Chapter 20
Tempting auras from aroused men had me licking my lips as I made my way through the thick crowd on the dance floor, but I pressed forward. All I wanted was to make it through the exit without pulling one of them to me and giving into the torturous hunger gnawing at my insides. This place brought my feral succubus side to the surface, and having the wraith twisting through me didn’t help. Part of me thought I should give in and feed from someone before I left, but there was another side of me that refused to choose anyone from here.
The place was riddled with supernatural junkies, which was something I didn’t want to be associated with.
Each of the human men inside the building should have a milky blue aura dancing around them, not the deep red that came from being consumed by seduction and lust. The sensation they got from being fed from must have been one they craved with an incredible urgency, because it seemed to cloud their addictive tendencies that should be present in their auras.
Madge’s words from the first time I stepped foot inside the doors floated through my mind: ‘They’re all here willingly.’
There was something alluring about feeding from someone who knew what I was. I could only imagine the power and superiority those who did felt. I paused, shocked by my train of thought, wondering if it was the wraith’s or mine. It was becoming harder to distinguish whose was whose more frequently.
My heart kick-started as I continued toward the exit, could that have been what happened to the guy before me the wraith infected? Did he wake up one day, suddenly unable to decipher which thoughts were his own?
“Finally got to visit with your mother, I see,” a female voice called from behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder to see Madge standing behind me. Her hand was on her hip as she eyed me.
“Hi. Yeah, actually I did.” With no help from you, I added in my head. I still wondered if she had given me the wrong number or if it had been my mistake.
My gaze shifted from her to a guy sitting on a plush chair a few feet from us. His aura seemed to pulsate with my heartbeat, lulling me to taste him. Another spasm of hunger rolled through me.
“And did she give you the answers you so desperately wanted?” There was a level of snootiness embedded within her words when she spoke this time. One I didn’t care for, but it garnered my attention nonetheless, forcing my eyes back to her.
“How is that any of your business?” I continued toward the exit. I didn’t have time for this. The longer I stayed within these walls, the weaker my resolve to not feed from someone here became.
Madge matched my steps. “Someone is feeling a little testy tonight, isn’t she?”
I glared at her. “What’s your deal?”
“You.” There was so much venom laced within that one word it shocked me.
“Me? Why would you have a problem with me? You don’t even know me.” This chick was crazy.
“Exactly, I don’t know you. Your mother may have mentioned you from time to time, but you were never around. Until now. Why is that?” Her stare became calculating, as though she were studying me, trying to determine my motive for being here.
“How is it any of your business why I’m here?” I started walking toward the exit again.
Madge gripped my arm to freeze me in place. “Because your presence directly impacts me.”
“No it doesn’t.” I shook my head and jerked my arm free from her grasp. “My presence has nothing to do with you.”
“It does if you’re planning to worm your way in to your mother’s good graces. I didn’t work as hard as I did to earn my place as manager of this club to let you stroll in and take it from under my feet without a fight.”
So that was her issue. She thought I wanted to run this place? A chuckle slipped past my lips. “You have no idea how ridiculous your fear is.”
Madge’s eyes darkened. “You think I’m being ridiculous?”
“Madge, still jealous of this one, are you?” Darius appeared before us. The guy could move through the crowd like a damn snake, making you utterly unaware of his presence until it was too late.
“Jealous?” Madge narrowed her eyes at me. “No. Not in the slightest.”
“Then leave her be.” Darius’s tone was firm, yet patronizing. “There is no reason your title here would be threatened because of her presence. Move along.”
Madge speared me with her eyes before she stalked away. A smile twisted at my lips. There was something about pissing someone off without having to utter a single word that I found self-satisfying.
“Thanks.” I shifted my attention to Darius as I spoke. In retrospect, this was a bad idea, because he was shirtless, and his sculpted chest seemed to be glistening in the crazy lights of the club.
