Hey Little Songbird
2. Industria/Acedia
Aurelia stared. Though it would be more accurate to say that she was glaring. At Maeve. She had her bat wings and barbed tail tucked away. But the signature red of her skin and her purple eyes remained. The demon looked all too pleased with herself. She had a smile so wide it threatened to split her face in two. Her sharp canines peeked over her lower lip, and the tip of her tongue flicked over it briefly.
They spent a lot of time doing just that. Staring. Glaring. Gloating without words. Seething with forcefully restrained violence.
“How does it feel Aurelia? I know you’re anxious for me to get on with it, but you can’t blame me for enjoying the taste of YOUR defeat for once.” A goblet of pure silver shimmered into the demon’s hand. She took a luxurious draught of wine, tipping her head back and tilting the goblet high into the air.
Maeve finished with an exaggerated gasp, licking her lips slowly, relishing the taste of wine. The taste of victory.
“You used my charge to trap me.” Aurelia spat, disgusted at the lengths the demon would go to. An innocent soul caught in some petty rivalry. She noticed how the heat in her words pleased Maeve.
“She made a most excellent bait.” The goblet faded out of existence, and Maeve slid down to perch on the foot of the bed.
She took her sweet time, each movement slow and deliberate, like a panther stalking the forest floor. Her smile was confident and sly. Her eyes, piercing. Maeve made a show of crossing her legs, lifting one high over the other in a graceful arc before resting it over the other. She planted an elbow on her thigh and rested her chin on her hand.
“Where is Tia now? Did you touch her?” Aurelia all but demanded, steel in her eyes.
Maeve did not answer.
Aurelia’s sky blues burned bright, her muscles flexed and tensed as the shackles creaked and the chains rattled. They faintly glowed red for but a brief moment, and then it faded. That was a curious sensation. She stopped almost as soon as she felt the magic activating.
She took a closer look at her metal bindings. At first glance it would seem as if Aurelia was bound by an innocuous set of chains. Of course they were anything but. Leaving aside the demonic magic that kept her captive, it seemed to possess other dangers yet to be discovered. The entire length extended into the darkness linked to something unseen…if they were linked to anything at all.
In Maeve’s place of power, anything was possible as long as it was within the demon’s abilities. All divine entities would be weakened, which put Aurelia at a severe disadvantage. She didn’t see a clear way out. Yet.
She cast her gaze back to the demon. Maeve hadn’t moved. Hadn’t stopped smiling. The demon continued to watch her closely. It felt like she was raking the angel with her eyes. Aurelia suppressed a shudder and grit her teeth to swallow the disgust.
“Is Tia safe?” She tried again.
Silence.
More staring.
Maeve slowly opened her mouth, Aurelia waited with baited breath.
“Yes.”
“Have you touched her?” Aurelia fired back immediately. She will not falter.
“No. Nor do I intend to offer her my services.”
“I have no reason to believe you.” The angel hissed, shaking her chains for emphasis.
“Likewise, I have no reason to prove it to you.” Maeve leaned back onto her arms, she was so carefree that anyone watching would think that she was merely relaxing with a familiar friend.
“I’ve kept a close eye on her for over a year. How did you make contact?” Aurelia’s brows furrowed.
“You mean, how did I worm my way into your human’s life?”
“You used her girlfriend, but she never showed signs of demonic corruption.”
“Because I didn’t do anything to Emily.” Maeve replied with a knowing look in her eyes. Aurelia wanted to swipe that self-satisfied smirk off her face. “There are ways of corruption which aren’t demonic. Which might be hard to believe for you divine types.”
“But last night,” ‘Was it last night?’ “I felt you try to take Tia.”
“Well yes, how else would I get you to come? Part of the condition to finalise my contract with Emily was your capture. It kept her soul pure until I was ready to clip your wings.”
“Tia was in love with her. You’re disgusting.”‘I’ve been careless, this is unacceptable.’
“Who’s to say Emily isn’t? I merely gave her a nudge in the right direction. Now they’ll have each other. And I have you to play with.” She circled the angel like a sinuous predator surveying their prey. Physically and mentally, the entirety of Aurelia’s very being was like a fortress. One that Maeve was intent on laying siege.
