Place of Intimacy

Zaida was distracted as she followed the trio through the festival. Their forgiveness for her transgressions seemed to come too easily. Or perhaps her offenses were less severe to humans than they would have been to demons? Or maybe she had not yet been forgiven. After all, they had spoken of how they were expecting her to atone. Did that mean that they had some grim fate in store for her? If that was the case, then why did they seem to be in such high spirits? She had noticed the eager glances and scheming smirks thrown back at her as they went. Were they that sadistic? That did not seem to cohere with what she knew about them. Well, not what she knew about Eposi and Marisol anyway. She decided to chalk it up to dissonance between demon and human culture as they arrived at their destination.

The building in question was clearly some kind of dormitory, but Zaida could not tell much beyond that. Was it a brothel? A residential complex? A hospice? She did not think any of these to be the case as she stepped into its lobby. It was a wide room with a low ceiling. The lighting was low and a pleasant and soothing aroma wafted through the air, though Zaida detected the more vulgar scents of pheromones beneath it. Facing those who entered was a large sign bearing instructions.

Welcome to the Gossamer Den, a safe environment for adults to enjoy themselves in private. Follow the corridor and comply with any hosts you encounter. They will separate you from your party to perform preparations, but you will be reunited afterward. Enjoy your stay.

Zaida's eyes went wide after reading the sign. This is a sex club, she realised with mixed feelings. Then that means these ladies brought me here to... Okay, this has gone FAR beyond a job by now. Zaida had come most of this way for the simple purpose of fulfilling her assignment from Tivra and Edie to win the influential women over. Admittedly, she had taken something of a liking to them near the end; she never would have put in so much effort otherwise. This, however, this was crossing a line. Getting into bed with any one of these women - let alone all three - was not something anyone had any right to ask of her. If she was going to go through with this, it would be because it was what she wanted.

She took another look at the trio before following them further into the building. As the sign in the lobby had stated, they were separated into small chambers with similar lighting and fragrances as the entrance.

The doors closed behind Zaida, leaving her in the candlelit room with a figure shrouded in concealing robes. Little could be told of whoever was beneath them - even their height was troublesome to judge. Zaida was not even sure they could see out, what with her being unable to locate a visor in the outfit.

"The door is locked and no one can hear us," the figure stated in a serene voice. "You are safe here with me. I ask that you comply with my instructions and answer truthfully."

Zaida scrutinised this person before her, keeping a safe distance away and holding a guarded stance. This entire situation was foreign to her, and she was unsettled by the cryptic nature of it all. "All right..." she accepted tentatively.

"Are you here of your own will? Is anyone coercing you? Do you feel free to leave your companions here if you so pleased?"

"No, I'm fine," Zaida assured them. "I want to be here."

"Are you old enough to give consent to sexual acts?"

Zaida squinted with perplexity. No one could possibly look at her and wonder the answer to that question. Either the host could not in fact see her, or they were compelled to ask the question regardless. "I am," she responded.

"Are you under the effects of any substances, spells, or conditions that may influence your judgement?"

"I am not." Zaida felt she was beginning to understand what was going on here.

"Are you interested in proceeding?" the host asked, their tone yet level and peaceful. "You may leave now without consequence if you choose."

"I want to proceed," she affirmed.

"Then come forth," the robed one beckoned. "Situate yourself before me and bare the back of your neck."

Zaida's caution rose again at the instruction. Bare her neck? Maybe she was not on the same page as this person after all. Even so, she deemed the risks to be low and placed herself in the chair to which the figure indicated; her back to them.

The host moved to stand behind the chair. "This may tickle," they warned.

Zaida barely had time to ruminate on those words when she felt the fine bristles of a small brush against her skin. It only took a moment to steel herself against fidgeting and ruining the host's work. It was over in less than a minute, and they stepped back again.

"You now wear a rune of rapport," the host explained. "It binds you to the others in your party. None of you will be able to perform any act upon each other without the consent of the recipient. It shall stain your skin for the next eighteen hours, after which the mark and its power will dissipate."

The knight gave a small nod of approving understanding. That's a convenient thing to have in a sex club. Wait a minute, why is that needed in the first place?

Her train of thought was interrupted as a cloud of some powder rained over her. She did her best not to let the substance into her eyes, mouth, or nose. To her surprise, the airborne particles barely settled on her form before vanishing altogether.

Just what exactly is this stuff?

