware down on the empty tray. “Something like that.”

Sauritus chuckled. “Then I wish you luck, Your Majesty.”

She picked up the tray and slithered out the door.

“I said don’t call me that!” you called after her.

Pulling the covers over yourself, you tried to fall back asleep.

~~~~~~~

You lay awake in Nauraea’s bed. The day was almost over, but you had just finished a several hour nap. With some food and sleep, you were beginning to feel better after the bite. You rubbed your sore shoulder. Those fangs felt even bigger than they looked. At least she hadn’t taken any of your shoulder with her when she pulled away…

Not much to do, though. Nauraea didn’t look like much of a book person. There was more sex paraphernalia than literature in the room. Your journal was no doubt in the hands of Tsakali or Nauraea now, so you couldn’t archive the day’s events. Magic practice was out of the question, both out of necessity to conserve your strength and the lassitude you felt from the mana poisoning. Maybe the guards would let you roam around the palace?

“NOW can I see him?”

You could hear Nauraea’s voice through the door even when she was down the hall.

“Finally. Yes, I’ll make sure. Yes.”

The empress pushed open the door and quickly slithered inside. A pair of cooks brought in two trays of food, and left them on the table on the balcony. Giving you a small bow, they excused themselves and shut the door behind them.

“You must be hungry, love. Come here! Sit!” coaxed Nauraea, patting one of the sitting cushions with her tail.

You REALLY didn’t want to eat dinner with your potential rapist, but your will power was shattered when she lifted the cloche of the first tray. The smell of perfectly seasoned meats, fresh bread, and succulent vegetables was too much for your empty stomach. Rolling out of bed, you walked over as fast as your enervated legs allowed.

“Mmm~ That’s a good boy~” cooed Nauraea as you slumped down onto the cushion.

You quickly began shoveling food onto your plate, but Nauraea caught your wrist with her tail.

“No need to rush, husband. You should be relaxing. Here, allow me.”

Using her fork, she skewered a chunk of meat and offered it to you. You glowered at her.

“Come now, there’s no need to be spiteful. I promise I’ll make up that bite to you. If you let me.” Said Nauraea.

“I almost died.”

She flinched at your accusation and cleared her throat.

“I may have been a bit… over-eager to meet you, but I hope that you can forgive me for that first impression. I’m your wife, and I’ll do anything in my power to make you happy and comfortable. Anything~” she said with a wink. Thrusting her fork forward, she tried to jam the meat into your mouth. You accepted the fact that this meal was going to progress at her pace no matter what you did or said, and allowed her to put the morsel into your mouth. Her grip on your wrist loosened as the tip of her tail waggled happily.

“How does it taste?” she asked, clearly excited that you had finally become a bit more amicable.

“…Good.”

She smiled. “Wonderful! If you behave, I’ll have the chefs cook you up some food from your world.”

The meal continued, with Nauraea alternating between feeding herself and you. Eventually, she released your hands entirely, opting instead to rest her tail on your lap. The whole situation seemed so surreal. Here you were, eating dinner with the woman who had abducted and almost killed you, enjoying a tranquil view of Sodom 2.0.

“Nauraea…”

“Yes, love?” said Nauraea. Oh, it was so strange to see her blush like that…

“Why did you bring me here?”

The question caught her off guard. She set the fork down (much to your hungry chagrin) and looked out over the city.

“Tell me, Anon, what do you see when you look out across my empire?” she asked.

“A city.” You said flatly.

“Come now, you and I both know that there’s always more to a city than its buildings. There’s a certain… atmosphere that pervades a city. An intangible sensation that captivates the mind and defines the denizens.”

You took a sip of wine. Better drink up, sounds like she had this whole spiel prepared ahead of time. Nauraea slithered to the edge of the balcony and spread her arms at the city.

“…And the atmosphere of Apliseline is one of perfection. A flawless iteration of what a mamono settlement SHOULD be. Here, lust and love are the most important values we hold. Money, possessions, power… all mere means to achieve more love. And I am their exemplar, for I have the most love to give. By my love, I conquered this city, and forged an empire in the name of the principals and values of the Demon Lord.”

The first few moans of the night were beginning to echo up from the labyrinth of buildings below. As depraved as it was, you had come to enjoy the sound of mamono moaning. No matter how rough or gravelly their voice was normally, they all sounded like songbirds in the sack.

“I think I missed the part where I come into play in all that.” You said.

“Because I need you.” She said solemnly.

You cocked an eyebrow at her from behind your wine cup. Nauraea didn’t seem like the kind of monster who would ask for help, even if she needed it.

“There are forces that seek to destroy all I have created. You are powerful. More powerful than you know. And I need that power. It may sound craven, but I feel safer with you.”

How very… out of character for an apophis.

“By forces, I assume you mean Nefkara?” you asked.

Nauraea clenched the wall of the balcony. “Yes.”

