A Demon's Desire

"So... what did she say? Why didn't she stop you from hurting yourself?"

"You would know that if you were a bit more patient. I was just about to tell you."

She grinned that irksome, sly little grin of hers, making my fur stand on its end, and it was all I could do not to yell at her. I don't know how she got under my skin so easily, but she just knew how to push my buttons. "You paused for nearly a minute! How was I supposed to know you were going to continue?"

"Well, I was a bit distracted. It's difficult for me to keep my hands playing nice when I've got such an exciting memory playing in my head, you see, and that's just the absolute worst diversion for one's attention." She thrust her hand out to me and it was only a quick step back that saved me from a facefull of wetness. "Would you like to share with me?"

"No! Definitely not! Please, just continue and... don't... keep your hands to yourself. Please." I swallowed the shame welling in my chest and turned away from her to stare intently at the ground.

She just laughed, her mad cackling filling the void just long enough for it to be swallowed up without the slightest echo. "You would do well to learn from her, you know. There isn't much that can break down her little facade of calm." A hum sounded from behind me and I could easily picture her with her hand to her chin, staring up into the nothingness with a thoughtful look on her face, even without having to tear my vision away from the barren ground. "Well, regardless, after that stunt... Let's just say that I didn't quite endear myself to her like I thought I would."

There was a slight hitch in her voice, and I raised my head, ears swivelling back, to try and catch more of the tone, but none came. She had paused again. "What do you mean? What happened next?"

"Well..."

I fell back on the floor, holding my arms out in front of me and admiring the gruesome sight of charred muscle and shrivelled skin, all while laughing madly into the air. Still, I never took my eyes off the princess, watching her reaction, waiting for her response. There was no disgust, no fear, no anger. There was nothing in her face but pity and, for a moment, I felt a flash of anger, but it was quickly hidden just as well as she hid her emotions. "So what do you say, Princess? Hahaha... I could serve you oh-so-well, and I just know you'll enjoy how well we can take care of each other."

"Silence, vermin! Don't think you can just speak to our princess like that!"

The soldier that had spoken raised his spear in a shimmer of magic, readying to bring it down upon what I'd assume would be my skull, and likely would have followed through were it not for the sudden change in angle one of his forelegs performed for the crowd. He screamed, almost reaching the ecstatic level of my own howl of pain, before crashing to the ground in a heap of whimpering, blubbering weakness. "Fool. Do not think yourself powerful enough to talk down to me like I'm some-"

In an instant, just as I was rising back to my feet, I was devoured by the burning rage of the sun, this time in the form of a shimmering golden aura about my body, and thrown to the ceiling. I wailed in pain, in between the cries and moans of ecstasy, and writhed in the magical grasp of that gorgeous titan. I did not fear the mare below me, but the gleam of fury in her eyes quickly brought silence to my intended provocations as she bore through me with a glare that could have turned diamonds into slag.

"Lieutenant Steel Heart, take Sargeant Butterscotch to the infirmary and have his legs set. The rest of you will leave as well and secure the town."

"But what about-?"

"I will take care of her. You're dismissed." Almost as one, the ponies saluted their princess, gathered their fallen comrade, and fled the scene, presumably to follow Celestia's orders just like the good little pets they were, and finally leaving me alone with Her Majesty herself. "Now that there are no more liabilities, we shall get straight to the matter at hoof." A rush of air whistled past me as I was pulled to the floor with a mighty crash, splintering the wood. I would have laughed had it not been for the air being crushed from my lungs. "I do not care what you do to me, demon, for I have faced far worse than anything you could ever inflict upon this body, but I will not tolerate any harm to my subjects!"

"Ohh... P-Princess... This force is so... invigorating!" I coughed, spitting out a mess of black blood and wood chips, and pushed against the golden aura, slowly rising to my feet. My whole body ached, covered with cuts and littered with wood fragments as it was, and it was superb. "I was... definitely not wrong..."

I reached out for her face again, this time receiving resistance in the form of her magical output pushing me harder away with a fiery glare from the mare, but when my fingers lit upon her cheeks it was over. I pulled her face towards me, breaking her concentration, and pressed the smaller girl's lips to my own. It was awkward, mashing my mouth against that of the equine's, but I had taken creatures with much stranger muzzles and it was only a matter seconds until I was melting, screaming, moaning into her mouth. The way she struggled after the first few moments, how she wrenched herself away from me, how body flushed with a mixture of disgust and unwelcome pleasure... It was all divine and I soaked up every bit of it like a sponge.

"You're delicious... I can't wait to have a taste of your soul... You will give it to me, won't you?" I beamed, licking up the stray strands of saliva on my blackened lips, and giggled when Celestia visibly shuddered.

"Wh-what did you do to me?"

"What do you mean? We kissed, of course. And, let me tell you, it was quite something. I've never had an embrace that was quite as torturous as that. The way your fury ate at my face, threatening to swallow me whole... mmm... I could do it forever and never get bored."

The mare took several deep breaths, straightening her feathers and smoothing her coat with a flash of magic, and stood back up to her full height. "I... Clearly I'm going at this the wrong way." I arched my eyebrow, keeping my wide smile even through my over-baked face. "What do you want with my ponies?"

