Lucifer rushed past Izzy.
He was surprised to find the guards didn’t bar his exit from the nursery this time, though they remained at their posts. Maybe he’d been in there long enough they suspected he had fulfilled Felix’s requirement that he sort out his relationship with Abigail. He wasn’t sure he’d accomplished what Felix had asked. Bringing her pleasure didn’t seem like it fit that criteria. Additionally, he hadn’t figured out what to do about her soul.
Lucifer padded down the hall, toward the direction of his room. Or where he thought his room was. He could have called the valet to assist him, but he wasn’t even certain his room was where he needed to go. Baba had wanted him to steal the ruby.
Most likely the person he needed to see was Vega, but she would be busy attending to her guests at the party. Nor did he expect she would lend him any assistance once he did track her down again.
How could he steal the ruby without anyone noticing?
The music of the party grew louder as he found his way closer. The crush of bodies was still a far way off, but he was near enough now that he was aware of the presence of people.
An elderly maid sweeping a broken vase on the floor of the hallway looked up. “Can I help you, Your Highness?”
Lucifer didn’t like that she knew who he was. He had no anonymity here. Nothing he did would go without notice.
“I beg your pardon. I was lost.” He was aware how her eyes raked over his rumpled clothes and his bare feet.
“Do you need someone to see you back to the party?” she asked.
“No,” he said quickly, then decided he would be able to find Vega sooner if he did. “Yes. Could you show me the way?”
The woman left her broom. If she had some ailment like Peter had, Lucifer thought he could heal her and gain a favor, but he sensed nothing amiss in her health. He attempted to prod deeper into her soul, but as she escorted him down the stairs, along a hall, and up another set, it became increasingly difficult to concentrate.
The overwhelming tide of physical sensations coming from the partygoers pressed in on Lucifer as he approached the ball. He had to retract back into himself. The swell of music increased, as well as the boisterous shouts of people. He was so distracted by working his magic to erect barriers under his skin that he didn’t notice the way the maid took him. It wasn’t the grand entrance he’d used before, but a servants’ hall that opened to the room behind the thrones of the royal family. The revelry of the partyers was muffled until they exited the hall.
Raucous music grated against his ears after the agreeable quiet of being with Abigail earlier. The heat and excitement threatened to smother him.
Lucifer scanned the room. It was dark aside from what resembled a fireworks display above. It took Lucifer a moment to realize the red flowers of light blossoming close to the highest reaches of the vaulted ceiling were Witchkin. People danced wildly to the frenzy of music. Fertility magic ripened in the air, tasting of springtime and fecundity. Lucifer’s Red affinity responded to the primal notes, craving to join in.
He wondered whether this was the demonstration Vega Bloodmire had wanted him to be part of. Electricity danced under his skin each time red lightning flashed. The crowd of guests stood far back against the walls, no doubt fearing the one element that could drain them. Lucifer didn’t mind these high and mighty Fae fearing Witchkin for once.
It was unlikely anyone could deny what kind of magic was being showcased tonight or the power Red affinities held. The Fae and Witchkin guests would understand Red affinity magic after this, and surely they would see, not just how dangerous these witches were, but how useful it was to have them as allies.
On stage, far across the room from the throne, King Elric played an electric guitar with a band. It was a daring move when electricity would drain him of his strength. Queen Vega danced with a group of other Red affinities. She was graceful and elegant, more like a bird in flight than a dancer.
Lucifer was so entranced, it took him a moment to notice what should have been obvious. Her staff wasn’t in her hands or her husband’s hands. Clarissa was dancing with a man Lucifer didn’t know. He didn’t see Felix anywhere.
Lucifer circled the thrones. It was difficult to see much as the dim lighting shifted to strobe lights. The red light died away, only for other affinities to showcase their artistry near the band. Celestor starlight popped and crackled like fireworks. Elementia fire, earth, wind, and water whipped against him, stealing his breath. Other Witchkin around him danced with abandon, lost in the tempo of thundering hooves and the cries of animals. Amni Plandai affinities exploded in an animal frenzy around him.
The air was thick with magic. Lucifer wanted to sink into it, to drink it up.
The distraction would have been perfect for stealing the ruby, but as Lucifer approached the throne, he found a figure seated in the shadows. With her long black hair flowing over her shoulders and her midnight gown of feathers, Odette could have passed for Vega’s double.
She lounged in Vega’s chair—the throne of the Raven Queen—eyeing him with cold amusement in her eyes. “Looking for something?” she asked.
“Err. No.” He tore his gaze from the shadows of the throne so that he wouldn’t give away his intentions. The bright lights were so intense, he had to close his eyes against the kaleidoscope. Pressure built in his forehead as he fortified his shield. His affinity didn’t like working this hard for so long without refueling himself as fully as he needed.
“Felix told me he’d confined you for being an idiot earlier. I see he didn’t try very hard to lock you away if you’re wandering about now.” Odette’s gaze raked over his crumpled clothes. “I suppose no one believes in dungeons these days now that the true Raven Queen is dead.”
“Vega is the Raven Queen now.” He spoke loudly, but it was difficult to hear himself over the commotion.
