“I’ll leave you to eat.” I turn to leave, but I don’t want to.
“Wait, Cassius,” she sighs. When I turn around, she’s using her fork to push around the food on her plate. “Kieran thinks he owns me since he changed me. He will kill you if he comes here.”
“He won’t touch us,” I vow.
“He’s evil.”
“No maker should hold their changeling hostage,” I argue. “Once you awaken, you are to be trained before being set free.”
“He doesn’t think so,” she sighs sadly. I see a flash of fear in her eyes, and I grit my teeth in response. “Look, I don’t know how long I can stay here, and while I appreciate the offer to help me, I really should be going tomorrow.”
“Where will you go?” I ask. She never gave us an answer earlier.
“I’m thinking Arizona or California,” she says with a shrug. “It’s as far away from Pittsburg as I can go without needing a passport.”
“We can protect you here,” I remind her. “Please eat. We can discuss this more in the morning.”
“Thank you,” she replies and ducks her head to stare at the food on her plate.
The further away from her room, the more my anger swells. When I sit down at the table to eat with Salvatore and Victor, my eyes have already turned red and my appetite is completely gone. Fagan must sense my unease and pours me a glass of wine. When I drain the glass, he nods. “I’ll bring whiskey, Sir.”
“She’s wanting to leave tomorrow,” I announce when Fagan disappears to get the whiskey from the bar in the living room.
Salvatore’s hand pauses as he reaches for his wine glass. He swallows and asks, “Why?”
“She thinks she can just run away from this male,” I reply.
“I have someone gathering information on Kieran Wylde for me, and I’ve already heard whispers of things he’s doing in his territory. If they are true, we have a bigger problem on our hands.” Salvatore came from a strict Catholic family. He’s always had respect for the opposite sex, and I’ve seen him kill a human male once for beating his wife outside a bar we were at while on the hunt.
Victor rests his fork beside his plate and leans back in his chair. He pulls his phone from his pocket and presses a few buttons. He slides his phone in my direction, and I take it in my hand. There’s a photo of a male incubus. “I’m assuming this is Kieran?”
“It is.” Victor nods and forks another bite of food.
Kieran Wylde is a bit older than I imagined. He looks to be around Salvatore’s age, but there’s something wrong with his appearance. I study his light-gray hair and brown eyes. The more I stare into those eyes, the more I realize he looks half-dead.
“Do we know of anything else he has done?” Salvatore asks.
“Nothing yet,” Victor replies, shaking his head. Victor was born in the early nineteen forties. He’s one of the most chivalrous males I know. It’s bothering him Ashera came to us so broken.
“We need to keep her here until we know more,” my leader says. “Cassius, I’m putting you in charge of watching over her. Stay with her when she goes out to feed, and make sure her maker doesn’t come looking for her. When I get all the information on him, we may be going up north to pay him a little visit.”
Chapter 4
Ashera
The sun casts a beam of light through the slit in the drapes hanging over the tall windows of the room I’m in. It’s just after eight in the morning, and I am starting to feel the weakness from the lack of feeding. Cassius’s blood held me over, but today, I need to find a human to fuck and feed from. If I can find a man in his prime, I can use his energy to last me for at least a week and a half. In doing so, I can get back on the road and head toward Arizona.
Standing from the bed, I change my appearance to a female with short-cropped black hair, and on my body, I dress in workout clothes. I add a full sleeve of tattoos, and then open the bedroom door. I hear voices downstairs, and I recognize one as Cassius.
I understand they want to protect me, but I need permission to feed in their territory. Since Salvatore is the leader of the area, I should probably talk to him. I remember seeing a gym by the motel I was using, and make my plan as I head downstairs.
“Are you needing to feed?” Cassius asks as I step into the living room I saw from the foyer last night. He’s sitting on the couch, sipping on a cup of coffee. His long, black hair is loose, and my fingers tingle from remembering how it felt when I touched the soft strands the night before as my fangs were buried in his neck.
“I really do,” I say. “I know of a gym in town I’d like to go to. Do I need permission from Sal?”
“Sal, huh?” Cassius asks, quirking a brow.
“Um, yeah. I like giving nicknames.” I sigh and shrug. “Look, I really need to feed, and then I’ll grab my things from the place I was staying at before coming back here. I promise to say goodbye before I leave.”
Cassius stands from his seat and sets the empty cup on the table. A male servant frowns as he walks in, scooping it up before the piece of ceramic can make a ring on the expensive furniture.
“You shouldn’t be leaving this area, Ashera,” Salvatore says from behind me. I spin around, seeing the older male standing in the doorway. I can feel Cassius at my back, making me nervous. I step to the side so I can put my back close to the wall.
“Why?”
“I’ve gotten word about Kieran Wylde,” he says, holding a folder in his hand. “Come to my office. We should sit down and talk.”
Cassius follows us, entering the room behind me. I head to the chair in front of Sal’s desk and take my seat. He opens the folder and removes a black and white photo. I see the brand on the female’s skin before he even turns the paper around. It’s a closeup shot of the same brand on the back of my shoulder. The next photo he removes causes me to gasp in horror, covering my mouth.
“No! No!” I cry.
The photo is from a crime scene. It’s the woman I consider a sister, and she’s lying face down behind a dumpster in a pool of blood. There are lashes across her back, and her clothes are torn away from her body.
“Do you know Iris?” the leader asks.
“She’s…she’s one of the call girls I worked with,” I say, my vision blurring from the tears. “Who did this?”
