Time slipped away from me, and before long, two hours had passed. I clicked upload and waited for my latest piece of art to load onto my website. It was a beautiful cover with a couple sitting beneath a tree on a spring day. The guy had his arms wrapped around the girl while she sat between his legs, leaning back against his chest. Both models harbored expressions of utter sadness that pulled at my heartstrings. I wanted to know their story, to learn what moment in life had broken them so.
A knock sounded at my front door as soon as the image finished loading. I had become so consumed in creating the cover, I nearly forgot about Randal coming over. I set my laptop to the side and moved to answer the door. When I pulled it open, the person I expected to see standing there wasn’t. In his place was a distraught Arabella.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I glanced around her, searching for Randal but not seeing him.
“I’m sorry. I know it’s late. I probably should have called, but I didn’t have your number.” Her hands waved around wildly as she talked.
“It’s okay. Come on in.” I motioned for her to walk past me. “How did you know where I lived?” Having Arabella know where I lived didn’t bother me; it did seem odd though.
“Randal mentioned you lived in this complex once.” She brushed past me to step inside. “And I might have woken your neighbor downstairs to ask what apartment was yours. He knew exactly whom I was talking about right away, if it’s any consolation. I doubt he will be upset with you for it later.”
“Rob? He’ll be fine. I think he has a thing for me.” I chuckled.
“He’s not here, is he?” She glanced around my living room.
I tipped my head to the side. The situation was starting to weird me out. “Who?”
“Randal.”
“No. Not yet. He was supposed to be here a few hours ago, but I figured he got hung up with something at Red River. Why?”
She squeezed her eyes shut and bit down on her bottom lip.
“What’s going on?” I reached out for her, clasping her forearm in what I hoped was a comforting gesture, but my heart was racing with worry.
When she opened her eyes, they were brimming with unshed tears. “Kenna, Randal has gone missing.”
SUMMON
A Succubus Kiss Novel - Book 4
Prologue
A white-hot sensation traveled through my body as quick as a lightning strike. It was gone before I could utter a single cry of discomfort. Something was happening to me. Excitement and fear merged within me, mutating into something I couldn’t name but enjoyed feeling all the same.
Soon I would be free from the wraith.
I marveled at this thought, basked in its colorful bliss. Everything about it called to me, making my insides hum with pleasure unlike anything I had felt before. There was so much hope, so much promise, in the tiny thought.
Pain sliced through me.
Something yanked and pulled inside of me, twisting in a new direction, as it attempted to separate from me. My insides screamed in agony, but I couldn’t push any of the cries past my lips because they were still sealed shut.
Another blinding bolt of pain hit me. Bile rose up my throat. I wasn’t sure if I would vomit or pass out; the pain was so intense. Darkness feathered the edges of my vision. I welcomed it, knowing once it submerged me I would no longer feel.
My mind hiccupped with the reality of the thought, causing terror to spiral through me, because the darkness also meant that I was dying.
Chapter 1
The wrought iron gate in front of me had seen better days. It was bent and weathered from time spent in the elements. Directly behind it stood a crumpled building, looking just as pitiful. Vines and overgrown bushes seemed to be forcing it back to the Earth, reclaiming the area it had been built upon. A warm breeze caressed my skin as I stared at the ramshackle of a building.
I pulled my cell from my clutch and glanced over the text from Luke, making sure I had the address right. 2271 West Ashton. This was it, or at least it was supposed to be. Club Lure couldn’t be inside the dilapidated old building in front of me. Could it? Where was the line of people snaked around the front, waiting to get in? Where were the bouncers posted at the entrance keeping order? There was nothing here.
Alarm nipped at my insides as voices made their way to my ears, stemming from behind the building. My feet rooted in place. I wasn’t sure what I should do. Walk away? Ask whoever it was if they had heard of Club Lure? More of their conversation made its way to me, but I couldn’t make out any of the words. Were they security guards patrolling? Why would anyone waste his or her time patrolling this place? Maybe I was missing something.