"This powder will fortify you against contracting any malady from the others in your party, and likewise inhibit you from contaminating them. Its duration is similar to the rune's."

Another neat trick, but a warning would have been nice.

"Your preparation is complete," the figure declared, tranquil as ever. "Any additional implements or substances you may desire can be found in your room." They moved to the door opposite the side Zaida had entered. "Follow the passage to the first open portal you find. That will be your room for the evening. If you have changed your mind, or do so at any point in your stay here, you may follow the hallway to its very end where you will reach an exit to the Gossamer Den. Your departure will be unmolested." The host turned the handle on the door and gracefully pulled it open for Zaida. "Whatever your decision, you are wished a pleasant stay, a joyous Festival, and a fruitful life."

Zaida's own parting words paled in the wake of those from the host. She was almost in a dazed state with the mystic nature of it all. She half suspected she was secretly being prepared for some ritual.

Stepping into the corridor, the door was softly closed behind her. It was dimly lit and nondescript apart from indications of where the exits lied. She could see her room further along the passage by the way light spilled out from the only open door.

As she strode along, Zaida touched her finger to her neck. They came away free of any residue from whatever that host had painted on her.

These humans and their crazy practices...

That thought stopped Zaida dead in her tracks. These humans. HUMANS. Oh, Lord of all that hates and is hated... She was on her way to sleep with humans. Bloody humans. What was she doing? How had she let things come to this? The misstep of deceiving the three women seemed so small as she reflected on how she had gotten into that situation. Not just there in the Gossamer Den, but there in Merridian. All the madness had sprouted from her inability to tolerate one miserable human's suffering, and now she was traipsing along to spend a night under the covers with three of them.

Just what had come over her? She was not some succubus or incubus, seducing out of some essential need or strategic goal. She had just gone looking for somewhere to lie low, and had allowed herself to become so passive that she was only now having second thoughts about SLEEPING WITH HUMANS.

When did you become such a principled gnoll? 'Oh, boo-hoo. They're human so it's wrong of me to like the idea of bedding them!' Grow up! We're not talking about livestock here. And when was the last time you sated that appetite anyway? You've got to be wanting this BAD.

I'm not some lowly animal that enters a heat. I'm perfectly capable of exercising discretion in my partners. Accepting a human feels... terminal, like I'm burning a bridge or somehow further betraying my kind.

What else are you going to do? Go crawling back to the Demon Lord? Beg them to restore you to the only place you could ever belong? You don't have the spine.

That's not the only alternative. As the host said, I can walk out of here at any time. Nothing rides on me spending the night here.

Whom do you think you're fooling with that detached objectivity bollocks? You know damn well you've wanted a taste of those depraved vixens since the moment you first met them. Now they're in there, waiting with their legs wide for you, and you're going to let the fact that they're human get in your way? I take it back: you're not spineless, you haven't a single bone in your entire bloody body.

What makes you think we're even compatible? Sure, the demons of lust may make it work, but do you have any idea how human relations even work? What if their parts are completely unrecognisable? Have you given any thought as to how it may affect your cover if you were to react peculiarly to a standard set of human genitals-

Shut the hell up. Now you're just stalling. March down to that room, lock the door, and show those unsuspecting women why the succubi come to your tent.

With her internal dispute concluded, Zaida proceeded to the open portal. Beyond it was a chamber the size of a closet, lined with padding and separated from the main room by a second door.

Seems they put a lot of effort into sound-proofing this building.

Zaida closed the first door then entered the suite. The room was rather broad for the sake of the extra large bed situated in the centre. Atop it reclined Eposi, Marisol, and Dvorah, dressed down to their undergarments and staring expectantly at the slack-jawed knight.

"You see? I told you the look on her face would be worth it," Marisol chuckled.

"Can't say that I blame her," Dvorah said sympathetically. "She's right to feel blessed by this opportunity."

Eposi rolled her eyes but kept her amused grin. "Ignore them, darling. Shut that door and come join us."

"Yes, and while you're at it, slip out of that dress," Dvorah instructed. "As brilliant as you look in it, I'm frankly tired of waiting to see the rest of you."

Zaida closed her mouth and then the door. All right, enough ogling. These ladies are expecting a good time, and you are going to deliver. Recomposing herself, she donned an alluring expression and took several steps toward the bed. She placed herself just out of reach and took to undoing her clothes. She was no stranger to this faze of the foreplay, and made certain to put on a show for her intimate audience as she did.