“That’s right. The queen is dead.” Her tone was bored, indifferent, and she was not so different in her mannerisms from Felix. “Long live the queen.”
Lucifer didn’t mention Felix was also the one who released him. Lucifer was more focused on his sister’s words. She had served the old Raven Queen. He wondered where her real allegiance lay. He didn’t like Abigail living in a castle near Odette even if she was his sister.
“I should be going,” he said.
“Are you certain I don’t have anything you want?” She twisted her hand across her lap, the shadows shifting into mist to reveal Vega Bloodmire’s scepter.
“Felix told you I need it?” he asked. Or perhaps Elric had.
“He didn’t need to. I saw you covet it earlier.” She held it out to him.
It felt like a trap. Her expression was unreadable. Brilliant flashes of magic washed against her face. The music vibrated through his entire body. His head pounded as the oppressive swarm of people and their physical sensations pressed in on him.
He glanced over his shoulder at the wild partyers dancing. No one was watching that he could see. “Why are you doing this?”
She arched an eyebrow upward. “There’s no better way to find out what you intend to do with it.”
“It’s for a good cause.” He edged closer, but still didn’t take it.
“Of course it is.” Odette smirked. “What’s wrong? Afraid your little sister might bite?”
He closed the space between them in two quick strides, swiping the scepter from her lap. He shoved the ruby end under his coat, but over a foot of unicorn horn stuck out from the bottom of the hem.
“This should be amusing.” Odette rose.
He dodged back. Probably she would try to trap him and accuse him of theft. This time he would be locked up for good. He had to get the staff back to Baba. She was counting on him.
Baba had taught him the spell for transporting objects, though it was too dangerous to try on living creatures. The ruby wasn’t alive, but magic often felt like it was a living, breathing creature. He didn’t want to
risk endangering an object. The portal was safer, but it used more energy.
Lucifer ducked around dancers toward the servant passage. Someone called his name. He didn’t turn to look. He couldn’t get caught with the object. He needed to transport it now.
Using the magic he’d restored earlier, he opened the portal to return to Baba’s cottage and thrust the scepter through before anyone could take it from him. Aligning himself with his affinity made it more difficult to block the sensations of those in the room. The magic of the portal wavered and closed. Shielding his affinity from the partyers took too much energy that sapped his strength. A landslide of sensations crashed in on him.
Lucifer wanted to leave right then, but even if he hadn’t wondered whether it was safe to try the portal again, he couldn’t. He still needed to retrieve the blanket he’d woven for Abigail. She hadn’t agreed to allow him to restore her soul, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t in the future. He could change her mind when she woke. He had to make her understand the danger her soul was in.
His head floated, light and dizzy. It was all too much for his senses. Magic and a thousand sensations crashed in on him at once. His magical armor wavered. His affinity ached with hunger, now wasn’t the time.
He gasped for breath, trying to hold himself together long enough to get out. Each step was a trial. Stars danced before his eyes. He couldn’t tell whether it was magic or he was about to pass out. A hand caught his arm.
Lucifer tried to wrench himself away, but he was too weak.
A blonde bombshell in an evening gown steadied him. It took him a fraction of a second to recognize Gertrude Periwinkle in the chaos of his senses.
The librarian who had once cared for him at Womby’s School for Wayward Witches placed a hand on his back. “Are you all right, pet?”
“Affinity problems. Too many people,” he said.
“You poor dear.” She firmly took him by the arm and guided him out of the room.
He didn’t even realize she was using magic until starlight tingled in his nostrils. This magic was different from the rest around him, the spell made of written words that whispered across his skin. He tasted dusty parchment and vanilla ink.
Gertrude’s lips moved, but the voice wasn’t her own. The words came from the wind and the blinding brilliance around them.
Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.
Lucifer knew that line. It was from Pride and Prejudice, one of the books Abigail had enjoyed reading out loud to him.
Words swirled and faded before his eyes. You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased.
Gertrude had a fondness for books, and this spell using Jane Austen quotes felt like something a librarian would chant. The world spun, and Lucifer thought he would collapse. Instead he stumbled into a wall of books. One of his boots thudded to the floor. He didn’t know where the other was.
“Is this better?” she asked.
He could still hear the music vibrating through the walls, but it was less deafening. The crush of people was gone. They were alone. He should have felt more relief, but his affinity pulsed wildly still. It took all his effort to remain standing up.
He tried to say, “I need your assistance,” but it came out as “I need you.”
She shook her head. “You let your affinity get too low. You could have drained yourself.” She unwound his cravat.
“I couldn’t help it.” He’d needed to create the portal to send the ruby to Baba. And before that, he hadn’t been able to fully fuel his affinity, not with Abigail becoming immobilized by plants and then falling asleep.
Gertrude was tall, but not enough to reach his mouth with hers. She took hold of his collar and yanked him down. He willingly obliged.
He didn’t prefer kissing her over Abigail, but she understood his magic since it wasn’t so different from her own. She was experienced at kissing, and it didn’t take much to stoke the flames of the unrequited desire inside him. Her ample bosom pressed against his chest, the smolder in his affinity turning into an inferno.