Two guys stepped into my line of vision. My heart picked up its pace as I stared at them. I took in their gray auras and felt myself relax. While I wasn’t sure if they were incubi or some sort of other demon, I at least knew they were supernaturals, which gave me hope that I was in the right place after all.
“Did you see the blonde with the hellacious rack?” the shorter of the two guys asked the other as they continued through the overgrown weeds of the lot. They had yet to spot me. “Good God, they were perfect!”
“Oh yeah. I wanted to squeeze ’em and then press my face right between ’em.” The taller one acted out everything he’d said, causing a snort to spur from me.
The shorter guy paused, finally having noticed me. His bald head shone in the pale moonlight, but that wasn’t what caught my attention. I focused on their auras now that they were closer, hoping to get a clearer grasp on what they were. Why were succubi the only demons with a telltale aura color? It would be a hell of a lot easier to distinguish the different types if they came in a variety of aura colors like the rest of us.
“Well, look what we have here, Hyde.” Baldie made a sucking noise as though he had something caught between his teeth and was struggling to get it out.
“What a sweet lookin’ thang,” Hyde muttered. “Think she’s come here to play, Lyle?”
Lyle smoothed his stubby little hands down the front of his suit as he appraised me with beady eyes. “A guy can hope.” He grinned like a Cheshire cat, making my stomach turn. “Is there something we can help you with, little lady?”
I shook off the way they were eyeballing me as though I were a piece of meat and squared my shoulders. I was a succubus for crying out loud, one who had been infected by a wraith, and nothing should frighten me. I replayed what they had said, picking their words apart. They thought I was here to play. Obviously, I was in the right place. Maybe Club Lure was beneath the dilapidated building.
“I’m looking for Club Lure,” I spoke clearly, continuing to ignore their roaming eyes. “Am I in the right place?”
Lyle locked eyes with me once they reached the gate. There was something odd swirling in their depths, something vile. Hyde gripped the rusty bars in front of him, a secretive smile twisting his lips. Each of their stares made me feel violated.
“What makes you think this is the right place?” Hyde asked.
I flung my dark hair over my shoulder, reminding myself to appear strong. These two seemed as though they enjoyed preying on weak women. “Because a friend gave me this address.”
“A succubus who doesn’t know where Club Lure is.” Lyle smirked and then nudged Hyde with his elbow. “I thought it was integrated in their DNA with the way they flock to the place.”
Hyde chuckled. It was wheezy, and grated on my nerves.
Irritation spiked through me the longer it went on. I didn’t have time for games. My life was on the line. If they knew I was in the right place, why couldn’t they tell me instead of screwing around? “Is this the right place or not?”
“Did your friend forget to mention the code word?” Hyde ran his hands through his greasy hair, slicking it back against his scalp.
Code word? Luke had mentioned something, but I couldn’t remember what. He’d never said it was a code word, but I assumed there had to be some significance.
The word
rested on the tip of my tongue, just out of reach. When I finally latched onto it, the word pushed past my lips with a force that shocked me. “Origin…”
The air vibrated around me as though the word held power embedded within it. My eyes focused on the iron gate in front of me. Tiny, visible waves of air moved against the rusted bars, causing them to bend and sway. I watched as they became distorted.
“That’s the one, sweetheart,” Lyle breathed. My gaze snapped to him the second he spoke. His eyes glittered in the moonlight as his lips formed a wide, excited grin. “Welcome to Club Lure.” He extended a hand, as though motioning for me to look around.
The building behind him was dancing with the same distorted motion the iron bars were. Even the tall grass and overgrown shrubbery rippled like rolling water. What type of magic was this?
A structure made entirely of solid black material similar to coal stood where the rundown brick building had seconds earlier. I marveled at the strange skyscraper, soaking in all the details. The windows were tall and narrow, large enough for a grown adult to stand in, which was exactly what I saw.
