❖ 8 ❖

Lord Suzume stared up at the one who caught her. A loyal aide who she'd deeply trusted for centuries, who now looked down at her as though she was little more than scum.

“How did you-”

“A child could have seen through you. You’ve masked your soul from view, but that hardly matters,” Haqua cut her off, her words dripping with malice. “Your act is dreadful. From the very moment you opened your mouth, I knew that Rina was nowhere behind those eyes.”

“But the others-”

“Bless them, they're too kindhearted to ever cast much doubt on someone they hold so dear. They've all had their suspicions, I’m sure, but they see no reason to attack Rina, of all people. Why, I doubt Mio or Iori even know that a body can be stolen away. Rhody might, but the poor thing couldn't conceive of a world where anyone might try something so underhanded. She'd cry.”

Suzume bit her lip, but said nothing. She expected she'd only be cut off if she tried.

“So then, you bothersome fly, let’s talk. Does that sound good to you, hmm?”

“I-”

“Naturally, I’m so glad you’re on board,” Haqua cut her off again, delighting in how annoyed Suzume looked beneath her. “Though it wouldn’t have mattered if you weren’t. Those handcuffs are near-impossible to break, even for a demon. I’ve reinforced them a dozen times over, refining them into a trap that no rat could possibly hope to escape. So be a good girl, and don’t even think about trying, hmm?”

“A rat?! You see me as a mere rat?! Ridiculous, I-!”

“I see you as a stain, in truth. A blight, a waste of space, garbage that deserves no less than eradication.”

“Kuh!” Suzume grimaced. She wanted to fight back, but if she threatened Haqua now, who knew what might happen?

If you knew the truth of the matter, you’d cease all insults very quickly.

Still, she wasn’t about to reveal that. Though she’d been caught, she couldn’t allow the full truth of the matter to get out. 

But, perhaps if I did, Haqua might support me, and…

Suzume looked into Haqua’s eyes, and saw them filled with pure, unbridled bloodlust.

S-still! My name can quell any storm! Haqua knows that better than most. But…perhaps I’ll calm her some other way, first.

“Rina still draws breath, that much is clear to me,” Haqua began. “She and I have a pact, one that I won’t allow anyone to break. If she was dead, then I assure you, the same would be true of you.”

“You have the right of it. She’s alive and safe,” Suzume assured her. “In fact, I’m sure she vastly prefers her current lodgings to your dismal abo-”

In an instant, Haqua’s tail whipped up to Suzume’s neck, the tip pressing harshly into her skin.

“Choose your words very carefully,” Haqua said coldly. “Insult the life we have together and you will not leave this room alive, I promise you that.”

Suzume bit her lip, she hadn’t intended to insult her, but her royal pride got the better of her, and the words tumbled out of her before she could even stop them.

“Well,” Haqua shrugged, “I suppose caution won’t do you all that much good. You stole something precious away from me, after all, and how do you think someone like me might respond to that, hmm?”

Suzume grit her teeth, as Haqua slowly slid her tail across her throat.

“So I’ll give you a choice. One last chance to earn some mercy. Return Rina to me and your death will be painless, but if you don’t, well…” Haqua leaned in close, and slowly licked the length of Suzume’s ear. “I’ll find out exactly what it takes to truly break that body…”

?!

Suzume shuddered.

It…it just didn’t make sense.

She was being threatened. Pinned down by someone who would show no hesitation to kill her where she lay, with no hope of escape. Even one as great as her should be terrified. In fact, she was terrified.

But that wasn’t all she felt.

Blushing furiously, Suzume clamped her legs together tightly, and felt a dampness between her thighs.

She was excited. Her body wanted the pain and humiliation that Haqua would surely deliver.

Was it Rina’s body doing this to her? Was it her own thoughts, spinning wildly out of control and deriving any pleasure she could from what was being painted as the last moments of her life? 

Suzume insisted it was Rina Saeki’s brain, flooding her mind with thoughts no king would ever possess, but as she became hyper aware of the feeling of Haqua’s soft body on top of hers, Suzume became too flustered to even try and untangle the truth of the matter.

“I’ll give you five seconds to give me an answer. Will you return Rina to my side, or make me work for it, hm?” Haqua smirked. “Five.”

Suzume felt her heart pounding a mile a minute.

“Four.”

She’d never felt excitement like this before.

“Three.”

Yet if she didn’t act soon, then-

“Two.”

But Haqua’s touch was so powerful, so firm, yet so very gentle. To be punished by her, well…

“One.”

I-I can’t remain silent!

“Ze-”

“H-Haqua Est Vir Sida! Stay your hand!” she cried, injecting as much importance as she could into her deeply flustered shout. “You know not who you are threatening!”