Boyfriend. I had a boyfriend. A sexy, vampire boyfriend who had been kidnapped. The reminder still didn’t tame my flaring libido when it came to Darius. Jesus, what the hell was wrong with me?
None of that matters, my sweet succubus. Taste him. Let his liveliness fill you for a night, the wraith attempted to persuade me.
“You’re hungry.” Darius reached out and cupped my check. My skin tingled from the contact. “I can sense it in you, pulsating just beneath the surface. Although.” He cocked his head to the side. His eyes raked over me. “It is a hunger that is not entirely your own. There’s something residing inside of you, something you wish to be free from. Rest assured, love, the time will come.” His prophetic-sounding words stunned me.
“How can you be so sure?” Even though my voice was low, barely above a whisper, Darius seemed to have heard me through the thumping of the strange beat streaming through the club.
A small smile grazed his lips. “You’re a strong one. The purest of heart usually are.” He bent forward and touched his lips to mine. Heat spread through me as goose bumps erupted across my body from the contact. “For luck. Now hurry outside, there’s a gift waiting for you.”
“What sort of gift?” My words were distorted from the kiss, as simple and short-lived as it was, and my mind had become weighed down by a heavy fog.
“The surprise kind.” His eyes glimmered in the lights of the club. “Don’t you like surprises, love?”
“Not particularly.”
Darius released my face. The warmth from his hand was chased away by the coolness of the air. “This one you will. Trust me.” He motioned for me to step past him.
I hated surprises, but most of all, I hated receiving them from people like Darius. They were too unpredictable. Squaring my shoulders, I continued to the doors leading outside with nervous butterflies flapping in my stomach, unsure I wanted to accept any surprises from him. After all, I already knew he was the type to expect things in return.
My stomach cramped with hunger as I crossed the threshold of Club Lure. For a brief moment, I speculated whether the club held the power to minimize cravings. Then I remembered the array of feedings I witnessed taking place within its walls and thought better of it.
Go back inside. Feed, the wraith hissed. Can’t you feel the need growing?
I could. It must be the wraith making me feel so famished. Ignoring his comments, I glanced around, searching for the surprise that was supposed to be waiting for me. I didn’t see anything at first, but then my gaze happened to drift near my car. Standing at the car beside it was Trent. He was leaning against a red sports car with the top down. My lips pursed together as I started toward him. Apparently, my surprise came in the form of a sexy guy.
“Hello.” Trent waved as I moved closer. His lips twisted into that goofy, ready-to-please smile I’d seen earlier. “I’m from your mother, and the car is from Darius.”
My brow arched. “The car is from Darius?”
“Here, this letter is for you.” Trent passed me a Post-it note, ignoring my question completely.
The god of sex wrote messages on lime green Post-it notes. There was humor in that I couldn’t let slide and chuckled as I reached for it. “Umm, thanks.”
&nbs
p; Every succubus deserves a badass car. Don’t you agree, love? Besides, red is sort of your color.
Try not to make any mistakes in the backseat of this one.
— Darius
How had he known about Christopher? Not many did. I reread his message, unbelieving a car was his surprise. It was a surreal moment.
“I can’t accept this.” I glanced up from the note, and locked eyes with Darius. Somehow, he had materialized in his snakelike way beside Trent.
“I would be deeply offended if you didn’t.” He held out a set of keys. There was a twinkle of mischief in his crazy-colored eyes.
I shook my head. “It’s too much. Who on Earth gives someone a car like this?”
“I do.”
“Why?” I didn’t understand.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s so random and expensive.” I glanced at the car. “Cars are expensive.” Especially brand new, cherry red convertibles.
“Money is of little importance to me,” he insisted. Obviously, he had never been without. “I also happen to like you. If that isn’t reason enough, then accept it because you are worthy.”
I was worthy? He didn’t know me well enough to make that assumption. In fact, he didn’t know me at all. How was I worthy of anything when I had killed a poor guy in the backseat of my actual car?
