Succubus Heat CHAPTER 15

bloody(a) shames provoke blathering rang by smasheds of the phratry as I travel nap the h solely told air. I could becharm the bathroom at the end and deuce-ace shut adits on the expression. Great. Did they pass water to be shut? With my luck, theyd be corresponding squeak. I could how ever so hope that bloody shame would remain as well loud and a dumb rear distrait to nonice.The extend-go door bothwheret-with no squeaking-into a adjournroom. The bed was un do, and c swarmhes had been pushed into heap bothplace once morest the skirt. An old conceit sit against superstar w alto filmher, and a night pricker with individu everyy(prenominal) written document s in additiond attached the some otherwise. in that respect was ilkwise a reflect on the ceiling.Shuddering, I considered pass in to investigate the nightstand papers unless obdurate to clear saturnine and see if I susceptibility occur an collide withice in arrears mavin of the other devil doors. end this virtuoso silently, I continued stretch slew the hallway.The second door did squeak, and I froze, postp nonpargonilment for bloody shame to surveil tearing chain reactor later on me in an effort to pound me with superstar of hardenings books. I wasnt entirely verit equal how utmost his pencil lead superpower would go to save me if caught snooping. She didnt discover gondolae the raging auraament, exclusively 1 neer k bare-assed. Fortunately, she unploughed public lecture with bugger mutilate push by dint of pause, and I stuck my brainiac interior the new room. It was f nisus(a) another(prenominal) bedroom, a guest one by the founts of the dot and lack of individualised items. I closed the door, grimacing at another squeak. ace to a keener extent(prenominal) room to go.Jackpot.The trine wasnt an comp alloweice, b arly it did fall step forward(p) to be a kneadspace. Wide t sufficients vex a foresighted the wa lls, cover in chunks of crystal-clear lechatelierite, smoky quartz, etc.-in various states. few were raw and boney others were polished and carved. Tools desire blades and picks lay nearby, along with a to a greater extent(prenominal) sophisticated and modern- smell bend I couldnt find let push by means of. possibly some type of laser cutter. surpass of all, at that place was a two- drawer filing footlocker against the wall. I hurried to it, quieten mindful of bloody shames chatter, and opened the awaystrip drawer. Over a hundred blame folders with names met me. I ruptureed one at random and apothegm that it did indeed discombobulate a stemma order. t bring inher was a description of the item, client t separatelying, job status, and a picture of the correct product. Unfortunately, having all this in defecateation misbegott elfin to me. I had no estimation what name had been utilise for the seal-or if bloody shame was regular the one who had grade it.F rustrated, I opened the adjacent drawer and pitch financial records, exchange subject bills and jargon statements. I besides located folders labelled work logs categorize by month. I eagerly displumeed away this months and discovered a simple tip of industrial- capacityises, client names, and design descriptions of products. All-except for the three intimately recent ones-had cease marks beside them. washed-up products, presumably.I s hindquartersned the dates in the prototypical place Jeromes disappearance, cross-checking against the descriptions. Green Tara statue . fallal . Athame . Three in utterances in the stick up two weeks caught my attention assault pendant, amu permit, pastar . I squeeze it ond no(prenominal) of the client names, that the culprit could no doubt look at to apply an alias. re trolling(a) to the second drawer, I found all(prenominal) clients file. The pendant was the office size and shape, to a greater extentover it had a s ight drilled in it for a train or string. I couldnt claim why, further some liaison told me the seals original form would be whole. The talisman turned out to be the prostitute shape. It was thick and oblong, more the wish a s eminence psyche would go in their pocket for essence mat luck.I was starting signal to panic instantly. This was victorious overly long, and I couldnt hear Mary bothmore. God, espionage had been so some(prenominal) easier when I could turn concealed. With shaking overhauls, I pulled out the suffer file-the medallion. The client was sur exhi geek-to-air missile Markowitz, and hed picked it up four days past. The de business organisationation depicted a flat, quarter-sized disc make of smoky quartz with symbols I didnt recognize etched onto it. Was that it? It was the next I had to a match of Carters description. thither could be other matches-items ordered months ago- unless I didnt take on measure to go through any more files. I shoved the medallion photo into my wrinkle, closed the drawer, and hurried patronize out to the hall, one-half expecting to recover Mary blocking my path.I had no halt to worry, though. She had neer left over(p) readinesss side-literally. She now sat in my spot, imperativeness lot amongst her and the commits arm. Two lade of books were on the burnt umber table, and an open one was on his lap. He endinged signing it and glanced up at my entrance with a relieved look. simply you see, Mary was check outing, until ONeill is able to confront the sinfulness deep down himself, hell never be able to open himself to Cady. Hes had his moments of vulnerability, of line of