Cherreads

Chapter 3 - Pistol, Dagger, and Web

After the magical duel, Sophia was so exhausted that the pain and stimulation from the ropes couldn't stop her from falling asleep, her body still leaking helplessly as she slipped into dreamland.

Elsewhere, in the inn, Isaac heard the massive noise outside and instantly guessed it was Sophia's doing—who else in such an obscure little town could create an explosion of this scale? He didn't want to go outside and get involved, but then remembered his oath to be Sophia's knight. Even though he was a greedy, cowardly loser, those childhood stories of knights had left a mark on his behavior he couldn't shake.

Isaac made his way to the site of the magical explosion. Town militia and officials were already gathered. The explosion itself wasn't a problem—after all, it wasn't an attack spell, just the blast of a magical duel—but the sound was so loud that it got half the town up in the middle of the night.

None of the townsfolk had ever seen a mage. They clustered together to investigate, while Isaac's attention wandered to a nearby tree root—underneath which was something odd, something that looked like plants but wasn't. He glanced further and, suddenly, saw a beautiful sleeping face nestled in the foliage: Sophia von Dominax, his lady. But her expression was anything but peaceful, her brow furrowed even in sleep. Isaac couldn't know that his mistress was being forced to sleep with her elbows tied, chest thrust out, every nerve tormented as if by peppers and electricity, her lower petals perpetually leaking.

The discomfort of her body bled into Sophia's dreams. In her dream, she found herself naked, tightly bound by ropes in her own Dominax Castle. Between her legs, two vibrating rods—identical in material to her dream-bonds—buzzed away inside her forbidden places, both stinging and shocking like before. She whimpered. Yes, she could only whimper, for her mouth was stuffed with something huge: the genitals of some half-ogre, half-beastman, filling her mouth to the throat, choking her with its filthy musk.

She tried to stand, but her legs were tied in the same glowing blue sacred rope, folded double against her thighs and tethered to the crotch rope, immobilizing her lower body in a "hogtie." Every attempt to straighten her legs pulled the crotch rope, stimulating her petals, causing another wave of futile struggling and further stimulation—an endless cycle.

"Mmmph, mmmph, mmmph!" She could only moan, her last shreds of consciousness telling her this was the slave pen for human servants in her castle, but she alone was hogtied, watched by the humans as if she were a bound bitch. The shame was unbearable.

"Mmmph, mmmph, mmmph!" was all she could do.

At this moment, someone entered the cell. It was Isaac!

"Hello, my lady."

"Mmmph, mmmph, mmmph!" Sophia summoned all her strength to cry out for rescue.

"My lady, are you begging for sex? That's naughty. You've only been left for thirty-nine hours—there's eleven more to go before I'll grant your wish."

What? Isaac dared speak to her like this? I'll— But the intense buzzing from the rods interrupted Sophia's thoughts, "Mmmph, mmmph, mmmph!" Pain and pleasure mingled; tears welled up.

"My lady, you've really made a scene. Look, all the other beasts are staring at you. They all want to mate with you, the vampire bitch." Isaac wore an unreadable expression.

"Mmmph, mmmph, mmmph, mmph!" Sophia realized she couldn't use her magic or bloodline powers, her hearing and sight reduced to human levels. Why? "Mmmph, mmmph, mmph!"

"You're being too naughty, moaning all the time. Time for punishment."

Punishment?

Isaac kicked her, flipping her exposed breasts upward. He drew Lunea, transforming it into a whip, and lashed her body—especially the sensitive places between her legs and atop her chest.

"Mmmph! Mmmph! Mmmph!" Sophia screamed from the pain, tears finally spilling over. She was humiliated, crying in front of a human. Worse, the pain made her struggle more, which in turn tightened the crotch rope, amplifying her torment in a spiral of agony and arousal. Naked, exposed to Isaac, sobbing and now being whipped, Sophia felt utterly broken inside.

"Nooooooooo!!!" Sophia suddenly woke with a desperate scream.

The Dominax family could unleash ultrasonic attacks with a scream, like a bat—except far more powerful. Her shout blew Isaac, who'd just crept over to sneak a touch, back four meters.

