Necessary Evil
Page 39
“Candles? No.”
“Damn it. Okay, I’ll think of something.” Melissa disappeared again, leaving me alone with the gnomes.
I looked around doubtfully, unsure of what to do with myself and feeling a nervous flutter in my stomach. My gaze fell on Melissa’s discarded condom and I pocketed it, just in case.
“Art thou well satisfied, Peter Simon Collins?” Daraxandriel’s eyes glowed in the darkness of the dining room before she stepped into the light. She looked ridiculously pleased with herself. “We have both achieved our heart’s desires.”
“Both of us? But ... you let Melissa take your place.”
“I swore to thee when we first met that Melissa would be thine,” she reminded me, “and it shall finally come to pass this night, despite thy stubborn resistance to thy fate.”
“I don’t get it. I thought you wanted to court me.”
“I grew impatient waiting for thee to heed the whispers of thy heart instead of thy mind.”
“So you told Melissa you wanted to court me so she’d fight you for me and I’d realize who I really loved.” She grinned at me, showing her fang. “Sneaky.”
“I am a succubus,” she preened.
“But you didn’t get my soul,” I reminded her.
“I received a far greater prize,” she proclaimed. She raised her cupped hands, cradling a chocolate-frosted cupcake like a precious jewel.
“That’s your heart’s desire?” I asked dubiously. “You sold me out for a cupcake?”
“A chocolate cupcake,” she pointed out, waving it in front of me.
“Peter!” Melissa’s voice carried down the hallway, quavering a little. “I’m ready!”
I took a step and then hesitated, looking back at Daraxandriel. “Dara –”
“Go and be with thy true love, Peter Simon Collins,” she said, nudging me with her tail.
I turned to face the open doorway at the end of the hall, squared my shoulders, and took a deep breath. “Any last-minute words of advice?”
“Love her with all thy heart and mind and soul, Peter Simon Collins,” she said earnestly. “As I do thee,” she added in a murmur, but when I looked back in surprise, she was contemplating her cupcake. “And in the morning,” she went on, “procure her fries.”
“Melissa doesn’t really like fries. How about flowers for her and fries for you?”
She smiled and dipped her horns in a nod. “Such would be acceptable. Go,” she urged me, “and be happy.”
“And you’ll be here in the morning, right?” I asked. I wasn’t sure why that was so important to me. “You’re not leaving or anything?”
“Fear not, Peter Simon Collins,” she assured me, “for I shall be ever at thy side, come what may. Except tonight. Tonight, thou needs must be with thy love and I,” Daraxandriel raised the cupcake into the light, “I have chocolate cake.”