Persistence is the Key

Story by Kajhera on SoFurry

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Author: Kirsen

Hurrah, another story by Kirsen - longest yet, in fact. The character Alyssa is property of my mate, Kyjos. Everything original is copyright either Kirsen or Kyjos.


It was cool, sunny day in the town of Amorsel, a small town positioned neatly in the middle of nowhere. It was set on a vast hilly landscape, ground filled with fertile soil and covered with lush grass. All this made it nearly the perfect farming community, with ranches and crops covering the landscape for a good ways outside of the town itself. Though normally sparsely occupied, today Amorsel was bustling with farmers and merchants hawking their wares to a crowded mass of buyers. This was due to the large, open-air market that the town participated in every week, which drew in all of the people within miles who had anything to sell. The gathering was even busier than one would expect, as the harvest season was in full swing, cool air signaling the time for gathering crops and slaughtering livestock to begin. The entire town rang with farmers proclaiming their goods to all who walked by, selling fruits, vegetables, meat, baked goods, and any other pieces they could afford to part with.

All the better for one of the towns most famous, or infamous depending on your point of view, inhabitants. She was a creature that stood out among the primarily human inhabitants like a macaw among sparrows, flitting from stall to stall, eying all of the wares with an appreciative glance before running off to the next booth that caught her fancy. She stood at about the same height as a human woman, walking digitigrade on two paws while her hands ending in short, blunted claws occasionally picked up an item she wanted to have a particularly good look at. Her head was topped with two large, rabbit-like ears, as well as a shining wall of blonde hair. Around her neck, a mane of the same color draped across her shoulders and back, her breasts making a noticeable swell beneath the shining strands. Her face was canine in appearance, a short muzzle topped by a cute black nose that twitched every tantalizing smell. Trailing behind her was a golden, fox-like tail that swished back and forth in the cool autumn air. She carried herself with poise and confidence, exuding an aura of exotic beauty that few could ignore.

Her body was covered with short, soft crimson fur; which was lucky, as even though it did a good job of covering her she wore nothing else. As it was, many a husband received a smack upside the head for letting their gaze linger longer than it should have. She did, however, keep a small bag of coins looped around her neck. Currently she stood beside a small stand selling delicious-looking cakes and pastries, sniffing the air with a dreamy look on her face as the delectable odors wafted towards her. She walked up to the man who stood behind the cart and addressed him politely.

"Hi, are you the baker who's selling all these sweets?" she asked, batting her eyelashes a little. Her voice was almost like a fine wine, light but with a definite thick, rich undertone.

The baker, a man who appeared to enjoy his creations more than anyone else as noted by a rather rotund belly, eyed her in surprise before answering. "Yes I am. You must be the Alyssa that everyone talks about. Seems like you've made quite a reputation for yourself in the couple of weeks you've been here."

She smiled, white teeth flashing in the sunlight. "A good reputation, I hope," she said with a little laugh.

The man blushed a little. Whether it was good or bad tended to greatly very depending on the gender, personality, and social context of the speaker. "Well, I'm sure you didn't come here to talk about the gossip of people with nothing better to do. Do you see anything you like?"

Alyssa looked over the carefully-placed goods with a hungry eye. Her mouth was beginning to water from the close proximity of such delectable foods. She finally settled on a choice. "How much are those small cakes off to the side?" she asked.

"Just two copper pieces miss, a fine deal for cakes whose quality is not surpassed by any other within a hundred miles," he responded with practiced ease, preparing to begin bargaining.

She cocked her head to one side. "Hmm... I'm afraid I don't really want to spend that much coin on something that small..." she leaned forward, putting her face close to the baker's and ran a hand across his cheek. "But I could give you one copper piece for two of them," she whispered sultrily. He turned a shade of red almost the same color as her fur, trying to find the words to respond but having difficulty getting them out. No amount of selling experience could have prepared him for this.

"I-I suppose that would be f-fair, miss." He quickly wrapped up the pastries as she pulled out a single coin and laid it on the table. He handed them to her with shaking hands, still not fully recovered from her touch. She took them happily, making sure to brush her hands with his when she recovered her treats, and bounded off into the crowd once again, giving the baker a cute little wave as she left. Once she was out of sight and his heart stopped pounding against his chest, he realized he had sold his wares for a quarter of what he asked for. Luckily, the barrage of swearwords was unheard over the dull roar of the crowd.

She sat in a doorstep, eating her cakes as her tail wagged gleefully behind her. People walked past, those new to the area finding their eyes fixed to the curious sight of her. She was used to such attention, however, and easily managed to ignore them. As she licked the sticky sugar from her paws, the furred femme became acutely aware of the thirst that the treats had caused. She ran her tongue over her mouth, trying to relieve some of the richness of the cakes. I need a drink, she thought to herself. I hope the Spiced Flagon isn't too busy. With a small stretch, she rose and began making her way to the tavern, the only bar the little town had to offer.

She arrived at the building shortly, a decent sized two story wooden structure with the tavern's name inscribed over the door. She slipped thought the entrance, slightly disappointed to hear a wall of conversation press against her ears. Looking over at the bar, she saw that the bartender was being assailed with orders already. She sighed impatiently. I am not going to wait that long, she thought, her parched mouth getting the better of her. She looked towards the table, spotting two men at the bar who had just received their orders of a foaming tankard each. She quickly moved behind one of them and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned around, she grabbed his head with both hands and pressed her lips to his, forcing her tongue inside of the bewildered man's mouth. While he was thus occupied she smoothly moved one of her hands to grab his tankard and moved it closer to her. She then broke the kiss, turning around quickly to find a place to sit.

