by Devin Hanson
“Hey,” I smiled happily and patted the bed. “Come here.”
He complied, and I read the uncertainty in his movements. “You look… well,” he said cautiously.
“I’ve never felt better,” I admitted truthfully. “That was amazing.”
David reached out and brushed a lock of my hair behind an ear. “I was worried. You should have reminded me that your birthday has come.”
“Why, would you have taken me out drinking?” I sat up and grinned at him when his eyes flicked to my breasts.
“You have come into your powers now, Alexandra,” he said, and forced his eyes back up to mine.
“Yeah, that’s what my mother said, but so far that’s been a load of shit.”
“Your mother!” David’s eyes widened and he sat up straighter. “You spoke with her?”
“If you can call it that. Cryptic bitch hardly makes any sense. She certainly hasn’t been helpful.”
“But you saw her, in person?”
I shrugged. “Yeah. She shows up, makes me want to punch her, then disappears again.”
David let out a sigh of relief and his shoulders settled a little. “Oh. Well, that’s good. I don’t suppose she told you her name?”
“Uh.” I frowned, trying to remember. “Ma-something. Malt?”
“Mahlat,” David said softly.
“Yes, that’s it.”
“Are you sure of that?”
I shrugged. “Hard to mistake the name.”
He chuckled and tilted his head back to look up at the ceiling. “Yes. She is rather distinctive. Well!” He looked down at me and grinned. “Things are beginning to make more sense.”
“I’m happy for you,” I grumbled. “Everyone seems to know what’s happening to me except for me.”
“Mahlat is one of the seven daughters of Lilith.”
My frown froze on my face. “Sorry. Did you say Lilith?”
“The first consort of Adam. She was a gift to him from God, before He created Eve from Adam’s rib.”
“I know who Lilith is,” I said testily. “I’m just not sure I heard you right. You’re telling me I’m Lilith’s granddaughter?”
“I’m in exalted company,” David grinned.
“I thought Lilith’s daughters were the plagues of mankind,” I objected. “My mother might have been a bitch, but she wasn’t a plague.”
David waved a hand back and forth. “After a fashion. The daughters of Lilith embody the temptations of the deadly sins.”
“Seven daughters, seven sins.”
“Just so.”
“Then which one is my mother?”
“Mahlat is the Succubus of Lust. And you, my dear Alexandra, take after your mother.”
My mind seemed frozen, like an engine with the clutch disengaged but still screaming along in high revs. Automatically, my mouth said, “Well, at least it isn’t Gluttony.”
David laughed, then his smile faded. When he spoke, his eyes were serious, “Alexandra, this is very important. You must not tell anyone who your mother is or accept her offer.”
“Yeah, the Red House already made that abundantly clear.”
“You have encountered the Red House? That was fast work, even for them.”
“They beat me half to death, then warned me against my mother’s offer.”
“If they knew you were lilin, a descendant of Lilith, they would have killed you out of hand. You would be too dangerous in their eyes to be allowed to live.”
I swallowed, remembering the strength of Savit. “You don’t seem afraid of me,” I said in a small voice.
David rolled his shoulders. “Lilith and her kin have no interest in me or mine. I don’t meddle in their affairs, and they extend the same courtesy. But the Red House has been fighting against the demons since God left the world in the hands of mortals. You won’t find another pair of ideologies more at odds.”
I hugged myself. “I don’t want any of this. I just want to live my life.”
“It’s not all bad, though,” David grinned at me. “You inspire lust in others by your very nature. And most women would happily kill to have an ass like yours.”
I rolled my eyes. “Great.”
“Don’t understate it. The last time I witnessed a daughter of Mahlat rise to majority, Hatshepsut became queen of Egypt at age twelve, and rose to Pharaoh before her eighteenth birthday.”
“So, what? I should buy a plane ticket to Egypt?”
