by Trina M. Lee
Shya pressed forward until we were almost touching. With an unexpected gentle caress, he stroked a finger under my chin. What was this? Did I have him? I knew better by now. Too good to be true always was.
“Do you think you’re the first succubus who’s tried to charm me, Alexa? You’re just one of many, and you’re not nearly as good at it as you might think you are.” He shoved me away, thrusting me into the barrier. “What is the purpose of this? Do you think you can enslave me like you’ve done with that idiot?”
I didn’t have to turn around to know he was gesturing to Falon. I also didn’t need to look to know exactly what scowl adorned the fallen angel’s face. If fear hadn’t been clawing its way up my throat, I might have considered it problematic that I knew Falon that well.
“I can try.” I went along with his assumption. If he believed that was my ultimate goal, perhaps this plan had a chance. “I’m just getting started.”
Again I directed the power flowing around us, warming it with the sensual part of me that was all Arys before draping it around Shya.
He chuckled, entertained by my efforts.
“Stop holding back, you chicken shit. You can do better than that.” Falon’s heckling was not helpful.
I owed him so many middle fingers, but there wasn’t time for that kind of distraction. He was right, unfortunately. I was trying to take the easy way out. Nothing about this would be easy, not if I wanted it done right.
I had to touch Shya. That was all there was to it. An energy attack alone might work on humans or tease vampires, but to really take Shya under, I had to get physical.
Part of being a succubus meant that I wanted it too. Normally. With Shya, though no part of me wanted him sexually, the thought of having him bend to my will made me lick my lips in anticipation. He would be mine, and he would love it.
Tuning out our audience, I advanced on him with slow, patient steps. Shya watched me prowl toward him. He let me reach for him, and then he hit me with a blast that slammed me down on my back. Before I could get up, he was there, kneeling over me with a hand around my throat.
“If it’s enslavement you want, I will give it to you. In spades.”
A strangled scream tore from me as he slammed me with a shot that burned to the tips of my toes. My insides were on fire. I gripped his forearm, fighting to counter his attack with my own. I threw everything I had at him, remembering only at the last second not to unleash every last scrap of power at my disposal. Shya was strong, but he wasn’t stronger than the several demons combined within me.
It was a small victory when his grip loosened and his eyes widened. I sat up fast and twisted his arm, throwing as much momentum as I could into the move. Using my weight and strength, I flipped him onto his back and climbed on top of him. His wings were splayed out beneath him, but it was too soon to try for a feather. I needed him completely under my influence.
The sensation of straddling Shya was one of those things I could have gone my whole existence not knowing. Those thoughts would throw me off, so I shoved them aside and leaned in to kiss him. Don’t think about it; don’t think about it, rapped through my head.
Our lips touched, and I pulled him under, seeking to fog his mind so he could see and feel nothing but the erotic need I created. The atmosphere within the circle grew hot and pulsing.
That first taste of success was a tease, but it was exciting.
Shya kissed me back, delving into my mouth with his tongue. His kiss was invasive but controlled. He broke it off and searched my eyes. “I’m sure you’re a hell of a fuck,” he said, voice thick with arousal and anger, “but you don’t really do it for me, and let’s be honest, I have too much pride to allow myself to settle for Falon’s used goods.”
My face burned with rage. How did he think he had a right to judge me? He was a freakin’ demon. He was also a liar.
Shya had weaknesses too. Thinking of Lilah, I growled, “But not too much pride to pass on all of Falon’s conquests, right?” My smile was deadly.
I had just seconds to gain the upper hand. He was right there, hovering on the edge of the abyss. If I could just push him over—
I jerked as pain spread out between my shoulder blades. Sulfur assaulted my nose. I’d been hit with demon magic, but it hadn’t come from Shya. When I turned, I found Willow standing beside the salt circle with a hand raised. Whatever he’d done, it had been strong enough to breach Gabriel’s circle, further evidence of the force Willow now was.
“What did you—?” A strand of fiery orange hair blew across my face, stealing my voice, a voice that no longer sounded like mine. A quick study of my body revealed one that was not mine.
