The two slept comfortably in each other's arms like two lost souls who had finally found each other.
"Mmm~"
Alex awoke to the feeling of something warm and wet on his neck.
He opened his eyes to see the half-asleep Lily, fully manifested, her head resting on his chest. She was licking his neck with slow, deliberate strokes. Her tongue was rough, like a cat's, yet the sensation was electric, sending shivers down his spine.
"Good morning," she purred, her voice husky with sleep and something else. Something deeper.
"What are you doing?" he asked, his own voice rough.
"Marking my territory," she replied, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"What?"
She lifted her head, a mischievous glint in her deep violet eyes.
"I left a little bit of my essence on you. A small, almost invisible mark. Only another supernatural being would be able to see it."
"Why would you do that?"
"To keep the other bitches away from you," she said simply, a predatory smile on her face. "You're mine. And I'll be damned if I let anyone else have you."
The bitches she meant were, of course, gods and divine beings, not mere mortals.
Alex stared at her, a strange mix of indignation and... something else. Something he refused to name. He was a grown man, not a piece of property.
But he didn't say anything.
Because a part of him, a dark, primal part, was secretly pleased.
Lily's smile softened, and she leaned down to kiss him again. This one was gentle. A simple press of lips that was surprisingly tender.
"Don't worry," she whispered against his mouth. "I know what I said. Your heart. But I'm still a Succubus. And I'm still possessive. You'll just have to get used to it."
She then vanished, her form dissolving into a shimmer of violet light, leaving him alone in the bed with the lingering scent of her and the faint, tingling sensation on his neck.
Alex took a deep breath, the events of the night swirling in his mind. He touched his neck, feeling for the mark she had spoken of. There was nothing there, at least nothing he could feel.
He was still trying to process everything when the door to his room creaked open.
He tensed, half-expecting another family member or a vengeful Dr. Linda.
But it wasn't.
It was that young nurse, Clara, from the day before. She was carrying a tray with a bowl of what looked like oatmeal and a glass of fruit juice. She had a bright, cheerful smile on her face, but her eyes were wide with a mixture of awe and nervousness.
"Good morning, Mr. Valerian," she said, her voice a little too high. "I... I brought you your breakfast."
She walked towards the bed, her steps hesitant, as if she was approaching a sleeping dragon. She placed the tray on the table beside his bed, her hands trembling slightly.
"I slept... surprisingly well," Alex said, deciding to keep the details to himself. "Thank you for asking."
Clara's blush deepened. She seemed to be struggling to find something to say, her mind clearly a whirlwind of the same thoughts that had been plaguing her since their brief encounter the day before.
'The poor girl,' Alex thought, a wave of pity washing over him. 'She's completely overwhelmed.'
"I... I'll leave you to your breakfast," she said, finally giving up on making conversation. "Just... just press the call button if you need anything. Anything at all."
She practically fled the room, her escape almost comical in its haste.
Alex watched her go, a small, wry smile on his face. The curse, or maybe it was his new Charisma stat, was a powerful, chaotic force. It was like having a loaded gun that went off at random, sometimes hitting a monster, and sometimes hitting a poor, innocent nurse.
He looked at the bowl of oatmeal, his stomach rumbling. He just realized that he hadn't eaten anything at all since he woke up in this world. He picked up the spoon and took a tentative bite. It was bland, but it was food.
'Hey, Lily,' he thought as he ate. 'What's the plan for today?'
[Plan?] Lily's voice echoed in his mind, a little sleepy but still sharp. [The plan is to eat your breakfast, get strong, and figure out how we're going to complete your daily quest without resorting to... drastic measures.]
'I'm not sucking another dick,' Alex thought, his tone firm.
[It doesn't always have to be a dick,] Lily replied, her mental voice a dry, teasing purr. [You have a whole family of adoring women. I'm sure you can find a... more palatable way to get your daily dose.]
'You want me to... with my own family?' he thought, a fresh wave of horror washing over him.
[I want you to live,] Lily said, her tone unapologetic. [And if the only way to do that is to let your mother or your sisters... express their affection, then so be it. Don't think of it as incest. Think of it as... life support. Medical, of course. Ironic, isn't it? We're in a hospital.]
'I'm going to be sick,' Alex thought, pushing the half-eaten bowl of oatmeal away.
[Don't be dramatic,] Lily chided. [We literally have no choice, and we already crossed the line with our dear Doctor Linda.]
