Chapter 4

Chapter 4

How could one be a college student while infected by a demon – possessed, manifesting sin, however you wanted to phrase it?

It seemed like simultaneously a very important thing and a triviality. Sure, anyone could go to college if you paid the tuition and followed the rules, but how could you function, with all of the things that came along with demonic nonsense?

I’d been collecting data for Chris and I to go over for the past two days, and, now that it was Saturday evening, three days since this nonsense started, we were comparing notes and theories, sitting next to each other on my bed.

“So, what else have you noticed?” he asked me.

I blushed, not wanting to talk about it all with him, but also knowing that I needed a second opinion to make sure I didn’t miss anything – even if he was still insistent that I was a succubus.

“Uh... So, certain people smell different... And it’s usually the same people, like I’ll go to class with the same people and I’ll notice that they smell sweet or whatever.”

His mouth twisted and he scratched his cheek. “And you’re sure it’s not just enhanced senses, that you’re smelling something other than their shampoo?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I can smell your shampoo, but there’s also something else...”

He blushed as well and turned away. “So, I’m one of those people?”

“Yea...”

“And is it mostly men, mostly women?”

I don’t like where this is going... “Mostly women, but plenty of men too...”

“Huh.”

I glared at him. “Don’t ‘huh’ me, if you have something to say, then spit it out.”

He chuckled. “Well, since you asked, I think if you’re a succubus, then the people that smell good are people that you’re interested in ‘feeding’ on.” He made air quotes around feeding as if I wouldn’t get the insinuation.

“No, I’m not a succubus in the first place because that’s ridiculous.”

“I don’t think it’s–”

“Yes, it is. Do you think I’m some kind of depraved whore?” I waved my hand at him, dismissing the idea, “It’s more likely that I’m sensing sin on people, and that the sweet smell is meant to test my resolve.”

“And I think that’s ridiculous. Why would your god make you a demon?” He raised an eyebrow at me as if he’d made a convincing point.

“It’s obviously punishment for my sin,” I pointed out rationally.

He rolled his eyes. “And what did you do that was deserving of being turned into a demon, cum before your girlfriend during sex?”

I blushed again. How can he be so kind and so crude at the same time? “No, of course not – I made out with her.”

He stared at me. “Dude.”

Kissing a man was a lot different than kissing a woman, but somehow exactly the same.

Obviously, I didn’t have a lot of experience to make sweeping statements about what was generally true about each group, but from what I knew about gender, there wasn’t anything that separated all men from all women. Sure, men tended to have more facial hair than women, and that affected how it felt to kiss them, but some women had facial hair, and some men didn’t.

Therefore, it was only natural that I enjoyed the kiss. Kissing is something that most people found enjoyable, and given that Chris was someone I liked – was someone that was likable, it only made sense that kissing him was enjoyable, regardless of what gender he was.

Our lips pressed and twisted together, my hand coming up to hold his cheek as I went in for more. There was the softness of his lips, a very different kind of softness compared to Amber, the roughness of his stubble, and the smell of his shampoo – probably something like ‘clean wave’ – reminiscent of an ocean breeze.

Then there were the succubus things.

Yes, I’m possessed by a succubus, I have to admit it now. There’s a limit on how long I can deny reality before being overwhelmed by evidence.

There was the same warmth that I’d felt when we’d cuddled but concentrated around my mouth, a soothing pulse that calmed me as much as it energized me. There was also this feeling of potential that I wasn’t ready to explore yet. And there was the sweet smell, which had only been growing stronger, transferring to the taste of the kiss, layering on top of my normal senses.

My arousal – her arousal built, radiating out from my lower stomach to make the exposed skin all over my body tingly and weightless.

I finally broke off the kiss after a few minutes and pulled away, still refusing to meet his eyes.

“Adam...” His voice came out in a breathless plea.

“Lily,” I corrected absentmindedly, “When I’m like this, call me Lily.”

He laughed and laid back onto the bed. “So, Lily, what’s the verdict?”

I turned away from his smug voice and started focusing on shapeshifting, on getting clothed again. “I’m possessed by a succubus...” I admitted reluctantly.

My body shifted, and suddenly I was clothed and tailless again. I turned to finally meet his gaze, only to see him staring at me with wide eyes.

I glanced down, trying to find what was wrong. “What? Are my clothes wrong?” My clothes felt wrong, like they weren’t the right size, but nothing else seemed off.

“Damn, Lily I didn’t know you could do that...” He said, glancing up and down my body.

I glared at him, wincing for a moment when I tried to flick my tail in annoyance but it wasn’t there, causing me to strain a muscle in my lower back. “What are you talking about? Just because I’m a virgin doesn’t mean I can’t kiss.” I pouted – frowned sternly.

He laughed again, flashing me his crooked smile. “That’s not what I meant, but you’re right, the kiss was very good.” He rolled on his side, facing me, and brought one hand holding up the side of his head while the other waved at my body. “I meant the human version of Lily. It’s cute – suits you.”

My gaze flickered down, my cheeks flushing as I realized that I’d somehow not noticed the prominent chest that Lily had – and that I wasn’t supposed to have. One more shapeshift and I was back to guy mode.

Chris raised an eyebrow at me.

Another shapeshift and I was back to the correct height again.

I sighed. If I keep messing up the shapeshifting I’m going to need to harvest more energy...

I didn’t let myself acknowledge the way the prospect excited me.