Shya’s brow furrowed in confusion. He shook his head. “No. This isn’t real. I’m not a fucking idiot; I’m the king of illusions.”
My reflection shone in his pupils. Lilah. Willow had made me look just like her. The one woman Shya would do anything for, his greatest weakness.
I didn’t need another insulting command from Falon to know what I had to do, though he offered one anyway. Before Shya could pull free from the slight hold I had on him, I drew on Arys to sustain me. After the disconnection within the house, finding him there felt like the gift it was. One to never be taken for granted. Thankfully, no circle could sever our soul connection to one another.
With my focus intent on making Shya forget everything but the woman he saw, I hit him with my best shot. Using the demon magic to break through his resistance and my sensual vibe to twist it into the manipulative drug I needed it to be, I threw everything I had into taking him down the metaphorical rabbit hole.
And it was enough.
Lilah might be a demon, but she wasn’t a succubus. That didn’t stop Shya from grabbing me like I were a life preserver in a sea of desire where he was drowning.
He sat up so we were face to face and ran his hands through my hair, studying the ginger strands in lust-induced wonder. “How can this be? You’re with Salem. He’s locked you away from me again. Am I dreaming?”
Inside I was freaking out. What the hell should I say? What should I do? I didn’t know Lilah well enough to know how to properly portray her. The only thing I could remember was the bitch calling Shya a worm, so I wasn’t finding any help in the past. I’d have to wing it and hope he was under deep enough to roll with it.
“It doesn’t matter,” I purred, dancing my fingertips over his jawline as I caressed his face. “I’m here. I’m yours.”
Falon scoffed, and Arys told him to shut up. Thankfully, Shya was oblivious.
“I’m definitely dreaming then. But I’ll take it.” Rubbing a thumb over my bottom lip, Shya gazed at me with unbridled adoration. The alert and vindictive gleam that usually shone in his crimson eyes was absent.
I was awestruck at the raw emotion that turned his malicious expression into something filled with pain and yearning. Though I’d been aware of Shya’s feelings for Lilah, I hadn’t considered that they might be love. For that matter, I’d never viewed him as one who could love. He was just so cruel and hard. I’d attributed that to his being a demon. Never had I guessed that perhaps there was another reason for his cruelty. Possibly a reason with ginger hair.
His kiss was tender but desperate. Gentle at first, deepening with every passing moment. There was lust in the hardness he pressed against me, but that kiss burned with the fires of love.
“I knew,” he whispered against my lips. “I knew you loved me. Salem can’t keep us apart. I will wait for you forever. Always I will serve you, my queen.”
In another time and place, it would have given me a sick satisfaction to have Shya address me in such a manner. Now it turned my stomach. I didn’t want to see this side of Shya, didn’t want to know it existed.
Because I didn’t know what to say, I kissed him again. Too much talking was dangerous. It put me at risk of saying something to fuck this up. Shya was right where we wanted him. I had to keep him there long enough to grab that feather, which was so damn c
lose I could feel it.
Kissing Shya wasn’t as bad as I’d thought it would be. I mean, I didn’t hate it. As a succubus I actually found a thrill in it. Despite the heady rush, I couldn’t lose myself in it the way I usually did with one of my victims. I was much too aware that I was seeing a side of Shya he’d never want me to see.
“Tell me that you love me.” Shya pulled back to gaze into my eyes. His longing for Lilah’s acceptance and affection wasn’t pathetic or ridiculous, just painfully sad.
Guilt slithered through me. Driving him stupid with lust was one thing, but exposing the broken heart he hid well was another. Fuck me, did I feel bad about this?
After everything he’s done, everything he still plans to do? Fuck him. Fuck his pitiful obsession with Lilah. This is no less than he deserves.
“Don’t talk,” I murmured, dragging my lips over his ear and down the side of his neck. I couldn’t keep looking into his eyes without ruining this. “I just want to feel you.”
My request was honored. With a hand on his chest, I eased him back down, flat on the ground beneath me. The flaming circle surrounding us cast a blue glow upon us. It brought out the blue-black hue of Shya’s hair and wings.