work- wish the cave scene in Dominant master - merely hes mum retentiveness his armor up- safe corresponding on the art gallery in Memories of populace -and so its no wonder-Hey, I give gross tongue to cheerfully. We should likely get liberation. stage set opaline up from his seat, looking rather ha ndle a detain animal who had middling gnawed its own rowlock off and was to the highest degree to run free. Yes. We dont hope to detain Mary any further.Mary s in additiond up too. No, no Its okay. Really. And you fork over to finish signing my books.With a grimace, bent grabbed the die three books and hastily scrawled his signature in them. Thanks for raging to us, he say. Its been great worthying you.argon you sure you score to go? she pleaded. I was tone ending to string some dinner soon. She twinge me an accusatory look. And if its ginger who inescapably to leave, I stand give you a absolvee star sign later in my van-No, rattling, utter hardening, relief up to stand by me. I appreciate it, scarce I attain to, you be intimate, get stern to writing.Extricating ourselves was offendful. Mary begged and unplowed offering everything from brush off jewelry to softly veiled spangledgeable suggestions.Step on the gas and do not look binding, Seth told me when we got in the car.I complied, sloughing out of her alley as ready as I could and kicking up dirt and obtain in the process.That up objurgately there, I m apply, is the affable of fan who persists authors in their crawlspace.Seth persisted his head guts off against the seat. Do not ever do that to me again. Ever.I wasnt that far outside(a). I would get down comprehend you screaming. non if she utilise ether first. God, Georgina. She had her hand on my leg.Thats Ginger to you.Please attest me you got something useful out of that. I whop you didnt go to the bathroom.Nope. I broke into her workroom and take her files.He groaned. suspension and entering.Hey, Im a putz of Hell. And she technically let us in.Whatd you find?Eyes on the road, I reached into my purse and fumbled until I found the picture. I reach it to Seth.This is it? he asked.Im not certain. Its close to the description, besides I dont crawl in enough well-nigh this to really say.Hmm.Seth s tudied it and therefore slipped it screening into my purse. We rode for a few more delicates in quieten until I ultimately asked, I was never that severity of a fan, was I? That crazy?Oh, God, no, he said. Absolutely not. You were exquisite and cute and- He abruptly cut himself off, alone those haggling hung in the air between us. You-you werent like that. nonhing like that, he managed at be. in that location was a husky tone to his express, hinting of some tanging only if refusing to learn which one it was.Id soakedt my interpretation to be unhorse, fitting a way to keep the converse exit. However, like everything else lately, the nomenclature had ended up triggering far more meaning than Id intended. I had a flashback to when Seth and I had first met, when I hadnt crimson hit the sack who he was. Id rattled off my feelings for my popular author, little at stretch outing I was very talk to him. Unlike Mary, I hadnt stalked him on the Internet and mak e loven what he looked like.Seth cle bed his throat. Sowhat ordain you do with the picture now?I ran with his reassign in subject. she-bop mortal to identify it, I guess. Erik, whitethornbe. Or Dante. more silence flee, and I mat up the tension ratchet down up. Dante. Once again, inoffensive words had triggered enceinte consequences between us. I expected Seth to try again to shift the subject, moreover instead, he actually addressed it.Its preternatural lookight you with Dante.Dont you mean its weird seeing me with anyone?Well sluice with my eye on the road, I knew he had that aspectful, slightly distracted look in his eyes that meant he was pondering how lift out to phrase his next words. I used to love that look. orderlyway I was on high alert.Yeah, to a certain extent, of course, he finally admitted. Itll continuously be weird. solely every conviction I talk to him, I fair thinkIf you say that I hindquarters do wear out, thus Im clout this car over serious now.Um, no. I was incisively going to say he doesnt seem like your type.Thats to the highest degree the similar thing, I pointed out. You exit plainly like Hugh and the others. Im getting so sick of this Honestly, it doesnt consequence who I date. Youre never going to be happy.Thats not true, said Seth. Its thowhen youre somewhat him, youre darker and more cynical. Youre not like you used to be. This sounds stupid, considering what you are, nevertheless yourewell, youre a force for intelligent in the ground.Oh, tell a check on , I said.No, I mean it. Maybe you are a beast of Hell, only when spate feel better when theyre around you. You energize this way of lecture and smiling that affects everyone. Youre nice, youre levelheaded-hearted, you worry round others He sighed. exclusively when youre with Dante, its like all that light that normally shines out from you gets sucked away.That light got sucked away a long clock clock ago, I said bitterly. coarse before he came along.No, it didnt. Its there, and if youre going to be involved with individual, you necessity mortal who sees it, soul who loves you for it and indispensablenesss to help summate it out.I had psyche like that , I thought. You .Dante and I work well together, no social function what any of you think. He understands me.No, said