The upstairs of the Tavern was plunged into darkness. The ancient wood creaked under the weight of Kael's footsteps, as if the structure protested his every movement. The smell of alcohol, old wood, and a faint trace of incense mingled in the air, creating an almost suffocating atmosphere.

He passed through the narrow hallway, lit only by a row of low candles mounted on the wall. Every shadow cast by the flames seemed to stretch and contort as he advanced. The silence there was absolute, broken only by the distant sound of wind blowing against the windows.

The door to his room was ajar.

He didn't remember leaving it that way.

Kael stopped before it, his fingers lightly touching the cool wood. An uneasy feeling, a mix of alertness and familiarity, ran down his spine. He pushed the door open carefully, ready to react to any threat.

The room was filled with a soft, golden light from a single candle on the dresser. The curtains were closed, blocking out the streetlight. The bed, in the center of the room, was occupied.

Sazhara.

The succubus was propped up against the pillows as if the room were hers. Her long blond hair fell in waves over her shoulder and pillow, shimmering in the dim light. Her eyes—a hypnotic amber hue—followed him with feline precision, fixed on him as if nothing else existed.

She wore something black, lacy, revealing more skin than Kael cared to admit he'd noticed. The fabric hugged her curves almost too provocatively for the moment, but she didn't move in any obvious way—each movement was calculated, slow, like a hunter already certain of her prey.

"Finally." Her voice was low, drawn out, filled with an almost palpable heat. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't be coming back tonight."

Kael stood still for a few seconds. Part of him wanted to retreat, close the door, and forget she was there. Another... well, another part remembered exactly who—and what—Sazhara was.

"You're in my room." He spoke slowly, without approaching.

"A shrewd observation. But as far as I know, it's our room." She tilted her head, her lips curving into a smile that teetered between charming and teasing. "I thought you deserved a... gift. After everything you've been through."

He narrowed his eyes, assessing her. "And why do I think this 'gift' has more to do with you than me?"

She laughed softly, a sound more like a whisper caressing the air. "Because you know me, master." The word came out as a promise and an accusation all at once.

Kael entered the room, closing the door behind him. There was no rush in his steps, but the tension in the air grew with every inch that closed between them.

"Don't play games with me, Sazhara."

"Oh, but I don't remember needing your permission to... show up." Her eyes shone, and there was something in them that wasn't just seduction. There was hunger. A hunger that went beyond the physical—a genuine interest in what he brought with him, in what he represented.

He stopped less than a meter from the bed. "You seem quite mischievous. After I was gone, did something happen?"

"I'm hungry, of course." She propped herself up on one elbow, bringing her face a little closer to the candlelight. The shadow outlined her features almost unrealistically. "And you... you've been getting into some interesting trouble; your tension must be just right to release everything inside me."

Kael almost choked. "You've learned to tease well. Stop playing games, I'm tired." Kael tried to keep his voice neutral, but he knew he was failing. Her presence stirred him in a way that all the training in the world couldn't neutralize.

"Play?" She let out a slow smile. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm here to help. But you seem to want to fight it."

"Just let me rest…"

Sazhara rose slowly, sitting on the edge of the bed. The candle illuminated the line of her neck, the shadow of her smile. "You can rest… after you feed me a little."

Sazhara rose slowly from the bed, her movements fluid and seductive. She slid to the edge of the mattress, the black lace of her dress brushing against her skin with each step. Her amber eyes glowed with a predatory intensity as she approached Kael.

"You seem very tense," she murmured, her voice a low purr. "Allow me to ease your tension…"

She stood in front of him, so close their bodies were almost touching. Her slender fingers traced the contours of his face, exploring his features as if they were a work of art. Kael stood still, his gaze fixed on hers, though he felt his body reacting to the succubus's proximity.

Sazhara leaned in and pressed her lips to his neck, placing a soft kiss just below his ear. Kael swallowed, the muscles in his neck contracting involuntarily under the caress. The succubus smiled against his skin, sensing his reaction.

Her lips moved upward, tracing a line of searing kisses down his jaw until they reached his mouth. He clenched his fists, resisting the urge to pull her closer. Sazhara pressed her body against his, her full breasts brushing against his chest.

The kiss was intense and demanding, her tongue exploring his mouth with a skill that would leave any mortal gasping. Kael retaliated with equal passion, burying his fingers in her blond hair as he pulled her closer.

Sazhara's hands slid under his shirt, caressing his warm skin. She scratched lightly at his back, feeling the muscles tense under her touch. Kael growled softly and lifted her, carrying her to the bed.