I eyed those wings, my gaze tracing the curve of each feather. Patience was no virtue of mine. Resisting the urge to grab one and yank it free was so damn hard. Such a move would shatter the illusion, and Shya would come out fighting. Subtlety was key here.
Feasting on the sexual, life-giving energy of my victim was my usual goal. Not this time. As good as it felt to have him fall under my thrall, I didn’t want to find out what the demon’s intimate essence would do to me. I was already going to bear mental scars from this night. No need to add to them.
In the moment when his hands slid down my body, my brain began to scream at me. I shuddered, and it wasn’t in the good way that he thought it was. The weighty stares of my companions grew heavy.
Arys watched with excitement. I could feel it. In my peripheral view I saw Falon inch closer, drawn by my allure. Though I couldn’t see Shaz, I suspected he wasn’t unaffected either.
I ran both hands through Shya’s hair, over his shoulders, and down his splayed wings. He groaned, holding tight to my hips as his lips found mine again. His tongue was hot against mine. As he delved deeper into my mouth, I ground my groin against his. But all I could think about was the soft feathers beneath my fingers.
Each caress of his feathers had him straining against me. I might have to live with the memory of Shya’s hard on between my legs, but it was going to be worth it. This would be his last pleasurable experience for a very long time.
Unable to ensure that Falon and Gabriel were ready, I had no option but to trust them. Once I swiped the feather, everything would happen fast.
Slow and careful, my hand rested over the feather I’d chosen. Knowing this was my moment, I gave it a tug as gentle as I could muster. It didn’t budge. Shya seemed unaware. His hands slipped around to cup my ass. There was no way in hell I was taking things any farther than they’d already gone. I would have to just go for it.
I gripped the feather as tight as I could and pulled. There was a moment of resistance. Knowing there was no going back, I put forth some real effort, and with a disgusting pop, it jerked free. Blood dripped from the tip of the feather. I turned to find Gabriel with drowning pupils and a hand extended. As adrenaline flooded me, I shoved it toward him.
He reached inside the circle with one of Jez’s daggers in hand. Without a word of warning, he sliced the blade across my wrist. The wound opened up, and he rubbed the feather through it, coating it in my blood before pulling away and resealing the circle.
Falon joined him, offering himself as the immortal energy source we needed. Gabriel was already chanting when he drew on Falon’s power.
It all happened so fast. Just a blink and the spell started to form. But my thrall had been broken, and Shya rose up from the abyss like a snake striking without warning.
With a backhand loaded with power, he smacked me. I tasted blood, but more importantly, I was flat on my back trying to figure out which way was up. Having expended all of the demonic energy, it was just me against Shya.
And I didn’t stand a chance.
Trapped inside the salt circle with him, I fumbled to protect myself as his boot hit my stomach. Scorching heat followed as he attacked me in every way. I threw up a small barrier around me, hoping it’d hold long enough for me to get up.
“How dare you manipulate my emotions?” Shya bellowed. “Do you think you’re superior to me, Alexa? A Hound tainted by darkness? You’re nothing. You’re fucking nothing.”
My barrier took the brunt of another hit. It rippled like a bubble about to pop. Willow appeared at the edge of the salt circle, hand raised.
“No, Willow, don’t,” I shouted. “Protect them.” I pointed to Falon and Gabriel who stood together, heads bowed, twisting the spell that would save us all. If Willow broke through this circle to save me, it would only set Shya free, giving him a chance to stop the spell. We couldn’t take that risk.
Arys and Shaz hovered at the edge of the flames, watching as Shya rained down hell upon me. My best offensive moves would never be enough to stun the demon, so I focused my efforts on defense. Barrier after barrier I threw up between us. Each one Shya tore down with little effort.
Though I was unable to see how Gabriel wrapped the divine essence of my blood around Falon’s immortal energy and tied it to Shya, I felt the spell take form.
So did Shya.
It began to pull on him, like a fierce wind whisking him off his feet. Alarm filled his eyes, and he lunged for me, breaking through another barrier to grab hold of me.