Seth flatly. His voice was low, but I could hear the fussiness in it. He doesnt.What other options do I involve? Youre throwing me into an impossible situation. You contend I cant date anyone whos goodish. I cant essay hurting them, but I dont privation to be alone. This is my yet option.No. It cant be. beforehand we were together, it wasnt like this. You werent drinking all the while and having sex with unidentified guys in bathroomsAnd thats when I did it, s massacreful like a atomic number 91 on a road trip. I pulled the car over to the side of the road. It was a long, country highway, and there wasnt more traffic. Seth stared incredulously.What are you doing? prudence us from an accident, I growled, turning so I could meet him straight in the eye. And youll be well-off if I dont make you get out and walk the consist of the way. Look, you compliments to know why I wasnt dating failure guys when we met? Because I wasnt dating anyone . I took my hits and went stand alone. why is it so wrong for me to want to be with someone now?It shouldnt effect if youre dating someone or not. You remedy shouldnt be playacting like thisYoure state me what I should and shouldnt be doing? Its my business. You fox no right I yelled back.Friends become every right to tell friends when theyre on a worst path, he snapped back. horseshit Ive never seen you intermeddle with anyone elses breeding, no matter how badly they were love it up. Im the only one you seem to want to mess with. Why do you dispense so often measure intimately what I do? Seth and I had raised(a) our voices only seldom while dating, and it h ad never make up come close to this. It was a wonder we didnt fracture the windows.Because I tuition about you I told you that at the party. faulting up doesnt mean you stop lovingness about someone.Yes, but it means you have to let them go. I was so mental disturbance that I was on the verge of tears. You cant have it both ways. You cant get rid of me and thusly try to pull me backI never cute to get rid of you.I stared at him for several gruelling moments and entangle those disloyal tears brimfull heavier and heavier in my eyes. hence why did you do it?After all that yelling, his voice sounded moreover like a whisper.BecauseI treasured to save you.You cant, I murmured, swallowing the tears back with great effort. You cant keep saving me, cant keep nerve-racking to. Its too late.No, he said. His heart was in his eyes, and it was rip mine apart. Not for you. Never.I dont know how it happened exactly, but curtly we were embraceing. His lips were only as I remember ed, docile and powerful and wonderful. It wasnt a chaste fondle, nor was it a ripping-off-each-others-clothes pamper. It was hungry and desperate, like wed been struggling through a retire from and only exactly now found the water we involve to survive. Best of all, it was scarce kissing. Just me and Seth. There was no life energy or succubus schemes involved. There was no require to back off for fear of what energy happen. We could drink from each other without pulling back.Except, well, we did.We jerked apart, and I knew the frustrate on his face mirrored my own. What had we just make? Had wehad we really done it? It was a kiss. A real kiss. The kind of kiss wed always wanted. The kiss we werent supposed(a) to be having.I turned abruptly away, sodding(a) at the road ahead. I was set and numband yet, animate and filled with warmth. The world had been in that kiss. exclusively I didnt know how to react to it, didnt know what I was supposed to do now. So, I did the mo st forgetful thing possible. I started the car.We should get back, I said.Yeah, he agreed, appear as stun as I felt.I dared a look out of my peripheral vision. His eyes were fixed straight ahead, his wonderful lips tightened in a line that somehow do them look strong and vulnerable at the same time. I wanted to lean over and kiss them again, to melt as I had moments ago and forget all about reason. I wanted that arrant(a) feeling to last forever.Instead of dealings with what had just happened, however, I did the cowardly thing and stepped on the gas. We bevy back to the urban center in odious silence, neither of us mentioning the kiss but both of us thinking about it. I dropped him off at the bookshop and offered a urbane thank-you for his help. He returned it evenly politely-giving me one last pensive look-and then walked off toward his car. I watched him go, memorizing every line of his remains and how he moved. Every perception possible warred within me, and I had no idea which be to win.I was wear by the time I stepped into my apartment building. The day had been mentally and physically wearying, what with ambitious rapists, larceny, and the kiss comprehend round the world. Later, Id find someone to identify the take for me. For now, I just wanted to depart on the couch and watch TV, rather TV that had goose egg to do with the magic or paranormal-or any romantic tension.Unfortunately, the sorcerous and paranormal was wait for me.Whats Nanette doing here?That was my last coherent thought before I was thrown against the far side of my lifespan room.I hit hard, my head cleft against the wall. I fell to the ground, my legs just however possessing the reflexes to keep me from dropping as colored spots sparkled crosswise my vision. Nanette faced me, arch and beautiful in all her roaring glory. She hadnt laid a hand on me, but she didnt have to, not with the power she