The man she had kissed reeled, eyes slightly crossed as he tried to make his way back to reality.

"She stole your ale, you know," his friend muttered, taking a sip from his own drink.

"Who cares?" the other man replied.

While Alyssa's eyes searched over the room, they fell on a patron that stood out amongst the rabble almost as much as she did. He was a rat, tall for his race but still less then five feet tall. He had silver grey fur, with a long mane of auburn hair tied into a short ponytail. He appeared to be bordering on middle age, as both his hair and whiskers were tinged with grey. He sat in a remote corner of the room, sipping a glass of wine while he read a thick, old looking book.

This would have been enough to distinguish him from most, as the majority of people here were both human and had little taste for books, but he also was covered with a long, well-worn blue robe reaching nearly to the floor. Beside him rested a dusty backpack and a smooth walking stick. Filled with curiosity she moved to his table and sat down across from him, setting her tankard down with a dull clunk. Though she drew many appraising looks and even a few whistles from some of the bars occupants, the rat didn't even look up from his book as she approached him.

"You're new around here aren't you?" she inquired. He jerked his head up, noticing her for the first time.

"I apologize miss, I tend to get rather absorbed into whatever piece of literature I am currently browsing. But yes, I just arrived here today. Why do you ask?" the rat replied. He spoke with a crisp, sharp voice, the kind you would expect from a teacher of any sort. He closed the tome and set it off to the side, then steeped his fingers and rested his arms on the table.

Alyssa was impressed. Not only had he been able to ignore her until that moment, but he had also managed to keep his eyes locked with hers the entire time he was speaking--a task almost all men and even several women found difficult. "I haven't seen you around before. What book are you reading? Must be pretty good if it can keep you glued to the pages like that," she asked curiously. She began to drink the much desired ale in front of her as he began to talk.

His eyes lit up, overjoyed to share the information he had been studying. "It's a book about the world's dragons, something I absolutely delight in reading up on. I was lucky enough to purchase it from one of the merchants here- I believe he said his grandfather was a studier of dragons and left the book to him after he passed away. He didn't share the same passion, so he wished to get a bit of coin from it instead." His eyes hardened slightly.

"I will refrain from sharing my opinion on people such as him who would rather peddle off such precious knowledge than keep it. At least the book was given to me rather than someone who would stain its pages with undeserving hands." He took a drought of wine, trying to remember his train of thought.

"Anyway, dragons are fascinating creatures: a lifespan of centuries, avid collectors of knowledge, and a biology so complex that no one but themselves knows completely how they function. All in a body so graceful and beautiful that a hundred poets working for a hundred years couldn't describe them adequately. I would love to meet one in person. " He let out a small sigh, his thoughts seeming to be elsewhere for a few moments before he snapped back to reality. "I could ramble on for hours, but where are my manners. My name is Dolanseer, what is yours?"

She blinked, her mind struggling to adapt to his high-class mode of speech after spending several weeks in a town where most people got by using a number of words that could listed their fingers and toes. "Alyssa. So what brings you out here to the middle of nowhere? You don't seem like you're prepared for travelling if all your carrying is a stick, a bag, and the robe on your back. Why are you wearing that thing anyway? It doesn't look very practical." She questioned quizzically.

He smiled slightly, taking another sip of wine before answering. "Well, with such an assault of questions like that I suppose I should answer them in order. I am a rather avid traveler, and this seemed like a good place to stock up on supplies before I moved on, especially with such a wonderful market in full swing. And I am more prepared then I seem, my dear."

He reached under the table and grabbed his backpack, hauling it into view and fumbling with the straps that held it closed. When it was finally opened, Alyssa peered inside curiously. The bag was much larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside, looking like it was able to hold the contents of a small horse-drawn carriage. It was nearly half filled with books of every shape, size and age imaginable. There were also some traveling rations, a water skin, flint and steel, as well as other supplies one would reasonably expect a person on the road to have. She seemed fairly interested in the obviously magical item.

"Where'd you get this?" she asked in wonder. She looked a little harder, then reached in and brought out the first book she could touch. It was titled A History of Planar Magic Theories and Their Application in Modern Society by Professor Dexter Arnold Herskri III.

She let out a little laugh. "This guy sure liked long titles didn't he?" she said, showing the text to Dolanseer. "I hope his kids don't end up with a name as long as his, they won't be able to fit their signatures onto a single piece of paper." He took the book from her and put it back into the bag with an annoyed expression, seemingly exasperated by her lack of appreciation for higher knowledge.

"Please refrain from touching those volumes, as many of them are old enough to require special care." He closed his pack moving it back to where it was placed before.

"I received that pack as a gift from a friend before leaving to travel. He's an inventor who thought I might find some use for it." he continued, trying to get the conversation back on track.

"As to your question of why I'm wearing a robe, it is very warm and dry as well as having a good deal of pockets to store things out of sight. Although I must confess, a good deal of the reason I wear it is for appearances. As a wizard, you tend to develop a habit of keeping up a certain image." He paused for a moment to gauge her reaction.

She seemed fairly nonplussed at the mention of him being a magic-user, as opposed to the majority of people he talked to. Despite himself, the wizard was rather disappointed, though he tried to hide it by moving the conversation along. "I think it's only fair that I ask some questions of my own. What are you doing in a place such as this? You seem to stand out a bit from the rest of this town's inhabitants, which makes me think you aren't a permanent resident here."

