Death of a Succubus

by Kim Schubert

  The door opening had me turning. Kass set Hannah down, coming to embrace me. “Don’t do that shit again.”

  I laughed, “I’ll try.”

  “What the hell happened? Logan said your father is here?” Kass asked, astonished.

  “Yeah, he and Doyle the minotaur made it through the portal with me.”

  “How?” Kass asked.

  I sighed. “We had to go on a goose chase for the needed supplies, and I learned that mermaids and unicorns are real. The unicorns are assholes.”

  “Mermaids?” Logan and Darren asked in unison.

  “Yeah, and I promised I’d bring them and the unicorns over to this world.”

  Logan set the frying pan in the sink with a thud. “You think that’s wise?”

  I sighed. “Possibly not, but I needed their help. There is no reason I’d have to follow through on it, except that I gave my word, and I do feel partly responsible, since my insane mother got them shoved into that hellhole.”

  “It wasn’t pleasant?” Kass asked.

  I shook my head. “No, everything was red, all the damn time. Plus, since my soul was separate from my body, it was hard to navigate and stay corporeal. The food was awful and the company, worse. I’m so glad to be back in my own body.”

  Kass nodded. “There are more of our kind, though?”

  “There are, but they are loyal to their Queen and I have no plans to bring them over,” I answered.

  She nodded. “It’s strange to think there are others like us out there.”

  “They’re not like you,” The Magician announced. I turned, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

  “Kass, meet my father, The Magician,” I introduced them.

  “What do you mean they aren’t like us?” I asked.

  “You were raised in the human realm, with their morals and expectations. The court in the Succubus Realm treated humans like play things, which is why the witches banned them and their supporters.”

  Kass nodded. “I suppose it’s for the best they are trapped.”

  “Why didn’t the witches just kill them?” I asked.

  “Too powerful. One couldn’t get within ten feet without being influenced by them, something you are experiencing now.”

  I groaned, “Yeah, don’t remind me. My guards are all jacked up.” Not that I had been spending much time fixing it. I wasn’t sure I had the energy to do so right now. I’d rather have my body focus on healing than shielding.

  Kass nodded. “What’s your plan on the unicorns and mermaids?”

  “I don’t have one. I’m trying to deal with one fire at a time. Besides, I doubt Dad has recovered from bringing us over.”

  He nodded. “It will take me additional time. Your friend Jerry has provided me with herbs that will assist in the process.”

  “Good. Do you need any weapons?” I asked.

  He raised an eyebrow at my question. “Are you expecting trouble?”

  “We always expect trouble. It’s how we stay alive and keep our charges safe,” Logan informed him.

  I nodded, setting my jaw.

  “I see. You have cultivated a loyal following in your empire,” my father commented.

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about the words “following” and “empire.” “We protect ours. If you are going to stay here with us, I expect the same from you.”

  “I am not to be protected?” he questioned.

  Logan scoffed, “You are powerful, the powerful protect the weak.”

  He nodded. “We will remain here for a time. There are still promises to be fulfilled.”

  I nodded. “One crisis at a time.” He was going to leave? Already planning on leaving? Fucking hell, if I felt like I was trusting him or getting mildly attached, then those words were a powerful reminder not to.

  “What is the current crisis?” he questioned.

  “I need to hunt down and kill the vampire who kidnapped and sliced on me.”

  “Excellent, I look forward to it.”

  I couldn’t help but smile at his bloodlust.

  “We both need a few more days to heal and regain our strength. It’s going to be bloody.”

  “I don’t believe things end any other way with you, daughter.”

  I cracked my neck, I couldn’t disagree with that.

  Kass and Darren didn’t stay long. The kids were tired and they had lots of work to handle at the new/old house.

  Logan and I retired. Ali and Grant had set up rooms for The Magician and Doyle. I hadn’t had much time to talk with them; hopefully, all was going well.

  Falling into bed, I gave thought to being intimate with Logan, but my body was already shutting down. Dammit.

