Legacy of the Succubus

by Kim Schubert

  “What are you?” Luharposn whispered.

  “Really?” I asked, taking a step toward him. “I thought you of all people would know.”

  His silence was annoying. “Where are the Queens?” I demanded, tired of these games.

  “Somewhere you’ll never find them.”

  I groaned.

  I hijacked his murky tendrils, wrapping them thickly around his legs and middle, squeezing for good measure.

  I felt his resistance, his attempt to take back what I had stolen. His attacks were minimal, and my relief at being able to contain him immense. My greatest fear, neutralized. Score one for the abandoned hybrid.

  Reaching for the walls of the bubble, I gave a tendril a spearhead end, punching it through. My ears popped and I heard Garrick and Declan fall, unprepared for the sudden disappearance of the barrier.

  Declan was at my side in a moment, quickly using his own magic to take in what was happening. He clearly had some opinions on the matter, but kept them to himself.

  “Now again, where are the Queens?” I asked. Luhaposn sneered.

  I sighed, “I’m open to ideas on how to torture him.”

  Declan smiled. “I’ve got this.”

  “Oh, do share.”

  He laughed, “Secrets are meant to be kept.”

  “Party pooper,” I groaned. I had not beaten him enough.

  “Just hold him—” He paused. “With … his own magic.” He shook his head in disbelief, walking slowly to the tall and disgusting Fae struggling against my/his own hold. He had created the bonds well.

  “He can pull information from a mind,” Garrick whispered close to my ear.

  I nodded, watching Declan reach a hand tentatively over to Luharposn, who snapped white teeth at his fingers. I wrapped my own tendrils around his mouth and the fire in his eyes roared to life.

  I laughed. Logan leaned against me, checking my mental faculties. I wasn’t being overwhelmed like I had been many times with the emotions I pulled. I wondered if since I had pulled from such a pure source, the repercussions would be different. I just felt calm and happy.

  Happy I could defend my family. Happy I could eliminate the threat of the Fae. Happy my life was coming together again. Yes, I had lost Grams, and while I would always love her and miss her, this life was pretty amazing as well.

  Luharposn screamed, and it was a beautiful sound my soul rejoiced in.

  “How much pain do you want him in before I kill him?” Declan asked. Oh yeah, we were going to be friends after this.

  “As much as you got,” I answered, smiling wickedly, meeting his hazel gaze.

  After Luharposn had screamed and writhed and begged, Declan took his hand away with a nod, sweat dotting his brow. “I have it, I know where they are.”

  He is Anna’s father, Logan said to me.

  He was, I answered, pulling my gun and shooting Luparhosn between the eyes.

  He dropped, only my magic keeping him upright. I waited a moment, feeling his soul leave his body, taking its last breath before pulling out of his magic. It disappeared, his body turning to ash before our eyes. Tears welled in my eyes at that horrible chapter in my life ending, finally.

  I blinked them back, because badass bitches do NOT cry.

  Logan nudged my hand, privy to all my emotional turbulence. I fisted my fingers in his mane, wanting to wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face into him, but I didn’t. It wasn’t over. I still had shit to sort out.

  WE still have shit to sort out, he reminded me.

  I nodded.

  I don’t suppose you still have my pants, he asked.

  I groaned inside and aloud. I’m sure I can find them. Maybe, hopefully.

  Garrick beat me to the punch, asking Declan, “What did you find?”

  The druid in question shook his head. “The Fae Queen was not kidnapped. She orchestrated the entire thing.”

  “Well, shit.” My responses, I know, are impressive.

  “So I’m guessing she doesn’t want to head back to Fae peacefully,” I groaned.

  “No,” Declan confirmed.

  “That doesn’t make any damn sense. The Ice Queen said she and Fae were dying because her sister wasn’t there. Why would she stay away?”

  “It’s possible she lied to you,” Logan reminded me, having shifted back to his wonderfully naked human form. Too true, never trust a Fae. “What of the Succubus Queen?” he asked. Points to him for not referring to her as my mother.