David looked thoughtful. “You could do worse things, I suppose, but given the political climate in the Middle East and northern Africa, I think you might find it difficult becoming a ruler.”
“Jesus, David. I’m kidding. Why would I want that?”
“There are other benefits, if temporal power isn’t your ambition,” he shrugged. “Physical strength and speed. You have already experienced your increased resilience.”
“I’m a super hero?” I laughed. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Heroism is a willingness to sacrifice for the sake of others, Alexandra. Nothing more. It is something you already do. Now, your sacrifices can be more meaningful, if that’s the path you choose to take.”
“Great.” I rolled out of the bed and started collecting my clothes. At the rate I was going through underwear around David, I’d have to invest in a stockpile. The underwear I had been wearing was at the foot of the bed, cold and damp. I’d rather go commando than put them back on again, so I dressed without them.
“Whether you choose to use your power or not, there is something you should be aware of. You are a succubus, Alexandra. That will never change, even if you deny your mother to your last breath.”
“I thought you said the children of Lilith were succubuses? Succubae?”
“They are the Succubae, you are a succubus.” The emphasis on the capitalization was clear in his voice. “What do you know of the powers of a succubus?”
I tugged my jeans on and got them fastened, ignoring the way David’s eyes were fixed to my ass. “Uh. Not much.” That was true enough, but I scrounged through memories of time spent with my father. He had brought them up a time or two, but only as commentary. “They’re an old-world demon. They drain the life from men while they sleep. Um, they are alluring temptresses, and having sex with them is unfulfilling.”
“That last one isn’t true,” David said with a waggle of his eyebrows, “but the others aren’t wrong. Consider the illness of Ethan Bishop.”
“What about it? The doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with him. They took blood samples to check for mono, but he won’t know for a few days.”
“It isn’t mono, Alexandra. Mr. Bishop suffers because you slept under his roof with him.”
“What?” I had my bra halfway on and paused with one arm through the strap. I stared at him, then finished shrugging into it.
“When men sleep in proximity to you, they give their regenerative strength over to you. They wake feeling like they did not sleep at all, and you become more alive, more energetic. Stronger. More powerful.”
I gulped. “But… I…”
“And you must be wary of who you engage in intercourse with. There is danger—”
The door swung open and David spun, catlike, his hands raised defensively. My own reflexes were soggy with confusion and my mind was filled with David’s revelation. I was struggling to understand that I was the one responsible for Ethan’s condition, so I recognized the figure in the doorway long before my frazzled nerves had an opportunity to pull a defensive reaction from me.
Ilyena sagged against the doorjamb, naked as the day she was born. She had returned to her human form, and the stab wound above her breast was livid and seeping blood.
“Caradoc,” she groaned, and toppled forward.
Chapter Thirteen
David jumped forward and caught Ilyena before she hit the ground. I grabbed my shirt from the bed and pulled it on as I followed David out into the living room. He carried Ilyena in his arms like a child, and there wa
s a soft concern on his face that was more fatherly than anything else.
I watched as he laid Ilyena down on the couch again and carefully tucked a throw blanket over her nakedness. Up close, I could tell that Ilyena was younger than I was by a year or two. She had a softness of face that gave her an innocent appearance and there were hints of the fox about her. Her nose was dainty and turned up just enough to be noticeable. Her platinum blonde hair could more accurately be described as white, and was thick and full, almost bushy.
Her tilted eyes fluttered as she regained consciousness, and she looked up at David with liquid, sky-blue eyes. “Where am I, Caradoc? I heard voices…”
“You are in my rooms, Ilyena,” David said gently. “You are safe here.”
Ilyena’s eyes slid around to meet mine, and they widened slightly. “And who is she?”
“This is Alexandra… Ascher. She is the one who saved you. We, both of us, are in her debt.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ilyena,” I said politely.
“Who are you, Alexandra?” Ilyena asked weakly. Her eyes held mine, and I couldn’t look away. My vision narrowed to her brilliant blue eyes. The rest of the room seemed gray and out of focus.