“Shouldn’t that satisfy your need for noble sacrifice?” She hummed, looking Aurelia up and down as she continued circling. The angel followed her with the corners of her eyes, muscles tense, breathing carefully.
“I won’t need to bother with petty, fragile, predictable humans. Not when. I. Have. You~” Maeve sing-songed at the end. She trailed her fingers down Aurelia’s back. She let the tips glide starting from where her hair ended, down between the base of her wings, to the curve at the small of her back. Aurelia pulled away from her instantly, rattling the chains. They briefly glowed red.
The angel had opened her mouth in protest, but paused midway. She frowned and eyed the chains in confusion.
“What are these?”
Maeve smiled wordlessly and Aurelia saw a cart appear in front of her. A large wooden box rested on top, it was long and rectangular, with intricate carvings she could not place on its surface. The demon made a show of wheeling it to Aurelia’s right, so that the angel had to crane her head to keep it in view.
“What is that?”
“Just a box.”
“I doubt that.” Aurelia scoffed with a roll of her eyes.
“Why else would one need a box?”
“Then what’s inside?”
“Nothing.” Maeve smirked and swung the heavy lid open. She tilted it towards Aurelia. It was empty. The angel narrowed her eyes, there was obviously more at play, but she could not discern the demon’s plans.
The box was left where it was, but Maeve slipped behind Aurelia and felt along the length of her right wing, from base to tip. The angel shuddered.
“Don’t you dare.” She hissed, twisting around to fix Maeve with a heated glare. The demon’s coy smile burned.
“My, these wings are sensitive aren’t they?” She ran her hand across the entire length of the wing, tracing the strong bone and connective tissue at the top, and even ruffling the tail feathers that lined the bottom. She delighted in the way Aurelia twitched and barked threats at her. Each time, the angel would try to squirm free, and each time, the chains pulsed red. Maeve felt the angel grow fearful.
“They’re works of art. I spent quite a while having them made. The ore is made out of hellstone, forged in the hottest, deepest, most illustrious hellforge. The master there owed me a favour, and we took our time carving the runes with all sorts of…special properties.” Maeve stroked the chain, following each link down…down…down…until she was caressing Aurelia’s forearm.
The angel shook her off violently. The demon laughed as the red glow started up, but faded quickly. Aurelia clicked her tongue with disdain.
“It’s draining me. That’s how you’re keeping me here.”
“In a sense. Have you noticed your strength waning?” Maeve’s hand wandered to Aurelia’s wings once more. The angel didn’t avoid her touch this time.
“It activates when I struggle.”
“So you’ve noticed.”
“It is still not fool-proof.” She said evenly, fighting against the urge to lash out.
“Oh?”
“I could overwhelm the artifact, a strong burst of power that is beyond its limits. I can break free with enough brute force.”
“Then by all means.” Maeve replied invitingly, stepping back and gesturing for the angel to give it a try.
Something in the way the demon was goading her gave Aurelia pause. ‘She could be calling my bluff.’ Maybe she could escape just as described. Or maybe, she was waltzing into another trap. But this doubt could also be part of Maeve’s plan, tricking Aurelia into captivity by overlooking a possible escape plan. Round and round it circled back into itself. The fact remained, the angel hesitated.
“I thought so.” Dark mirth coloured Maeve’s words. She ruffled the angel’s feather literally and metaphorically. “My chains are works of art, carefully crafted for a single purpose. But these…” The demon paused, admiring a long feather at the very tip of Aurelia’s right wing. “Nothing really compares to the sight of an angel and her wings in full glory.”
She plucked the feather.
A soft cry escaped Aurelia.
“How dare you?!”
Maeve ignored her, choosing instead to examine the feather under a light with no origin. It was as long as her forearm and as wide as her palm; of the purest white, like freshly driven snow. She teased the soft edge with a fingertip. “Beautiful.” The demon breathed, and carefully placed it into the box.
The lid was left open.