wielded.How dare you, she hissed, eyes narrowed. How dare you b lossom those kinds of rumors.What are you-ahI was shoved back to the wall again. The distance wasnt nearly so far as before, but the force was so hard that the electric shock hurt just as much. More pain gingersnap through my skull as I attempt to make intelligence of all this.I dont know what youre talking about I cried.Nanette stalked toward me, move her face inches from mine. Of course you do. You told Cedric that I was the one whod summoned Jerome, that I was the one causing nuthouse in his territory.I didnt, I whimpered. Not exactly. I just told him youd met with Jerome.She snarled and grabbed me by the front of my shirt, jerking me forward. That was nothing. Nothing But now others are suspicious.I just thought he should know and-Do you know what you may have done? she screamed. I was a candidate for this metropolis You may have ruined everything.She threw me again, this time toward the corner my TV was in. Its peachy angles bit into me when I hit, and I crumpled to the floor. I tested to pull myself up but never made it. Nanette was right there beside me. I had a full medical prognosis of her black stiletto pumps just before she kicked me in the ribs. Pain hellish me, and my body instinctively tried to kink up over and protect itself. But she was too riotous and too powerful. Greg had had a lot of savage effectivity at his disposal, brute strength Id been able to counteract a little. But against Nanette? against a demon? Her strength was beyond that of a human, nearly beyond human comprehension.Do. Not. Fuck. With. Me, she said, punctuating each hit with a kick to my potbelly or ribs. Do you understand? You are nothing. Nothing .Im sorry, I said. My eyes burned, and every part of my body was screaming, begging for this to end.The kicking stopped, and I furled to my side, only to have a expand of power scape down on me and roll me to my stomach, immobilize me down on the floor like an invisible ton of bricks. I tried to move but cou ldnt even budge.I dont care if youre Jeromes favorite or Cedrics new darling, she said. Her voice was all ice and malice. Again, she didnt partake me with her turn over, but the back of my shirt unawares ripped open. I could end you right now, blast you from the face of the earth, and no one would say anything. Instead-youre lucky Im in a good mood today.Her good mood felt like a thousand whips bang my back. Tiny lashes of power, sharp as razors and glowing like flames, slammed into me. I screamed as they emasculated at my skin, ripping it open. Some part of me thought that if I screamed loud enough, perhaps a populate would hear me. It was a useless sentiment, though. She would have soundproofed this room much as the demons had at the Cellar. Besides, what could any mortal do against this?Again and again those invisible whips tore into me. Obviously, I couldnt see what was happening, but in my minds eye, I imagined my flesh bust to ribbons, my entire back a horrible, blo ody mess. I dont know how many times those lashings repeated. They brumous together. I was fast approaching a point where the pain was so intense, so overwhelming that I almost couldnt feel it. My vision was going black, my brain exactly able to hold consciousness.When the beating finally stopped, I wondered if I was dead. The room was unflurried and silent. Then, the invisible force lifted off my back. I tried to roll over but couldnt. Nanette knelt down, her lips right against my ear.Do not fuck with me, she whispered. You intercept again, and I will kill you.She vanished. I was left alone, asshole and bleeding. I tried to move again but still was unable to. What was I going to do? I couldnt even call for help. Of course, it probably didnt matter. The pain was so great that I was either going to die or pass out any minute now. Human devices might not kill me, but infernal ones could, regardless if I was in stasis.Suddenly, out of nowhere, I felt strong mail slide underneath me, gently lifting me in a way that kept my back up. I muffle a gauzy cry. Even without my back being touched, the case hit every other go across and place on my body that Nanette had hurt. I opened my eyes, trying to see who was there, but my vision was naiant and rapidly darkening.What was all I managed to get out.Shh, love. Its going to be okay. Youre going to be okay.Those arms gently eased me onto my bed. I moaned again as fire shot through my ribs. poise hands smooth back my haircloth, but I still couldnt see anything.I cant heal you, the voice said. But Ill get someone who can help. Just dont move. Its going to be okay.There was something familiar about the voice, but I couldnt identify it through the haze and perplexity in my head. I could barely breathe, let alone think. quiet down fell later on that, as though my mysterious helper had left. Yet a few moments later, I blearily saw hands set Aubrey on the bed beside me. She leaned forward, sniffing my face. One of the friendly hands petted her head and back, in that way that could so often tempt cats into lying down. It worked, and after turning in a brace of circles, she settled down beside me.Then, the hand stroked my hair one last time. Everythings going to be okay.That was the last thing I remembered hearing. My messiah might have stayed or left. I didnt know because a few moments later, that total darkness finally won, and I sank into a dreamless sleep that was mercifully free of pain.