“I’m not worthy.” I held the Post-it note out to him, refusing to accept.
Darius gripped my hand and flipped it over. He peeled my fingers away, revealing my open palm, and placed a set of keys there. “You are wrong about that. My blood runs through your veins. I know more about you than you could ever imagine. You, love, are worthy.” He closed my fingers over the keys and turned to walk away, leaving his words echoing through my mind.
My brows pulled together as I watched him saunter toward the doors of Club Lure. His back muscles glistened in what little light was available. Once he was to the doors of the club, I questioned how it was that he knew so much about me. I understood he was whom all succubi and incubi stemmed from, and he was the god of sexual desire, but did that truly mean he knew all about me because of it?
“Since you have accepted his gift, will you accept your mother’s?” Trent’s voice startled me. I shifted my attention to him.
“And what gift would that be?” I asked, recovering quickly.
“As I said before…me.”
“You?”
“Yes, me. Feed from me, Miss Blake.” His eyes glossed over as though he were eagerly waiting for me to taste a breath of his soul, as though the thought of it was turning him on. “I know you are hungry.”
I opened my mouth to deny him, but the wraith spoke to me before I could.
Feed now or I will, he hissed, his words insinuating a threat.
An empty, gnawing feeling surged through me, claiming all of my attention. I knew it was the wraith’s doing. I also knew he was right, if I didn’t take matters into my own hands while I was still the one in control, he would.
Yes, give into the temptation in front of you.
My eyes trailed over Trent, taking in his sculpted body and appetizing red aura dancing around his tall frame. I licked my lips. A tiny taste would be nice, just something to hold me over for the time being. I stepped forward and noticed Trent’s body respond to the movement. He seemed excited.
There you go, my sweet. See, he wants this as much as you…if not more, the wraith murmured.
I chewed the inside of my cheek while staring at Trent, focusing on his aura. It still burned in the same shade of deep, lustful red. I searched for any trace of what his typical aura color might be, but couldn’t spot one lingering beneath the surface. Surely this guy wasn’t horny all the time, or maybe he was. I’d heard of nymphos before, but had never encountered one.
“I can see you’re debating whether to follow through with your mother’s wish.” Trent’s words slipped over me, teasing my craving for his aura while drawing me in. “Let me reassure you that I am willing.”
He was willing? What was this guy’s deal? He couldn’t want this. Why would he?
“You understand what it means, that I’ll be stealing a piece of your life?” The words scared me as they came from my lips. Not because it was the first time I had ever said out loud my greatest fear—one my mother had inadvertently confirmed as a truth of being a succubus tonight—but because I knew my entire strategy for finding my next meal was now tossed out the window. I couldn’t take seconds or minutes off a sweet guy’s life because I was starved. I refused. It looked as though after tonight, I had some serious rethinking to do when it came to my feeding habits.
“I am aware of all costs,” Trent said without hesitation.
God, what made him care so little about his life? Why would he be so willing to give pieces of it away one kiss at a time? It couldn’t feel that good to be kissed by a succubus. “Why would you agree to that?”
“Because.” His iridescent green eyes glowed in the dimly lit night. “The life I left behind was nothing to be proud of.”
“And this one is?” I scoffed, unable to rationalize what he was saying. There was nothing boastful about allowing supernaturals to feed from you because it brought you pleasure.
“There are things in my past I do not wish to discuss with you. All you need to know is that your mother sensed them and stripped me from their burdens long ago. Ever since then, I have been indebted to her. This is how I show my gratitude for her services.”
I arched a brow. “She stripped you of something? And now you’re indebted to her?” That sounded wrong on so many levels.
“Not in the sense you are suggesting, I can assure you. I am not her slave in any way; I stay with her because it is my choosing.” His odd accent was thick, but I still understood him clearly. At the mention of the word ‘slave,’ my face twisted into a disgusted expression. “I’m not proving my case well. Let me add that I am a better person because your mother feeds from me. The life she pulled me from was detrimental to those around me.”