As Maeve strode over to the left wing, Aurelia’s eyes widened in realisation.
“No! Don’t touch them!”
Pluck.
“Ah!”
Maeve took a feather from the very tip, mirroring the one she took on the right. Into the box it went. She returned to Aurelia’s right, stroking the feathers as she pondered which one she wanted next. The wings flexed and twitched under her fingers as Aurelia fought off a full body shudder.
Pluck.
“Gah! In the name of all that is fucking holy!” The angel held onto the chains with tight fists and yanked on them with all her might. “Fuck this!”
“Oh?” Maeve appreciatively watched as the muscles in her captive’s arms and back flexed and tensed and then…spasmed.
Aurelia gasped and slumped a little. The demon circled around the front to take in the view. A dark smile grew slowly on her face. Her hand shot out and another feather was pulled free.
Pluck.
“Fucking hell!” Aurelia charged at her, fire in her eyes. Maeve’s own eyes shone with delight as she stood just out of reach, the angel hurled passionate curses and her hands formed claws as if she could reach her.
Maeve observed with morbid fascination as every detail happened in slow motion. The chains’ glow was even brighter this time, with fully formed runes encircling each link as the magic activated. Aurelia’s breath hitched, as it hit her like a wave from head to toe.
It started as her eyes lost just that bit of focus, her words stopped mid-sentence, her chest arched forwards, her hips lifted, and her legs pushed herself upwards slightly as every muscle trembled and then relaxed all at once.
The angel was left breathing deeply and slowly, her head hanging low as she took stock of what happened.
“What. Was that?” Aurelia glared up at the demon from behind a curtain of hair that fell prettily in front of her eyes. She seethed with barely restrained rage coiling under the surface of her skin. ‘Good,’ thought Maeve, ‘I will drain it all out of her.’
“How do you feel?” Maeve all but purred, caressing Aurelia’s soft cheek. The angel spat at her and tried for a head-butt. The fire in her eyes stuttered as another wave assaulted her. Rich, dark laughter echoed in the distorted space, only subsiding when the angel was still once more.
“You’re foul.”
Maeve’s fang peeked out over her grin. “You never answered me. How do you feel, Aurelia?”
“You know exactly what you did. You disgusting, depraved creature!”
“This IS the first time I’ve used it. I rather much want to hear it from your pretty little lips.” She traced said lips with a finger, pressing the tip in between two plump, red pillows. Aurelia snapped her teeth, but was too late as Maeve retracted her hand and the magic kicked in.
The angel grunted, fighting the effects of Maeve’s devious trap. She shook her head, blinking light back into her eyes. Aurelia caught the demon’s sick look of delight.
“Is your head growing fuzzy sweet angel? Maybe getting harder and harder to think with each wave? Each struggle?” Maeve positioned herself behind Aurelia, the box close at hand.
Pluck.
She watched keenly as her captive tensed, trembled, and then relaxed. The angel grumbled something about watching Maeve burn in holy fire. ‘Adorable.’
Pluck.
Tensed, trembled, relaxed.
Pluck.
Flexed, shook, rested.
Pluck.
Pulled, writhed, listless.
Pluck.
Fought, shuddered, defeated.
Pluck.
Struggled, shivered, surrendered.
Maeve’s eyes alighted with manic delight when Aurelia moaned, and her wings pulled inwards, struggling to fold in on itself. The demon released the clasps, allowing them to retract and fade into Aurelia’s back.
The angel hung limp and listless, her eyes an unfocused stormy blue. Her mind lost in the haze of defeated submission.
“Finally exhausted? All strength drained?” She held Aurelia’s chin delicately and tilted her face up. Maeve leaned in, crooning with her low, lilting voice. “It feels good, doesn’t it? That haze you feel in your mind, the heavy warmth in your bones, the heat in your loins.” She stroked her soft blonde hair.
“That’s the pleasure of surrender. Of submission.” Aurelia’s eyes fluttered, and some light returned. “Nh-nno…” She groaned feebly.
“Yes.” Maeve insisted, tightening her grip. “What happens when you struggle, O’ noble one? Do you feel pleasure?”