  Chapter 10

  Dressed in my own jeans, black shirt and leather jacket, I stowed my new phone in my back pocket.

  “I can’t decide,” Anna lamented.

  “We are just going to check out the rogue semi,” I told her again, standing in the driveway of the mansion as she rummaged through my weapons stash in the back of my SUV.

  She gave me a disbelieving look and couldn’t help but laugh. “I saw what you are carrying,” she told me.

  I huffed, pulling my jacket over my twin guns and dagger, wishing I had that short-lived duster to cover my throwing knives on my thighs.

  “I’m a little paranoid right now,” I shrugged. “At least I left the crossbow.”

  “True.” Anna made decisions similar to my own, opting for one gun and two daggers.

  We climbed into the other SUV, where Logan, Doyle and The Magician were waiting for us. Apparently, my vehicle still smelled, whatever.

  “Ready?” Logan asked, looking at me in the passenger seat.

  “Yep.” I ran my hands over my weapons again. He drove away from the mansion, using the directions Raphael had sent over.

  We weren’t taking the whole gang. I had a bad feeling about this trailer, and I wanted to keep information within a small circle. Here’s hoping I could trust my father. I’d had Becky monitor the camera in front of his room overnight, and she said he’d never left.

  “How long have you been the Head Executioner?” my father asked.

  I blew out a breath. “Seven years, I think,” I answered. It wasn’t an anniversary I celebrated.

  “At least,” Anna agreed.

  “When did you get free of Selena?” he asked.

  I shifted, not wanting to have this conversation. Logan placed a hand on my knee, picking up on my mood. Hell, the whole car could, but still The Magician pushed on.

  “When we were sixteen,” I answered, my voice and emotions turbulent.

  “Sixteen years,” he repeated in wonder.

  Anna and I were both silent for the remainder of the drive.

  We were outside the city, and I was wondering how Raphael had gotten the semi down the narrow dirt road we had just bounced along.

  The light from the partially cloud-covered sun filtered through the trees, casting eerie shadows on the silver trailer.

  “You came,” Raphael said. He didn’t sound surprised.

  I raised my eyebrow at him, waiting for him to explain.

  “It could easily be a trap,” he continued.

  I laughed, “You looking for a fight?”

  Raphael shook his head, his dark locks glossy in the ghostly afternoon light. “No, I just find your choices interesting.”

  He was working on my last nerve.

  “Open the trailer, the Executioner does not have the patience for this.” Raphael waved his hand, walking away from the swinging doors.

  I smiled, so there was one benefit of being unguarded.

  I stood next to Logan as the doors swung out. My stomach dropped, my half smile disappearing.

  Sunken eyes regarded us, beating against the clear cages, no blood flowing from the broken bones as they fought for food.

  “There are no magical restraints,” I commented idly, looking over their ankles and wrists.

  “He was starving them,” Rapha
el commented, anger lacing his words. “Not enough to force humans into being vampires, and rogue, but starvation just the same.” He shook his head in disgust. His morality was interesting for a vampire so old. I wondered if he remembered the succubi living in this world, with the unicorns and mermaids.

  “The cages are small,” Anna noted, interrupting my musings.

  “To hold more.” I took Logan’s hand, getting into the cramped space. I ran my fingers over the thick plastic doors. The rogue in question rammed the cage.

  Doyle and my father stayed outside the trailer.

  “Twenty.” Raphael confirmed the count I had just taken. “Twenty rogues. What on Earth and all the heavens and hells is he doing? Why does he need this? They cannot be controlled.”

  I shook my head. “You said they are circling the city?”

  “Four others, yes.” Raphael confirmed.

  I nodded. “He’s getting ready for an attack.”

  “But he can’t call them off; they will turn on him as soon as on his enemy, who, I assume, is you,” Raphael observed.

  I pulled out my phone, calling Tommy, knowing he would be about home from school.

  “What?” he growled at me.