She chuckled "'Stand out a bit' is an understatement, but you're right. I like to travel too, and this seemed like a good place to stick around for awhile. Plus I wanted to see if these country folk were any better in bed than city dwellers," she said with the same casualness as if she was describing the weather. "They don't seem to understand a lot of the techniques very well, but they sure have a lot of stamina. I bet it's all that hard work and fresh air that they get."

Dolanseer stared at her abashedly, wine glass frozen halfway to his mouth. He didn't appear to know what would be the proper response to such a statement. "I...Excuse me?" he finally stuttered.

The gold-manned canine cocked her head and gave him a cute look. "Oh, don't tell me you're one of those prudish types," She said with a smile.

Dolanseer was already starting to turn red under his fur, and her statement only furthered his embarrassment. "I am not a prude!" he said indignantly. "I just am not used to such...personal statements being said so casually."

"Isn't that the almost exact definition of what a prude is?" Alyssa responded with an amused glint in her eye.

Her rodent companion did not respond, instead sipping the majority of the wine from his glass in an attempt to steady himself. Alyssa did the same with her ale, patiently waiting for him to resume the conversation.

After a few minutes of silence, it became apparent that he had no intention of speaking. Alyssa drained the last of her drink from her tankard, putting it to the side as she observed the rat opposite of her carefully while he drank. Finally she broke the silence. "So...You want to have sex?"

Dolanseer's eyes flew open as he inhaled sharply, sending his drink down his wind pipe. He began to choke and sputter, spraying wine across the table. "What!?" he managed to exclaim between coughs.

At this point, it was taking all of her willpower not to burst out laughing at his reaction so it took her a moment to formulate a response. "You know, sleep together, make love, have intercourse. Sex. Do you need me to explain the mechanics of it?"

"I know what it means!" he snapped, finally managing to breathe normally again. "More specifically, I want to know why on earth you would suggest such a thing!?

"Why not? You seem attractive enough."

The wizard was obviously starting to get flustered, a reaction that amused Alyssa to no end. "Well, I am afraid that I am going to have to reject your forward proposal. I do not just jump into the bed of every women without a moments thought," he replied haughtily.

His reaction puzzled her. Most of the time a man (even several women) would kill in order to spend some time in her company. Her curiosity as to why she had been rejected was starting to eat away at her. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a quick look inside his mind... she thought silently to herself. She probed at his thoughts, but the moment she touched his mind, the wizards expression told her she had made a mistake. He glared at her angrily and she felt an iron wall clamp down around his thoughts.

"It is not polite, Ms. Alyssa, to be reading the thoughts of others without their permission," he reprimanded her with a voice filled with cold fury. With that she let out a gasp as she felt the steel spike of his consciousness penetrate her mind. Ok, apparently it did hurt, she thought as she mentally fought against the wizard, head clutched between her hands to try and aid her concentration. After a hard fought struggle, she managed to banish him from her thoughts, but not before he had learned quite a bit about who she was.

After he had retreated, Dolanseer stood up with a mixture of fear and detest on his face. "You...You're a succubus aren't you?" he muttered bewilderedly.

"Only half succubus," she said with apprehension. She preferred to keep that fact a secret, for obvious reasons.

He glared at her, standing up and throwing his backpack over his shoulders. "I think I should leave. I don't want to have anything to do with those of a demonic heritage, let alone one who puts forth promiscuous advances every minute ," he said sharply, picking up his staff from the floor and striding towards the door.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Alyssa cried, but either he couldn't hear her over the din of the other patrons or he had just decided to ignore her. Before she could even stand up, he had gone back outside. She looked to where he had been sitting. He had left in such a hurry he had left his book behind. She picked it up and weaved through the crowd of people to try and catch up with him, but by the time she had gotten through the door, the wizard had already disappeared into the crowd. Even with his race and clothes distinguishing him, his small stature made it difficult to pinpoint his location.

The canine sighed and leaned against the doorway. She was still trying to figure out what she had done wrong inside that tavern. Admittedly, she was in fairly unfamiliar waters when it came to being rejected. Ok, so maybe reading his thoughts wasn't the best of moves... but why wouldn't he sleep with me? Am I just not attractive enough? She thought to herself. It was going to drive her crazy until she got an answer. She looked at the old tome she was holding. Well, I need to find him to give him his book back; I might as well just ask him then. Now I just need to figure out how I'm going to find him...

She stood there for awhile, trying to formulate a plan on how to locate the owner of the book she held. Finally her eyes lit up in a flash of inspiration. She quickly sprinted over to one of the numerous wooden stands that lined the street, and with single leap landed on top of the creaking structure. Ignoring the stares of those around her, she crouched once again, leg muscles tensing for another jump. with another mighty bound, she was sent flying upwards farther than one would think possible, landing gracefully on the roof of the Spiced Flagon with a jingle of her coin-pouch.

She turned around rapidly, trying to pick out Dolanseer from her advantageous position. After a few moments of searching, she was able to pick out his blue robe heading towards the edge of town.

"Jeeze, that little guy moves fast," she muttered under her breath. She looked at the packed streets below. If she was going to keep an eye on her target, she was going to need to stay out of the crowd. The half-succubus took a few steps back, and then proceeded to run forward, clearing the gap between her and the nearest building with ease. She continued to leap from rooftop to rooftop, getting closer and closer to wizard that she was seeking, until she reached the edge of the village's buildings. With a final jump, she landed right next to the person she had been tracking with a loud thud.