"Nothing, now. After all, what else could I need when I have you?"

"Then why are you here? I very much doubt the truth of your earlier tale." She fell back to her haunches, slumping over with a sigh. "What even are you?"

"Why, this must be a scandal. Such informalities from a princess." I chuckled, rubbing the slowly healing skin on my face. "Not that I mind, after all. A demon of torment has little need for formalities. After all, the only thing I care about is the suffering of my prey... or myself, if the desire arises." I chuckled as her face fell, her lips twisting up into a grimace, and seated myself just in front of her. "Such a beautiful look, Princess. Such anguish in those eyes of yours. Do I truly repulse you that much? Surely you can see things from my point of view. Besides, it's not like I chose my life... I can't say I don't enjoy it, though."

"Then you came here to enslave my ponies? If that is so, then I cannot-"

"I did, in a way. All I really wanted was a few playthings here and there, a few offered souls, but now... Now all I want is you." I slid closer to her and leaned forward until our faces were a hair's width apart. "Will you give that to me? I can't say what will happen if you don't. Just imagine all of those ponies, twisted and tortured until they're just begging for me to devour them. Such a wonderful thought..."

"You will do no such thing!" In a flash, she was standing, her mane roiling in whatever aetheric storm she had imbued it with, her nostrils flaring. "And you will not be leaving this room unshackled."

"What? Do you think your magic can hold me? Do you think you have it in yourself to destroy me?" When I laughed this time, it was dark, menacing, and dripping with malice. "You cannot bind me. You cannot control me. Nothing short of tearing me asunder could stop me from taking what I want and you don't have the will to do so." I rose to my full seven and a half feet, standing several heads taller than Celestia, and whipped my serpentine tail back and forth in agitation. "You have three choices, Princess. You can obliterate me, removing my threat forever; you can try and restrain me, but I will escape and your subjects will face my delicate touch; or you can accept my offer and we can become one." The grin-like sneer I flashed her way sent another shudder up her spine. Yes, she was powerful, much more powerful than I, but unlike her, I wasn't bound by a sense of morality. I knew the answer she was going to give me before it had even formed in her thoughts.

"Very well... I am not thrilled with these choices and... I will not allow either of the two former paths to play out. Not without reason." She sighed, closing her eyes in an immense display of either trust or foolishness, and rubbed her forehead with a hoof. "We shall set terms for our agreement, ones that we both need agree upon, or else I will be forced to take drastic measures against your continued stay here."

"Why, of course!" My anger faded and I slowly sank back to the floor, resting my hands on my knees as I puffed out my chest. "It should be obvious that life partners need settle all of their disputes..."

"I don't believe that she just agreed like that! Celestia would never bow down to threats like yours!"

"Believe me or not, I wouldn't be here today if she hadn't, now would I?" I frowned at the demon's smug grin and, reluctantly, conceded defeat with a nod. If those had been the options presented, then she definitely wouldn't have survived the encounter otherwise. "Still, despite my rather high amount of... excitement, I'm still unsure of whether that was the best or worst day of my life. I did find a... master... as it were, but, well..." I could hear her lift her shackles up, the metal jingling noisily, before she dropped her arms back down to her sides. "I also never did get her soul. Such a shame, that, but it can't be helped. It really is difficult to break the spirits of a millennia old being, after all."

I perked my ears up, and, carefully, peeked back over my shoulder to find the demon leaning back on her hands and kicking her feet playfully in the air. "You didn't try to steal it with that kiss?"

"Of course not! Do you really think I could drain your soul with a mere smooch?" She laughed and my ears burnt. Of course I had believed her! "Oh no, morsel, that kind of magic is reserved for only the highest tiers of lust demons. I can only take your soul if you give it to me willingly. Or as willingly as you can be when I've crushed you beneath my heel long enough for you to wish for the only reprieve you can get. Either one is fine with me." My face grew ever redder, although whether it was from anger or embarrassment, I could no longer tell. "Did Celestia not tell you anything about me? Ho-hum... that mare is slacking in her duties. I'll have to thank her for the laughs when I see her next, I suppose."

Before she could continue on with her taunts, I stomped my hoof and shot her a glare. "Enough about that. What were the terms you two came up with?"

"Oh, those? Nothing too spectacular, I suppose. I wouldn't abduct random ponies. I wouldn't leave her sight. I would obey her every command. You know, the typical stuff you'd lay down for a creature that you considered dangerous. Now, that last one didn't quite work out all the time, though. A girl has to do something to keep herself from dying of boredom, after all."

She smiled, her lips curling up into a grin that was as much mischievous as it was menacing, and I shuddered to imagine what her words had entailed. I wasn't sure I wanted to know, either. "What about you? Didn't you have anything you wanted from her?"

"Of course I did! I wasn't about to let her make all the demands! We argued forever on what I wanted, but eventually I settled on just four."

"Just four? How many things did you ask for to begin with?"

"Three-hundred and two." The deadpan response nearly had me gawping at her with shock, but I luckily caught my jaw before I let it hit the floor. "Well, most of them were repeats that I was hoping to get by her denials if I kept asking, but the point still stands. If anything, she is a very good haggler. Still, I gained four things from her little deal and everything turned out pretty well."