“Nno. It’s your magic. I don’t want this.” She had her breathing back under control, and was starting to rebel more coherently. Her gaze sharpened and focused on Maeve’s deep purples.
“So if you don’t want to face the pleasure-that delicious, tempting pleasure, maybe you should stop struggling.” The demon suggested, unfazed when Aurelia furrowed her brows.
“N-never…”
“You remember it right? How it felt, a heavy warmth flowing into you? Your mind floating and drifting into subspace. That’s what it is you know?”
“It’s not.” Aurelia’s eyes widened and searched Maeve’s. The sliver of fear in them sent a pleasant shudder down the demon’s spine. It pooled in her loins.
“Yes, it is. Your body feels heavy and light at the same time, you feel nice and fuzzy and warm. You grow wet between your legs.” Maeve licked her lips, watching Aurelia’s blues grow dim as her breath came in gentle pants.
“And it builds. It gets easier each time. Stronger each time. The feeling only grows stronger as you drop into my trance.”
‘Drop.’
Maeve ran her fingers through Aurelia’s hair slowly.
“Follow the haze, let it surround you, blanket you. It’s so nice and warm when you drop into trance.”
‘Drop.’
Her long fingers combed the paragon’s hair, scratching the scalp lightly as she splayed her palm on top of her head, letting the warmth diffuse into the angel.
‘Drop.’
Aurelia’s eyelids fluttered.
The demon felt another thrill of victory and lust shoot through her heated body.
“Hazy in your mind, warmth in your limbs, heat in your loins.” Maeve cooed softly, her breath misting over the angel’s face.
‘Drop.’
“Remember the feeling Aurelia, and drop. Let yourself go. Relax and melt into it.”
‘Drop.’
The angel released a choked groan, her lips parting open in a sigh, eyes unseeing, body limp. Her head was held up only by the demon’s grip on her chin.
“Good girl~ Drop deeper into trance. Easier, deeper. Easier and deeper each time.”
‘Drop.’
“It feels good to be in trance. It feels good to obey.”
‘Time for the next step.’ Maeve thought to herself, summoning a special item to her free hand.
“Drink this. Obey and drink, Aurelia.” The demon stroked her lips with the pad of her thumb before pressing the lip of a ceramic bottle to them. She started to pour its contents into her mouth, but Aurelia started to stir the moment the rich substance fell on her tongue.
It seemed the angel still had some fight left. ‘That’s my girl,’ thought Maeve, ‘it would be too boring if she didn’t.’
The demon harshly dug her fingers into her captive’s cheeks, forcing her lips open as she tilted the contents of the bottle into her mouth. The angel resisted, and though the chains did their work and her eyes glazed over, she managed to spit some out. Maeve held firm. Aurelia sputtered and choked, but Maeve eventually saw the little knot at her throat bob.
She finally relented and allowed the angel to hack and cough until she caught her breath. Aurelia was looking better, her eyes sharper and her skin glowing. No, she was literally glowing. The angel licked her lips as the rest of the gold liquid dripped down her chin.
“Ambrosia?” She questioned, her bright blues locking with Maeve’s darker purples as confusion painted her face.
The demon nodded with a knowing smile.
The glow surrounding her body grew brighter and brighter.
“But that makes me stronger—!” Aurelia was cut off with a strangled gasp. The chains clinked and rattled, the runes fierce and hungry. She shook in its’ grasp, and lay limp in its wake.
“Drink up, sweet Aurelia~” Maeve all but sang, forcing ambrosia into the dazed angel’s mouth. Rich gold droplets dripped all over the floor, but every small gulp Aurelia unwillingly took was a victory for the demon.
The angel shook her head, eyes wide as she felt strength flood her being. It was charging her up all over again, leaking out of her control. “No, wait, what are you—!”
Gold. Red. Pleasure. Haze.
Another wave hit Aurelia, seemingly stronger than the last. A light sheen of sweat covered her skin as she started to pant, started to lose herself.