  “I need your help.”

  “Finally,” he exhaled.

  “The four semis circling the city are housing twenty rogue vampires each. I’ll send you pictures of the exterior and license plate of this one. See if you can track down the rest.”

  “On it.”

  I looked at my phone, annoyed that he had hung up on me.

  Logan was working on the electronic interface toward the front of the trailer. I left him to it, turning to Raphael.

  “How can you tell he turned humans and isn’t making rogues of established vampires?” I asked.

  Raphael shook his head. “If each container has the same number, we are looking at one hundred rogues. If that number were missing from local Houses, the Vampire High Council would have been called on already.” He shook his head, “No, he’s taking humans.”

  “You should have Tommy check for missing persons as well,” Anna said.

  I nodded, texting the request to Tommy. His attitude had me worried. I can’t say it was worse than mine, though, which had me worried even more. I wanted a life better than my own for him. Maybe it was a bad idea getting him involved in hunting down the bad guys. Since he was at the mansion behind his computers, I didn’t worry about his physical safety.

  I hadn’t given enough thought to his mental welfare.

  “Shit,” Logan hissed.

  I turned to him, Raphael and Anna crowding around him in the small space.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to look at the computer screen.

  “It’s a countdown,” Raphael muttered, backing up a step and running a hand over his face.

  My brows drew down. “Countdown to what?” I snapped.

  “Releasing the rogues,” Anna said as Logan continued to type furiously.

  My breathing increased, my mind repeating Anna’s words.

  “Four trailers filled with rogues,” I whispered. “He’s not attacking me. He’s going to kill off the entire city.”

  Logan turned his caramel gaze to me and I felt his beast pulsing within. “There is no kill switch that I can find.”

  I exhaled. “Let’s get this trailer to the Farm and have Becky take a look at it. How much time do we have?”

  I pulled out my phone, texting Becky.

  “Five hours,” Logan stated.

  I dropped my phone against the metal floor. “WHAT?”

  “Five. Hours.” Logan repeated.

  “What do we do, Executioner?” Raphael asked.

  I turned, looking at him. His angelic brows were drawn in defeat, porcelain skin etched with a future he had seen before.

  Not on my fucking watch.

  “How many of your people are here?” I asked him.

  “Thirty,” he answered rapid fire.

  “Logan, who is still in town from guarding the mansion?”

  He shook his head. “Only a few. I’ve sent most back home.”

  “We have to protect the children,” Anna whispered.

  “Agreed. Raphael, get your people to the mansion. Logan, call back everyone you can.” I turned to Anna. “The executioners are all in town. They will keep the kids safe,” I reassured her.

  She nodded, worry and fear playing across her face from memories we both wanted to keep buried.

  “What about everyone else?” Raphael demanded, his dark eyes clouding.

  “We need to organize them, get them centralized so we can protect them.” I was thinking out loud.

  “Doyle and I can assist,” my father offered.

  “Great, I was counting on it,” I answered. Yes, I had trust issues with him, but he was powerful, and I was stationing him where I needed it the most.

  “Such a brilliant plan,” a voice spoke over the laptop Logan had just used. “Too bad you will never see it come to fruition.” I turned slowly, seeing Zachariah’s face. My own contorted in disgust. Large, dark eyes regarded me from unblemished skin.

  “Raphael, it is such a tragedy you will die here with your demon whore. I had plans for your House,” he continued on.

  “I’ll never join you,” Raphael hissed, jumping easily back into the trailer, stalking toward the screen.

  Zachariah just laughed. “They all claim that at first, but look at Tate. I took him down easily enough, and that wasn’t even my best work.” He continued, smiling regally, “Now, I’ll be sure to take wonderful care of your darling succubi babies. I’ve heard their blood is divine. I’m thinking of opening up a blood barn for the shits.” He sneered the last word and I lunged at the screen.

  “Over my dead body!” I screamed. Logan caught me around my middle.

