The door to the cell slowly opened a little as a group of small imps poked their heads in, looking around with large black eyes. Star was still in her demon form, hanging limply from the chains, her head down and eyes closed, unmoving. Highly curious but not very bright, the small furless creatures chittered softly and entered the cell moving around her and poking at her legs with their sharp claws.

Barely even a foot tall, the imps were much smaller than the demoness. When she didn't react to their prodding, one of them bit down on the back of her left leg just above the ankle. Her only reaction was a slight flinch, a faint twitch of her leg which could have simply been a muscle reaction to the pain of the bite. Beyond this, there was no other reaction from her.

Cautiously, the imp moved forward and bit her again, harder this time When there was still no reaction other than a slight twitch, the others began to get bolder. A few of them began to climb up her legs and body, their small sharp claws easily gripping into her fur and flesh. Still there was no movement from the demoness. The imps aren't sure why she's not reacting at all, but then decide they want to play with her since she isn't.

Their version of 'play' however often tends to be very painful to others. Several of them crawled over her body, biting and clawing at her. One of them though crawled up between her legs, and uncurled it's long toung, which was nearly as long as it's entire small body. Star clenched her jaws together, giving a soft groan as she felt the imp's long snake-like tounge pressing up inside of her channel, but continued to fight to remain still.

The imps continued to torment her, not paying any attention now to her long claws slowly working on the shackles at the end of the chains that held her. She gritted her teeth at the feel of what the one between her legs was doing, but remained still as she worked on the locks.

Suddenly one of the shackles finally popped open. Snarling with rage, Star flung the imps off of her, reaching down swiftly to grab the one between her legs and slamming it hard against the wall, crushing it's skull. The others chittered wildly and dashed for the door, but she managed to swing herself forward and kick the door, slamming it shut. Reaching back up, she worked quickly to release the second shackle, fully freeing herself.

A few minutes later, she opened the door slowly and cautiously looked around the dark corridor, her ears swiveling to catch any sounds. Hearing nothing, she then shifted back down to her kat form the first time she had done so since taking her demon form in the temple several months ago. As Star quickly headed out into the dark stone corridor, she didn't even glance back at the cell's blood and gore-covered floor from the mutilated imps that she had literally ripped to pieces.

Star moved swiftly, sticking to the shadows where her darker coloration could help her better hide as she made her way out of the dungeon and up into the main part of the castle itself. Once she finally did so, she headed quickly toward the higher levels, knowing the lower ones would be far better guarded, as she searched for a window or similar way out.

It wasn't long though before her escape had been noticed and she could hear guards searching for her. Finally she found a window large enough for her demon werewolf form to get through when a group of guards appeared, along with her father. The demon lord snarled hatefully, but she pinned her ears at him, then ran and leapt through the window, smashing the painted glass.

The fall would have killed a normal kat, but in her demon/wolf form, Star landed easily on the outer wall of the castle of high twisting black spires, and from there leapt again, clearing the putrid bubbling moat. When the landed on the hard bare ground, she rolled to lessen the hold of her landing, then quickly got up and tore off on all fours as fast as she could go.

Hellhounds and riders were sent out after her, but despite the thick ash laden air, she was able to run fast and far, reaching the edge of the dark forest before her pursuers. They stopped at it's boundries, but she kept going. Only after she was a few miles in, the twisting canopy of black leaves and grasping branches so thick overhead that the red glow from the clouds couldn't penetrate, did she dare stop.

Closing her eyes, she felt out mentally for her lover. Though mostly asleep by that point, Jake could hear her calling his name in his mind, and subconsciously responded. Now that she could sense him, Star again bolted off deeper into the forest.

.

Jake groaned softly as he slowly started to wake up. He didn't know why he felt so weak and sore, but guessed it might have had something to do with just being in Malfeas. Normally he wouldn't be surprised to feel that way after a night with Star, except this time was far more gentle, leaving no bite or claw marks on his body save for one small bite on his neck.

Laying beside him, Star stirred a bit when she realized he was awake, nuzzling against him for a moment, then moving on top of him again as she began to kiss him deeply. A bit confused, Jake gently pushed her back. "Star, we don't have time for this now. Now where exactly are we?"

Undeterred, she smiled softly, playfully nipping at him. "As I told you, we're in the demon world of Malfeas. But don't worry, we're safe in this place until the time is right to perform the ritual to return."

"But I thought you couldn't get out? That's why you needed me to perform the summoning ritual?" How exactly are you supposed to get us back out?"

She leaned forward, straddling his waist and pressing her body back against his, grinding her hips firmly as she began to gently kiss and lick over his neck and chest again. "There's a ritual to open a gateway, but it must be done at the right time. And that time is not yet come. But I have missed you so much. Just let me be with you now, my Love."

Jake felt himself getting light-headed again. Just as before, he found that he couldn't think or focus on anything but her. As he again gave in to the succubus' seductive power, he leaned back, running his hands down her sides and hips as she again kissed and nipped her way down his chin, neck, and chest. She moved further down, in between his legs, the tom moaning loudly as she pleasured him, again bringing him back to full hardness. She continued this for several minutes before moving up again onto his waist, taking him fully inside of her.

Again the succubus moved gently but firmly against him as Jake gave fully into her control. But before she could again sink her fangs into his flesh, the door of the cabin was suddenly smashed open, the metal bar that held it closed bent completely off and tossed aside from the impact. Standing in the now open doorway was the werewolf/demon form of the real Star, down on all fours but still taller than the succubus, her eyes glowing bright red. "Get off of him, demon!"