“Quite right! Yet for all your bravado, you still haven't told me anything at all. In fact, it seems your time has just run out,” Haqua said, as a razor-sharp blade appeared in her hand. “Dreadfully sorry it had to go this way, but I made my terms very clear, and-”

“Suzume, Haqua! It's Suzume, King of Hell!!!”

Suzume had wanted so badly to avoid letting that out, but her back was well and truly up against the wall now.

So she played her trump card, and instantly, Haqua stilled.

“Oh? Is the weight of your mistakes finally crashing down upon you, Haqua?! Good, it should be! Were I not such a benevolent king I would cleave your head from your shoulders for such a treasonous act! Now untie me at once!”

Haqua's expression was…strange, reflecting an emotion that Suzume couldn't even begin to discern.

It would have worried her, had Haqua not done exactly as asked, releasing her bindings with the snap of her fingers, before moving off of Suzume to let her free.

“Kukukuku! Indeed, this is how it should be! There isn't a demon in this and any realm whose respect I cannot command! You may have left my service, but it seems your heart still yearns to be my aide!” Suzume cackled, smirking cockily. “Yet I should think a mind as bright as yours wouldn't make such a pathetic mistake. No blade can fell me, Haqua. My flame will blaze for all eternity, and-guahh!!”

With another snap, Suzume’s body was forced onto its knees, with her neck and wrists suddenly contained in tight, restrictive bonds.

“Wh-what in Hell did you do…?”

For a moment, she was stunned as her new senses struggled to adapt to the sudden surge of magic around her, but as she came to, she found herself staring straight down to the floor, too tightly restrained to do more than uselessly kick her legs about behind her.

But the stocks she could see out of the periphery of her vision told her all that she needed to know: She had been forced into a guillotine.

“Haqua?!” she yelled, as Haqua sauntered over in front of her, giving Suzume a close-up view of nothing but her feet. “Is this your idea of a joke?! Perhaps you didn’t hear me the first time! There is nothing that can kill me, so release me at once.”

“The funny thing about that,” Haqua cooed, “is just how well I know the truth of the matter. I bore witness to Lord Suzume surviving countless attacks that would kill even me.”

“Indeed! You saw 21 arrows pierce my heart!”

“And it was turned into a game, too! You made a show out of how a 22nd would have been a killing blow, yet we both know that’s a lie. A deception to seem more vulnerable and personable in the eyes of the people. Why, that game spread over here too, you know? Without the legend, of course. This realm doesn’t know a thing about you.”

“Then you know better than anyone how futile this is! So if you hold even the slightest bit of respect for your king, release me at once!”

“Well, I know that Suzume would survive this blade, that much is true,” Haqua smirked, as she ran a finger along the surface of the blade, admiring its brilliant sheen. “But I don’t see her here. Do you, Rina?”

Suzume let out a loud, deeply flustered gasp.

How could I be so stupid?!

“Did you forget that there are no feathers on that head, hmm? Did you adapt so well that you failed to notice your lack of talons? Curious, I should think a king a touch sharper than that,” Haqua smirked, crouching low to look Suzume in the eyes. “No, you are not Lord Suzume. Through your own actions, you’ve forced yourself to become Rina Saeki, and while she’s very resilient, I assure you, if that blade falls, that’s the end of the road for you. Thousands of years of rule all brought to a swift, bloody end! Why, it’s the kind of tale revolutions are made of! Isn’t that exciting, hm?”

Suzume trembled. For the first time in her very long, storied existence, she was on the precipice of…death. True, utterly final death.

If she were to survive, she had but one option: beg.

“I-I’m sorry, Haqua!!! A thousand, no, a million apologies! I didn’t mean to be so rude, so please please please let me go! I’ll do anything you want if you free me! I promise, I’ll be your servant if that’s what it takes, just please don’t kill me!”

“Oh, now that’s a good impression! Why, if you’d acted like this the whole time, you might have even fooled me,” Haqua laughed, and teasingly ruffled Suzume’s hair. “Good work! And to think, I’d have assumed time made you stubborn! But hmm, I’m not quite sure I feel like it. You were so dreadfully rude, after all! And to one of your closest advisors! I’m hurt!” she shouted, though the smirk on her face made it clear that she was anything but.

“B-but if you kill me, then Rina Saeki will be trapped! She occupies my body, you know?! She'd be forced into life as a king for all eternity!“ Suzume bargained. “I know my actions have lost me your trust, but think of her, at least!”