Dolanseer startled when he heard the thump of Alyssa hitting the ground directly behind him. With a sudden speed that most wouldn't have attributed to a wizard, he whipped around and cracked the canine right between the eyes with his walking stick. She hit the ground, clutching her nose more out of shock then pain.

"Oh goodness I'm so sorry! It was a reflex, I've been assaulted on the road so many times that-" the wizard stopped his apology when he saw exactly who it was he had stricken. He struggled internally, his annoyance with her battling with his conscience. Finally, his conscience won. "Are you alright?" he asked.

She actually felt more or less fine. Her succubus blood made her more resilient than the average person, but she saw that she might be able to use this situation to her advantage. "Owwww! I dink may have brogen by nose!" she whimpered around her hands.

"I suppose we should find someplace to clean you up then." The rodent said with a sigh. He reached down and helped her up, noticing his beloved dragon book lying on the ground. "Where did you get this?" he asked accusingly, picking it up off the ground.

Alyssa sniffed a little, trying to play up her "injury." "You left it behind ad da davern. I was just trying ta bring it bag ta you."

Dolanseer's expression softened. For all I know this could just be a demonic trick of some sort, but I don't think she's that dangerous. Still, I should be on guard, he thought. "Thank you. I can hardly believe I forgot about it, I don't know what I would have done without it," he said while slipping it back into his backpack. He looked at her, who was still keeping her hands in place over her nose. "Do you know somewhere where we can obtain some water to wash you off?" he inquired kindly.

She sniffed again, trying to think of the appropriate place to lead him. "Dere's a bridge just down da road dat goes over a small creek, we could use dat."

"Lead the way." He said with a small flourish. Smiling under her hands, the half-succubus began leading her companion to her designated destination.

Minutes later, Alyssa was sitting on the bank of the creek while Dolanseer soaked a spare rag in the cool waters of the creek. It lay at the bottom of a sharply sloping ditch that was roughly four to five feet deep, and cattails and water plants continued to grow along the bank despite the time of year. They sat underneath the creaking wooden bridge to prevent unwanted attention drawing away from Dolanseer's attempts to heal Alyssa's 'injury'. He handed her the damp piece of cloth, then returned to rummaging through his backpack, trying to find any other supplies that would be useful. "Here. Once you wipe away any blood I can check to see if your nose is actually broken."

She took the rag but made no move to start using it. She moved her hands, putting them on the ground to support herself. "Look, the truth is that I'm fine. I just wanted to bring you here so we could talk, in private," she said to the surprised wizard.

Surprise quickly turned to anger. "I should have known this was a trick!" he shouted, moving to gather up his things.

"Wait!" Alyssa cried out, springing up to grab his arm. He shook her off, but stopped and turned to look at her.

"What is it now!?" he snapped. "For the gods' sakes I'm coming close to letting you have my soul just to get some peace and quiet!"

She threw her hands up into the air in frustration. "I'm not that kind of succubus!" she said, exasperated.

Dolanseer looked at her interestedly, though still angry. "What do you mean?" he inquired.

"I don't take people's souls! Besides some shared magic, The only thing that me and a normal succubus have in common is we both feed on sexual energy! "

The wizard seemed to deflate slightly. "Oh," he said, looking rather embarrassed. "I apologize for the misunderstanding then."

. "I hope you do! Do you have any idea how many times I've had to explain that to people? And how many times I still go through the entire 'torches and pitchforks' thing even after explaining it to people?" She huffed

At this point, Dolanseer was feeling rather low. "If you don't mind me asking, if you are only half succubus then what is the other half of your heritage," he asked, eager to change the subject.

Alyssa seemed to switch her outlook almost instantly. "I'm half succubus and half dryad," she said proudly.

This explains so very much, the wizard thought to himself. Dryads were fey spirits that lived in forests, tied to a specific tree. They were well know for using their good looks and charms to garner help in protecting themselves and their homes. "That seems as though it would be a rather unlikely pairing," he said conversationally.

She shrugged. "Well, it's not like I was there to see it happen. Apparently it's happened at least once."

A thought stuck Dolanseer. "I thought that succubi were supposed to be able to change their shapes at will?" he asked with a hint of confusion

"Yup!" she said happily. "I can turn into all sorts of stuff. I just like this form a lot, so I stay in it most of the time.

"Wouldn't something more inconspicuous be more appropriate for a town like Amorsel?" the rat asked quizzically.

She gave him a puzzled look. "Where's the fun in inconspicuous?" she responded, cocking her head to the side.

He didn't really have an answer for her, so they found themselves once again sitting in silence. Alyssa idly picked up a few strands of grass and twirled them between her fingers. So far her plan had unfolded perfectly: they were in a secluded place, and he no longer hated her. It was time to implement the final stage of her set-up.

"So, you said you had a lot of interest in dragons, right?" she asked casually. "What is it about them that you find so fascinating?"

She could already tell that he had fallen for the trap hook, line and sinker. His eyes were full of delight in another person showing such an interest in his favorite subject. "Where do I begin? I suppose one of the most enthralling things about them is their absolute command of intrinsic magic. There is not a single creature on this plane that has magic more incorporated into their being than a dragon. This is one of the reasons they are so incredibly powerful- they can use magic as naturally as a fish swims though water. Furthermore-" he continued to ramble on. Alyssa gave him a few moments to make sure he was completely absorbed by his lecture before making her move.

