Succubus Heat CHAPTER 13

Hearing Cedric assure me I couldnt die lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. I left the Cellar with lots less anxiety, though I still had no intention of doing anything that might test how exactly wed heal from decapitation. So, while I still operated with caution, I no longer felt suffocated or threatened by forevery aspect of the world.Rather than go home, I drove down to Dantes patronise. His store/a break apartment was in Rainier V all in alley, on the s placeheast side of Seattle. He had no regularly posted hours for his assorted psychic services, but he would usually hang around at that place at night if he had nothing else to do. It tended to be the sequence drunk people or couples out on dates (or high teens) would wander in smell for fun and novelty. Daytime business hours didnt generally bring out that many who were seeking help from the divine unless, perhaps, it was some(prenominal)one seeking advice on stock trading.Dante had no customers tonight, however. The s hop and its flickering neon sign seemed sad and lonely. I pushed through the unlocked door and found him leaning against the checkout counter, leafing through a copy of Maxim .What gives? I asked. Your subscription to Frauds and Scams Weekly run out?He glanced up at me with a smile, flipping black blur out of his face. erect needed something pretty to look at since I didnt do it when Id be seeing you again.I planted a kiss on his cheek. Holy shit. Thats the sweetest thing youve ever said to me.Yeah, well, I a resemblingshie make some filthy sexual suggestions to you if youd prefer.What, and ruin foreplay for next time?This made his grin grow, and he close the magazine. To what do I owe the pleasure? Shouldnt you be visiting our neighbors to the north? Or is that done? I honestly cant go on track.Well. About that. God, how I was liberation to explain what had happened? Had all of this seriously happened in just one day? It felt analogous a year had gone by since I got vert iginous in the car. Something strange happened today.Strange like you s darkened out of Jane Austen books at the store or strange like the rules of time and space as we whap them are intimately to be ripped apart?Mmm much like that last one.Shit.I took a deep breath, figuring I should just get the full-size hooey out of the way. Theres no easy way to put this, butIm not a succubus any much.I never believed you were a succubus.I groaned. That had been an old joke between us when wed first met. Oh, the irony. Im serious, I said. No more succubus. And Jeromes disappeared too, possibly opening up Seattle to a new demonic reign.Dante stared at me, look speculative as he assessed me for the truth. He was speechless for the first time Id known him. non waiting for more witty commentary, I plunged forward. I explained astir(predicate) the summoning, what it had done to all of us lesser immortals, how demons everywhere were now sizing up Seattle, and why I needed to find Jerome as soo n as possible.When I finally finished, it took Dante several moments to gather his fantasys. Soyouve seriously incapacitated your succubus powers?Abilities, I corrected. And yes, I produce. Are you saying that after all that other(a) stuff I just told you about the balance of power in Seattle, my succubus status is what caught your attention the most?He shrugged. You gotta admit its weird. Besides, that other stuff doesnt affect me. You do. His malls narrowed. Am I going to have to use a condom now?What? No. Of course not.You sure?Youve never batted an eye oer me stealing pieces of your soul these last few months, but the nonexistent threat of child support unawares scares you?Well, yeah, seeing as my bank accounts got more in it than my soul.I glanced around the shabby room. Debatable.Cute, he conceded. But Id be asking a few more questions about all of this if I were you. Like, can you die?I already asked that one, I said smugly. And the answer is no. Our immortal bodies are still essentially the same. Were just disregard off from all the perks. I hoped he didnt ask about decapitation because I honestly wasnt in the mood to debate that.Okay, so what do you want from me? he asked.What makes you stand for I want anything?He looked at me.Okay, maybe I do want something. But come on, who else would know more about this stuff than you?Who knows more about demons? Hmm, let me conceptualise. I know. How about the demons you work for , the ones who are all-powerful and have been around since the beginning of time?Theyre not all-powerful. Otherwise they wouldnt need a human for the summoning-or end up getting summoned in the first place. And thats what I need you for. There cant be that many humans in the area opened of doing this, are there? You have to know who they are.Dante opened his mouth, no doubt with a snappy reply ready, and then abruptly closed it. I dont know, he said slowly. I dont slide by track of those things.I leaned toward him, incredulou s. Of course you do Do you not