Oh no… I've been caught! Am I dead?! Isaac thought in terror.

Sophia, on the other hand, was relieved it was only a dream… This cowardly Isaac was really much better…

She realized sensation had returned to her feet and that it was already daylight. But then the agony of her arms, bound all night, hit her—her lower body was soaked, the lingering stimulation still tormenting her—

"Ah…" Just the thought made her shudder and let out a small gasp. She shot a nervous glance at Isaac—luckily, he was so lost in thoughts of his own impending death he didn't hear her gasp.

Gritting her teeth against the feeling, Sophia struggled to her feet, Bloodwing shielding her nakedness from Isaac's eyes. She threw him a teasing look, "Come here, I won't kill you."

Huh? I'm safe? Thank the gods… Isaac slowly calmed down after that reassurance.

He walked over and noticed Sophia seemed a little shorter—naturally, as she wore nothing under Bloodwing, not even heels. Her apparent height had dropped from over 190 cm to her real height of 180, though still taller than Isaac's 174.

"I took these off last night in the fight; you hold onto them for now." Bloodwing gingerly handed him the gag and ankle shackles, careful not to expose Sophia's body beneath.

Isaac picked up the items, thinking to himself, Of course these things can't hold a vampire like her… Oh no, she must have read my mind again…

Seeing his odd expression, Sophia was at a loss—evidently, the collar not only blocked her magic, but her mind-reading bloodline abilities, too.

"Hey, listen!" Sophia called Isaac.

She did read my mind… Isaac worried.

"I'm really, really hungry right now," Sophia said. She'd burned through all her magic and been blasted last night; now she urgently needed energy. Though she didn't have to eat, eating was the fastest way to restore herself besides blood. But in Isaac's mind, all he heard was: Oh no, she's going to eat me!

"Hey, are you listening to me? Why are you sweating?" Sophia snapped, seeing his distracted state.

"N-no, I'm listening! What do you want to eat?" Isaac's sweating only got worse.

"Let's go see what the town has to offer!" Sophia smiled, turning back toward Windleaf, but after only a step, "Ah!" She gasped again, the ropes cutting so deeply she nearly collapsed.

"Are you alright?" Isaac, still shaken, finally noticed the gasp.

"Haha, it's nothing!" Sophia feigned nonchalance, struggling to ignore the sensations. She tried to focus, but if she ignored her lower body, the ropes against her bare chest immediately reminded her—"comfortable" and "weak" all at once.

"I didn't sleep well out here last night," Sophia said, suddenly turning serious. "Carry me back to town. No funny business. Or I'll kill you."

Normally, she'd have teased a bit, even let her "little animals" cop a feel—like when she'd let the demon hunter Gaston whip her breasts—but not now. She was certain that if Isaac touched anywhere inappropriate, she'd lose control, shattering her dignity.

"Y-yes, my lady!" Isaac lifted Sophia in a princess carry through Bloodwing's cover. Even without copping a feel, just holding such a beauty made his member stand at attention. Sophia, with her vampire senses, could "see" all this with her ears alone—royal vampires could echolocate better than bats, mapping out anything within three meters, even without true sonar. She "heard" Isaac's arousal through the thin fabric, and couldn't help but laugh.

Isaac, though, was anything but relaxed. Not being a strong hero, he was winded after carrying her just a couple hundred meters, and town was still a kilometer off. But he dared not set her down. Gritting his teeth, he lugged Sophia all the way back.

"My lady, we'll attract attention like this in town…" Isaac pointed out, worried.

"Of course, put me down." Sophia was finally adjusting to the sensations. Bloodwing kept her nudity concealed, so townsfolk had no idea she was naked.

She could move now, but her steps were smaller than ever, slower even than with ankle shackles.

They entered a restaurant. Sophia ordered every kind of meat available, spending two whole gold coins of Isaac's money.

A feast was spread before them.

"You feed me."

"Ah? Yes, my lady." Isaac, hungry from his own ordeal, watched his precious coins vanish into Sophia's bottomless pit. But he had no choice.