She knew if she could get him talking he would start to loose touch with reality, just like when he was caught up in reading his book in the tavern. Now that he was distracted, she began to inch closer to him. Her mind also started to touch his once more, though very gently, trying to pick up any other information she could put to use.

The wizard remained totally oblivious to everything the seductress was doing. Though not completely out of touch with reality, he was separated from it by a thick wall of cotton. He didn't even react when her skillful hands began to undo the cloth sash that kept his robe together. Smoothly, the knot was untied and the cloth fell to the ground. She kept her eyes locked with his, preventing him from seeing something she didn't want him to see. She parted the folds of the robe, revealing more of his grey fur, with a pair of boxer-like undergarments covering his nethers. She began to slowly slip them down, a smile starting to find its way across her muzzle.

"-and I have not even began to discuss their biology. Though dragons would seem to be reptilian at first glance, they're biology is much more mammalian than would first be thought. For example...Why does it suddenly feel colder?" The wizard finally snapped out of his daze, looking down to see his clothes stripped away and his furry sheath and scrotum exposed to the air.

Once again, he showed an uncanny reaction time, nearly leaping backwards and scrambling onto his feet. "Ms. Alyssa!" he shouted indignantly, trying to frantically cover himself. His undergarments proved to be a bit of a problem, since they were now wrapped around his feet. Though he tried to keep his balance, he tripped and fell backwards into the creek with a great splash. He flailed in the water for a moment before managing to raise himself up on hands and knees in the shallow water.

Alyssa watched all of this with one hand pressed to her mouth, trying her hardest not to laugh at his plight. "Need any help" she asked mirthfully, rising up and extending her hand out to help him up. He glared at her vehemently, his face burning hot enough it was a wonder his head was not on fire.

"I think you have touched me just about enough for one day," he said coldly, standing up and bringing his undergarments back up to where they belonged.

She rolled her eyes, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him seductively and putting her face an inch away from his. "Give it up already. I know that you're attracted to me; I can feel the emotions coming from you. Why won't you just give in?"

He stiffened at her touch, and if at all possible, the wizard's face turned even redder. "I can absolutely assure you that I have no attraction to you whatsoever." He said through clenched teeth.

She affixed him with a patronizing look. "Well then, either you or your little friend down there is lying."

Dolanseer looked down in horror. Sure enough, there was a noticeable bulge protruding from his undergarments. He struggled, eventually worming free of the seductress's grasp and stalking over to where his sash lay on the ground. He picked it up and turned around suddenly to glare at Alyssa. "You just do not understand do you?" he said, winding the cloth around his waist. "I am attracted to people based not on what they look like, but how they act. Physical attraction is irrelevant. You have proven to be of a type that I normally refuse to have anything to deal with, and thus I have no desire to sleep with you!" He began to gather up his possessions once more, avoiding eye contact with Alyssa as he did so.

The canine was dumbfounded. He appeared to be saying words, but they had no logic or reason behind them. "Wait just a minute here-" she started to protest, striding forward. Without even looking up, Dolanseer made a strange gesture with one of his hands. Alyssa suddenly felt herself run into a hard, immovable barrier. "What the..." she muttered, rubbing her head. She moved her hand forward, but it was stopped by an invisible wall of force.

"Hey!" she shouted in protest, feeling around for an exit, but it appeared that she was trapped.

His possessions once again packed, Dolanseer turned and looked Alyssa straight in the eye. "I am leaving now," he said without a trace of humor in his voice. "The barrier should dissipate within a couple of hours. Do not follow me again." Without a second glance, he walked out from under the bridge and up the ditch back on to the road. His footsteps soon mingled with those of dozens of other travelers, and Alyssa was left alone. She sat down and pouted for a few minutes.

"Now what am I supposed to do?!" she said to no one in particular. A couple more searches proved that she was indeed completely trapped. Her shoulders slumped in frustration. Then she straightened in a sudden burst of insight. Her eyes closed in concentration, and there was the hum of magical energy as a slight glow covered her body. With a dull pop she disappeared momentarily, reappearing a second later several feet from her previous position. She looked fairly proud of herself for a moment, but then she smacked herself in the head in exasperation.

"Why the hell didn't I just do that when I was trying to track him down in the first place!?" she muttered under her breath. She let out a sigh, but soon after began to smile again. Though she had failed in her attempt this time, she hadn't come out empty handed. Now that she had laid her hands on him, she could feel his specific emotional energy from miles away, so she knew where he was at all times.

A new plan was already starting to form in her head as she climbed out of the ditch and back towards Amorsel. The findings of her thought reading had also proved useful. So it turns out that wizard-boy's attraction to dragons isn't just intellectual, she thought while chuckling to herself. I'll give him a few days to cool off, and then I'm going to give him the surprise of his life.

Three days later, Dolanseer sat in the middle of a small clearing, munching on some hard bread and jerky as he studied a map by firelight. The sun had nearly set, the last red orange-rays making there way through the leaves of the same color. He sat cross-legged in front of a small camp fire, muttering to himself as he traced over the paper. "three days travel from Amorsel, approximately sixty miles, which leaves another day of travel unless I've lost my way..." he put away the map carefully in a small leather map-case and continued to chew resolutely on his meager meal.

Finishing off the last of the bread, he reached into his bag and pulled out a small book, as well as an inkwell and a quill. Opening the book, it was filled with neat, orderly handwriting interspersed with dates and times. He dipped the quill, a nondescript white feather, into the inkwell and began to write.

Autumn 64, sunset.