“Ahahaha! How quaint, using little Rina as a bargaining chip? Why, did you think I wasn't anticipating such a thing?” Haqua scoffed, resting a foot atop Suzume's head and chuckling as the demon king let out a pathetically flustered squeak. “You fool, we pledged ourselves to one another, do you really think our bond is so weak? Rina hasn't left my mind for even a second.”

“But-”

“In fact, let her be king! Isn't that a delightful thought, hmm? A useless, yapping mutt, ruling over all of demonkind! I could hardly think of a more amusing punishment for her! She'll love it! Oh, she'll lose that wonderful bratty body, but I know all too well the allure of your feathers. She'll adapt, and so will I,” Haqua grinned, removing her foot and crouching down to look Suzume in the eye. “Why, that would make me a queen then, wouldn't it? Tell me, Suzume. Did you not anticipate any of this? Was your plan truly so ramshackle?”

“M-my plan was-”

“Pathetic, but considering the body you now occupy, that only seems appropriate.”

Suzume gritted her teeth. Her ego was being torn to shreds, and…and she didn't even hate it.

No, she definitely hated it, but there was no something within that hatred, a kernel of something that made her belly flutter with delight. But she resisted that with all her heart. This body wouldn't defeat her.

And it seemed, neither would Haqua. Though she was bracing for the worst, with a snap of her fingers, the guillotine faded away into nothing but smoke, drifting out through the window and toward the alluring pink light of the moon. Suzume was, despite all her worries, free.

“But you know, as much as I'm sure Rina will love laying eggs, I rather like her body, and I'd prefer she kept it.”

“Y-you mean-?!”

“You get to live, Suzume. We're friends, aren't we? I'm not nearly so heartless as to put you to death so soon after we reunite,” Haqua said, taking a seat on the side of the bed. It wasn’t clear just how sincere her smile was, but Suzume took a great deal of solace in it now, all the same.

“Thank you, Haqua! Thank you so much!” Suzume wailed. She wondered how much of a disgrace she must have seemed, discarding everything that made her such a revered ruler and weeping like this, but she didn't care. She was safe.

Well, safer than she'd been, anyway.

“Now tell me, My Lord,” Haqua began, summoning up a chair that Suzume promptly took a seat in, feeling the weight of her fear begin to fade away, “Why steal Rina's body, hm? If you're trying to get out of work, I'm certain all of demonkind would happily accept a trade, so why take the body of one who most certainly wouldn't?”

“Sh-she did!” Suzume argued. “She accepted my gracious offer! And I'm not trying to get out of work. Why, I'm still conducting my investigation, even now!”

“Oh, of course you are,” Haqua chuckled, making it all too clear how little she believed her. “And I'm sure your agreement with Rina wasn't underhanded in the slightest. She surely knew what she was getting into when she said yes.”

“Guh!” Suzume yelped, knowing she'd been seen through. “I-I made my terms very clear, and-”

“I don't care,” Haqua shrugged. “Stay focused on the question at hand, Suzume.”

“How disrespectful,” Suzume pouted. “Has your loyalty truly left you?”

“Perhaps so. Hard to respect someone who looks like such a pathetic bitch, I suppose,” Haqua laughed.

“Hmph,” Suzume huffed, with what little of her pride she could muster. “...But I suppose you are entitled to an explanation…”

So Suzume shared every detail, telling Haqua of how mystified she was to find such a staggeringly powerful demon completely rejecting the realm she's so tirelessly worked to make a utopia for her people, and how she couldn't comprehend how someone who could bring even Haqua under her banner would so willingly live such a painfully average human life.

And of course, she told her of her mission, to find out what could make this realm appeal so strongly to one of Rina's caliber, and to export that secret to Hell, to make her own realm shine so much brighter.

Suzume had, over the course of her life, scarcely been met with anything resembling disapproval, at least from those who she considered her allies. Any decision she made was incredible, the product of a brilliant mind that had led countless people to an unending age of prosperity.

So when Haqua, one who had served at her side, met her with nothing but raucous laughter, the king felt as though she were about to implode.

“Ahahahaha! Is that it, truly? Rina's strength?! Some great secret to this realm?! You had your personal bloodhound investigating Rina, and that's the conclusion you've reached?!”

“You would dare laugh at me?!” Suzume asked, screwing up her face into a furious pout. “My plan is flawless, and Radiata's investigation skills are unparalleled! You can try to bury the truth all you want, but it is clear to me!”

“Mhmm, of course, Lord Suzume,” Haqua laughed, wiping a tear from her eye as she ruffled Suzume's hair. “Now tell me, does the immense power flowing through that body feel good, hmm? With such strength, you could have surely escaped the guillotine, but you must simply be playing at being weak, right?”