“Um… I’m Alex?” I managed.
She finally looked away from me and I took a sudden, deep breath. I felt like I had burst to the surface after staying under water for too long.
“She has no future, Caradoc,” Ilyena whispered.
“It’s okay, child. Rest. Recover your strength. Are you thirsty or hungry?”
“Thirsty,” she nodded.
David glanced at me and I hurried to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. What did she mean, I had no future? I handed the bottle over to David and backed away from the couch to where Ilyena couldn’t see me with those unsettling eyes of hers. David propped her up with a pillow and helped her drink. A minute later, and she was sleeping once more.
I watched as David bent over her, carefully tucking in the blanket. He straightened and tilted his head toward the bedroom. I followed, and David eased the door partially closed, but left it open so he could see out toward where Ilyena lay.
“What does she mean, I have no future?” I demanded. I was trying to keep my voice down, but it was hard.
“Ilyena is a sybil,” David sighed. “An augur. You might call her a prophet or seer, though those have connotations that are incorrect.”
“She sees the future?”
“She sees paths. That she sees no path for you only means there are decisions you must make that are too complex, with too many possible ramifications for her to discern.”
I crossed my arms under my breasts. “That isn’t comforting.”
“She is young.”
I felt a weariness settle over me. I was tired of the world I had been suddenly pulled into. I needed time to process it all, to figure out what my place was in this abruptly unfamiliar world. I wanted nothing more than to return to the way things had been a week ago.
How had I become involved with djinn and sybils and intrigue? Even Ethan had become involved. Elaida was using him somehow, and I couldn’t imagine he would come away from it uninjured.
I should just walk away. Tell David he could take his wealth and cultured aloofness and shove it. I needed the money, though. I had no immediate prospects for income outside of working for David.
“I need to go,” I said.
David nodded. “Of course.” He stepped to the side, freeing my path to the door.
That was it? No argument? No trying to convince me to stay? “I have a lead on who your abductors were,” I said.
“Oh?” David hesitated a moment, then tugged his cuffs straight in a displacement gesture. “Well, I look forward to learning what you discover.”
“Yeah. Uh, I guess I’ll call the hotel when I find out something solid.”
“I will leave a new contact number with the desk for you. I’m afraid I won’t be able to secure a new mobile until the morning.”
“Guess we should have looked for your phone on the way out,” I said with a half-smile.
“Under the circumstances, I find it difficult to complain. It is no matter. The mobile is secure and its contents backed up. Replacing it will be no burden.”
“Right. I’ll… see you later.”
I had my hand on the door when David cleared his throat. “Alexandra. If you plan on returning to Mr. Bishop’s house, I recommend not spending the night there. For his sake.”
Shit. As if things could get worse. Now I didn’t even have a place to sleep. “Oh. Um, thanks for reminding me.”
David nodded solemnly and I pulled open the door and left.
The next morning, I woke in a sour mood. I hadn’t wanted to confront Ethan the night before, so I had texted him saying I would be out late and to not wait up for me. After taking a taxi to recover my scooter from the Jons parking lot, I found a cheap motel where I could sleep without fear of doing further injury to Ethan.
The buzz of energy still lingered from my tryst with David, and only seemed stronger after my night’s sleep. I checked out and tried to not feel guilty when I saw the other guests stumbling around and yawning.
How was I supposed to live? There was no way I could afford a house of my own in Los Angeles. I couldn’t get an apartment without putting my neighbors in danger. I couldn’t stay in hotels for the rest of my life. Even the trashy motel I had slept in had been over fifty dollars for the one night’s stay.
I rode over to Ethan’s house. My helmet was still in Ethan’s car, and I enjoyed the wind blowing through my hair as I rode, my mind wandering in circles. Technically, the scooter wasn’t a motorcycle, and I wasn’t certain about the laws about having to wear a helmet, but I didn’t see a cop on the trip over.
