He stood still, his face down, darkness all around him seemingly asleep or dazed. He was lost within his imagination. Giving no movement of consciousness as the door to his cell room opened.
 
"Is this...My family secret? "
 
A young voice filled with fear and wonder hit his ear, feminine.
 
"How long has this been under our home?... Now's not the time to be curious. I have to find it quickly!"
 
'Anxious.' He thought to himself.
 
"Where is it!?" 
 
The voice called, the sound of books falling and glass breaking accompanied by a stressful scream echoing through the room.
 
"I heard something from the cellar!" 
 
A voice screamed in alarm. The sounds of heavy footsteps slowly rose like rumbling thunder.
 
"no, no, no! They are going to kill me…" a murmur of panic and tears came from the first voice. "No, no! Not like this." 
 
'They have fire in them.' He mused, hearing the strength in the panic-stricken woman.
 
-SLAM!-
 
"Here you were, cousin." A new voice spoke—sinister, smarmy, and masculine. "You gave the boys and me quite the chase." 
 
"I swear, if you don't leave this house, you won't be leaving at all!" Passion and fury ranged from the woman.
 
"Such fire, I can see why uncle wanted you as hier. So much, he overlooked me." 
 
'Jealous welp.'  He mentally growled.
 
"No matter, he was already on his way out. I just helped him along...Shouldn't I be rewarded for giving him a pleasant passing?"
 
"Kevin! You're a swine! " 
 
"Hey Connie, getting a bit aggressive, pointing that blade at me."
 
"You dare talk about killing our uncle with pride! Smiling like you are fulfilling something!"
 
"But I am, I'm taking my destiny. My treasure, My birthright, and I refused to be opposed by a little orphaned bitch!"
 
" Heh, no wonder you weren't even a choice of inheriting the head of the family. Who would trust an asinine, insolent snake! Taking your skull will be my first act as the family head!"
 
-BANG!-
 
The ringing of a gunshot resounded, followed by the clanging of metal against a stone floor and the feminine groan of pain.
 
"See what you made me do… How are you supposed to be a good servant girl, wounded like that." 
 
"Your aim...sucks as always!"
 
"You're going to learn quite a bit about that, Nini." A new voice spoke, another male with perversion leaking from his tongue evoking a bevy of laughter from others.
 
'6 men.' He thought to himself as he heard the woman; Connie growled in defiance.
 
"Ok, I'm bored of this game.… Boys have at her,"
 
He heard her gaps as the sound of a stampede rocked his ear. The shift of stone and a grunt as a body landed close to him. 
 
"What the hell!?" "Where'd she go!?" " The wall opened and swallowed her!"
 
"Shut up and find her idiots!"
 
He heard her sucked in a breath as the footsteps headed out of the cellar. Once it was silent, truly silent...He heard tears. 
 
Broken, hopeless sobs.
 
 That just didn't feel right coming from 'Connie.'
 
"I. I can't win...Not like this. Seven to one, outmatched, outmanned, outgunned; dropped the only weapon I had… Argh, and this bullet in my shoulder hurts!"
 
 Connie gripped her shoulder as she laid back, looking up into the stone ceiling that allowed little sunlight to seep in. Her teary black eyes blinked as her mind went back to the conversation. 
 
"Uncle…I'm sorry. " She broke down again. "You taught me to be strong, enduring, and powerful, but this...This is overwhelming...I-I need help!" She closed her eyes as the tears streamed down.
 
"Help?"
 
Connie's eyes widened, her body jolted to a sitting position as she turned and faced the back wall and felt a strange chill run through her spine.
 
 Bit of daylight shined a spotlight on an inhumanly thin, pasty-skinned man with an imprint of a diamond at his navel. His pale pink hair dropped and snaked on the floor.
He was blindfolded, dressed in only a pair of torn, ratty jeans, and bound to the floor by a strange-looking circle.
 
"Do you want help?"
 
His raspy, weak voice, ironically, held much strength and appeal.
 
"I..Who?"
 
"Do you want retribution?"
 
"I.." Connie took a deep breath and clenched her first, "Yes."
 
"He smirked and snarled, "there's that fire I felt…what-?" He was surprised as his eyes were greeted by light, by color…
 
By Her. 
 
"Pink eyes, huh?"
 
He could only stare at the young umber shade woman with onyx orbs. Her narrow nose, flaring as she nursed her shoulder, wrapping his blindfold over it. "Luckily, the bullet went through flesh alone." She muttered to herself before turning to him. " Who..or what are you?"
 
"You are curious and cautious."
 
"I came down here looking for my family's secret weapon and found a thin frail...Whatever you are."
 
"Anger and anxiousness."  His nose twitched as if he was scenting something, "A note of fear as well."  He smacked his lips as if tasting a treat.
 
"Are you...Smelling my emotions."
 
"Yes...Your sentiments...are flavorful. It's been so long since I've experienced such...Please, what is your name?"
 
