With a little help.

Warm. He was warm. Balmy currents swished around him, soaking into him and drawing away whatever tension they found. Bubbles tickled their way up his skin. They popped at the surface, making it sound like the water itself was giggling in delight. The steam coiled up, caressing his face and toying with his sandy hair. Mason let out a long, placid sigh and leaned back against the smooth wall behind him. He really needed this.

Then he opened his eyes and immediately sat back up.

It looked like a bathhouse of some kind. It was small and intimate but opulent beyond measure. Every inch was decorated with exotic stone all polished to a sheen. Dark and light intermeshed to form intricate abstract patterns to fill the space between the mosaics that covered the eight walls around him. Each one depicted beautiful nymphs, bathing in a stream, frolicking through the woods, and playing instruments for each other. All of that surrounded the recessed tub in the center of the floor. Pastel candles provided the light and filled the air with the scent of spring blossoms.

Also, Mason suspected he was naked. The bubbles in the water made it hard to see for sure. But it seemed like a safe bet given who was soaking across from him.

“Hey there, handsome. Come here often?” Lilith said playfully. Her red eyes twinkled with mirth as her eyebrows waggled suggestively. The demoness lounged in the water across from him, arms outstretched along the edge of the tub. Her magenta skin shimmered with condensation. Her indigo hair was pulled up into a messy bun. (Held in place by a heart-patterned scrunchy.) The spade tip of her tail wiggled just above the water’s surface. But what really drew Mason’s gaze was her perfect tits. They floated in the bubbling water, nipples kept just out of sight by the roiling surface.

But he tore his gaze away, looking back at the room around him.

“Pretty sure this is my first time,” Mason said awkwardly.

“Oh, this is actually the same place as last time. I just did some redecorating,” Lilith explained, the tip of her tail rising from the water to gesture at the room around them. “Need a drink, sugar snap?”

On the floor next to his head was a large hurricane glass. Mason picked it up to inspect it. The ice in it made the frosted glass cool to the touch. He swirled the disconcerting, vibrant, red liquid around a few times.

“Am I allowed to ask what this is?” Mason said, with a quirked eyebrow.

“Fruit punch,” Lilith announced happily. She took a long sip of her own drink, a matching blue concoction, complete with a silly straw before she put on a scandalized face. “You think I would give **** to someone under the age of twenty-one while their corporeal form is still in the United States? For shame!”

She gave him an expectant look. He could almost see the applause sign turning on behind her beautiful head. But Mason just shifted. Despite her attempts at levity, he knew why she brought him here.

“I’m sorry I told Yumi about the app. I didn’t know it would be such a big deal,” Mason said uncomfortably.

“It really isn’t that big of a deal, bobcat,” Lilith said with a roll of her eyes.

“Lilith I’m not an idiot,” He said instantly, setting his drink back down without even taking a sip first. “If it was really like that then you would have just said that and moved on.”

“Ugh, fine,” The lust demon groaned in petulant frustration. “Since you won’t just be cool about this and trust me, I guess I’ll break it down for you.”

She rolled her head and popped her neck. Then the magenta woman finished the rest of her garish drink in one long sip. The glass dematerialized when she was done, and she looked back at Mason with a casual smile.

“Let’s start with a little compliment sandwich,” Lilith said cheekily. The flat tip of her tail slipped between her two hands, each appendage wiggling in turn as she talked through the process. “Firstly, I think you made a good choice in who you told. That girl is head over heels for you, and low-key kinky af. But you probably shouldn’t tell anyone else about this stuff. And I think your ass is really cute.”

“Why?” Mason asked gravely.

“Well, you’ve got such a big frame but such a compact booty. And it’s hot the way it flexes when you thrust,” Lilith explained, drifting off into her own little fantasy.

“Lilith,” He said quietly. His head drooped into his hand. Whether she was just incapable of taking things seriously or just thought she could sugarcoat whatever this situation was, it wasn't helping his mounting nerves.

“Fine, let’s just say that I’m not the only extra-dimensional entity out there. And some of them get pissy about stuff like this,” She said in a bored voice.

“So, what? Are you not allowed to do stuff like this?” Mason asked in a tight voice. He suddenly pictured what enforcers would be like on Lilith’s level. But to his surprise, his patron just giggled.