“What, were you an addict or something?” I didn’t enjoy how cryptic he was being. Obviously, in the time he had spent with my mother, however long that may be, he had stolen a page or two from her cryptic playbook.
“In a sense, yes.” Trent’s eyes flashed. I got the impression he didn’t want to clarify himself, but decided it would be the only way to shut the conversation down. Secrets were no one’s best friend. “I had a weakness for forcing myself on women.”
My jaw slacked. I couldn’t have heard him right. Surely this guy didn’t have a single issue finding willing women to sleep with. “For what?”
“Please don’t make me repeat myself, miss. It is not something I’m proud of. Your mother helped strip me of the yearning and replaced it with an urge to allow her, and whomever she desires, to feed from me.” He paused, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized my mother and I might not be as different as I once had thought. Choosing to strip someone from those types of desires seemed like something I would do. “Help me fulfill it, Miss Blake.” His pleading tone caught me off guard.
Give him what he wants. It would benefit you both, the wraith urged.
I disregarded the wraith’s words, unable to stop thinking of what Trent had revealed about himself. The thought of him forcing himself on someone made my stomach churn. I didn’t want to feed from a person so vile.
Your mother cleansed him. He’s begging for you to help keep him that way, my sweet.
I hated that the wraith was privy to my thoughts, but most of all, I hated there was no longer a way to block him out. I didn’t need his words influencing my thoughts.
That’s not all I’m privy to, the wraith insisted. I can feel your hunger too. Did you forget about his mouthwatering aura?
Abruptly, the hunger I had been feeling ignited as though his words had flamed it. The sensation burned through me, quick and hot, as I stood staring at Trent. The sound of my stomach grumbling filled the silence surrounding us
.
Taste him, the wraith pressed.
I wanted to, but at the same time, I didn’t. The hunger rolling through me reached an all-new high. My stomach twisted into knots as a sensation of lightheadedness hit me.
“Please,” Trent pleaded.
My eyes closed as a hollow ache continued spiraling through me. “Okay.”
“Okay?” He sounded as surprised as I felt by the word.
“Yes, I’ll do it.” I stepped forward, erasing what little distance remained between us. Darkness dotted the edges of my vision, and I knew I was making the right choice. The wraith would take over soon. “I’ll feed from you.”
Excitement glimmered in his catlike eyes. “Thank you.”
Without hesitating, I pressed my lips to Trent’s. I needed to stay in control, and this was the only way. It was a strange sensation to be kissing someone so planned though, without the buildup I generally had. It felt forced, but that didn’t dim the sensation coursing through me from the feel of his lips against mine.
The taste of cinnamon and spice filled my mouth in tiny intervals as I continued to move my lips against his. When his hands came up to grip my hips, the strokes of his kisses became needier. The feel of his throbbing member pressed into me from his obvious excitement, causing me to take note to the amount of enjoyment he was gaining from the situation. What had my mother filled his head with that would transform his grotesque desires into something of this nature?
Why are you questioning something so perfect? the wraith whispered.
He was right. Again. I shouldn’t question; I should marvel. What she had done to Trent was genius. It was something I only hoped to do. My tiny “don’t cheat” and “be assertive” seeds of wisdom I had planted into guys I fed from didn’t hold a candle to this.
I was impressed.
The compelling taste on my tongue built to something fiery and sweet all at once. This was my telltale sign that things had progressed far enough for me to open the floodgates of energy, allowing it to pour into me. I pulled back, readying to ask the words that would take this feeding to a whole new level. Trent’s gaze locked with mine. He knew what was coming; he expected it. This knowledge soured my stomach. Abruptly, the situation grew odd. All I could think about was how my mother’s lips had been where mine were numerous times.
Succubus Kiss The Complete Series Page 59