“If I’m going down, you’re coming with me,” he hissed, holding so tight his fingers dug deep into my flesh.
I could feel it inside me, the door the spell had opened. Like a gaping mouth it swallowed Shya, sucking him in little by little.
“No,” I screamed. “Let me go.”
Shaz’s frantic shout rang in my ears. He beat fists against the salt circle wall, unable to breach the stronghold Gabriel had created. “Gabriel, get her out of there.”
The young vampire’s head snapped up, his eyes black from the rush of magic pouring from him. He rushed through the blue flames and kicked the salt, destroying the circle. In one hand he held the black obsidian amulet he’d obtained for this purpose. In the other, Shya’s feather.
Gabriel let the feather fall into the blue flames. A cerulean explosion lit up the sky. Chaos descended all around us.
The magic jerked Shya toward the amulet, but he held tight to me. While I struggled to pull free, Arys attempted to come to my aid with an attack that fell away, deflected by the demon’s desperate struggle. Shya was hell bent on taking me with him.
Again Willow raised a hand, but Gabriel shouted at him to stop. He was too powerful. If he sent Shya back to the other side, we would lose our chance.
It was Jez who came at us with both daggers raised, Jez who plunged them both into Shya’s back, delivering the strike that broke his focus. As his hands slipped from me, he lashed out with one final blow.
“May you never know peace when the moon is full,” Shya hissed, clasping my hand in his. “See you soon, sweetheart.”
A cloud of smoke exploded in my face, choking me. When it dissipated I was unhurt other than a strange, glowing mark in the palm of my hand. Panic seized me. What the friggin’ hell did that demon just do to me?
In a flash of blue, the amulet caught fire, and our hands were torn apart as Shya’s being was thrust inside. The flames went out, and the stone hummed, its prisoner trapped safely within.
Shaz pulled me into his arms, and I huddled against him, staring at my palm. It was mine again, the illusion of Lilah had faded. Everything shifted, causing momentary disorientation as Shya’s horror house illusion fell away, leaving us sitting in the grass outside his modern day manor.
Gabriel, looking satisfi
ed but wary, tossed the amulet to me. It vibrated with Shya’s murky, black energy. He caught sight of the mark in my hand and pressed his lips together tight.
“What?” I demanded, voice shaking. “What did he do to me?”
His expression was hard to read, almost carefully composed, when he said, “He cursed you.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“He cursed me?” I repeated. The words sounded foreign. Wrong. “Did you see this coming when you touched me? A heads up would’ve been nice.”
I leveled an accusatory glare at Gabriel. A gift like his would wear away at one’s mind. No part of me envied his ability to see snapshots of someone else’s future. Regardless, if he’d seen this coming and failed to warn me, he was going to truly die. No more second chances.
“No, I never saw anything to do with Shya.” Twisting his hands together, he shuffled his feet and shook his head. It was so easy to forget he was still an awkward teenager just coming into adulthood. Especially after the poised control and knowledge he’d exhibited tonight.
“Oh? So what did you see then?” I shot a glance to the sky. Sunrise was little more than an hour away. We’d been in Shya’s illusion for hours. It felt like several nights.
“I’m not sharing that information anymore,” he said, voice soft and vulnerable but also a lie. There was nothing vulnerable about Gabriel anymore. “It’s better to not know what’s coming.”
The weight of Arys’s gaze pulled my eyes to his. He’d known for a century what he would do to me. It had chipped a hole in his otherwise impenetrable shield. That was the very reason that I hadn’t told him about Gabriel’s vision of him attacking my sister. I couldn’t lay that weight upon him. I could only try to stop it.
There was no sense pushing the subject. I really didn’t want to know whatever he might have seen. I had bigger issues, the weird triangular mark in the center of my palm being one of them.
It didn’t hurt. When I rubbed a thumb across it there was no sensation, just a numb spot. “Can you tell me more about this?”
Gabriel held a hand over the mark, his brow furrowed in concentration. “It’s tied to your wolf somehow. That’s all I can get out of it. I wish there was more I could tell you.”