“Allowed to? You’re so adorable,” She said with a fond smile on her face. “Just think of it like this. My level of reality is a lot like yours. I can do whatever I want. Just so can everyone else.”

A chill ran through him. His mouth dried instantly, and the world seemed to fall out from under him.

“Am I in danger?” Mason asked in spite of the tightness in his throat. He wasn’t sure what an enemy of Lilith’s would look like, but he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance if they came for him.

“Aww, sweetheart no. Not at all.” She tried to reassure him. But it didn’t really work. If it was anyone else Mason may have tried to hide his worry. But a poker face seemed unnecessary when talking to a mind reader. “If it’ll make you feel better I'll explain how this works. Folks like me come in three flavors. The first is demons. And the only ones that are strong enough to worry about are the other six archdemons and the big cheese himself. And I’m on pretty good terms with all of them. Some of the weaklings might get jealous, but fuck’em. They won’t challenge me.”

That was good to know. Not that there were at least six other demons as powerful as Lilith. And he also wasn’t thrilled to learn the “big cheese” was real. But Mason was weirdly comforted by how unbothered the demoness was.

“Then there are angels,” Lilith said with an annoyed sigh and a small grimace. “If they find out what we’re doing it’ll definitely get their panties in a twist. Everything fucking does, trust me. But they’ve got pretty strict rules about mortals like you. They might try and talk you out of this, but unless you’re literally a threat to the world they won’t hurt you.”

Mason let out a small sigh. He really didn’t want to be a threat to the world. So hopefully, that meant he was safe on the angelic front.

“And then there’s that technicolor spectrum in between,” Lilith explained with a giddy smile.

“What?” Mason asked. “I don’t think I understand what that means.”

Neither of his moms were really religious. And he was definitely no theologian. But he always thought of angels and demons the way they were presented in games, books, and movies. Primal opposing forces. Black and white. Opposite poles on the cosmic magnet.

“Oh nutsuckers, how to put this in human terms,” Lilith chewed on a nail as she stared at the ceiling. Then after a moment of consideration, she started talking slowly. “Think of it like… we’re all the same species… just with different lifestyles. For instance, my Mama and Papa are both actually angels. And Gam Gam is one of those in-betweeners I mentioned.”

“Gam Gam?” His head was spinning. It was odd thinking of Lilith as having parents. Let alone angelic parents. But really, it was the fact that she called them Mama and Papa that was the most insane part. Gam Gam just made Mason think she was intentionally fucking with him.

“The original Lilith. She’s awesome,” Lilith said with a big grin. “Maybe I'll introduce you one day. I think she’d like you. The point is people who aren’t angels or demons are either super focused on one particular thing or not doing much of anything. Like Gam Gam is basically our equivalent of a retiree.”

“Your family sounds complicated,” Mason said. He didn’t know why that was what his mouth decided to say. There were definitely more important things to talk about.

“Believe me, baby, they all are. But we make it work,” The pink woman said airily, shrugging nonchalantly. “The important thing is that you understand that no one is going to try and hurt you. And if I’m wrong, which I’m not, I promise to protect you. Maybe I’ll strap the idiot to an x-cross and let a tentacle monster fuck all their holes for a few millennia. No cumming, obviously.”

That mental image was more than a little terrifying. Sure, maybe it could be hot under the right circumstances. But realizing exactly what that actually meant, and how casually the archdemon threw it out there was worrying. But he couldn’t worry about the fate of someone who tried to hurt him at the moment.

“What about-” Mason started to ask a question, but she interrupted him.

“Loved ones?” Lilith asked with a confident smile. “Same promise, except I’ll let you pick the punishment, mister man. It's sort of a thing on my side of reality. They're yours, in the same way you're mine. So it's only polite to let you pass judgment.”

To be perfectly honest Mason wasn't thrilled by the concept that Lilith somehow owned him, or that he somehow owned the people in his life. Hopefully, that was more of an attachment thing, than true possession. After all, she had so far let him do whatever he wanted. Sure the demoness could be a little condescending, and she was almost always a little immature, but she never treated him like a pet or ****. He also didn’t really want to try and come up with punishments as **** as what she suggested. But if what his patron said was true, Mason wouldn’t have to. A low breath escaped him, a little of the tension going with it.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Mason admitted. “And thanks in advance for keeping us safe.”