“I-it is a simple matter of my soul not being attuned to her body! I feel weak right now, certainly, but that won't last!” Suzume insisted, only prompting more laughter from Haqua.

Now this is a surprise. Who knew the King of Hell was prone to such foolishness? I've always known her proud image belied her true self to an extent, but this is quite the discovery!

Haqua grinned, seeing the king she'd so proudly served in a vastly different light.

It's Mio, you fools. She's the power you detected. A cursory check may not have made it clear, but you sicced Radiata on Rina and still made such a ridiculous blunder? Radiata, dear, did this realm dull your senses? I thought you sharper than that.

Haqua could only continue to laugh, much to Suzume's consternation.

And discovering some secret to this realm? That's quite the excuse, Suzume! It's clear as day that you’re just-

“Wipe that dreadful smirk off your face this instant!” Suzume argued. “No matter how your loyalty shifts, I will always reign over you! S-so stop mocking me!“

Ahaha! Cocky, are we? Very well then. I thought to point out your errors, but I'm starting to realize something…

“Understood, My Lord,” Haqua said, giving an exaggerated bow. “It's clear that you're here on tremendously important business, so far be it from one such as I to stand in your way.”

“Hmph! Finally, you understand!“ Suzume grinned arrogantly.

You'll be far too entertaining to toss back to Hell so soon! Let’s have you live like a mutt for a spell!

Haqua smiled to herself, and took on a gentler, sweeter tone.

“In fact, while I myself cannot claim to be privy to whatever drives Rina to stay here, I, Haqua Est Vir Sida, will aid you in your investigation.”

“You will?!” Suzume asked, her eyes lighting up excitedly.

“But of course! Hearing you speak, I realize my loyalties aren't half as weak as I had thought! Once an advisor, always an advisor, it seems,” Haqua said, much to Suzume's delight.

“Haqua!“ Suzume cried, before clearing her throat and adopting a more dignified voice. “My trust in you was never misplaced, it seems. Good! I welcome you back into my service, Haqua! Be proud, for your aid will help me bring about even greater prosperity for all of demonkind!”

“How splendid,” Haqua clapped, “I think our first order of business is helping you portray Rina more accurately. I would never besmirch your acting talent, but I should think the aid of one who knows her intimately would be of some value to your esteemed self.”

“Hmm, very well,” Suzume nodded, her ego massaged to the point where she'd forgotten all the besmirching Haqua had already done. “I shall gladly accept your wisdom, Haqua.”

“I am honored, My Lord,” Haqua smiled. “Forgive me, but we'll have to do away with the formalities around everyone else, so I should think it best to abandon them now, to immerse you in life as Rina Saeki.”

“Very well! Then treat me as you would Rina Saeki! I am prepared!“ Suzume smiled, her expression seeming particularly idiotic as she walked right into a blindingly obvious trap.

“Perfect. Then first,” Haqua giggled, before snapping her fingers. Once more, Suzume felt a sudden pressure around her neck.

“A-again?!” she cried, fearing that she was about to be put back in the guillotine. “Haqua, this is-...huh?”

As her hands rested on her neck, she froze. This wasn’t anything like the guillotine at all, instead, her hands met what felt like soft leather, pliable enough for her to tug it forward and see that she was now wearing.

“A…collar?” she asked.

“Quite so! You see, if you want to be Rina, then that means…” Haqua began, smiling as she held up the collar for Suzume to see. Oh, if she could frame the sight of Suzume’s face as she read the text.

“‘Desperate Bitch’?!” she cried. “What is the meaning of thi-uwahhhh!”

In the blink of an eye, Suzume was wrested from her seat and flung onto the bed.

“Do you truly have to ask?” Haqua chuckled, licking her lips as she climbed atop the bed and pinned her in place again, staring down at Suzume with no end of amusement in her eyes. “You wanted to be treated like Rina, no? So that’s what we’ll do. For as long as you remain in that body, I’ll ensure you live her life as completely as possible, and that means,” she cooed, slowly running a hand down the inside of Suzume’s thighs, watching as the king shuddered and squeaked beneath her. “You’ll be nothing more than my yapping, desperate mutt~”

“Ah~! H-Haqua…” Suzume squeaked, her cheeks feeling as though they were on fire as Haqua’s fingers crept ever closer to her pussy. “Y-you can’t… I-I’m a king…”

“Wrong, you’re a bitch,” Haqua coldly corrected, before leaning in and nibbling on Suzume’s ear.

“Nnh~!”

Another squeak, prompting Suzume to bite her lips.

“And not just any bitch,” Haqua chuckled, and whispered into Suzume’s ear, “you’re my bitch.”