So far I have made good time on the way to Carvenon. I am currently in the middle of the Beastland Forest, approximately a day's walk to the city. A few sightings of the famous oversized creatures that give the area its name, but no carnivores as of yet. With some luck I should make it to Carvenon with no trouble.

Speaking of which, there has been no sightings of that insane half-succubus as of yet. I can only hope that she has finally taken the hint and decided to leave me be. I have no desire to be exposed to her promiscuous ways any longer. The thought of her touching me again

He was interrupted by a sudden tightness in his groin area. Lifting the journal revealed a bulge forming among the folds of his robes once again.

A sigh of frustration escaped his muzzle, and he snapped the journal closed. "Traitorous erection," he muttered, stashing his writing equipment back into his traveling bag. The sun had completely set by this point, the only light being the flickering flames before him. He tried to wrest his thoughts away from his encounter with the seductress, instead going over his mental checklist for everything that needed to be done before he could go to sleep.

Campfire made, food eaten, journal entry...sufficiently complete, all that's left is to set up the protective wards for the night.

He rose and stretched, moving around the clearing, waving his hands to and fro as the familiar hum of magic filled the air. The wizard was so deep in concentration that the sudden snap of a dried twig nearly caused him to jump out of his skin. He wheeled around to the direction of the disturbance, moving as silently as he could to pick up his staff that was lying next to his seat. Another snap soon followed the first, and the faint sound of footsteps shuffling through fallen leaves accompanied it.

"Who's there?" Dolanseer asked firmly, though a hint of fear still crept through his voice. A response came from just outside the circle of light that the fire created

"Please, I mean no harm," the voice said. It was clearly feminine, and Dolanseer couldn't help but feel like it sounded slightly familiar. "I do not receive many visitors in this part of the forest. I merely saw your fire and wished to investigate.

The rat relaxed and brought his walking stick back down to the ground. "I apologize for my rudeness, but I am sure you can understand why one must take precautions when one travels alone through an area such as this. You are more then welcome if you do not wish to cause trouble."

"Your hospitality is greatly appreciated," the voice responded. The owner walked into the light. It was what appeared to be a half-dragon, her emerald-colored scales reflecting the glow of the fire. She stood at over six feet tall, dwarfing the rat who was gazing at her with slack-jawed amazement. Twin horns swept behind her head, protruding above piercing golden eyes with cat-like slit pupils. A great pair of wings was folded neatly on her back, the firelight slipping through the thin wing membranes. A long tail swung through the air behind her hypnotically, matching rhythm with a pair of breasts that would capture the attention of any who let their gaze fall on the draconic women, each topped with a dark green nipple. Though her scales looked as hard and strong as steel on her back and limbs, they became smaller and more flexible on the front of her neck and stomach. Her legs ended with a draconic four-toed talon, the sharp claws reflecting the light of the fire. She strode gracefully to the center of the clearing, and sat herself gently in front of the fire.

She leaned backwards, supporting herself on her hands, a position which obviously accentuated her chest. "My name is Kathara. May I have the pleasure of knowing to whom I am speaking?" she questioned. Her mouth was filled with gleaming fangs and a slender, forked tongue.

The wizard shook himself out of his stunned stupor, trying to find his voice. His face was flushed red at the visitors obvious lack of modesty. "Dolanseer. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Kathara." He moved to the side of the fire opposite of the dragoness and took a seat. He didn't trust himself not to stare at her, and so instead directed his gaze towards the fire.

Kathara smiled, noticing the way he reacted towards her. "So tell me, Dolanseer, what brings a lone traveler into the untamed forest of the Beastlands?" she asked.

He continued to carefully avoid eye contact, but responded readily. "This was the quickest way to Carvenon from Amorlsel. I was fairly confidant in my ability to repel any unwanted creatures, and thought I would accelerate my travel by taking this time-saving route."

The dragoness shifted her position, leaning forward so that her snout rested in her hands, and affixed him with a curious stare. "And why are you traveling to Carvenon in the first place?" she inquired.

"It is rumored that they have a great deal of literature on the plants and animals of this forest," the rat responded, eagerly absorbing himself in the conversation as a distraction from the stunningly beautiful creature across from him. "Because Carvenon receives most of its business from logging, hunting, and fishing I'm sure that they would know more about the animals that live here then anyone. I've always been curious as to what caused them to grow to such phenomenal size and I have a feeling that inquiring around Carvenon may help."

The conversation continued for a while longer, as the moon began to rise high into the night sky. Soon a cool wind began to blow through the small camp, rustling the leaves that had fallen to the forest floor and causing Kathara to wrap her arms about herself to attempt to keep out the cold.

The dragoness shivered. "Do you mind if I sit next to you?" she asked, teeth chattering slightly. "The temperature is starting to drop and this fire is not quite enough to keep me warm."

Dolanseer tried to conceal his shock. "I-I suppose it would not be a problem, Ms. Kathara," he mumbled.

She rose, moving the few steps that separated them and sat down to the right of the wizard, tail subtly moving to wrap around behind him. In this position the height difference between them was clearly accentuated, the top of his head hardly reaching her shoulder. She wrapped her left arm around his chest and pulled him close to her, humming contently. "My, you are very warm," she purred happily, basking in his body temperature.

The poor rat looked like he was about faint from his embarrassment, the heat from his blushing no doubt contributing to his draconic companion's pleasure. They stayed like that for awhile, the only sound being the rustling of the wind in the leaves and the crackle and pop of the campfire.

