Anne Mercy, thank you for your lovely detailed comment! Pepper definitely hiding something from Tony. All shall be revealed in the end. Also, thank you for binge reading 33 chapters, an achievement in itself.

Warning: Explicit Content Ahead.


If we don't know life, how can we know death? - Confucius

Pepper crept along the narrow, dark crevice, cautiously feeling her way forward.

It is so dark in here, how can I see the map to know if I'm going in the right way... Then it came to her. The moonstone!

She dug around in her tiny satchel and pulled out the glowing orb. It immediately bathed the path ahead in a soft, blue light and she looked at the map.

The next door should be the Queen's room. Let me check if Tony is in there.

She walked five steps forward and lightly tapped the right side wall. It was hollow. She gingerly felt the wall upwards, checking for a lever or a knob or something to open it. Then she felt the indented spot halfway at the top. Pepper pressed it gently. The wall slid open sideways and she saw that it opened in the room's fireplace. But there was no one in the room.

She chided herself mentally.

That was close, Pepper. Next time, open a smaller gap.

She looked at the map. The next room was the former Queen's dressing room. Hmmm, let's check in there.

She stepped back into the crevice, slid the wall back into place and took 10 steps forward. This time, there was a wooden panel and there was no indentation but a small lever at the panel's bottom.

Pepper slid the lever back, very cautiously to open the panel. She quickly realized the secret opening was inside a large standing cupboard in the room. Large enough for her to stand straight in. The doors were intricately latticed, so she could look outside without being seen.

She could see Tony standing, some distance away, close to a beautiful woman, with black curls and a lush figure. Pepper could see the woman had a large, red ruby around her neck. This must be Morganna. What are they doing?

She watched as the woman laughed deeply at Tony and then suddenly, caught his jaw and kissed him deeply. She pressed herself tightly to his body.

Pepper swallowed her gasp of anger. Great, of course Tony has succumbed to this witch's spell of lust. Of course he would. Now how do I snap him out of it?

Then she saw that Tony was not responding to Morganna's kiss, he was trying to pull away. That's when she noticed the board behind him and the steel band. God's teeth, he's bound to the wooden board! He can't move!

Morganna finally broke off the kiss and Pepper saw that she had viciously bitten Tony during the kiss as his bottom lip was bleeding.

Then Morganna said "Anthony, don't be foolish. Do you remember what happened when you tried to be noble with Leoric? Do you remember how he kicked you out of the city, taking away your knighthood? You and me, we both have lost so much. But now, we are both blessed with powerful gifts."

She continued, "Yes, I know about the blue fire that burns in your chest. Symbol of a higher being, that has blessed you with his presence."

Tony tightened his jaw, looking to one side, as Morganna continued "We can rule this city together, my lord. With your command of the flame and my knowledge of the dark arts, we can control Asmodeus and use his power to reign forever."

Tony stared at her. "Why do you want to control Asmodeus? Consarn it, woman! Do you seek to double-cross a demon?"

Morganna looked pensive for a minute. "He... He wants to turn me into a succubus. So that we can have a child together. That is his ultimate aim, a half human, half demon offspring, a demigod amongst mortals, so he can spread his power over the Earth. In my current mortal state, I cannot breed with him. The sheer power of him would kill me. I must be turned into a demon. But I don't want to bear his child..."

Then she smiled at him. Pepper's blood turned cold at the evilness in her smile. What is she going to do?

Morganna used one long, sharp nail to tear Tony's shirt open, exposing his chest and the blue arc, which was glowing furiously. Tony glared at her and struggled futilely against the cuffs.

"We had a good time in bed, didn't we, Anthony?" Morganna purred seductively. "Don't you remember, the way you fucked me hard, thrusting into me with that powerful cock of yours, relentlessly? The way you would scream my name as you released yourself within me. I loved the roughness of your beard on my breasts and thighs. We have chemistry, Anthony. Can't you see we are perfect for each other. I am your queen." Her voice had darkened with power and she stared straight into Tony's eyes.

This woman is going to blind him with lust now. Resist her, Tony!

Morganna opened her robe and let it drop to the floor, exposing her nude body to Tony.

Pepper stared at her perversely beautiful body. Those poor girls, she's taken their youth, to make herself a goddess.

But Tony didn't even bat an eyelid at the woman's naked form.

Morganna then pushed her hand down his pants, feeling him roughly. She screeched angrily and Tony grinned at her.