So Isaac fed her, bite by bite. Sophia, who'd only been fed by her mother as a child, hadn't been fed by anyone since her mother disappeared. Now, bound head to toe, she depended on this human to eat—half amused, half humiliated. Am I this beast's pet? she wondered. But hunger took priority—she hadn't eaten in two days, and as a high vampire, could manipulate her internal organs, allowing her to consume far more than her size suggested.

"Ahhh~" Sophia opened her seductive mouth; Isaac fed her with a forkful of meat.

"It's disgusting," Sophia complained. Compared to the food at Dominax Castle, this was pig slop! But for poor Isaac, this was a rare treat—he rarely got to eat meat. "Shall I eat for you—?" he offered.

"No, I'll eat first. When I'm full." Sophia cut him off, so Isaac resignedly fed her, bite after bite.

She ate enough for two days and showed no sign of stopping. As the plates emptied, Isaac's hopes for a meal dwindled to nothing. Sophia kept channeling her caustic vampire acids to her stomach, digesting rapidly and keeping her waist slim.

After two hours, Sophia had eaten all the restaurant's meat and bread.

Isaac's stomach was aching from hunger.

"Ah! Damn!" Sophia exclaimed, leaning back in her chair, suddenly remembering something.

Isaac, beyond caring, remembered he still had some dry rations blackmailed from the innkeeper. He ate a bit—ugh, it tasted awful.

"Hey, Zack listen!" Sophia leaned in, her beautiful eyes close to Isaac's face.

"I forgot my Bloodheart and Evelyn!!!" Sophia's two weapons—a flintlock pistol named Evelyn and a dagger named Bloodheart—had been lost when her clothes were destroyed in the explosion. The weapons would have survived, but she'd been too overwhelmed to pick them up, even though she'd remembered the gag and shackles.

"What's that?" Isaac asked between mouthfuls.

"My pistol and dagger!!! The dagger was left to me by Vlad, that bastard! You must help me get them back!" Sophia, usually an ice-cold queen, now pouted like a spoiled princess.

"Who's Vlad?" Isaac asked, and Sophia glared—"Uh! Y-yes, my lady, we need to find your weapons, right? They must've been picked up—there were so many people at the blast site…"

"That's easy." Sophia opened her mouth and spun in a 360. She seemed to shout, but Isaac heard nothing.

"Found them!" She'd used echolocation to pinpoint their location.

Isaac followed Sophia, who used her mouth like a sonar every few steps, closing in on her weapons. Eventually, they entered a tavern. Sophia did her scan again, an unseemly gesture that almost caused trouble. But it worked, and she found the thief with her weapons.

They sat beside him.

"Sir, that gun and dagger are mine," Sophia declared directly.

The thief was shocked; he'd found them by chance after the explosion and thought no one could know.

"Miss, you—?" the thief tried to play dumb.

"Don't play games. You picked them up at the explosion site, right?" Sophia's eyes turned from their usual icy blue to blood red—the mark of her soul-control ability.

"Y-yes…" The thief's will collapsed under her gaze. "But… but you can't prove they're yours… You'll have to buy them off me."

"You dare bargain with me?" Sophia was used to making demands, never the other way around.

"Gulp…" The thief was frozen with fear, unable to speak. Isaac, afraid Sophia would massacre the bar, jumped in. "We've got money! How much do you want?"

"Ten gold!" the thief blurted, desperate for an out.

"Fine, deal!" Sophia, not wanting trouble, reached for her purse—only to remember her arms were still bound and her money was gone, spent on goblin clothes and jewelry.

"You, pay up!" she commanded Isaac.

"My lady, I only have five gold coins, plus six silver, and I spent two gold on food. I really don't have enough—you know I'm not lying," Isaac pleaded.

Sophia knew he was honest—she'd read his mind before and trusted him.

"No choice. Here, I'll give you my magic golden earrings for the weapons." Sophia shook her head, the ancient, enchanted earrings sparkling. "These are my mother's. They're antiques over nine hundred years old. Sell them and you'll get thousands of gold. But if you lose or damage them, I'll rip your heart out." Her eyes flashed red again.

The thief didn't want to look into her terrifying eyes, so he studied the earrings instead—real gold, ancient make, and clearly magical. This woman was no ordinary noble.