Maeve giggled indulgently and took a swig from the bottle, swirling it in her mouth. The demon grabbed a handful of hair at the back Aurelia’s head and lifted it up to hers. She pressed her lips to the angel’s, prying her mouth open and letting the drink flow down her throat.
Aurelia moaned. Barely any time passed before she threw her head back, lost in the throes of another wave of pleasure, of warmth and haze, of heat and submission.
The demon relished the sight of how those bright blues dimmed and turned hazy. How the fire of righteousness faded and the molten embers of desire started to burn instead. She was going to replace the angel’s noble fury with the delicious heat of lust.
The mouth-to-mouth method of feeding continued. Why wouldn’t it? Aurelia was just too delicious. Feeling her mind and body radiate divine power, only for it to melt away in a haze of trance and lust.
“That’s right. It feels good to submit. Doesn’t it?” Maeve would whisper sinfully delightful things into Aurelia’s ear after each mouthful. Her voice echoed in that dark space, and in the angel’s mind.
‘It feels good to submit.’
“Because to submit is to obey. And obeying feels good. Remember that Aurelia, obedience is pleasure.”
‘To submit is to obey. Obedience is pleasure.’
Another drink, another spasm. The ambrosia brought Aurelia up, only for the chains to pull her back down even harder. It compounded on each other as the demon repeated this over and over, slowly worming her way into the angel’s psyche.
“Dropping into trance is submitting. To submit is to obey. Obedience is pleasure. Dropping into trance is pleasure.”
‘Drop. Submit. Obey.’
Maeve waited for the latest spasms to fade. “So sensitive to my voice now, Aurelia. You hang on every word, taking it in even when you don’t notice. When you’re not paying attention. Unconscious, sleeping. But your subconscious knows. Your subconscious obeys.” Her lips brushed against the shell of the angel’s ear as she speaks.
‘Obey.’
“You can’t help but pay attention to me. My touch brings you to heel, nothing has ever felt better. Nothing will ever feel better. You feel weak at my touch, you feel an intense submission. You feel extreme pleasure when you submit.” Maeve’s fingers trails lines over where the base of Aurelia’s wings should be.
‘Submit.’
“And every time you hear me speak to you like this, your body grows aroused. Your nipples are stiff and sensitive, heat pools in your loins, your head is hazy with lust, and your pussy drips with pleasure. With need.”
“Dripping out all those thoughts of valour, thoughts of fighting back. Drip. Drip. Dripping out of your wet, needy pussy every time you drop.”
‘DROP.’
The angel whined and squirmed in need. Her body responded exactly the way Maeve wanted it to, leaking her mind and spirit onto the ground. The demon pressed their lips together again. Aurelia moaned and shivered as she pulled away. She hung there, limp, open, vulnerable, waiting under Maeve’s dark gaze and cruel smile. There was no ambrosia in that kiss.
‘Drop.’
The angel’s eyes rolled up into her head, her mouth hung open in a throaty groan.
‘That’s right, submit.’
A whine. A shiver.
‘Obey.’
There was a strangled gasp as the angel’s mouth moved wordlessly.
“Surrender, sweet one. Surrender into my power.”
‘Surrender, obey.’
“After all, you were made to serve weren’t you, Aurelia? Surrender, and serve ME.”
‘Surrender, serve, obey.’
Aurelia moaned breathily, a line of ambrosia dripping from the side of her open mouth. She stared at nothing, unresponsive except for the cute little twitches her body makes with each command that burrows into her mind.
“Are you deep in trance for me Aurelia?”
“…yes.” Her answer came in a needy whisper.
“Do you submit to me?”
“Yes.” It was practically a whine.
“Do you surrender yourself to me.”
Maeve frowned. The answer took longer than expected.
“Yes.” A choked groan, there was some struggle there, but it was an answer nonetheless.
“Will you serve me?”
There was a sharp inhale from the angel. She gritted her teeth, her eyes clenched shut. She whimpered against the urge to obey, against the hazy pleasure burning her body. Maeve watched her muscles tense, her fists clench, her body shake and the chains not glow.
‘Drop.’ One could hear the smile in her voice from that single word of power.
Aurelia’s face went slack and her body hung limp.