Kathara idly stroked her hand though through the well-groomed hair of the male beside her, eliciting a shudder of pleasure from him "You are a fairly cute little creature," the dragon said softly. Dolanseer looked like he was paralyzed. His breathing became more rapid, but he didn't seem to have the ability to move any of his muscles in response to the dragoness's advances.

"It has been such a long time sense I have seen any creature that has not run away in fear from me, let alone a male willing to be so close to me," she whispered seductively into his ear. Her tongue snaked from her mouth, the forked tip dragging its way along Dolanseer's neck and the side of his face and leaving a faint trail of saliva. He moaned quietly, the warm wetness beginning to loosen his previously locked-up muscles.

With a passionate smile, Kathara gently took the rats muzzle into her hand and pressed it to her own, closing her eyes in pleasure. The kiss took him by surprise, his eyes widening greatly. He tried to pull away, but found his muscles unwilling to respond. It seemed as though his libido was finally sick of being imprisoned in the darkest corner of his mind and was now breaking free and taking over.

After the moment of surprise passed, he finally gave in and closed his eyes as well, enjoying the feel of his whiskers pressed against her scaled snout. His arms moved to encircle her neck, hands tracing over the horns that swept behind her head.

But then, his eyes flew open. He broke the kiss suddenly and moved backwards quickly rising to his feet and glaring angrily at the dragon he had moments before been in the first stages of passion with. She looked shocked and hurt, and stared at him in confusion. "What is wrong?" she asked dejectedly. "Did I do something to offend you?"

The wizard crossed his arms across his chest and continued his stare. "Do not pretend like you have no idea what is going on. I know exactly who you are," he said sharply.

Kathara continued her bewildered look. "What in the gods' names are you talking about?" she asked hurtfully.

Dolanseer rolled his eyes in frustration. "A female half-dragon just stumbles into my camp by a random chance and begins to engage in promiscuous advances? Ms. Alyssa, I am fully aware of the extent of a succubus's shape changing ability. I cannot believe I did not see the connection sooner. I am not sure how you discovered my attraction to dragons or how you found me, but I do know I told you quite clearly to leave me be the last time we met."

Alyssa swore under her breath in frustration. I was so close! she screamed in her head. She crossed her arms across her chest and glared at Dolanseer in pouting frustration. "Ok, fine, you caught me," she spat. "But are you even aware of how ridiculous this is getting? If you hadn't known it was me you would have gone though with it this time, and you would have enjoyed it more then anything else in your life. I could feel the pleasure coming from you so don't even try to deny it. You are getting so caught up in this 'self-righteousness' thing of yours that you are turning down one of your biggest fantasies just to spite me. Why won't you just admit to yourself that you'll actually enjoy this?!"

The rat's righteous anger seemed to fade almost immediately after that. She had finally used his greatest weakness against him--logical reasoning. Turned against him, he had no support to his fury and deflated greatly He seemed to retreat within himself, trying to debate against her words, but he could think of nothing that could counter her argument.

The shapeshifter saw his eyes glaze over and knew it was her time to strike. Moving fast enough so that her victim had no time to respond, she shifted to a pouncing position and sprang forward, catching him around the middle and tackling him to the ground, wrapping him in a nearly inescapable hug. From on the ground, the wizard found his snout buried in the bountiful cleavage of the half-succubus's draconic form.

"Will you please just sleep with me?" the dragon whimpered pleadingly. "Until I do it'll drive me crazy! I don't deal well with rejection!" There was an unintelligible reply, muffled as it was by the two mounds of flesh which the responder found his face pressed into.

She loosened her grip on him and he pulled away, gasping for breath. After he recovered he repeated his reply. "Will you agree to cease stalking me?" he asked, still slightly winded from the tackle.

She smiled, a playful gleam in her eye. "For now. I might show up later though, just because you're so much fun to stalk."

The rat pinned beneath her smiled as well. "Then it is a deal." He stretched his neck forward and planted a kiss square on Alyssa's snout.

This time it was the seductress's turn to be surprised, though she quickly returned the kiss, her slender forked tongue worming its way into the mouth of her lover and wrapping around his own. She moaned quietly, the vibrations traveling along her tongue to be felt by the wizard, causing him to moan as well. Though the flavor of his saliva was bland, but it was still one of the best things she had ever tasted. It was the taste of a hard-earned victory.

While their lips remained locked together, Alyssa rose up slightly to begin undoing the robe of her companion, this time much faster then their last encounter as she no longer had to worry about keeping him unaware of the process. The sash fell away and the folds of the robe parted, Dolanseer shifting in order to slip his hands from the long sleeves. His underpants were removed even quicker, Alyssa tossing them away with little regard for where they landed. She then settled back onto her lover, feeling his warm fur press against her scales, the heat building between them starving off the cool air of the night.

The shapeshifter could already feel her lover's member begin to stiffen against the soft scales of lower stomach, just above her burning vulva. She desperately wanted to feel that organ inside her, but something she had worked so hard at deserved to be dragged out as long as possible, to be savored.

She broke the kiss, much to the disappointment of both. They both knew, however, that if they continued to wrestle their tongues then they would be unable to pursue the more pleasurable aspects of lovemaking. The seductress slowly lowered her head, once more lapping at his neck, moving down his body with firm, loving strokes. She passed over his chest and stomach, causing him to laugh lightly at the ticklish sensation of the smooth muscle tracing a path through his silver fur.