Standing inside each window was a person wearing minimal clothing and dancing erotically. A guy dressed in black leather chaps and a dog collar dancing in the window closest to the ground captured my attention. I didn’t have to see his aura to know it would be the gray of a demon’s. I also didn’t have to wonder what breed he was. He oozed sex from his movements as well as his eyes. He was undoubtedly an incubus. Satisfaction zipped through me. It was the first time I had ever been able to peg a gray aura for what it was without much effort.
“What do you think?” Hyde had moved to stand beside me, and was gazing up at the building in awe. “Is it everything you envisioned?”
I swallowed hard, unsure of how to answer him. “Yes and no.”
“Great answer.” Lyle laughed.
The deep red sign pulsating with life above the entrance caught my attention. Unexpectedly, the lustful, shameless energies coursing around the building found their way to me. I could feel them caressing against my skin, luring me to step forward with their sweet whispers of seduction and tantalizing taste of desire throbbing through the air. I wanted to look away, to head back to my car and forget I had ever ventured to this place, because the strength of the sensations had me wondering if I would be able to control myself once I stepped inside.
Explore, sweet succubus, the wraith coaxed.
My feet moved forward at his words. Music, stemming from inside, wrapped around me like arms, tugging me toward the temptation of Club Lure.
The wraith wiggled and moved around inside me the closer to the entrance I came, as though he was excited by the promise of a sinful night. My eyes zeroed in on the doors. There were no bouncers with clipboards waiting to judge whether those seeking entrance were worthy. I got the impression the club decided who entered, and I had no doubt it had deemed me worthy. I could feel it in my bones.
“And she’s hooked,” Hyde muttered from behind me.
Lyle chuckled. “Remember your first time here?”
“If only it felt like that every time,” Hyde responded.
Their conversation faded into the background as the music—hypnotic and sweet—wrapped me even tighter in its embrace. My eyes closed at the feel of it vibrating through me.
This place felt like home. It was the only way to describe the sensations spiraling through me.
Warmth tingled across my skin the closer to the entrance I came. It seemed to stem from inside the club. Briefly, I wondered if it was another thing the club exuded to lure us all in. My fingers trembled as I gripped the handle. The moment I made contact with the cool metal, my entire body heated and any tension lingering in my muscles melted away. With a swift tug, the door pulled open for me, exposing my senses to the world inside Club Lure.
Chapter 2
Music pounded against my chest, the melody unlike any I had ever heard. As I stepped farther into the club, the spicy scent of sex and seduction heated my blood. This place was like breathing in my favorite succubus drink, a Kiss of Death bomber.
The door closed behind me. I flinched, startled by the sound. With my heart still pounding, I glanced around, soaking the place in. There were supernaturals of all types here—witches, faeries, werewolves, vampires, as well as a variety of demons—but the sight of humans mixed in surprised me. Luke had failed to mention Club Lure was open to them, unlike other supernatural clubs in the city.
I zeroed in on a vampire woman, dressed in a pair of skintight leather pants and a cropped tank top. The midnight blue of her aura clung to her every move. Her hair was dark and long, brushing to her waist in a high ponytail. She was beautiful in an enchanting way. I glanced at her dance partner, a human guy dressed similarly to her. I could tell from his throbbing red aura how much he wanted her. However, the undertones of milky blue let me know he was also an addict. I wondered if that was why he was here, because this place was one more addiction he could lose himself in.
The woman ran her long black nails through the guy’s sandy-blond hair. She tipped his head back, exposing his neck. I watched, mesmerized, as she leaned in toward him. Seconds before she pressed her lips to the flesh of his neck, I noticed them curve into a wicked smile. The woman was practically salivating. An instant later, she buried her glistening fangs into him. His body seemed to grow tense, but it didn’t last long. A dazed expression flitted onto his face a heartbeat later. With his lips twisted into a smile of ecstasy, he slumped against her, weightless and drunk.