He drawled "For all your beauty, you seem to have lost your sensual touch, Morganna. Perhaps Asmodeus is right. You would be better as a succubus."

He's not aroused by her at all. She does not have any power over him.

But Morganna did not seem like she would give up so easily. "You just need a little physical encouragement, Anthony."

She tightened her grip on his cock and Tony cried out in pain. Then she began to jerk his penis roughly, trying to force him to become erect. Tony gritted his teeth and cursed loudly.

With her other hand, Morganna slashed her nails across his chest, horizontally, scratching him hard. When that didn't get a response from Tony, she instead, dug her nails deeply into his flesh and raked them down his chest, towards his groin, leaving bloody gashes in her wake.

Pepper covered her mouth with her hand, to stop herself from crying out. Blood was dripping slowly onto the floor. His chest and stomach were badly scratched, in crisscrossed slashes and long straight cuts.

Morganna was lazily trailing her long sharp nail along his left cheek, leaving another laceration on his skin that started to bleed. Tony just closed his eyes tightly but didn't make a sound.

She pulled his penis harshly again and he opened his eyes wide, his body bucking with the pain. Morganna licked the blood from his cheek and then slapped him hard across the face, making his lip bleed even more.

Pepper felt horribly helpless and furiously angry at the same time. She tugged the blade free from the string on her chest and tightened her grip on its hilt.

She's hurting him so badly, I have to do something. But...I can't defeat her if she uses magic. I must do something!

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

Morganna yelled "Go away, I'm busy."

A hesitant voice said "Your highness, your guest of the evening is waiting in the basement chamber. Everything has been arranged as per your wishes."

Morganna looked at Tony thoughtfully. "I will be there in 10 minutes."

The door closed and she turned to pick up her robe and put it on. "Anthony, I do not have the time to play with you. I wish I had. But if you won't join me..." she turned to him and raised the jewel. "I will just take what I want from you. And what I want, is your flame."

She smiled evilly and started to murmur in an unintelligible language. "Ammon Ra, arurr tha, arurr tha, Asmodeus, Ammon Ra, Aung Un Ramaaaa"

The jewel began to change color, swirling into a dark red, like coagulated blood. She continued chanting, her face had gone pale and her eyes were dilated.

Tony stared unflinchingly at Morganna. "Do your worst."

Then he gasped as the jewel began to throb in dark pulses of red. Tony threw his head back hard against the board, his eyes wide and unblinking. His chest began to rise and fall deeply. He had turned so pale, that the veins in his neck and the side of his head became visible.

Pepper felt the blood rush from her face as well. She clasped her hand tightly over her mouth, to stop herself from screaming.

Oh God, she's draining him, she's draining him of the blue fire! Tony!

She saw Morganna gently open the steel lid on his chest. Then Tony made a choking noise as the flame slowly began to flow out of his chest, moving in soft waves, like a stream of water. The stream of fire entered the jewel with a loud hiss. More and more of the flame began to flow in waves, out of Tony and he started to jerk softly. His eyes were moving frantically, still wide and unblinking.

Morganna gasped with pleasure as the jewel absorbed the streams of flame. "So much power, so much light, how have you managed to keep this within you, Anthony? Her hand that held the jewel, was shaking with the raw energy flowing into it, with force.

Tony gasped and his breathing slowed. A thin trickle of blood began to bleed from his nose. His chest jerked hard once as the stream of flame ended and was swallowed by the jewel.

Pepper started to pray. Leave Morganna, leave please... hold on Tony. Hold on.

Morganna put the jewel around her neck and patted Tony on the cheek.

"There, there now, it is all over. Thank you for your gift, Anthony. I promise you, I will use it for no good. The servants will clear out your corpse tomorrow." She laughed and left the room.

No sooner had the door closed, Pepper burst out of the closet and ran to Tony. He was breathing very slowly as if each breath was a horrible effort. His eyes were staring at her in wonder but he couldn't speak.

"It is fine, Tony, I am going to save you, it is ok..." Pepper touched his face comfortingly but he was so cold and clammy. Just like Queen Jacinta, before she...

The arc hole was empty and dark. She did not know what to do. What should I do? What should I do, Tony? she sobbed.

He just stared at her wordlessly.


I was inspired by The Singing Detective for Pepper's voyeurism from the latticed cupboard.

Also, another obvious inspiration was the scene from Iron Man where Obadiah paralyses Tony using the pulse do hicky thingie (Sonic Taser)