He took hold of her hips and pressed her against himself. She fumbled with his pants. “You’ve got to learn to watch for the warning signs.”
“I know.” He wished he had. He had wanted the night to be perfect between him and Abigail. This was another example of how the night had gone astray.
She bit his neck hard enough to make him gasp in excitement. “I might not be here next time this happens.”
“But fortunately you were here tonight.” He kissed her more passionately, knowing he would probably regret this, even if he needed to lose himself in the delirium of carnal delights.
“You won’t tell Abigail, will you?” he asked.
She pulled away enough to look him in the face. “Please tell me you aren’t being serious. Why aren’t you with her right now?”
“Long story,” he said between kisses. “It didn’t work as planned.”
Two minutes later, her legs were wrapped around his waist, and he pressed her up against a shelf of books, the two of them getting to know the collection of Regency romances up close and personal. He thrust inside her, his affinity no longer starved. His own ecstasy built, complacent and yielding now. Her rapture fueled him further. A copy of Jane Eyre fell from the shelf.
Gertrude mewed like a wild animal, her cries cresting higher. Her pleasure surged into him in a tide, more overwhelming than any other carnal passion he’d experienced. Part of him realized she wasn’t giving him pleasure; his affinity was too greedy to wait for it to flow into him. His magic was dragging it out of her, like a thread attached to a skein of yarn. Incubus magic raged inside him, insatiable.
He didn’t know how to stop himself. Not that Gertrude was objecting.
Lucifer was aware of the door opening, though he didn’t particularly care.
“Merlin’s balls,” Felix’s unmistakable monotone said behind him.
It was bad enough getting caught. More so that it was by his brother.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Hit the Books
Another book toppled from the shelf next to Gertrude’s derriere.
“Can a man not even go into his own library for a blasted book without catching one’s brother doing something illicit?” Felix muttered from behind Lucifer.
Gertrude’s elated cries silenced. She looked to Lucifer and then past his shoulders. Lucifer ignored his brother. He didn’t care what he thought of him. Though he did care what Felix might tell Abigail.
Lucifer’s brain registered he should stop, but his affinity wouldn’t allow him to. The void inside him was too great, and he needed the magic. He slowed, trying to pull away from Gertrude, but the warmth of her body pressing against his were more confining than Abigail’s vines earlier.
A door slammed closed behind Lucifer. He assumed that meant Felix had left.
Electricity, searing inside his core, fought against him. Gertrude tilted her hips against his, that slight movement sending a shiver of pleasure through his frame. He was aware of her magic funneling into him again.
Lucifer resumed his previous pace. His body and magic united and fractured, lightning crackling under his skin. He moaned as pleasure surged through him. Red fractals of light flashed across his arms and into his hands where he held Gertrude’s hips against the shelf of books.
That had never happened to him before. Perhaps this electrical response was because he’d waited too long to fuel his affinity. He leaned his head against the crook of Gertrude’s neck, catching his breath.
Gertrude tapped his shoulder. “Let me down, pet.”
He set her on her feet. She smoothed a hand over her hair and adjusted her skirts. Lucifer supposed he should have been making himself presentable as well. He tucked himself into his trousers and found a cushioned loveseat to sink into. It was too small for him to be comfortable, but it was better than standing.
&nbs
p; Only now that it was over, and his affinity was fed, did he have the sense to feel guilty. He imagined how Abigail would react. She’d be convinced he didn’t love her as much as the old Abigail. If only he hadn’t needed to create the portal that had drained his magic in the first place.
Gertrude’s voice was quiet. “What you just did was very dangerous. You could have hurt someone sending electricity into a lover like that.”
Was that what he’d done? “Did I hurt you?”
“No, of course not.” She took out a compact from her purse and examined her smeared lipstick and dewy makeup. She powdered her nose and dabbed at smears. “I’m not just a siren; I’m also a Red affinity. Electricity isn’t going to hurt me. But it will hurt other women you might have trysts with.”
Like Abigail. Only she wasn’t a tryst. He loved her.
And electricity wasn’t the only thing that would hurt her. He doubted she would forgive him after Felix tattled on him. And yet, Lucifer was glad he hadn’t been with her, if only because he didn’t want his magic to turn to raw electricity and burn her.
Or drain her. She’d lived through being without magic once because of him. He didn’t want that to happen to her a second time.
“How can I prevent myself from releasing electricity like that?” he asked.
Gertrude dug a hairbrush out of her purse and fluffed her hair. “You’re young and haven’t practiced restraint enough. Nor have you tested your limits to see what will happen when you’re low on energy, you have too much magic in your system, or your affinity is under stress. Your brother is always saying. . . .” She sat down on the arm of the chair, her voice trailing off.
He couldn’t ignore that hitch of pain lancing through her heart.
“What is it?” He placed a hand on her back, noticing her frown.
She cleared her throat. “Felix believes one should practice our affinities while exposed to our weaknesses as well as strengths. It helps us become stronger. We’re less likely to fall prey to our enemies.” She picked at a thread on the loveseat’s armrest.
Son of a Succubus Series Collection Page 68