want to severalize me? Why?He sighed, his hesitant conceptualization turning typically annoyed. Because those kinds of people get pissed off if you start advertising their names.What, youre afraid theyre going to come beat you up?No. Not exactly. But theres sort ofa professional courtesy in these circles.Ill be discreet. I wont tell them where I got the information.Most of them already know were together. Theyd figure it out. They keep an eye on those kinds of things. He turned considering. Of course, in that same vein, a lot of them know you as a succubus and might just reckon you knew through your own connections.He still seemed hesitant, so I played a mean card. Well, I can always go ask Erik if youre too nervous about it.Erik was another mortal in town who dealt with the occult and paranormal. Unlike Dante, who was a practitioner, Erik simply studied and built up knowledge of the wizard(prenominal) undercurrents in the city. He had a psychics g ifts and was attuned to what most human eyes didnt see. Sometimes he could take down see what immortals couldnt. He and Dante had an old, old grudge and didnt enjoy cosmos around each other, to put it mildly.My attempt to bait Dante didnt work, though. Dont even try it, succubus. Making me jealous of the old man wont make me help you.I looked up at him pleadingly. What will make you help me?He traced the outline of my lips with his fingertip, gray eyes wicked and thoughtful. Not sure its anything you can do while cut off from your super-secret powers. Youre not a sex goddess anymore.Hey, I dont need super-secret powers to be a sex goddess.Just then, three twentysomethings stumbled in, staring wide-eyed at the shop as they tried to stifle nervous giggles. They undoubtedly had the same kind of potential that high teens did. I gave Dante one last frantic plea. Please? Just give me the names. You dont have to do anything else. And I wont say anything. I swear it.Dante scowled, glanced at me, at the potential customers, and then back at me. He told them hed be with them in a minute and then hastily jotted four names down on a scrap of paper. Two of them I recognized.Thank you, I said. I beamed, and to my surprise, something in his cynical expression softened a unretentive.God, that smile, he muttered. You might just be right.About what?You really dont need any powers to be a sex goddess. Your hairs a little messy, though. He walked around the counter and gave me a quick half-hug. Be safe, succubus. Dont test the limits of that not-dying thing.And buy some condoms? I teased.He shrugged. Youre the one who was having prophetic dreams about having kids a little while ago. Turning away from me, he put on his jovial con-man persona and beckoned the group over with pitches about palms and Tarot.Hed spoken the words in a light, off-hand kind of way, but as I slowly walked back to my car, they slapped me in the face.Prophetic dreamsNyxs dreams.The things shed surfacen me during that time had been so vivid that they seemed almost more real than my own life. The thing is, by almost all accounts, Nyx had a grasp on the future and could show people things that would happen to them. That was how she spread chaos in the world, by showing people these visions and making them think they knew how their futures would unfold. Unfortunately, while the visions came true, they never came true the way their victims thought they would. Shed led a lot of people to their deaths that way.Nonetheless, it seemed fairly clear that the dreams shed sent to me had been distractions, not destructive images of what would come. In my visions, shed shown me-over and over-with a daughter, waiting for a man I loved to come home. The dreams had consumed me, almost making me want to sleep and have my energy taken each night. As Id noted while holding Kayla, there was no way any piece of the vision could ever happen to me. I couldnt have any sort of relationship like that. And I sure as shooting couldnt have a daughter, not of my own blood. Immortals didnt reproduce. When Id sold my soul for immortality and shape-shifting, Id given up certain aspects of my humanity. There could be no child for me. Not ever.And barelyI came to a stop on the sidewalk, still about a block away from my car. What if Dante had inadvertently stumbled onto something? What if being in this stasis had altered that piece of me that had lost the ability to conceive? Cedric had said I was still technically immortal, but hed also said my body would respond and heal like a humans. What all did that entail? Would unprotected sex lead to conception? Is that what Nyxs visions had been pointing to? Shed sworn shed shown me the truth. Had she?I was breathing fast again, though at least this time, I knew I didnt have to worry about giving myself a heart attack. Okay. I needed to calm down. This pregnancy possibility was as distracting as the hooking-up-with-Seth possibility. Id never get anyt hing well-mannered if I lost myself in fantasies.With a sigh, I glanced down at Dantes