The shiver that ran down Suzume’s spine as her words sunk into her felt as though it was turning her brain to mush.

“I-I’m not…”

“Not what, dear?” Haqua asked, clearly amused.

Though Haqua had taken care not to touch her lips, both girls were all-too aware of the juices beginning to trickle down her thighs, making Haqua’s fingertips sticky and warm.

“Your body knows it, but if your mind doesn’t, then that’s a problem, don’t you think?” she asked, moving her fingers in small circles, smearing her juices over her skin.

“B-but this can’t be relevant to my performance…”

“Au contraire, My Lord,” Haqua chuckled, gently kissing her way down the length of Suzume’s neck, delighting in the ways she squirmed. They were so unlike Rina, yet so adorable all the same. “Rina is a mutt through and through, delighting in all the pleasures her body has to offer.”

“Even sO~” she tried to argue, her voice cracking as Haqua found a particularly sensitive spot between her neck and shoulder. Her belly fluttered like crazy, burning with a need she was far too shy to express.

“Now, I won’t force you, I would never do something like that,” Haqua said, lavishing her with gentler, softer kisses. “But if you’ll accept it, then I’ll ensure that nobody can tell you apart from the real thing.”

“Th-there’s no way I could, not when-”

Immediately, Haqua began to pull back.

“Understood,” Haqua nodded. “Then I’ll simply leave you be.”

“You’re stopping?!” Suzume cried, the burning in her tummy only growing more fierce.

“But of course! You said you aren’t interested, no? A woman of your talents could surely fool everyone all the same.”

“I-I didn’t say that…” Suzume sputtered.

Haqua’s lips curled into a devilish smirk.

“No? You weren’t trying to ask me to stop, hm?”

“I- well…”

“That would be so strange, wouldn’t it? A great king such as yourself, desperately wanting to be treated like a mutt? Forgive my impertinence, I never meant to insult you, My Lord. You would never feel such intense frustration at the thought of me stopping, would you?” Haqua said, resting her hand upon the brand on Suzume’s belly, before quickly sliding a finger up over the length of her tummy, making Suzume shudder once more as she tried to beat down her growing hunger. Haqua hadn't done anything untoward, and yet it felt for all the world as though something had plunged up inside her.

Or at least, she wished something had…

“I-it's all this body's fault. Her brain makes it- ah~!” she moaned, clamping her legs together to stem an approaching flood of pleasure, before looking up at Haqua's teasing grin.

“My, and all I did was touch your thighs!“ Haqua smirked, raising her hands in a display of innocence. “My Lord, I'm beginning to suspect you might be enjoying this.”

“I'm not!” Suzume insisted, a little too loudly.

“Then perhaps it's best for me to cease this entirely. I wouldn't want you to succumb to any temptations now.”

With that, Haqua picked herself off the bed. Lying down alone, Suzume suddenly felt dreadfully cold and lonely.

Wait…

“Take some time to rest, My Lord, and I'll fetch you in the morning. I'm sure you want nothing more than your privacy right now,” she said, as she sauntered over to the exit door.

Please…wait.

Suzume wanted, so badly, to get the words out, but she simply couldn't bring herself to say them, insisting that it was all a matter of her body making her feel things she wouldn't otherwise.

“Rest well, Lord Suzume,” Haqua said, placing her hand on the doorknob. “It's an honor to serve you once mo-”

“Wait!”

With a loud, flustered cry, Haqua froze in place, a smirk crossing her face that she hid away as she turned to face the king.

How delighted she was to see Suzume sitting on the bed, her garments having completely vanished save for the collar around her neck. She made an attempt to cover her privates, but that, coupled with her intensely bashful expression, only served to make the sight of her that much more tantalizing.

“My Lord, you-”

“Rina Saeki!” Suzume insisted. “You said it yourself, no? I'm her now, and if I'm to play her to perfection, then…I want to understand everything about being her!” she cried.

Haqua chuckled, and donned a menacingly delighted smile. “You understand, then, that that would make you my-”

“B-b-bitch, yes!” she stammered, holding up the collar’s tag. She was ready to explode, but she had to keep going. She needed this. “I'll be your dog,” she shuddered. “So you'd best teach me everything, Haqua! Just understand that this is all for the sake of acting! I don't want this, I'm doing this to fulfill my duties, understood?”

Haqua wasted no time in hurrying to the bed, pushing Suzume over, and straddling her eagerly.

“What duties?” Haqua scoffed. “Last I checked, mutts aren't given any sort of work. No, they live for one thing and one thing only,” she smirked. “To be bred by me.”

And with that, Haqua dropped all pretense, plunging her tail right between Suzume's soaked, puffy lips.