Hearing they were from Sophia's mother, Isaac's heart softened. He didn't know how old Sophia was, but he knew vampires lived for centuries. Her mother must have passed long ago. Greedy as he was, Isaac was soft-hearted toward girls.

"No need for your earrings, my lady. Sir, if you want ten gold, take this instead." Isaac slipped off a silver ring. "It was my mother's, made by elves. Not as valuable as those earrings, but worth at least twenty gold."

Sophia was touched by Isaac's sacrifice—she'd judged him right.

The thief confirmed the ring's value and traded the weapons for it.

"Zack, you really do have a soft spot for damsels." Sophia teased him as they left the tavern.

"Zack, you keep the dagger and gun with the sword." Bloodwing opened a slit, passing out Evelyn and Bloodheart without exposing Sophia's nudity. Bloodheart was an ornate double-edged dagger with a gold crossguard, red handle, and a fine ruby pommel. Evelyn was a red-and-gold flintlock in full gothic style.

"Is that alright?"

"Of course! You bought them back!" Sophia winked, "Besides, if you get hurt, just stab someone with the dagger and you'll recover."

Really? Isaac was stunned. The Bloodheart dagger was a vampire relic; stabbing someone would transfer their blood to the wielder—even humans could use it, though not as well as vampires.

"If necessary, you can even stab me with it~❤." Sophia winked, teasing, "Anywhere you like~♥."

Isaac blushed, took the weapons, and walked ahead.

This experience drew them closer—Isaac was no longer afraid for his life. "So, my lady, do we proceed to the military camp as planned?"

"No, we have to retrieve something first." Sophia realized she'd have to shackle her legs again to avoid suspicion in the human world, putting her in a passive state. Even if she cut off her limbs in an emergency, the collar would prevent quick regeneration.

A vampire's soul was stored in the heart, not the brain (hence, a staked heart killed a vampire). Only total destruction of the body allowed the soul to migrate to the head and regrow the body—a process taking at least a week. Regeneration without magic took days. And as a daywalker with human traits, Sophia hated pain. She could endure it in battle for honor and adrenaline, but otherwise avoided it at all costs—she feared even bug bites. And bound with her magic sealed, she couldn't even cut her own limbs free.

But to deal with humans, legs alone were enough. Now free of shackles, her legs could use eighty percent of their power—slightly less than an ogre. While not the best fighter in the world, she was elite among vampires, more than enough to crush humans.

But to enter the camp, she'd have to shackle her legs again—unless she found the ultimate key. No way would she risk another supreme Unlock spell; that required a massive blood-fueled field to suppress the collar and avoid another magical explosion.

"Zack, ever heard of the master key?" Sophia, elbows still tied, bent down, her pretty face close to Isaac's.

"That's just a legend. Does it really exist?"

"Of course, and there's more than one."

"You mean…?"

"I know where one is, because I hid it myself."

"What?" The master key existed—and Sophia was one of its owners?

"I never needed it, but I wanted to see if any human adventurers could find it. I hid it four hundred years ago in a cave in northern Citalia. Citalia's a southern peninsula full of city-states, once unified as the ancient Rorsen Empire, whose capital was Rosen City. The continent's name, Rosenland, is in honor of that empire."

"And how do you know nobody found it?"

"I'm guessing~" Sophia winked.

"So… we're going to Citalia? That's far…"

"By carriage, three days at most."

"What? Carriage? That'll cost at least two gold…"

"You have three, don't you?" Sophia gave him a sly smile.

Isaac had no choice but to pay two gold and five silver for a place in a merchant caravan heading to Citalia.

Half a day later—

It was late at night, the caravan camped en route, Sophia found a shady spot to rest.

Suddenly, an arrow flew from the darkness, killing a caravan guard.

"Bandits!!" The cry rang out, weapons drawn.

Isaac ran to hide behind Sophia.

"Such a coward, Zack."

Swords clashed, then quieted.

The caravan leader's severed head was tossed into the camp from afar. "Hey, all of you over there, get over here now. You're my prisoners!" shouted the bandit chief.

"Lady Dominax, what do we do?" Isaac whispered, lost.