  Declan shook his head again. “The Fae Queen has her as well—used Luharposn to kidnap all of them from the red world.”

  We walked back toward our original site and hopefully the location of Logan’s pants.

  “Why would the Fae Queen want a Succubus Queen?” I muttered to myself, tromping through the undergrowth. What did my mother have that she could need?

  I sighed, “We need to know more about the Fae Queens.”

  “They are a mystery in themselves. Nothing they have ever done makes any sense,” Declan muttered.

  “How old are you?” I asked.

  “Older than your boyfriend,” he muttered.

  “Mate,” Logan growled.

  “You are the baby in this situation, Olivia, by centuries,” Garrick teased me.

  I huffed, “Right, born powerful, die young. Anyways, we need Bob.”

  I ran right into the fucker and bounced on my ass.

  “Dammit, Bob!” I screamed, hoping my anger covered up my surprise and fear.

  “You called,” was the only thing the short, leathery creature had to say.

  “We need information on the Queens,” Logan stated, helping me up.

  “You didn’t mention you had a Fae at your beck and call,” Declan muttered.

  “More like stalking me,” I clarified.

  “You’re asking the wrong questions,” Bob said, ignoring Declan.

  “You lied about the other Queen,” I accused him.

  He shrugged, “How was I to know?”

  “You are the Fae, known for having the sight,” Declan stated, looking pointedly at the short-statured Fae.

  I sighed. “What is happening in your world?” I tried again.

  “Our world is dying, even if the Queen were to come back. It has begun, the end of a dynasty.”

  “No, nope, not ever going to happen. You fuckers are NOT coming to Earth.”

  “We already have. The iron content here consigns us to certain remote areas.”

  “Great, so you can kill, enslave, and torture off the grid.” How had I fucking missed this?!?!?!

  “Not all of the Fae are evil.”

  I laughed, “Right, that’s a good one.”

  Bob stopped, looking at me earnestly. “We aren’t.”

  I rubbed my forehead. “Prove it, show me where these Fae are. Tell me why the Queen is here and what she wants with my mother.”

  Bob’s mouth formed a thin line. I was fairly certain he didn’t have lips to speak of. His dark, large eyes bored into my own.

  “I need permission.”

  “Then get it,” I said, turning away from him and tromping through the ferns again.

  I didn’t bother looking, I knew he was gone.

  “Was that wise?” Garrick asked.

  “You and Logan have been hanging around each other too much. That’s his line,” I responded dryly. Why would the Ice Queen lie about the Fae needing to be in her world to survive? I groaned. Because a Queen isn’t a Queen without someone to rule.

  I turned to face Garrick and Logan. Declan was gathering his supplies now that we were back at our starting point. I noted with interest that the pedestal still stood. Intriguing. The magic had either stayed or made a permanent change. I’d have to ask more about that later.

  “Okay, do you think that was wise?” Logan asked, slipping on his jeans.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “What other options do we have?”

  “Kill them all?” Declan suggested.

  I groaned. “I don�
��t even know where they are, so unless you have another fancy way of figuring out where the hell the Fae have been stashing themselves, I think we need assistance.”

  “They will not bow to you,” Declan added.

  “Good, I hate that shit.”

  “He means they won’t acknowledge you as their leader,” Garrick clarified.

  “Fine, what do I care? I just need to be sure they aren’t fucking with the humans. As in killing. I actually don’t care if they are sleeping with them. But the Fae are users, tricky and cruel. I don’t need human causalities. Killing them all would be so much easier,” I groaned.

  I fucking hate the Fae.

  Declan looked over as I dug my hands down my face, fingers pulling down my lids and dragging down the skin of my cheeks.

  “That bad, eh?” Declan said.

  I groaned, “Keep it up, you’ll have to deal with these assholes as well.”

  “I do not fear the Fae,” Declan said, trying the party line of the falsely brave.

  I laughed, “You damn well should. Although,” I sighed, “with these released powers I find myself more annoyed then fearful.”