“HYAH~?!” Suzume loudly cried, as Haqua's tail toyed with her clit, moving fast enough to drive her crazy. 

“Does it feel good, dear?” Haqua cooed, as she eagerly kissed and licked at her neck. “I treat my pets wonderfully, don’t you think?”

“H-Hafhua… Y-youu…” Suzume tried to respond, her words slurring as her brain was wracked with a pleasure so deep that she could barely comprehend it.

“Ahaha, do your best, dear. A succubus’s pleasure is quite something to behold, no? But you’ll adjust in time, I can tell,” Haqua chuckled. “We’ll dye your very soul in Rina’s colors, in time.”

Suzume’s eyes widened for a moment, but she couldn’t even make an attempt to reply, barely holding on as Haqua reached for her breasts, and started tugging her tiny titties around by her rings.

“Yahn~!” she squeaked, caught off guard by just how good the sharp, sudden tug had felt.

“These rings are so slutty, don’t you think?” Haqua cooed, before creeping down and wrapping her long tongue around one of them, giving it another quick pull.

“Nnnh~!”

“A king wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something like this, which is why it’s so good that we don’t have one with us, don’t you think?” she said, looking into Suzume’s cloudy eyes. “All we have is my loud, yappy little bitch,” Haqua declared, before wrapping her tail around Suzume’s clit and giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Ahh~!” she moaned even louder, before pulling Haqua in for a deep, sloppy kiss. She hadn’t meant to do anything of the sort, but it was as though her body were acting on instinct, getting as much Haqua as it possibly could.

Haqua couldn’t help but chuckle. Suzume’s tongue was far less experienced than that of either of her partners, but she made up for it with a desperate, hurried energy. It was as though she was trying to eke out as much pleasure as she could as quickly as possible, like she didn’t want to get caught doing something so distinctly not fit for royalty.

Silly pup, we’ve got all the time in the world…

Still, Haqua loved it. All the conflicted feelings that coated her tongue tasted absolutely delectable. She was reluctant and deeply frustrated on one hand, but also so painfully turned on that it was adorable. Even Rina had a better time staying calm than Suzume, it seemed. She let Suzume’s tongue desperately whip around while Haqua’s own moved with all the grace of a ballerina, stimulating the fallen king so well that she could hardly breathe. Though Suzume had been the one to initiate the kiss, she pulled back, desperately gasping for air.

“Y-your tongue…”

“Wonderful, no?” Haqua said, blowing her a kiss. “I’d expect a king to keep up with me, but I suppose this just proves what I’ve been saying, doesn’t it? You’re my pet. My mutt.”

Haqua snapped her fingers, and a pair of floppy dog ears popped right out the top of her head. Suzume hurriedly grabbed at them, and while she was relieved to find that they were fake, no amount of tugging could get them to budge in the slightest.

“T-take these off, you cahHHn’t~!” Suzume tried to argue, only to get cut off by Haqua plunging a pair of fingers inside her pussy.

“There’s no use in pretending you aren’t a mutt at this point, dear,” Haqua chuckled as she stirred up Suzume’s insides, before popping her fingers out and licking one of them clean. “Not when your taste tells me exactly how much you’re enjoying this.”

“My…taste?” Suzume asked, between heavy, gasping breaths.

“Indeed, want to try?” Haqua asked, holding out her finger for Suzume, covered in sticky, warm juices. “It’s quite the treat, you know?”

“There’s no way I’d…I’d, ummm…

A part of her wanted to reject this, truly, but as soon as she got a whiff of the tantalizing scent coming off of Haqua’s finger, more appetizing than even the finest delicacies, her mind went completely blank. All she knew was that she needed a taste more than anything. So with a cloudy-eyed expression, she leaned forward, and eagerly sucked Haqua’s finger, her tongue expertly wrapping around it to lap up every last drop.

!!!!

It was impeccable. She knew that succubi could taste emotions, yet she could have never comprehended that it would be this incredible. It laid her own feelings, ones she tried to press as far down as possible, completely bare for her, and yet she couldn’t tear herself away.

“It’s so good…” she muttered, in an almost dreamlike daze. “It’s so unfair, it’s delicious…”

“Oh, my mutt’s developed a taste, hmm? Why, you’re even making me hungry,” Haqua smirked, before lifting Suzume into her arms.

“Haqua?!” she cried, pulled out of her daze by the suddenness of it all. “P-put me down!”