“And by destroy, you mean…?”

“Raze! Topple! Crush! Bring to ruination!” said Nauraea. She slithered back over to you and slammed her hands onto the table. “That brown prude seeks to undo EVERYTHING I have done for these people, and monster kind!”

You gulped. Nauraea composed herself and sat back down on her cushion pile.

“Now that I have you though, I finally have the upper hand after all these years. With your power, I shall finally conquer that false queen, and block out the sun for eternity!”

“Does Nefkara frown upon sex? I mean, she’s a monster too after all.”

“You don’t get it! She is my antithesis! The first and last enemy whom my blood demands I conquer! Only when she is brought to heel, crushed by my hand, can my soul finally know rest. A human wouldn’t understand. Even now, I can sense her.” Nauraea looked east. “I can ALWAYS sense her. An itch that I cannot scratch. THAT is why you are needed. As one, we shall march upon Kyriavalissa, and subdue Nefkara. There are others too; other smaller pharaohs that challenge my rightful rule and pyramids with slumbering mamono, waiting to be awakened. But you and I shall liberate the Capsalisma, and turn this desert into the oasis of depravity our Lady envisioned it to be.” She said, leering at you with an wide eyes and an unhinged grin.

“So I’m a convenient power source for your world conquest.” You said.

Nauraea shook her head. “You are MUCH more than that. When I first heard rumors that a human had been successfully summoned to this world, I was interested in the magic that brought you here. Then, I learned more about you. About your culture, your language, your personality. An indomitable spirit who refused to yield to any will but his own. And then I was enthralled. You were everything I was looking for: strong, handsome, and determined.”

You weren’t so sure about some of those adjective she used for you. A good chunk of your time here in the mamono world had been spent unconscious or at the mercy of some stupidly powerful monster.

“To you, it may seem as if you are being held hostage. But once we are joined in a more ‘formal’ sense, you will see. I am more adept at expressing my loves in ways other than words~” she flicked her tongue at you.

You finished your wine. Her love and loyalty were still dubious. It seemed to you like she was married to the job, as they said back on Earth. She finished her own wine and licked her lips. You watched her deep purple tongue trace over those soft, pillowy lips. Dios mio…
“Are you finished with your meal?” asked Nauraea, eyeing your empty plate.

“Yes.”

“Did you take the medicine Sauritus sent over?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Then I think it’s about time we retire for the night.” Said Nauraea with a warm smile.

“We? What do you mean ‘we’?” you asked.

“Calm yourself, dear. Sauritus made it VERY clear what my limits are. I promise I am capable of restraining myself until your body is ready to accept my splendor in all its glory.” Said Nauraea.

“So you’re going to sleep somewhere else?”

“No, silly. I’ll be sleeping with you!” she said cheerily.

“That’s a death sentence!” you objected.

“No it isn’t! Sauritus said that as long as there wasn’t any penetration or fluid exchange you would be fine!”

“What, are you just going to spoon me all night and leave it at that?” you asked sarcastically.

Nauraea frowned. “Yes, that’s EXACTLY what’s going to happen. You may be a king now, but I am still your queen. You would do well to remember your place, husband.”

“I think I’LL go find some other place to sleep.” You said.

As you stepped away from the table, Nauraea caught your ankle with her tail and tripped you.

“You don’t get a say in the matter! I’m your queen damnit!”

Seizing your torso with her tail, she quickly disrobed you.

“YOU SAID YOU WEREN’T GOING TO RAPE ME!” you shouted.

“Be quiet! These things are filthy! You can just sleep naked for tonight!” said Nauraea.

Slithering to the bed with you in tow, she deposited you onto the bed and quickly crawled in after you. You were subdued in an instant, wrapped tightly in her coils with her torso sitting on top of you.

“There…” panted Nauraea. “Oh Moon and Stars, I hope you still fight like that when we make love…”

She adjusted her tail so that her human body could hug you a bit better.

“Do you want to sleep on my breasts?~” she teased.

“No.”

She squeezed your waist. You were sporting a sizable erection, but being squeezed by a beautiful woman with silky smooth scales and having one of the most potent aphrodisiacs in the world coursing through your veins would do that to anyone.

“Liar~” she grinned.

Scooting your body up, she undid the clasp of her bra and deposited your head into her cleavage. The sounds of the world were drowned out by the soft mounds of tit-flesh, save for the quiet rhythmic thumping of her heart.

“Comfy?” she asked in a husky whisper.

“…Yes.” you begrudgingly admitted. She DID have a quite sizable chest...

She ran her fingers through your hair. You weren’t a huge fan of long nails, but they felt heavenly running across your scalp. Nauraea seemed to catch on to your pleasure, digging in a bit farther on her next pass across your head.

“Soon, love. Soon we’ll be able to spend every moment like this.” She whispered.

You were too tired to respond. Her body was the perfect heat: cool, but not cold. The pressure of her tail rose and fell in time with her breaths, massaging you to sleep.