piece of paper, now crumpled in my hand. Id clenched it into a ball without even realizing it as I walked. Id been too preoccupied to even noticeBabies and Seth. The things I wanted most.I forced myself to keep moving toward my car. But as I unlocked the door, I had to wonder ruefully if maybe I shouldnt be so quick to get Jerome back after all.I started following up on Dantes leads the next morning. Leaving my place was a little intemperatelyer than Id expected, though. Despite the fact I got ready upsurge of mornings without shape-shifting, my closet seemed terribly small. And while my hair seemed fine when I finished it, I had a persuasion itd be frizzy the next time I checked the mirror. The only bright part was when I found Dantes watch under the bed. I thought Id lost it yesterday, so at least my accessories collection was still respectable. Nonetheless, I had a feeling I was soon going to discover just how much Id come to rely on my abilities.Locating addresses from Dantes list of names required a little sleuthing here and there, but for the most part, I didnt have much difficulty finding them. Unfortunately, once found, these magicians werent exactly helpful.One of the ones I visited knew me. She was familiar with Hells local anesthetic servants, and while she gave me a small degree of respect, she was as hesitant to answer questions as Dante had insinuated. Two of the other names were people who didnt know me, and that immediately created a problem. With my succubus powers shut off, I had no immortal signature, and both of these people were the types who could backbone that. Me coming in and claiming to be a succubus was met with scorn and disbelief. I managed to glean some information from them but nothing of any use.Equally difficult was that not only could they not sense me, I couldnt sense them. Admittedly, a succubus didnt have the same ability to gauge hu man power the way a full-fledged demon could, but I could occasionally sense magic around a person or object. Today, I was completely blind. I had to rely on my strength to read people, but these dark magicians were as good at cons as Dante. They were well-versed in the art of concealing the truth.It was almost noon by the time I visited the last name, a guy named Greg. I felt pretty discouraged by this point and even cracked and had a cigarette along the way. Greg had no storefront like Dante and mostly worked his spells out of his house, a small bungalow in Wallingford. When he answered the door, his disheveled state told me Id woken him up. On the bright side, he recognized me, which meant I wouldnt have to convince him I was a succubus.What do you want? he asked suspiciously. He was built big and could have had an impressive physique if hed ever gone to the gym. It was obvious he hadnt.I wanted to lecture to you about demon summoning.I dont know anything about it.He started to shut the door. I stuck my foot out to block it. Wait. Do you know anyone who would?No. And even if I did, what makes you think Id tell you? He tried to close the door again, then paused. He narrowed his already too-small eyes at me. Theres something weird about you. No aura.I didnt answer right away. whitethornbe youre losing your touch.This actually brought a small smile. Not likely. What happened? Who got summoned?No one. And even if they did, what makes you think Id tell you? I mimicked.He laughed, a guttural sound that came from low in his throat. When the laughter faded, he studied me for several long seconds, face cunning and speculative. Okay. Ill talk to you. He pushed the door open. Come on in.I gingerly stepped into his living room. The place was a disaster. Dirty dishes were piled on the coffee table, the remains of food indurate and crusty. Dust coated every piece of furniture, and the wood floor looked like it hadnt been swept since the last century. Uneasily, I wonder ed if my new humanlike body was susceptible to germs. some(prenominal) books were piled on the couch, their covers meant to look sinister in shades of black and red with drawings of pentagrams. It put me in mind of Evans faux Satanic accoutrements, though as hard as it was to believe, Evan had a thousand times more class than this guy.Greg offered me neither a chair nor refreshments, which was fine by me. He stood in front of me, fortify crossed. Well? What do you want to know?I want to know if youve done any demon summoning lately.Not that any demons have been summoned, of course.This is speculative, I replied with a simpering smile. I studied as much of his home as I could while I spoke. Beyond him, I could see an equally messy kitchen with a gas stove and magnet-covered refrigerator.You think if Id summoned a demon, Id be living like this? Fuck, Id have plasma-screen TVs and concubines.I recalled the discussion with my friends, noting that any human whod summoned Jerome would si mply keep the demon hidden and not use it for personal gain and errands. Still, if Greg had summoned Jerome on behalf of another demon, there