Chapter 3: Rising Action
"Please, help me!" Morrigan pleaded, clutching at her heaving chest as blood squirted between her fingers from the gash in her breasts. Anita released her, letting the demoness sink to her knees at Donovan's feet.
Ethan hesitated, staring at the terrified succubus. He felt a twinge of guilt for allowing Donovan to cut her, but he couldn't deny the way his body reacted to her - he couldn't tear his eyes away from her bare chest, or the blood that streamed from her wounds.
His heart ached for her, and he stepped from the treeline, raising his bow and aiming the arrow at Donovan.
"Stop," Ethan commanded, his voice low and firm.
Donovan looked at him in surprise, the tip of his sword still hovering over the succubus's shoulder. "Excuse me?" Donovan replied, a sense of disbelief creeping into his tone. "I don't know who you are, or why you're protecting that... thing, but her kind is a danger to humans. I can't risk her escaping me."
"She's helpless," Ethan said, his voice unwavering. "She's no threat to anyone. I'm not going to let you finish her off."
Ethan retorted, gripping the arrow tighter.
The little girl, Anita, looked at Ethan in surprise, her eyes wide with shock. "But, she's a succubus! She's a demon! They're dangerous, and evil!" she exclaimed, her small voice rising with panic.
"Not all are," Ethan said with a sad look in his eyes. "Her kind can't help who they are, just as we can't help who we are.
And right now, she's bleeding out and defenseless," Ethan said, his voice calm and steady.
Donovan and Anita exchanged a quick glance. The demon hunter looked thoughtful as he regarded Ethan and the wounded succubus. "Fine," Donovan finally said, the word almost pulled out of him. "You can take her. But be warned, if she so much as looks at you the wrong way, don't hesitate to end her."
Ethan nodded in agreement. He carefully lowered his bow and approached the injured succubus.
Her large, shapely breasts heaved up and down with each laboured breath, and her liquid emerald eyes were filled with a mixture of fear and gratitude. He extended his hand to her, and she reached up, her fingers trembling as she took his tightly calloused palm. Her touch sent a shiver down his spine, sending a wave of desire washing over him. The sexual perfume the desperate demon woman gave off drew him to her. "Shall we get you bandaged up?" he asked her. "Your boobs look like they hurt."
"You have no idea," Morrigan replied. "I need more than bandages. Please, I beg of you, take me somewhere safe away from that gruesome weapon. Make love to me and share your strength with me so I can heal. It hurts so much...."
Her whispers turned into a plea, a desperate plea for compassion and help.
Ethan hesitated, not expecting to hear such an admission from the sensuous demoness. But as he looked down into her emerald eyes, searching for a sign of dishonesty, he found none. A spark of sympathy tinged with lust flashed through his mind. He couldn't ignore her screams of pain, and the way she whimpered as she tried to stem the flow of blood from her heaving chest.
Morrigan's gaze locked onto his, and he felt her desperation, her need for help. He was captivated by her suffering.
"I'll take you somewhere safe," he murmured. "I'll help you heal..."
"Thank you," Morrigan breathed, her voice quivering with relief. "I hoped you would be my salvation the moment I saw you standing there, watching me.
I knew that, somehow, you would save me from my own gruesome death," Morrigan whispered, her mint green hair sticking to her blood-covered shoulders.