AN - Not funny this time but still, something that wouldn't let me go.
The demon shivered on the floor. The chains binding her reeked of magic, from the stench, a powerful witch. One who had gone to a great deal of trouble for she was also in her natural form. Her horns, tail, and wings; Expressions of her power that remained invisible until and unless she wished to appear in all her glory, were plainly visible as was the mauve colour of her flesh. She tested the bindings but they held fast against all her strength.
The Slayer glared at her with hungry eyes. Not for sex though, no the hunger in this one spoke of darker appetites. Appetites whetted by pain and suffering that the demon knew all too well. Slaves always knew their own kind and like all slaves, when given even a taste of power, invariably they yearned to know the pleasure of inflicting it upon another.
Maybe that was why she so enjoyed being a succubus, her particular method of inflicting that torture made her victims beg and even plead for more.
"Come sister," she whispered, "No need for all this fuss, set me free I will give myself to you willingly. All my power, all that is mine to command will be at your beck and call."
"Silence creature, you have nothing to offer me nothing to tempt me with." she spoke Russian but it was with a peasant's tongue. Taken as a child then, barely taught to read and write.
"Free me and I will teach you of the world, the real world not the limited view your slave masters have..."
The fist was swift and painful she heard the wet crunch of the blow and watched as her blood puddled on the floor. She had barely even seen the Slayer's hand move.
"I have no master Demon. I have a Captain and you live or you die by her word."
"So, still a slave, just found a term that better suits your peasant's mind. Still bending knee to some cowardly wretch..."
The punch came even faster this time, accompanied by a knee to the face. The Slayer watched in seeming fascination as her caved in nose set itself though not before another spurt of blood fell to the floor.
"Her name is Balalaika, I am not her slave. I am her soldier."
"A free man chooses - a slave obeys. A soldier doesn't choose who to fight and kill, another directs them. You Are A Slave and you always will be."
"Then pray my Captain chooses a quick death for you. I will pray she orders me to make you suffer - we'll see whose prayers the Gods are listening to tonight."
A door opened and the succubus saw a tall dark haired male enter. The woman's entire being changed in an instant, the dark hunger for torture fell away to be replaced by a worshipful adoration.
"Release me Captain, your slave has no right to hold me." she screeched.
"I'm not the Captain, Bella isn't a slave and you've made a mess that I have to clean up."
"So you send your slaves to attack me."
"They aren't slaves, not anymore. I helped free them they're Slayers free to make their own way. I'm just their Watcher."
"Call them what you wish - Watcher - I know a slave's devotion to a master when I see it and I see it in her eyes."
Xander glanced at Bella and sighed. "...Yeah well we're still working on that. I'm here to ask you formal-like if you can release a soul you've taken."
"I've had many souls, Watcher; men, women even a Watcher once ... I gave him pleasures beyond his darkest imaginings. Release me and I might reward such a kindness in like fashion for you. Your slave ... sorry slayer ... can even join us if you wish ... "
"The soul belonged to a man. His name was Sergei Lebenov. You met him at the Goofest and seduced him and eventually had your way with him. now do you still have the soul or is it already gone?"
The succubus sounded bored, "Sergei is in hell. as befits all who surrender to their passion, all who give themselves to me. He begged for my touches and even when he knew it would kill him, he still longed for me as all men do."
"Yeah, I'm guessing that explanation won't wash for Sergei's boss. As far as she is concerned you took what doesn't belong to you and made the situation worse by killing Sergei in the process."
"Men give their essence to me. I don't steal it, you all prostrate yourselves at our feet begging for our kisses. DO you feel anger at a tiger who stalks its jungle for leaping on fat tender beast. The human heart is my jungle; human souls my prey. Sergei was particularly fat and tender. Although, I can tell from here you are just as sweet. Come Watcher-man; send the child away so that we adults may ... converse."
"Look lady I'm trying to help you here. If you have the soul or know how it can be released from the pit NOW, right now - would be the time to give with the information otherwise I can't say what she'll do to you."
"You're whining like you're afraid Watcher. there is nothing I need to fear from any mortal. Even one who is aware like you. Do your worse I'll endure it."
"It's not my worst you have to worry about honey it's hers. Trust me sister just tell me you can get Sergei's soul back and I can get you out of this."
"Sergei is gone, he is in hell. That is the bargain. carnal delights, his heart's desire. To dumb it down Watcher I become the woman of his dreams ... He fucks the the woman of his dreams ... I collect his essence and extend my life and Hell gets his soul, simple."
Xander shook his head, "No not simple, cause the woman of his dreams, the woman he was crushing on is the head of Hotel Moscow and Sergei was one of her best guys, she knows what you did and she is pissed off about it - really really pissed."
"IF she longed for him she should have sated his lusts, they were considerable I assure you. He tasted so very sweet."
The door opened again admitting a tall blond. The demon stiffened she knew the face of this woman even if she did not know WHO she was. this face was the face that Sergei had hidden deep in his heart, the face of the one he lusted for; a lust he hid from everyone.