"I believe I asked you for your info first." Connie folded her arms under her breast and pursed her lips in slight annoyance.
 
"Yes...My name is...last human name I went by was 'Steven Demayo,' so let's go with that…."
 
"Kahanni...Kahanni Yasha Maheswaran...But I answer to Connie."
 
"Maheswaran…" He chuckled at the name, memories flowing back to the last time he was unbound. "Ms. Maheswaran… No.." 
 
Connie was taken back as Steven prostrated himself in front of her. 
 
"My Paramour! I am what you've been looking for...An Incubus in service to the Maheswaran for many generations, if memory serves correctly."
 
"No way… You don't look that much older than me…."
 
"I am twenty-two in this current life, but memories of my past lives are accessible."
 
"Only two years older." Connie muttered before shaking her head, "Wait, you said Incubus, as in SEX-DEMON, INCUBUS."
 
"Emotion, dream, spirit, and vitality demons, really. Intercourse just happens to be the most substantial way to get our fill." He looked up, meeting her analytical gaze, his nose twitching before sighing in appeasement. "Doubt and intrigued… Not that big of a fan of the first, but the second is salivating."
 
Connie narrowed her eyes," Why have you been down here so long? HOW have you been here so long?"
 
"Cause my last master passed...and with them, I was bound to this spot until a new worthy master came about...Until you came, My Paramour."
 
Connie was about to dissuade him, calling her that when the voices of Kevin and his men were heard above them outside, getting her attention. They were still searching. 
 
"Is it like a blood pact?" She turned to Steven, "This bonding, or partnership..or whatever. Do I need to give you blood or something?"
 
"A taste of emotion...A kiss shall do."
 
Connie's cheeks flushed at the suggestion," a Kiss...Really?" She grimaced, "I'm guessing it needs to be open mouth...I must be desperate to go along with this."
 
Closing her eyes, Connie cupped Steven's cheeks before willingly kissing the stranger thoroughly. Trying to simulate those she saw on tv or in manga.
 
 She gasped when she felt a tongue caressed her own as it lashed around her mouth, feeling him pull her close by her waist. Her heart was a war drum, and her body was set ablaze as the urge to kiss deeper rose in her. Choosing to follow his example and assault his tongue with her own.
 
It was then she felt something was being inserted and taken from her simultaneously. It scared her, prompting her to break the kiss, albeit more reluctantly than she figured she would.
 
"So is that eno-" Connie started as she began to wipe her mouth, only to pause as the circle and his imprint began to glow an eerie pink while Steven held his head down, muttering lowly.
 
"Passion, determination, affection, rage,  fright, pride, vengeance...it's been so long since I tasted so many different emotions. Pure and unfiltered, directly from a bottomless sooo~ource." 
 
Connie took a step back as Steven laughed in devious, mad mirth turning to face her.  
 
His mouth was wide open as tears ran from his eyes, and his drool trickled from the left corner of his mouth with his brows furrowed together. His left eye glowed with a haunting glimmer as dark pink mist rose from the circle and into him.
 
She gawked as his body grew in mass and muscle. His skin and hair gained a healthy light tan and dark pink complexion, respectively, and an imprint that almost gleamed with its new fresh pink.
 
 In a matter of seconds, what was a thin, frail twig of a man bound to a circle changed to a sizable burly beast that towers over Connie, looking down with glowing, predatory eyes. Steven's steps sounded like a heavy bag colliding with the floor as he caused her to retreat to the wall, back pressed.
 
"I'm not afraid of you," Connie growled, despite being cornered by the human-looking monster.
 
"I know." 
 
Connie's eyes widened at the cool and calm voice.
 
"Your injury should be healed." He pressed her shoulder gently, nodding in approval. "My saliva has healing properties."
 
Connie covered her mouth as she rotated her shoulder, "Better than before." She narrowed her eyes at the demon. "So now what?"
 
Steven smiled madly before dropping to a knee, his head down, "I am yours; use me as you see fit, My paramour."
 
There was something about his tone as icy as it was, there was an eagerness to it, and it did stroke a flame in her—a dark, dominant ember.
 
"As I see fit, you say." She grinned.
 
"Advisor, tool, bodyguard, weapon."
 
"Partner," Connie suggested. "You are my partner, " she held out her hand to him, "I...Can't lead this alone, and a strong ally would be indispensable..even if it's just to rid us of rivals."
 
"Then, my Paramour.." Steven rose to his feet, kissing the back of Connie's hand, "point me to our victims."
 
Steven smiled while flowing with an urge to eradicate while his eyes held a desire to please. Connie found herself being charmed by his insanity as she smirked and pointed upward, where she heard the voices of her would-be murderers and abusers could be heard.
 
Steve looked up before leaping up and bursting through the stone ceiling and landing outside.
 
Connie moved to the side as that side of the ceiling caved in, revealing the afternoon sky. 
 
And the sounds of her partner taking care of their adversaries.