“You’re going to rot my teeth if you keep that up,” Lilith giggled.

“But if it’s not about danger, then why do you want me to not let anyone else know about Luxuria?” Maybe he should just trust her at this point. But he wanted to understand as much as he could.

“Well, the more of your people that know, the easier it is for my people to find out,” The demon said. “And unless you and I start wheeling and dealing, we’re going to have about a hundred or so years of fun together. But if the wrong person realizes what I’m doing, I’m going to be dealing several thousand years’ worth of pains in the ass. And not even the kinky kind either.”

“So you’d need to take the app away,” Mason realized out loud. Maybe she was right and there were parts of her world he just couldn’t understand. But he could understand the concept of damage control.

At least, he thought he could.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What kind of a dick move would that be? I’ve got to teach you to not always jump to the worst possible conclusion,” Lilith admonished him with a slow shake of her purple locks. “I’m already in for a penny, might as well be in for the pounding. I’m just asking you to keep a low profile as a favor to me.”

“Well, I owe you. I owe you a lot actually. I’ll do my best, and I’ll talk to Yumi in the morning.” Mason felt a relieved smile grow on his face. No one’s life was in danger. And even if he fucked up, he wouldn’t lose Luxuria. And all he had to do was try and help his infernal confidant with one favor. One she definitely earned.

“I knew I made the right choice when I picked you. And not just because your life was basically one good day from turning into a hentai.” Lilith swayed from side to side with a naughty smile. Her round, pink breasts sloshed back and forth through the water. “This might just be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

“You want to be friends with a mortal?” Mason asked weakly. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her chest. Watching those luscious orbs sway through the water was like getting to watch them bounce in slow motion. The way little waves washed over their tops, leaving behind a few sparkling drops on her silky skin was impossible to ignore.

“I’ve had a few. They’re all very special to me even now,” The demon whispered. Then after a few seconds, she added. “Since you and Yumi didn’t get much sleep tonight, I could make it so you both wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed regardless.”

“What do you want in return?” Mason asked, swallowing anxiously. He felt like he had a good grasp on the lust demon’s preferred method of payment. It was just the exact price he would need clarification on.

“Don’t tell me I’m becoming predictable,” Lilith whined with clearly exaggerated despair. But then she quickly recovered with a wide smile. “Well whatever, just hop up on the edge of the tub. The last time I saw you in person was before you spent any gold. I want to see new and improved junk.”

Mason didn’t need to give an answer. He just reached behind himself and pulled himself up onto the edge of the tub. Like he suspected he was totally nude. And like anyone could guess he was rock hard.

“Don’t mind me. Just petting the bunny,” Lilith said as her red eyes devoured his naked, wet body. At some point that Mason missed, her right hand slipped beneath the water. The angle made it very clear it had ended up between her lovely long legs. “Fuck, you’ve got a beast cock now don’t you?”

“All the better to fuck with my dear,” Mason joked in a cartoonishly evil voice. If this wasn’t a dream he doubted he would have been able to say that with a straight face. But having the sexiest woman in existence jilling off to him left him feeling a little giddy and light-headed.

“Mm, turning into the big, bad wolf are you?” She asked, her tongue flicking across her pillowy lips. “Good. There are a few lost, little girls I hope to see you pounce on.”

“Do you want me to…?” He asked, one hand drifting to his throbbing cock.

“I’ve got a better idea. Sorry in advance about the mess.”

Before he could ask what she meant Lilith stood up. Sparkling water cascaded down her body. Her flawless, magenta skin was given a little extra shine, not that she needed it. Mason’s conscious mind totally failed to notice that. In fact, it practically shut down. All that was left was instinct. To stare at the alluring body in front of him. Her breasts were simply beyond perfection. Round, and soft, and firm. They pulled in his gaze like the gravity they defied. And for the first time, he was able to see her nipples. They were perky, little buds the color of fine merlot. No doubt their taste would prove just as intoxicating.

The lustful fire that had awakened in his chest erupted like never before into an all-consuming, carnal inferno. He needed them. To touch them, kiss them, lick them, suckle them, slap them, pinch them, bury his face in them, fuck them. Whatever he could do. However he could do it. He just needed them. Now!

And that was when his eyes opened and his alarm went off.