Finally, the shapeshifter reached her intended definition, standing straight up and begging for attention. She gave it a long slow lick, causing her partner to let out an elated, pleasure-filled moan. The half succubi smiled. She could feel the sexual energy rolling off of him in waves and they had hardly even started yet. Considering how much is coming from him, he must not have been with anyone in years if ever, the seductress thought. More for me then.

Once more her tongue slipped from her mouth, this time wrapping around his hard erection and squeezing it in rhythm with his heartbeat before unwinding it and starting it again. Dolanseer was panting hard, fingers and toes clenching at the soft bed of fallen leaves that they lied on. After teasing him in this way for awhile she gave the tip of his penis another rough lick, lapping up the pre that had begun to leak forth. Once more she wrapped the organ with her tongue, but this time she used the muscle to guide it into her warm maw, her warm breath washing over the rat's throbbing member as her roving tongue lapped all over the head and shaft.

Dolanseer let out a gasp of pleasure. "Oh gods!" he cried out, and started to writhe beneath her onslaught. The dragoness sustained her licking, suckling hard to get every last drop of pre that emerged. She slowly removed his erection until all but the tip remained, focusing all her lapping on that one sensitive spot much to the delight of her partner though the cold air kissing at his shaft caused him to miss the heated confines of her mouth. As though reading his mind, she once more swallowed the entire organ, this time also bringing his furred scrotum into her mouth as well. Now her attention was focused on the sack of sensitive flesh, sucking and darting her tongue between the two orbs concealed within.

This was simply too much for the inexperienced rat to handle, and he could no longer contain the flood of pleasure any longer. His member twitched and then spewed forth its salty, viscous load into Alyssa's eagerly awaiting mouth. She swallowed every last drop, cleaning the softening shaft of any stray semen. When she was finished, she moved forward to once more press her lips to his, the flavor of his cum still heavy in her mouth.

Though still recovering from his intense orgasm, Dolanseer began to let his hands wander over the beautiful dragoness's form, Her hard, smooth scales passed under his fingers, the texture reminding him of metal coins. Trailing from down her elongated neck to the base of her wings, he marveled at how such hard natural armor could shift in order to allow movement. He could feel her murr with happiness when his fingers brushed over the powerful shoulder muscles and wing joints, and so began to focus his ministrations on that particular area. His fingers traced over the folded wing membranes, gently feeling the thin, sensitive skin. Meanwhile, Alyssa wound her tail over her lovers, entwining them together as her purrs became louder from his caresses.

At long last, Alyssa could not ignore the burning desire coming from her labia any longer. She rose up on her hands and knees, moving backwards until she could feel his now reawakened rod brushing over her burning slit and clitoris. She moved forward and backwards, coating his member with her juices as the two of them started to moan once more. The rubbing of his member across her entrance felt wonderful, but it was still not enough to satisfy her. With one final thrust of her hips, his penis slipped in between her burning internal walls. The two of them sharply inhaled, the sensations bringing them to a state of bliss. Dolanseer nearly fainted from the intense feelings, his post-orgasmic sensitivity heightening the experience tenfold.

Dolanseer moved his hands from her wings to start massaging the breasts that swung before him, lovingly kneading them. His fingers gently rubbed over the hardening nipples, feeling the almost leather-like quality of the small scales that made up her chest and stomach. He craned his head forward, dragging his tongue over the sensitive mounds as Alyssa sustained her furious thrusting, her silken folds gripping the rat's shaft firmly in a tight grip of undulating flesh. She could feel every throb of his member between her slick walls, and due to her control over the situation, was directing it to hit over her most pleasurable spot as much as possible. Each plunge of his organ into her heated depths brought her a spike of pleasure which was quickly building up into an unstoppable force that threatened to push her over the edge.

The shapeshifter's eyes were glazed over and her tongue hung out of her mouth comically as the intense feelings of physical gratification began to crowd out any other thoughts in her mind. She panted hard, just a small amount was all it would take to bring her to her own peak of pleasure. It finally came when Dolanseer took one breast into his mouth and began to suckle on the nipple, his tongue its assault on the sensitive flesh. With one final thrust, she clamped down hard on the rat's member, roaring out her delight at a volume that would have shaken the birds from the trees, had there been any left. The powerful grip of her internal muscles brought her partner over the edge as well, his shaft spewing forth another batch of hot seed deep into his lover. Her tunnel squeezed his shaft repeatedly, seemingly trying to milk every last drop of his cum to be received into her passage.

Not only this, but the wizard seemed to almost explode in a massive burst of orgasmic energy, which Alyssa absorbed excitedly and basked in the radiance of what she could not. It is hard to describe the feeling of taking in another's energy, but to her it felt like a rush of electricity surging through her veins, giving the feeling of another orgasm rolling through her. Good Gods, he must have been pent up she thought wearily. When someone has that much sexual energy released it can only mean they're either a virgin or have been abstinent for decades.

After such a powerful experience, Dolanseer felt extraordinarily light headed and faint. "It appears that you were right, Ms. Alyssa," he said tiredly, as he began to feel his eyes close. "That was undeniably one of the greatest things I have enjoyed in my lifetime." And with that, the wizard fell into the soft folds of slumber.

Alyssa smiled and rolled onto her side, pulling the rat with her so that she could cuddle against him without fear of accidently suffocating him while they slept. Though the immense surge of energy she had received kept her up for far longer than her companion, she didn't mind. The dragoness enjoyed basking in the afterglow of their coupling, snuggling with her partner even though his exhausted body provided no response. Eventually she too eventually drifted off into the land of dreams where she relived her encounter several times over, each time bringing another smile to her lips while she slept.