"And?"

"And what?" I stared at her, my face blank, until she softly chuckled and threw up her hands. "If you really want to know..."

"So, we're agreed on this?"

"I am loathe to say it, but yes." Celestia groaned as I slid up next to her, rubbing my chest against her withers, but didn't shy away. "I ask that you at least keep your... displays out of the public eye, though."

"Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry. I was just distracted by how cute your ears are." She flattened her ears against her head as I traced my finger along the tip. "I suppose I can try to keep my hands to myself when we're not alone, but you'll have to make up for it when we are. Just think of all that embarrassment I'll be missing out on, after all. Why, I can already feel the burning heat coming off your body even if you don't want to show it, and we don't have any company. I can only imagine how much like your namesake you'll glow were I to tease you in front of others.

"Back to the meat of the matter, however, I want you to say it. Tell me what I have demanded of you, or else I will doubt your sincerity."

I backed away and stared into her eyes as my hands cupped her cheeks. "We will join each other in a pact of marriage in lieu the other, more scarring binding."

"Oh yes, a very good decision if I do say so myself. Second only to the brand in my books. How terrible it will be for you to publically marry a woman you've just met, let alone one your subjects will have heard nothing about. Think of your reputation! It'll take years for you to rebuild your image." I chuckled and stroked her mane and, if the fire that flashed in her eyes was any indication, I could tell that it bothered her at least a little. "Next."

"I will provide you with a means with which to sustain yourself."

I frowned and tapped her nose. "Tut-tut, morsel. No need to be so shy. Just say it. It's not like anybody can hear you, after all."

She glanced away, obviously uncomfortable, but I held her still. Sure, she could have broken out of my grasp, but a deal was a deal. "I will subject myself, or perform upon you, whatever acts you so desire in order to keep your health at its peak."

With a cluck of my tongue, I sighed and just shrugged. "No need to be so formal. You could have just said you'll let me torture you whenever I like, but it's done. Next."

"You may have my do what you wish, as long as it doesn't go against my own laws and morals, and I will use you in any way that I see fit, for whatever purpose, if we so desire..." She paused and I tilted my head letting my features twist and bunch with feigned confusion. "I still don't understand this. Why would you ask for this one."

"Perhaps you'll need me one day for something, and you'll hesitate, but remember that I am your servant and you mine." I tilted my head and brought our faces closer. "Or, maybe you'll want to crush my beautiful body into your pillows and take me like some brothel whore. Who knows? The future holds many opportunities, after all... Next."

Now, she visibly stiffened and swallowed, closing her eyes as if her inability to see me would wipe the manic grin from my face and her memory. "Should I ever annul, or attempt to make void, our pact, our marriage, or in any way act in undeserved aggression towards you, the life of one of my ponies will be forfeited to you to... do with as you will."

"Perfect." Our lips met in a passionate kiss, or at least passionate from my side, and did not break until I could feel the sweat building on her brow on my hands as she struggled for air. "Haaah... Honestly, I did not think you would concede to that one, but I'm very glad you did. The things you love serve as great collateral, do they not?

“Of course, fair’s fair, isn’t it. Still, you are quite something, my princessly morsel, to strike a bargain with a demon that you’ve just met. The last being that bargained with me lost her life to a mysterious soul crushing accident.” I laughed and caressed her face, relishing in the softness of her fur. “You really do take your duty to your subjects seriously. Speaking of duties... How was your first kiss as fiance to a devil? I thought it was quite enchanting.”

“If you are finished with your attempts to rile my emotions, then I will return to my ponies and oversee the festivities. If you wish to join me, then I ask that you perform whatever magicks you used before to hide your appearance.” She glanced over her shoulder as she walked to the door of the inn, wearing that same fake smile she had donned when I followed her here at the beginning. I would have been surprised by the rapid transition of emotions had I not been so adept at reading people. “My ponies are surprisingly easily spooked by things they’ve never seen before.”

A fake chuckle. A false grin. Her hidden unease. All played out in a matter of seconds, unnoticeable to the typical passerby. She’d wear her mask for her ponies, playing the infallible, unshaking monarch to keep them at ease, fooling everybody, and I’d be right there next to her, drinking in the subtle twitch of her wings, the sly glance whenever I moved, the tensity in her haunches. Yes, she’ll appear normal, but that underlying torment that my mere presence brings, her thoughts that I would, and could, at any time, go against my word and take her, or her ponies, in front of everybody. It will be the Gods’ ambrosia on my tongue, filling my being with it’s substance. Our times alone, and all the scars she’d wear from them, will be superb, but nothing will ever amount to the sheer terror that the unknown, I, will bring her just by being there.

“Of course.” I beamed, masking the malicious rush of glee behind a facade of obedience. Yes, I’ll play your game, morsel, and so shall you also play mine. “After all, we’re in this together now, are we not?”

She eyed me for the slightest moment, watching the brief transition between pale blue, horned demon to peach-skinned anomaly, before giving me a slight nod. “Yes. I suppose we are.” And I grinned, a wide, sharp-toothed grin.