"I told you—we're prisoners now!" Sophia threw Isaac a flirtatious wink, though he didn't look reassured. Still, he had no choice but to follow her, his lady cloaked in Bloodwing, toward the dark ring of bandits.

The other merchants were rounded up and tied, blindfolded and gagged. The three women of the caravan, plus the leader's daughter Vivian, were given special treatment: each was tightly crotch-roped and hogtied, their bodies prepared to satisfy the bandits' vile appetites. Everyone knew what fate awaited them. Most captives would be sold to the pirate lords or chieftains of Etta in the east, where slavery still persisted. As for the women…

Sophia and Isaac were last to be brought before the bandits. One bandit stepped up, gripping Sophia's fine chin. "This one's the real prize—an absolute beauty, better than the rest. She needs to be tied up good and proper."

"That's right, Mr. Bandit. I can't wait for you to hogtie me like those other girls—maybe even hang me up and play with me a bit." Sophia, as always, teased with her eyes, even though she'd never actually been subjected to such things outside of dreams. But centuries of drinking blood filled with the memories and experiences of others meant she understood every sordid bondage game without ever living them herself.

"Hah! Filthy whore, just how I like 'em!" The bandit grabbed at Sophia's breast through Bloodwing. Her expression darkened immediately. The bandit, not looking at her face, missed the flash of red in her eyes—the kind that could make grown men piss themselves with fear. He turned to his crew, still oblivious to the consequences. "Bring the rope—tie this lady up for me!"

"Wait, mister, I have a little secret for you," Sophia's voice went cold and low beside the bandit's ear.

"Oh, sweet nothings? Go on, let's hear it." The bandit leaned in, still not seeing the blood-red eyes—eyes of the world's most dangerous predator.

"It's this: Hell will be saving a spot for you." And with that, Sophia's fangs shot out, plunging deep into the bandit's throat. In less than a second, he was a desiccated corpse.

He couldn't even scream. Sophia used the energy in his blood to cast a suppression field on her collar. First things first: she conjured herself a new outfit and thigh-high heels with her magic—a skintight leather catsuit, over-the-elbow gloves, and boots, all radiating dominatrix power.

"Finally, some clothes again. Damned nuisance." Sophia glanced down at her leather-queen outfit with a cold snort.

A few bandits noticed their fallen comrade. One drew his sword and strode toward Sophia.

Thunk! His torso was suddenly blown open—Sophia's queenly kick, focused through her heel, hit with ogre-like force, tearing the man apart with raw pressure.

The motion pulled her crotch-rope tight again—luckily, the latex catsuit blocked some of the feeling, though Sophia still had to clamp her legs together and pause a few seconds to recover.

"Oops, overdid it. Can't drink dead blood. Don't abuse the animals, after all," she chuckled, regarding humans as nothing more than livestock.

The rest of the bandits finally realized they were up against a monster and charged. Sophia, inhumanly swift, dashed at the nearest, spinning to his side and sinking her fangs into his neck. Another corpse.

She zipped to a third—but this sudden speed overwhelmed her overstimulated lower body, a fresh rush of liquid spilling out as her legs went weak, causing her to stumble. The bandit's sword slashed down—Bloodwing, no longer suppressed, blocked it and twisted around to strangle the man, pulling him to the dirt. Sophia crawled up and bit deep.

At last, the surviving bandits understood the horror before them and scattered in panic.

"Only three bloods taken… This field will last ten minutes at best." Sophia licked the blood from her lips and had Bloodwing wipe her mouth like a napkin. "Maybe I should reconsider my rule about not hunting down fleeing prey…"

"Oh, that's it!" She realized that with the field's time running out, she needed to act. She quickly poured her remaining magic into Bloodwing—since Bloodwing itself could store energy and was immune to the collar's suppression. She also transferred a portion of her magic into the ruby pommel of the Bloodheart dagger, which Isaac carried. The Bloodheart was both weapon and conduit, its gem able to store as much magic as a human archmage. Within seconds, the collar's suppression field faded, and Sophia's powers were sealed once more—but the area was safe and empty.

"Well? Hero's job to rescue the damsels, isn't it?" Sophia called to the still-stunned Isaac.