“You’re so delicate, so tiny and dainty that you might just break,” Haqua said, sighing lovingly as Suzume stiffened up in her grasp, a wondrous scent filling the air as she leaked yet more wonderful juices. “But I won’t do that to you now, no. All I want is to drink directly from the source!” she grinned, propping Suzume on her shoulders and burying her head between her cushy little thighs, eagerly licking at her lips.

“Uwah~?! Haqua~!” Suzume squeaked and cried, as Haqua’s tongue pushed its way inside her, lapping at the walls of her pussy and savoring every drop of ambrosia that she could drink. “Nnnh~! Ifs no fhair!” she started to slur once more. “Yohr tung fheels so…”

Haqua chuckled again, knowing that her warm breath was absolutely flooding Suzume’s mind with more pleasure before diving deeper in to absolutely ravage her, making a sticky mess of the king who’d never be caught dead looking any less than her absolute best. It was so amusing, the way she flitted from trying to push back, to giving in to her desires and clamping her thighs tightly around Haqua’s head, urging her to go deeper and deeper still. It was a request that Haqua was more than willing to oblige, sticking her tongue in as deep as it could go. She teased and flicked at her painfully swollen clit, and was rewarded with yet more wonderful squeaks and moans. There was something so childish about Suzume in those moments, so stunned by anything and everything being done to her, but Haqua could hardly fault her for that. Few could ever feel pleasure as deeply as a succubus. Even a king could usually never hope to know anything quite so spectacular.

And yet, if she truly were to be a mutt, then pleasure alone couldn't suffice. That wasn't what really drove Rina wild.

So she slapped her hand down firmly against Suzume's squishy butt, and began to knead her cheeks like dough.

“Nnahhh~!!” she cried, louder than before. It stung, Haqua didn't hold back at all, and yet…that only served to make her heart pound that much harder. She was utterly defenseless now, but she liked that. Suzume, who had never been in an even slightly compromising position for hundreds of years, suddenly wanted to see just what it might be like to be absolutely ravaged.

“H-Haqua, I need-”

*SLAP!*

“Ah~!” Suzume gasped, as Haqua delivered another firm smack. “Please, listen, I want you to-”

*SLAP!* *SLAP!*

“Ffhaah~!” Suzume moaned, starting to drool as her brain overloaded. “Haqua, I'm not trying to argue, I swear! I just-!”

*SLAP!!!!*

Haqua delivered yet another spanking, loud enough to echo through the room, carrying Suzume's growing shame and arousal deep into the artificial night outside the windows.

“Ahhhn~!!”

Haqua chuckled, as thick, warm juices gushed out of Suzume, and she was left totally spent. Having had her fill, she laid Suzume back down on the bed, laying her on her tummy and delivering yet more spanks with the tip of her tail.

“Ha-ah~! Haqua, why won't you-nn~! Let me speak?!”

“Did you forget what kind of collar you're wearing, hmm?” Haqua asked. “What you're marked as?”

“A-a dog…” Suzume squeaked. “Th-that's just a performance though, so- nnah~!”

Haqua kept on going, and flashed Suzume an eager smirk.

“I'd thought you smarter than this, but you truly are a mutt, aren't you? Too stupid to know that dogs-”

*SLAP!*

“-can't-”

*SLAP!*

“-talk!”

*SLAP!!!*

“Hyahhn~!” Suzume cried out with pleasure, tightly gripping the sheets.

Haqua couldn't help but smile, thinking back in her first night with Rina. Back then, she'd started barking without all this prompting, but she was a natural born mutt. That didn't come quite as readily to Suzume, but she'd get her there. She knew she would.

“So bark for me.”

“I-I can't, there's no way!” Suzume argued. “I am a king! Barking is far beneath me!”

The funniest thing happened.

Suzume, showing some defiance, prepared for another slap on her ass. She expected the heat from each lash to grow that much hotter, to truly show her who was in power here.

Yet it never came. Instead, Haqua shrugged.

“Ah, is that so?”

“Y-you're stopping again?! You can't do this twice, you just can't! It won't work on me, so-”

“Mhm, of course not,” Haqua said, casually taking a seat on the side of the bed and inspecting her nails. “You simply wouldn't fall for something like that.”

“R-right, l wouldn't at all…” Suzume grumbled, her voice trailing off into a soft squeak. “It wouldn't make me even the slightest bit tempted, so…”

“But of course, My Lord,” Haqua replied coldly, not even looking in Suzume's direction. “You're a woman of class, after all.”

“Indeed…” Suzume nodded.

And yet, predictably, her body ached. Every inch of her felt as though it were on fire, crying out for more. But she had to deny it, she had to. This wasn't teaching her anything about playing Rina, this was just Haqua looking to tease her. That much was clear, now. Anything further would just be excessive.