  “With pleasure.” The screen went dark and I let out a snarl. It was echoed by hydraulics as the cages swung open.

  The rogues were on us in an instant and we were right in the thick of it.

  “Seal the doors!” I yelled at Raphael, closest to the exit. We had to keep them contained. A few managed to escape, but Raphael leapt out after them. Between him and Doyle, I had no worries. A rogue attached to my shoulder, another on my forearm. A torn appendage flew my way, probably Logan’s handiwork.

  My father listened, closing the heavy doors. I heard the metal slide clunk into place.

  I grunted as another rogue latched onto my back. Ugh. I did not need this shit. The quarters were close and guns were out. I tried pulling my blade, but the rogues on my arm and shoulder weren’t cooperating.

  With a grunt, I rammed my body back into the thick plastic cages. I succeeded in breaking the hold the rogue had with his teeth, but his claws were still firmly attached to my back. I slammed back again, looking down at the trail of blood running down my forearm, jaws gnawing on my already delicate flesh.

  I rammed a third time with a scream of outrage and annoyance.

  Logan ripped the rogue off my back, its claws slicing through my flesh as he tore its head from its body. I was slightly annoyed that I needed the help and tore my forearm out of the mouth of the second rogue, reaching for my blade and slicing off her head, before plunging the silver into the hearts of the asshole attached to my shoulder.

  With a grunt, I flew forward as another one attached to my neck. I smacked my head against the plastic, wrenching my arm at an impossible angle to stab into what I was hoping was a vital piece of body.

  Its grip loosened, so I turned in the tight confines, wrenching my blade up and turning the vampire into dust. This had to be the worst place logistically to get attacked. I flung myself again at the rogue attached to Anna’s back, slicing through his hearts before I rounded on the next one trying to take a bite of my neck.

  Logan tossed a rogue at the roof, bending the rogue in half and denting the trailer. I groaned, wanting to shut my abused body into the plastic container and let Anna and Logan handle it, but I didn’t.
I turned, ripping my blade up and across the chest of the next rogue that came at me.

  Logan ripped four rogues apart, spraying the trailer in additional dust. I coughed, blinking the decayed vampire bits out of my eyes.

  “Open the door,” Logan commanded. I felt his arms come around me, inspecting my body.

  I hurt. I laid my head on his shoulder. The door flung open and we all piled out, sucking in dust-free oxygen.

  I stumbled down the tall step of the semi before leaning against the SUV and sliding down, spitting out chunks of vampires.

  Logan pulled the first aid kit out of the car, bending down to wrap my forearm in gauze.

  “You need to stop getting hurt,” he warned me, his fear of losing me riding our connection hard.

  “It’s going to get worse before it gets better, Logan,” I told him. I wasn’t weak and I met his gaze to prove the point. He stopped wrapping, rubbing a thumb against my dirt stained cheek.

  “We have four hours,” Anna said, re-sheathing her blades. “I knew I should have brought the dual swords.”

  I grunted, she was right on both counts.

  I searched my pockets one handed for my phone, flipping through to dial Becky’s number.

  “Boss,” she answered.

  “I need you to get to my location as of yesterday. Bring everything, we have four trailers of rogues and four hours to figure out where they are and a way to destroy them.”

  Silence.

  “Becky?”

  “Rogues?” She whispered.

  “Yes.”

  “How many?”

  “Twenty per trailer.”

  “Four of them, wi—with twenty rogues?” she stuttered.

  I hissed as Logan tied my gauze. “Keep it together, Becky, none of us will get out of this if we lose our shit.”

  She laughed hysterically. “Right, I’ll be right there.”

  Logan helped me stand, pulling out his own phone and handling his business.

  “Call Darren and Kass, they have to get themselves and the kids to the mansion.” Logan nodded in agreement, the phone pressed to his ear.

  Raphael took in the remains of the trailer. “Remind me not to piss you guys off,” he muttered.

  “You should see us with dual swords,” Anna huffed.