Ethan’s car was in the driveway, and there was no sign of Elaida’s car. Well, that was something, at least. I let myself in and wandered into the kitchen. The counter was covered with piles of brightly colored dish cloths, tumbled mugs and the other knickknacks that Elaida had infested the kitchen with.
The sight cheered me. He had already started cleaning out his kitchen of Elaida’s influence. Good for him. I started the coffee machine and dug through the fridge, piling Elaida’s nasty vegan trash on the island until I uncovered the more honest food pushed to the back.
I had bacon frying and was sprinkling cheese onto scrambled eggs when Ethan came shuffling into the kitchen. He yawned and stretched and looked around the disaster his kitchen had turned into with bemusement.
“Good morning, Alex. When did you get home?”
I dished out some eggs and laid a generous portion of bacon on a plate and handed it to him. “Good morning. Black coffee?”
Ethan grunted something to the affirmative, his mouth full of bacon. I poured him a mug full, using one of his logo mugs, and passed it over before getting some food myself. Ethan took a long swig of hot coffee and gave a gusty sigh.
“Whew. I can’t tell you how much I needed that.”
I smiled at him and nibbled at my bacon. “How did you sleep?” I asked innocently.
“Like the dead. I think I slept for almost twelve hours.”
“That’s good, you look much better. I didn’t see Elaida’s car outside,” I commented.
Ethan scooped up eggs and spoke through the mouthful. “Thanks. I feel better. Elaida’s gone.”
I cleared my throat. How much did Ethan remember of what happened yesterday? The anger and distrust he had felt last night wasn’t in evidence. “About yesterday…”
He sipped at his coffee and raised an eyebrow at me over the rim of his mug. “What about it?”
“Weird day, right?” I asked lamely.
“Yeah, no kidding.” He finished off the last of his bacon, and I took his plate to give him the rest without him asking. “Thanks. You’re the best. I don’t really remember much, to tell the truth. Must have been running a high fever most of the afternoon. It’s just a haze.”
Anisa must have really messed with his head. I dropped my gaze to my plate so Ethan couldn’t see the guilt in my eyes. “You remember Elaida?” I asked.
I glanced up enough to see his nod. “She had abducted David. I remember that much.” His brow furrowed with anger. “She was using me.”
I didn’t dispute it.
“What I want to know,” he continued angrily, “is what she intended to do with David.”
“You did say you were done working for David,” I pointed out carefully. The last thing I needed was for Ethan to go chasing after Elaida.
“Bah. Refill?”
I accepted his empty mug and refilled it. I handed it back to him and sighed. “I’ve been thinking about quitting, too.”
“Really? How come?”
I waved a hand vaguely. How could I even start to explain? “I don’t know. It wasn’t the work I expected.”
He grinned wryly. “That’s investigatory work for you. For what it’s worth, I think you should stick with it.”
“I thought you didn’t want me to.”
My confusion must have been visible on my face because his grin widened. “Well. You can handle yourself. I remember enough of what happened in the sound stage to know that much. And besides. If you quit, who will get answers out of Elaida?”
I raised my mug in a salute. “You have a point.”
He mirrored my gesture. “Well. Now that’s settled.” He sighed happily and stretched. “I could get used to this,” he said with a gesture at his empty plate. “As it happens, I’m not seeing anyone at the moment.” He raised an eyebrow at me and grinned.
I was suddenly aware of my lack of underwear. I grinned back and shook my head. “Sorry, this was a one-time deal. I only cook for invalids.”
He pouted, trying to make it comical, but I saw the desire and disappointment on his face before he could hide it. “Ah well. Can’t blame a guy for trying. So, what’re your plans for the day?”
“I’m not sure. I guess I should investigate Elaida’s auction house. She did say she worked for an auction house, right?” I hurried the subject along, uncomfortable. “Also, I have a few personal errands to run.”