But even so…

“...wan…”

Haqua's ears pricked up.

“Hm? Whatever did you say, dear?”

“W-wan…” she repeated, her voice becoming vanishingly quiet.

Haqua wore a devilish grin, and turned around to face Suzume, brandishing a dog tail anal vibe.

As the demon king gazed upon it, she felt her mind turning blank, and she swallowed hard.

“Come now, dear, you can do better than that, surely.”

I can't! I can't, and I won't, so-

Haqua turned on the vibrator, and its loud buzz filled the air.

“Wan!”

The sound spilled out of Suzume before she could catch it. She was bright red, and worked to cover her face as quickly as possible, but the damage had been done.

“Good girl,” Haqua cooed. “Bare everything for Mistress now, dear.”

“W-wan!” Suzume barked again. She couldn't tell if she was moving, or her body was acting for her, but soon, she was sitting on all fours, raising her butt up high for Haqua. “Wan wan!” she continued to bark, making it perfectly clear that she was ready.

“Such a splendid bitch,” Haqua smirked, before shoving the vibrator deep inside her and turning it on to its maximum setting.

“Fahhh~! Hafhuaaa~!” Suzume sputtered, her body growing weak as her brain turned to mush. She couldn't even bark, now, her voice devolving into little more than pathetic moans as Haqua spooned her from behind, pressing her boobs into her back as her hands eagerly teased her tiny tits, while her tail rammed up inside Suzume's pussy.

There wasn't an inch of her that wasn't totally satisfied, and soon, after what felt like an eternity of pleasure, her body just couldn't hold on, and her vision turned white as she came harder than she ever had before.

“Ahhhhn~!!”

Suzume's moan sounded out as all the strength faded from her body. Despite possessing the resilience of a succubus, she just couldn't hang on any longer, and passed out in Haqua's arms, with one thought floating through her mind.

This is so humiliating…

And yet, she smiled so very peacefully.

Haqua, it seemed, had toppled a king.

“Good girl,” Haqua laughed, petting her new pet's hair. “You’ll settle into this role well, I can tell.”

Suzume was fast asleep, yet the praise still reached her ears, and a dopey giggle left her lips.

“I won't allow anyone I or Rina holds dear to feel any distress over this. So you will be Rina Saeki for the time being, remember that well,” Haqua said, tracing the shape of the brand she'd placed on Rina's belly. “I'll miss Rina terribly while you're in her place, but we'll make this time worthwhile, and I'll ensure that nobody sees what a disgrace their king truly is…” she chuckled.

I wonder how long you've had this side to you, Suzume, Haqua wondered. What a wonderful loser dog you'll be.

Haqua smiled, and snuggled Suzume closely. She had a great deal of work ahead of her, but she'd make sure this time was well spent all the same.

❖❖❖

“Oh, you're in a good mood this morning!” Rhody grinned, petting Suzume's head softly.

“Hm? Am I?” Suzume asked, wearing a smile that she just couldn't shake. “I don't know about that, ahaha…”

“No no, you definitely are,” Iori grinned. “Bet you had a great dream, huh? Your tail's been wagging all morning!”

“There's no way that's true!” Suzume yelled, only to turn around and see exactly what Iori described: her tail whipping around like she was a giddy doggie. “D-dammit! Don't embarrass me!”

“Mm, that's my Rina!” Mio smiled, hugging Suzume tightly from behind and planting a kiss on her cheek. “You seemed so stiff yesterday, it's great to see you back to your usual self,” she giggled.

“Ahahahaha…” Suzume bashfully laughed, grateful that her acting had fooled everyone once again.

“She just needed some time to unwind, that's all,” Haqua said, smiling at Suzume from the couch. “Our little pup forgot just how much she needed her mistresses attention, isn't that right?

“Not a chance!” she argued, loud enough that absolutely nobody believed her, as her partners erupted into laughter. “I-I'm serious!”

“Mm, I bet you are! Good girl!“ Iori grinned, scritching her ear and laughing as Suzume let out an adorably flustered whine, prompting everyone to start treating her like a pet.

“W-wan! I-I mean, cut it out!“ Suzume yelled, doing her absolute best to save face and keep up appearances all at once. Her work, it seemed, was about to become far more complicated.

All the while, Haqua watched the scene in front of her with a smile on her face.

I wonder, are you having as much fun as we are, Rina?

She missed Rina terribly, and yet, she couldn't say she was worried about her in the slightest.

Haqua chuckled to herself, and went to join in on teasing the king in their midst.

Ah, who am I kidding? It's you, I'm sure you're having a wonderful time. Enjoy it to the fullest, dear! I'm sure you'll make a splendid king!