  I shrugged. “Either way, we are burning daylight, let’s get back to the cars.”

  We moved and the pedestal returned to the earth behind us. Declan didn’t even look, the show off.

  You are still learning. He was a beginner once, too.

  I huffed, knowing Logan was right. In the heat of battle, my magic worked flawlessly. In calm and docile situations, nothing.

  Give it time, Logan reminded me.

  Time was a luxury I never had.

  Chapter 13

  The walk was silent back to the vehicles. We had climbed about halfway out of the ravine our journey had taken us into when Garrick and Logan both stopped.

  “Vampires,” they said as one.

  “What the fuck do they want?” I asked, continuing to walk.

  “Well, let’s review, shall we?” Garrick began. “You killed off not one, but two Masters, not to mention a European Master, destroyed said Houses, literally and figuratively, gave Raphael a satellite home in St. Ann, and brushed off their attempts at talking. I do wonder why they are here.”

  I gave Garrick my best, unimpressed stare. How did he know all that?

  “Oh, and Mal has your protection,” he added. “Did I miss anything?”

  I groaned and continued to hike out. “No point in keeping them waiting.”

  The vampires and I were not seeing eye to eye, another race whose numbers I felt okay about trimming down. Well, I suppose Logan and I already had. Hence our current issues. Killing Tate still felt wrong … If he would have just sided with us. Then again, if he had, we’d probably be in an even bigger mess.

  I gazed at my feet, plodding along the rich earth, pulling in more clean, calm energy before making the final bend. Logan and I led; this was our battle and we were going to enjoy it.

  Blake.

  “What the fuck?” I rocked back on my heels.

  “How did you find us?” Logan asked. Yep, that was a much more productive question.

  Blake shrugged, and I saw that his skin was sunken, dark circles etched under his washed-out complexion, his blue eyes diluted and unfocused.

  I did feel sorry for him, wondering if perhaps he had sought me out to help him out of what appeared to be a loveless marriage, or perhaps life in general.

  Either way, he is not your problem, Logan reminded me.

  True. But killing him would give the unrest with the vampires more fuel.

  “I —” he began, “I came to beg for your forgiveness.” His voice was harsh, it didn’t sound like him.

  “What?” I asked, shocked.

  “How did you find us?” Garrick asked.

  Yes, back to the important questions.

  “Tommy isn’t the only one with impressive tech skills.”

  “Do. Not. Say. His. Name.” It was my voice I didn’t recognize now.

  Blake took a step back. “Your eyes.”

  “How did you find us?” I demanded, infusing my words with compliance. At one point not so long ago, Blake had firsthand knowledge into my mind, my heart, and my emotions. Granted, it was nothing compared to the bond that Logan and I now shared.

  Still, he had thawed my heart in ways I never dreamed possible, and paved the way for me to love Logan. There was a certain sentimentality attached to his memory, even if the vampire standing in front of me was a pale echo of that man. We had taken his House, his protection, and left him. Just left him.

  He made his choices. You cannot save everyone, Olivia, especially from themselves.

  Could you stop being right all the damn time? It’s annoying.

  I heard his answering chuckle.

  We formed a semicircle around Blake, still not trusting the situation. Nothing was adding up. Was this another trap? A backup in case Luharposn didn’t get the job done? How would they have known about my magic? I hadn’t even known I could kill Luharposn.

  A light rain misted upon us, yet still no one moved.

  “K, forgiveness granted. Later,” I said, crossing my arms.

  He still didn’t move. “You left me,” he hissed.

  I laughed. “You did the leaving. I just left you to your choices. I saved your ass enough. You chose Angelina, you get the consequences of it. I am not responsible for your poor choices.”

  “You granted Mal protection.’

  “She deserved it,” Logan rumbled.

  “I could have saved Ginny.” He was desperate. I saw it, I felt it. The raw emptiness and pain washed over me in powerful waves. I took a step back, holding a hand to my chest. That was new; my initial instinct was to block it, and I did. But after a moment, I absorbed it, sucking it into my reserves—these were powerful emotions that would be excellent to throw at an enemy.