The succubus hissed, her spell over Jake suddenly broken when he saw the real Star. His jaw dropped as he started at the demon form of his lover, looking between her and what he had thought to be her straddled on top of him. The succubus smiled, then dropped hr illusion. Her fur turned a bright red, with long black hair, short black horn, long black claws, and a long serpentine tail with a ridge of obsidian spines.

Jake tried to shove the succubus off of him, but she snarled and pinned him down, her long claws pressed against his throat. The small demoness was amazingly strong, the tom unable to move. She then smiled darkly back at Star. "Come any closer half-breed, and I'll rip your little plaything's throat out."

Star snarled viciously, her fur bristling as she moved a few steps further into the cabin, her strong claws digging into the semi-rotted floorboards. Her sharp teeth glistened in the dim reddish light and her eyes glowed with Hellfire. "Release him now, or there won't be enough left of you for even the hellhounds to fight over."

The succubus grinned darkly, then lifted her hand, preparing to slash Jake's throat. Knowing he had to do something fast, Jake turned his head and bit hard into her other arm. She yelped, more in surprise than pain, and reflexively jerked back. In that instant, Star lunged forward, slamming into the succubus. Her momentum threw them both through the back wall of the cabin, the larger wolf demon biting and clawing viciously.

The succubus screamed and tried to fight back, but was no match for the more powerful female as Star literally ripped her apart, the screams turning to a gurgle then stopping altogether when her heart was torn out and head ripped off. Jake quickly got up and put his pants back on, looking out through the huge hole in the wall as his lover ripped the succubus to bloody pieces. When there was little left of the succubus, Star, her pelt splattered in black blood, climbed back through the hole into the cabin.

"Star, what the Hell is going on?!"

"That was a succubus, sent to seduce you and drain your blood and life energy."

"What...?!"

"We have to get out of here. Before he sends more demons after us."

"He? Your father?"

She snarled hatefully. "Yes. Come on."

She shifted back to her kat form, grabbing his hand and leading him out of the cabin and deeper into the forest, which turned more and more into a thick swamp. Eventually they came to a cave hallowed into a small rocky cliff that jutted out of the swampy ground. Star again took her demon wolf form to carefully enter and make sure it was safe. Finding only a few demonic 'animal', she chased them out before shifting back to her kat form again. Once it was clear, Jake followed her in.

"Okay, mind telling me just what the heck is going on here?!"

"It might be easier to explain if you first tell me how you got here."

"How I got here?! Star, you told me how!"

"That wasn't me, Jake. I've been a prisoner in my father's castle ever since the incident at the

temple."

"What did happen there? When the temple collapsed I... I thought you had died..."

"No. I fought my father, and managed to throw him back through the portal before it collapsed. But not just him, both of us. It was the only way."

"But... the dreams...?"

"Demon magic. It was my father's doing. He deceived you, luring you here. Though why I don't know."

"So... there's no way you can get us back?"

"Supposedly there is, but it's not something I would have attempted had it just been me here."

"Why?"

She shook her head sadly. "I'm half demon. For all this time I've kept that part of me locked away. Denied it. But now I've brought it out, and I can never go back to what I once was. I figured that... best I simply not return."

"You would have stayed here? Of your own choice?!"

"Yes. It would have been safer that way."

"Safer? How if this safer?!"

"Not for me, for you."

He looked at her with a mix of surprise and hurt. "Star, I don't understand. Since... what happened... I've been plagued with nightmares of that day. My every thought has been of you. And Elena as well was lost without you. You're the only friend she's known."

"I know, and I'm sorry. But with what I am now... Jake, there's an evil in me that's awakened, and I can't risk it getting out. I can't risk harming Elena, or you."

"You've managed to control it for two thousand years..."

"True, but I've kept it locked away for that long. But not anymore. I've changed, and I can't go back."

"But you can still fight it."

"I don't know..."

"I do. You're stronger than that, Star."

She sighed softly and looked down, her ears back. Jake gently lifted her chin, making her face him. "Star, if there's a way out of here, we have to find it. We can't stay here. Neither of us. Come back with me. Please."

She turned her eyes down, not wanting to meet his gaze. "I'll do what I can to send you back, but..."

"No. You're coming with me, or neither of us is going."

Star sighed, but didn't answer him, pulling back and turning away. Jake's ears went back at her reaction. If he had to actually go into Hell itself to get her, then there was no way that he was going to let her give up on him now. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her back around to face him, pulling her to him and kissing her, roughly and deeply.

Her eyes opened wide in shock. She didn't try to pull back, but she didn't return the kiss either. When Jake pulled back, he pinned his ears and narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't you dare give up on me. Not after everything we've both been though."

Star let out a slow breath and looked down. "I'm sorry, Jake. I never intended to..."

"To what? To make me fall in love with you?"

"No, for me to fall in love with you."

He looked at her curiously, then stepped back again, looking away. For several moments they just stood there in silence. Finally, Star gave in and stepped forward again, leaning against him and putting an arm gently around his neck, kissing him deeply. He returned it hungrily, running his hands over her warm body.

This time there was no spell to dull his thoughts or his passion. Star was unusually gentle and timid, so Jake ended up takin control, maneuvering her roughly onto the ground and climbing on top of her, removing her minimal clothing. The she-kat moaned softly, allowing Jake to fully dominate her. He was very rough as he took her, raking his claws down her sides and biting at her neck and breasts. At first Star was very submissive to him, but after a while she began to come out a bit more, trailing her own claws down his arms and back, fully enjoying the feel of being with her lover once more.