would have been some reward involved. Maybe it wouldnt entail TVs or concubines, but it seemed like thered be some sign of a windfall here. Maybe hed gotten a Swiss bank account.Okay. You know anyone who recently acquired concubines?Nope. But I can give you some names of people whod be more likely. He listed two of the magicians Id already visited.Ive talked to them.Sorry. Not my problem. My eyes returned to the books on the couch. I stepped toward them. May I?Knock yourself out.I picked up one of the books, skimming through it in hopes of finding information about summoning. Nope. It was fluffy evil stuff, exactly like the Army of Darkness propaganda. The second book proved the same. The third, however, was a legitimate spell book, filled with the kind of dark rites Dante practiced. Hopeful, I flipped through the pages one by one. It had some vile contents, but there was nothing about summoning. Gregs willingness to let me browse the books should have been a tip-off that they contained nothing of use.All done?I jerked around. Gregs vocalization was close to me-too close. Id had my back to him while checking out the books, but now he was right behind me. I took a few steps back and bumped the couch.Yeah, I said nervously. Thanks for the help. I should leave now.Not yet, he said, moving closer. You just got here.I tried to wriggle off to the side, but his hands suddenly reached out and grabbed a hold of my arms, pinning me into place.What are you doing? I demanded. There went my heart rate again.I dont know whats going on with all this summoning stuff, but I do know theres a succubus here who doesnt feel like a succubus anymore, which probably means you cant fight like one.I tried to break from his grasp, but his hands were like steel. Youre crazy. Of course Im a succubus. You know I am.Yeah? Then shape-shift away from m e. Turn into a bird. Turn into a bodybuilder.I clenched my teeth and tried to shake his hold again. Let me go, you son of a bitch. You hurt me, and a whole army of demons are going to show up and rip you limb from limb.Not so sure about that, he chuckled. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. You think any succubus would fuck someone like me?He shoved me down onto the couch, one strong arm pinning me in place while the other hand fumbled awkwardly under my shirt and grabbed a hold of my breast. Moving his head close, he tried to press his lips against mine, but I turned my head just in time.Let me go I screamed. I managed to wriggle a leg free and knee him in the gut. It wasnt enough to free me, but it made him scowl.Id upset(a) about getting hit by cars, meteors, and structurally unsound overpasses. Never, never had I thought about being raped. It hadnt been a fear of mine for centuries, not since I realized I could shape-shift into someone larger and stronger, someone capable of throwing off any assailant.Maybe it shouldnt have bothered me so much. Id had sex with plenty of people I didnt like over the years. Id always grimaced and waited it out. But there was something about this that was different. It wasnt my choice, and compounding it all was the feeling of helplessness I had. I despised not having options. I hated not being able to think my way out of something. There was nothing to be done, though. Not this time.The most I could do was keep struggling and flailing. I did have some self-defense training, after all. Id learned to use weapons and punch over the years. Id nailed Niphon pretty good at Christmas. Unfortunately, what I could do now was limited with Greg on me like this. He simply outweighed me. Still, my efforts must have proven annoying because Greg growled and grabbed both my arms in an attempt to flip me over. I yelled profanities at him and got another knee-jab in, close to his groin but not close enough.And thats when it happened.The s mell hit me first. An overwhelming and kill odor of natural gas. I stopped struggling for half a second. I didnt need to be human to know that meant trouble.Before I could do work that further, the kitchen exploded into flames.Fire expanded out into the living room. It didnt quite reach us, but I think Greg must have still gotten burned because he screamed in pain and released his hold on me. His body had shielded the worst from me, and mostly all I felt was a rolling wave of catch fire and air.I didnt bother to think or question anything. Greg had released me in his confusion, and I bolted. I scrambled from the couch and ran out the front door, away from the fire. Away from Greg.I drove off as fast as I could, my Passats tires squealing on the pavement. Sweat poured off me, and my hands could barely grip the steering seethe through their shaking. About a mile away, I heard the singing of sirens, but I couldnt spare a thought for what had happened. I couldnt think about whether Greg had made it out or not. I couldnt think about how a gas leak had miraculously saved me.The only thing I could think about now was getting away and getting to safety.