I blinked. She was feeding from him in the middle of the dance floor, and no one seemed to care.
Glancing around, I realized she wasn’t the only one openly feeding within my line of view. It seemed to be a common occurrence here. My eyes widened as the realization sank in.
“They’re all here willingly,” a woman said from behind me. Her voice was soft, angelic, and alluring. I faced her. Silvery blond hair hung in silky strands past her shoulders. She wore a cocktail dress that hit mid-thigh. It accentuated her long legs and slender frame.
“The humans?” I knew that was who she meant, but the words still pushed past my lips.
She nodded. “That’s the beauty of Club Lure. It was all part of the vision.”
I continued to stare at her, wondering if she was the owner. While she appeared young in the face, there was something old and ancient reflected in her eyes that unsettled me. Also, there was something off about the color of her aura.
It was red, the way all succubi auras were, but it wasn’t the right shade. Instead of being a vibrant, lively red—like I knew mine had been before the wraith tarnished it with its silver—her aura was a deep, dark red, which signified lust in human males. My brows pulled together as curiosity gripped me. Was it possible I was suddenly able to see auras of human females as well while inside Club Lure? The urge to glance around the room built inside of me, but for reasons beyond my control, I couldn’t force my eyes away from her.
“Don’t look so confused.” Her glittering green eyes narrowed as her plump lips twisted into a smirk. “I can’t be the first siren you’ve seen.” I assumed she must have gathered from my expression how spot on her words were, because she arched one of her golden brows seconds later.
Siren? I’d heard of them before. My mind searched through the bits and pieces I knew of them. The only thing I was able to grasp was that they were thought to trick sailors into steering their boats into jagged rocks with their beautiful singing. They were essentially mermaids.
“How is it that you’ve never met a siren?” Her hand gestured from me to her. “We’re practically cousins in the supernatural world.”
Her intense gaze unnerved me. I wracked my brain for an acceptable answer. “I’m new-ish.” Maybe it wasn’t the correct way to explain myself, but it was all I could think of.
“Meaning you were recently Awakened?” Her eyes skimmed over me, as though the answer to her question resided somewhere on my body. “
I’m guessing you weren’t raised by your mother then.”
Her words reminded me of why I was here. I needed to find my mother, not talk with a siren and marvel at this incredibly odd club. “No.” I shook my head, and finally forced my eyes away from her.
“That explains the dumbstruck expression.” Her words were slow and calculating, mixed with a hint of curiosity. “Can I ask why that is?”
I scanned the faces of those closest to me in an effort to abstain from making eye contact again. The woman vampire had finished drinking from the drug-addicted guy, and had resorted back to dancing dirty with him instead. From the look on his face, it was clear he was where he wanted to be. A werewolf couple to my right caught my attention. They were pressed against the wall, embracing one another in an intimate kiss. Without warning, the guy ripped the front of the girl’s shirt, leaving it in tatters as it hung off her shoulders, and then buried his face between her large breasts. Embarrassment flamed across my cheeks as I averted my eyes. Hyde’s earlier comment about how he wanted to do the same thing to some blond girl floated through my mind.
My gaze slipped back to the siren beside me. I wondered if she was whom they were talking about. She did have melon-sized boobs and blond hair. She cleared her throat, and I realized then she was staring at me. Amusement flickered through her green eyes. She had asked me a question, but I couldn’t remember it. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“Why were you not raised by your mother? It’s tradition in succubus and siren homes.”
I scoffed at the word tradition. There was nothing traditional about my mother, so it was no wonder she chose to break that custom as well. “She left when I was five, leaving me in the care of my human father.”
“Oh.” Her brows lifted to her hairline. Shock radiated off her.
I resumed scanning those around me. From what I could see, none of them was my mother. I needed to head deeper into the club.
Succubus Kiss The Complete Series Page 48