'You crossed that line, not me,' he shot back, his cheeks flushing with shame.
[Tomato, tomato,] Lily replied, unbothered. [We're in this together. And yes, I sucked the first dick, so you better be prepared to return the favor. This is a partnership after all.]
'It's not the same,' Alex thought, but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. 'You really are a horny succubus.'
[And you're a human who has been given a second chance at life,] Lily said, her tone surprisingly serious. [Don't waste it on silly human morals that don't apply to us anymore.]
He didn't have a comeback for that.
[Now, finish your breakfast. You'll need your energy. I have a feeling today is going to be... interesting.]
'Why?' Alex asked, a new sense of dread creeping up his spine. 'What's going to happen?'
[...]
But Lily just went offline again or just ignored him.
The morning passed in a slow, agonizing crawl. Alex spent most of it in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying not to think about his impending 'daily quest' or the 'special surprise' Eleonora and Sera had promised.
The nurse, Clara, came in a few times to check on him, each visit a flurry of blushing and stammering. She changed his sheets, took his temperature, and brought him a glass of water, all while avoiding eye contact and looking like she was about to faint from a mixture of fear and arousal.
It was both pathetic and depressing.
His twin sister, Sera, strode in, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. She was wearing a different dress today, a deep crimson silk that clung to her curves in a way that was both elegant and dangerously alluring. Over one arm, she carried a garment bag made of black velvet.
"Wakey wakey, sleepyhead," she sang, her voice a melody of pure, unadulterated excitement. "Guess who's back?"
She didn't wait for an answer. She swept over to the bed and deposited the garment bag on the foot of it with a flourish.
"Mom's busy with some... duchess or another," she continued, waving a dismissive hand. "So you're stuck with me today. And since you're getting discharged tomorrow—"
"I am?" Alex interrupted, a surge of excitement and dread washing over him. Being discharged meant freedom from this sterile prison, but it also meant being trapped in another, more opulent one: the castle, with them.
"Of course, silly!" Sera said, tapping him on the nose. "You're all better! Dr. Linda gave the all-clear this morning. She said you just need to rest and relax."
"Good... I'm starting to hate being stuck in a room all day," Alex said.
"Aww~, don't worry about that." Sera's smile widened. "Here, I brought you some clean clothes."
She unzipped the velvet bag with a dramatic zip, revealing a set of clothes that were... Well, they weren't hospital-issued pajamas.
It was a pristine white shirt, made of the finest silk, with intricate silver embroidery at the collar and cuffs. A pair of black, form-fitting trousers that looked like they were tailored to a god. And a dark blue velvet vest, the exact same shade as his hair, with a row of silver buttons that gleamed in the light.
"Wow..." Alex couldn't help but be impressed. "These are... really nice."
"They should be," Sera said, puffing out her chest with pride. "They were made for you. For your homecoming. Mom insisted on only the best."
She picked up the silk shirt and held it against his chest, her eyes roaming over him with an appreciative gaze.
"Handsome," she whispered. "It will bring out your eyes. Everyone will be so jealous."
"Everyone?" Alex asked, his mind already trying to calculate the potential social disasters he was about to walk into.
Sera didn't answer. She just smiled, a secretive, knowing smile that made him deeply uneasy.
"Now, let's get you changed," she said, her tone shifting from playful to predatory in a heartbeat. "But before that, you need to take a bath."
She didn't wait for a response. She simply grabbed the front of his hospital gown and ripped it open with a single, effortless tug. The thin fabric tore like paper, leaving him bare-chested and exposed.
"Hey!" he yelped, trying to cover himself. "I can do it myself!"
"Nonsense," she said, her eyes gleaming. "You're still weak. You need help. And I am your twin. It's my duty to take care of you."
She wasn't just helping. She was enjoying this. Her hands were everywhere, 'helping' him out of the torn gown. Her fingers lingered on his chest, tracing the lines of his muscles, her touch sending a jolt of electricity through him.
"Stop that," he said, his voice a little too high, a little too breathless.
"Stop what?" she asked, her expression the picture of innocence. "I'm just trying to help. You're so tense. Relax."
She leaned in, her face inches from his, her sapphire eyes burning into his. He could see his own reflection in their depths, a pale, wide-eyed creature caught in a spider's web.
"Let's get you in the bath," she whispered, her breath warm against his lips. "I'll even wash your back."
...