"I can tell from the look in your eyes Wretch that no introductions are necessary. you know who I am and I know what you are." She said in a thick Russian accent
The she demon had never heard such cold steel in the voice of a mere mortal before. this wasn't just some wretched scarred warrior. She was a wolf. the succubus had violated one of the oldest rules of nature; one the universe itself ordained. These Russian ex-soldiers were cubs under the protection of this snarling she-wolf and the succubus had taken one of the those cubs.
The woman turned to the Watcher, "Well?"
"She says the soul is gone but I've been in this business too long to believe that. there is always a back door, some out clause maybe if we bargain with her master, whoever that is, they'll cough up the soul ...for a price."
"Her safety?"
Xander shook his head "She sounds like a pro and good earners are hard to find but they can be found. Whoever is holding her leash wont care."
The woman nodded, "Top earners gain prestige and status granting them greater power and privilege. If she was unable to make her tribute she'll be punished. Have I gotten it about right?"
Xander nodded, "As oversimplifications of ancient metaphysical concepts go , that's not too bad."
"It seems Hell runs like organized crime. Bella take Mister Harris with you outside I will call for you when I need you."
Xander looked at the demon sadly before following Bella into the hallway. When the door closed Balalaika turned her cold gaze on the creature before her.
The she-demon decided pretend bravery was better then cringing, "Balalaika - is it? Sergei called out the name once, at all other times it was ma'am and miss and even Captain."
"He understood respect. He did not allow his schoolboy crush to interfere with his duties."
The demon taunted her, "He did not feel like a school boy as I rode him. That was a man's passion I felt inside me, a man's power ... but I suppose you would know nothing of such things."
"It is true I place a high importance on restraint, both for myself and my subordinates ..." Balalaika pounded on the door "But sometimes especially when someone attacks that which you hold most dear, you have to let yourself go."
Bella reentered the room, she was carrying a hacksaw with her.
Balalaika looked at the demon speculatively "I'll want the horns, the tail and the wings when you are done. Do as you like with her but I want her still alive when you are finished, am I clear Bella?"
The Slayer nodded and cracked her knuckles as she march toward the she-demon. "For Sergei." Bella hissed.
Indeed," Balalaika whispered, "For Comrade Sergei."
Xander was waiting for her outside. standing with him, yet another new face, named Kennedy, of all things. Balalaika decided on instinct not to like her mostly because Kennedy's flinching as the demon's pitiful cries echoed out into the hallway annoyed the Russian Mob Boss.
"I appreciate your taking the time to send your people to retrieve her for me." Balalaika said to Xander, "please express my thanks to Miss Rosenberg for insuring the chains could hold her."
Another cry came from the room louder this time. "I'm guessing that's the horns." Xander grimly reported.
"...Ah no offence lady but is that really necessary?" Kennedy snapped.
"Yes it is, she harmed one of my subordinates, my men. Everyone in town knows what price that particular sin carries ... As does Mister Harris."
Another scream came from the room, this one was pretty high and loud. "That will be the wings." Xander deadpanned.
"What about Lebenov, Seems like he couldn't keep it in his pants so youre taking it out on the demon."
Balalaika stepped in close to Kennedy who reacted as most did when seeing her scarred face so very close up, "...And just what punishment do you see as appropriate for her crimes."
"It just seems cruel to me if you hack her up she can't transform, she cant heal herself she'll be helpless even against ordinary humans and the pain from her wounds ... she'll be in agony."
Balalaika nodded with icy calm, "Indeed that is the point, I want people to see what happens to those who molest solders under my command. I want people to witness the extent of my mercy by seeing her defiled and deformed body." Balalaika pointedly dismissed Kennedy as she tended to do whenever any of the Slayers got preachy.
She turned to Xander who was looking sad. The screaming started again accompanied by sobbing. "... and there goes the tail." Xander muttered.
Balalaika caught his attention. "When Bella is done you can take the creature back to Rowan's whorehouse. Tell Rowan she can remain in the club but she isn't to dance or have any contact with any customers until I say different."
"So first you carve her up, now your going to starve her." Kennedy asked. "How long are you planning on holding this grudge."
Balalaika rounded on Kennedy, fury brightening her cold eyes, "That thing took advantage of one of MY people, she killed one of MY people and she did it by fucking him to death while wearing my face. Don't you dare call this a goddamn grudge. In this town, that's a declaration of fucking war." Balalaika turned on her heel, "Personally I think I'm showing rather a lot of restraint right now. As amusing as I find these encounters I have business. I have to make preparations for Sergei."
Kennedy watched her walk away "Xander why are we letting her do this?"
"Kennedy if something happened to Willow , how far would you go to even up the tally."
The screams and thuds had finally stopped. The door opened and Bella left the room, a blood soaked bag in her hands.
Kennedy watched as Xander exchanged a few words in her native Russian before she marched off presumably to present Balalaika with her grim trophy.
"If that was her showing restraint I want see what happens when she is out of control pissed."
Xander glanced in the room and shuddered at what he saw, "Not on a full stomach you don't."