They fell onto the mattress in a tangle of arms and legs, their mouths merging in a frenzied kiss. Kael's hands explored the seductive curves of her body, in an insatiable desire to feel her completely. Sazhara gasped against his lips, the pleasure evident in her bright eyes.

She pushed him away for a moment, only to remove her lacy dress in one fluid motion. The fabric slid down her perfect body, revealing every inch of pale skin. Kael swallowed hard, desire burning in his eyes.

"Hey…" he murmured, his voice husky with passion. "You won't stop until you get what you want, right?"

Sazhara smiled, a slow, teasing smile. "That depends… will you give me what I want?"

Kael stood still, his mind racing. He knew exactly what she wanted—his soul. That was what she existed for, after all. To suck the souls of mortals until nothing remained but empty shells.

Because he had been foolish enough to make a pact with a succubus. He had offered his soul in exchange for power, but now she was demanding payment.

He should have retreated, fought it. But there was a part of him, a dark, selfish part, that wanted to surrender. That wanted to give in to the sensations, even if it cost him his soul.

Kael was balanced on the edge of a cliff, staring into the abyss. He knew that whatever choice he made would change his life forever.

So he did the only thing he could. The only thing that made sense in the heat of the moment.

Kael pulled her close, his slender body brushing against hers as he kissed her with blazing passion. Sazhara laughed against his lips, a low, seductive sound, and surrendered herself to the kiss.

Their bodies pressed together, arms and legs tangling as Kael's hands explored every curve and hollow of her body. Sazhara arched against him, gasping and trembling at his touch.

Kael lost all sense of time and space. There was only the warmth of her skin, the taste of her soft lips, the intoxicating scent of her perfume. He wanted her, wanted to melt into her until there were no boundaries between them.

When she pulled away, the look in her eyes was a mixture of triumph and lust. She ran a finger down his cheek, tracing the line of his jaw.

"You're mine now," she whispered, her voice like velvet on steel. "You know that, don't you?"

Kael nodded, unable to help but shiver. He had crossed the line, passed the point of no return. There was no turning back now.

Sazhara smiled, a wide, mischievous smile. She rolled on top of him, her blond hair cascading around them both as she snuggled against his chest.

"Welcome to my life, Master," she purred. "We're going to have so much fun."

And then she leaned in and kissed him again, and Kael lost himself in the taste of her, in the heat of her skin against his, in the pleasure that threatened to consume him whole.

Sazhara leaned over Kael, her voice a seductive murmur. "Don't worry. This doesn't hurt... much. But it might, depending on how you want to play."

She pulled away, her hands tracing the contours of Kael's lips. "You're nervous, aren't you? There's no need to be afraid. I promise I'll be gentle... at first."

Sazhara slid her fingers lower, tracing his throat, his chest, his stomach. Kael shivered, his skin prickling with anticipation and tension. Sazhara's fingers paused at the hem of her pants, playing with the elastic.

"You want this, don't you?" she murmured. "You want to give it to me, to give me all of you. It's the only way you'll feel true release."

Kael couldn't answer. His throat was dry, his words caught in the grip of desire. He could only stand there, his body trembling as he waited for what would come.

Sazhara smiled, her eyes bright. "I know you want it. I can feel it. The tension in your body, the heat of your skin. Don't resist, Kael. Let yourself go. Trust me."

With surprising speed, Sazhara unbuttoned Kael's pants and pulled them down. He stood, allowing her to remove them, his gaze never leaving hers. There was something hypnotic in her eyes, a dangerous, seductive glint that held him in place.

Sazhara knelt beside the bed, her hands roaming Kael's legs. "You have beautiful skin," she murmured. "Plump and warm. I can't wait to taste it."

Her hands trailed down his thighs, fingers brushing against the sensitive skin. Kael closed his eyes, gasping at the sensation. It was almost too much to bear.

And then, suddenly, he felt the heat of Sazhara's mouth around his cock, and his entire body shivered. He buried his hands in her hair, his fingers tangling in the silky strands as she took him deeper.

Sazhara was skilled, her mouth and tongue working in harmony. She drove him to the brink of madness, her thrusts slow, then fast, then slow again. Kael gasped, his body trembling with the effort of not losing himself in the pleasure.

But he couldn't hold out forever. Soon he was screaming her name, his body convulsing as the wave of pleasure swept through him. He clung to her, nails scraping his skin as spasms shook him.

Sazhara stayed with him until the end, swallowing every drop as if it were the most precious thing in the world. When she finished, she rose and kissed Kael deeply, and he tasted himself on her lips.

"You are mine now," she murmured against his mouth. "Mine to play with, mine to use as I please. And I will use you well."

[You have received charm resistance.]