  Blake’s shoulders straightened, shock widening his eyes, the piercing blue reappearing. “You never could do that before.”

  “I’ve got new tricks,” I said with a shrug.

  Logan turned to glare at me. I wasn’t trying to help Blake and he knew that, but still I had, and that annoyed him to no end.

  Blake shook his head sadly. “It doesn’t matter. It’s too late.”

  “What’s too late? Stop talking in damn riddles!” I demanded, shoving raw power at him to tell me the damn truth. It wasn’t very effective, not specific enough. It wasn’t an emotion, just my overall annoyance with him.

  Dammit.

  Declan was the first to pick up that something wasn’t right. Garrick closely followed.

  “Olivia,” Garrick whispered softly.

  “What?” I growled.

  “We are surrounded,” Garrick said, not bothering to soften his voice again.

  “Show yourselves!” demanded Declan, his voice echoing with magic.

  Hundreds of vampires stepped forward. “Mother fucker,” I hissed. “How the fuck did I miss this?”

  “Magic,” Declan said. “Powerful magic.”

  “We fighting our way out?” Logan asked, rolling his shoulders, smiling.

  “The Vampire Council wants to see you, just meet with them,” Blake implored.

  “Oh that’s a great idea, you back stabbing piece of shit!”

  “We might as well go,” Garrick said with a sigh. “As the mouthpiece of the Council, we request protection to, from, and during the meeting, that no harm shall befall any of us,” he formally requested.

  Blake nodded. “As the mouthpiece, I have been given permission to grant the protection of your party.”

  …

  It was cramped in the backseat, sandwiched between Declan and Logan. Blake was giving Garrick instructions from the passenger seat. He wanted to drive, but Garrick wasn’t having any of it.

  “I can’t believe they went through all this work for another damn meeting,” I groaned.

  “Stop plucking,” Declan warned.

  I sighed. “What is it?” I asked.

&nb
sp; Yes, I had been picking at the thin threads of magic around him, although picking wasn’t how I was viewing it. Examining, testing … okay, plucking maybe.

  “Glamour,” Logan said.

  I turned to look at him. “How do you know that?”

  “He has a dual scent, that’s glamour.”

  “And you didn’t feel like sharing your findings before?”

  “You didn’t ask me.”

  “Oh, that’s the game we are playing now?”

  “It’s not a game,” he muttered, a smile creeping on his lips.

  “It is, and you know I’m better at it than you.” His grin split wide as he shrugged.

  Another thirty minutes dragged by. “I have to pee,” I complained.

  “Hold it,” Blake snapped.

  Logan swatted his head. “Watch it.”

  Garrick pulled over at the next gas station.

  Another forty minutes and I had eaten all my snacks. “This is SO damn boring,” I complained.

  Logan was worried. I tapped into it, exploring why. He had been paying attention to our surroundings, which were increasingly rural. So rural we had transitioned to a dirt road.

  “Park here,” Blake instructed.

  “The old ones always did love their caves,” Garrick complained, adjusting his expensive suit.

  We piled out and I sent out my awareness, finding the same natural and powerful magic as The Oracle’s. I turned, seeing only thick, lush trees, towering mountains with thick patches of snow, and a blue sky.

  We were silent, eyes alert and scanning, as we followed Blake down a trail heavily wrought with rocks and overgrown tree limbs, finally emerging at the mouth of a cave. It was dark and I couldn’t see a damn thing. I was probably the only one with that problem.

  Logan moved behind me, staying close to guide me. Dread moved into my stomach, and the purity of the darkness was unnerving, my breathing escalating. Down, it felt like we were slowly moving down, the air stagnant and overpoweringly humid.

  I ground my teeth, trying to steady my nerves. Ahead, a pinpoint of light appeared. We turned a corner and entered a large cavern illuminated by torchlight.

  “How medieval,” I muttered. Let’s add the cloaks that the four Vampire Council members were wearing along with heavy, gaudy jewelry, and I figured we could get our own HBO show.