That snapped him out of it—everyone else was blindfolded, so no one had witnessed what happened. Isaac quickly untied them all and took all the credit for saving the day, instantly becoming the camp hero. The three women were especially grateful; Vivian, weeping for her lost father, clung to Isaac for comfort, and he enjoyed every second.

Sophia, her powers sealed again, found her physical strength returned and Bloodwing bolstered. She now had a quicker way to reach Citalia.

Next morning, with the survivors unsure whether to continue or turn back, Sophia "insisted" Isaac say goodbye to the four women who still gazed at him with longing.

"My lady, we're not taking the carriage anymore?" Isaac asked, still longing for the four new admirers.

"I have a better plan." Sophia eyed him and added, "But no funny business. And no filthy thoughts, either."

Isaac had no idea what she was planning—but not thinking filthy thoughts? That was a tall order for someone like him.

Sophia said, "Come here. I'll carry you."

Isaac finally understood: she was going to "carry" him to Citalia herself. With her arms bound, it would be more like having him straddle her neck.

"Listen up." Her eyes flashed blood-red, terrifying Isaac into a cold sweat. "This is only because we need to get there fast. Normally, I'd never allow anyone to be higher than me—you are receiving an honor beyond measure." She glared; Isaac's legs almost buckled.

"When it's done, your memory will be wiped. This never happened."

Isaac nodded like a bobblehead, sweat soaking his clothes.

"Hurry up!" Sophia barked. Isaac, scared witless, carefully climbed up, placing his legs over her shoulders.

His erection pressed against her hair and the back of her head. "You bastard!" Sophia yelled, flinging him off with a jerk.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Isaac yelped.

"I—I—uh—" Isaac stammered, not knowing what to say.

"Forget it. All men are the same. Sit tight." Sophia, seemingly restraining her anger, crouched again. This time, Isaac shielded his groin as he climbed up, terrified of another incident. Sophia rose, then burst into a run like a thoroughbred. If not for the collar, she'd have moved even faster.

Isaac, terrified, clung to Sophia's head. After a second, he realized what he'd done and froze—sure he was about to die.

But Sophia didn't mind. She did think, though, that in ordinary times she'd never let a human ride her like this. But with her powers sealed, this was the only way to reach her goal quickly. She consoled herself: this was all just a game—a challenge, and if it wasn't challenging, it wouldn't be fun. Only she and Isaac would know, and she'd erase his memory afterwards. It would be as if it never happened.

Isaac, meanwhile, tried desperately not to think of anything lewd, knowing Sophia could read his mind.

Sophia, once again blushing at the thought of her dignity as a noble being trampled, quickly suppressed the shame. For Isaac, a wicked impulse surfaced: to treat his "mount" like a real horse, to put a bit in her mouth and a harness on her, and whip her into obedience.

A second later, remembering Sophia could read minds, his erection wilted in terror.

The friction from running sent waves of heat through Sophia's body—she'd foreseen this. But she'd stored plenty of energy in Bloodwing, so with a single leap she soared three stories high, Bloodwing expanding into great bat-wings to carry them into the sky.

Without the collar, she could have flown at supersonic speed, like a dragon. Now she was only slightly slower than an eagle—but still much faster than a horse. Mountains passed beneath them in moments.

"First time flying, Zack?"

"Yes—it's incredible!" Isaac was awestruck by the scenery.

"Just wait—it gets better." Sophia, scanning with her supernatural sight, saw they were close to their destination and dove into the forest, weaving between the trees at low altitude.

Every second, a trunk seemed about to smash into them, then Sophia would swerve at the last instant. Isaac was petrified.

Sophia reveled in showing off—there was no danger for her; she could echolocate like a bat, see infrared, and in the past, she'd even crash for fun to relieve boredom. Most of the time, obstacles were smashed to pieces by Bloodwing's supersonic power.

She'd never, ever checked for danger.

Turning to Isaac with a smug grin, "Zack, you want to see any tricks—"

Swish! For the first time in her life, Sophia hit something in flight—and it didn't break.

Isaac was flung far, face-planting into the dirt.

Sophia's instincts screamed—she was stuck fast, glued to a giant spiderweb.

Damn it! That human distracted me with his antics! This is all his fault!!!

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