“Some gargoyles passing through Pittsburg found her,” he responds, tucking two other photos into his folder. I don’t care to see them. I already know how she died. “They cleaned it up before the authorities found out, then sent the information to their leader. In turn, the leader put out the information to other leaders to notify other territories that someone is out there killing their food.”
“It’s Kieran,” I blurt. “That’s his calling card. He did that because I escaped him. I need to leave here.”
I try to stand, but like the night before, Cassius places his hand on my shoulder to push me down. My eyes turn red, and my fangs grow thick in my mouth as I hiss over my shoulder. Cassius responds with the same actions. My body coils as I plan to attack him.
“You are not leaving here on your own,” he snarls.
“You can’t hold me hostage,” I reply, baring my fangs again. “I’ve had enough of that for a lifetime.”
“Stop!” Salvatore bellows as he stands from his seat. “Both of you calm the fuck down.”
“I’m feeding, then I’m leaving and you can’t stop me!” Standing, I hold out my hand to stop Cassius from coming toward me. “Don’t!”
“Ashera…” His voice and anything he has to say is cut off when I disappear into thin air, reforming behind the gym next to my motel.
The sound of vehicles greet me, and I look around for any humans, relaxing when I find none. I run my fingers through my hair and calm my features. I need to look sultry to get the men in the gym to notice me.
I’m greeted by a cute twenty-something male at the counter. He’s too shy for me. So, I use my magic to find a member’s name from his memory to use to get me access t
o the gym.
“Kathy James told me you had a free day reserved for me?” I flirt.
“Oh, yes. I just talked to her,” he says, then blushes after staring at my tits for a moment. “Let’s see…Yup, right here.”
He hands over a clipboard, and on the sheet is the name Lily Reynolds. I sign the bogus name and give him a little wink. I make my way over to the weight rack and pick up a low weight to begin. There are four possible targets in the gym. I’ve already checked them out as I walked through.
The first two men pay me no attention. That’s fine. The other two are eyeing me as I curl the weight and stare at myself in the mirror. One of them, a large male with multiple tattoos and mesmerizing blue eyes moves away from the equipment he’s using to grab weights off the same rack. He curls his massive weight and looks up at me through lowered lashes.
I want to roll my eyes, but I refrain. He doesn’t need to charm me by showing me how much he can lift. I just need to know if he wants to fuck.
“You’re new here,” he says after racking the weight. He moves closer to me as he hovers over my small body.
“I’m just here to check the place out,” I state and curl my weight again. “My friend left me a free pass for the day.”
“What’s your name, sweetheart?” he asks. At least he’s hot, and the beard doesn’t look bad on him either.
“I’m Lily.” I smile up at him.
“I’m Charlie, and this is my gym,” he says, holding out his beefy hand when I set my weight back on the rack. “Would you like some help with your workout today?”
“I’d like that very much, Charlie.” I use my husky voice and allow him to take me around the gym. We work out for about an hour before I’m laying on the floor, trying to catch my breath. It’s been awhile since I played the role of a gym rat, and I’m totally out of shape.
“Would you like to go out for a drink? Maybe some food?” he asks as he helps me up.
I lean into his chest and give him a sexy smile. “I’d like that, but first, I need a shower.”
“I could use one too,” he says, looking around the gym. “I have a personal shower in my office you can use. It’s much nicer than the one in the women’s locker room.”
“That’s very nice of you.”
Hook.
Line.
Sinker.
We don’t make it to the shower. My body needs energy and blood, and he’s all about getting my clothes off. His lips land on mine, and I raise a brow. Not bad. His hands slide up my sides, taking the tank top and sports bra with it. He’s very good at getting it off, and I roll my eyes. He’s done this before.
“Sit on that couch, big boy,” I hum, giving him a little push as I shed my pants.
He doesn’t hesitate to pull his basketball shorts below his ass, taking his cock into his hand. It’s bigger than average, and I throw my leg over his hips, pausing to let him suck on my nipple. He gives it a little bite, and I groan when I feel the magic in my body start to swirl. The ache between my legs isn’t just because of the need…I’m hungry.
Sliding down on his cock, I thread my fingers through his hair and pull his head to the side. The vein in his neck throbs, and I roll my hips, taking him a little deeper into my body.
“Yeah, baby, lick my neck,” he urges. I don’t need him to tell me what to do, but I do it anyway. I need him to the point of orgasm for me to put him into a trance so he doesn’t fight me when I strike his vein.
“Yes, big daddy, you like that?” I moan as I move myself up and down, rolling my hips. He nods, and I feel his cock swell inside me, triggering my succubus side.
The magic I carry soothes him as I continue to roll my hips. I feel the power inside me ebb as he begins to relax. Charlie groans one more time before his head wobbles and he leans back against the couch. When his eyes close, I strike.
His blood is warm, coppery, and just what I need. I pull on his vein as I continue to fuck him. The male doesn’t move now, because he’s under my spell. I’m a succubus, but also need blood to survive. His hand grips my hip as his cock begins to pulse inside me. I squint my eyes when his energy seeps into my soul. I draw three more times on his vein before his life force hits me full force.
“Oh, yessss,” I hiss as I release him, relishing in the feel of his cock emptying inside my body.
Charlie has slipped into a comatose state when I climb from his body. I rearrange him so his hand is on his cock. When he wakes up, he’ll think what we did was a dream. I grab my clothes and put them back on before using my renewed energy to vanish to the same spot I used after leaving Cassius’s home.
I cut through the alley and produce the key to the room, sliding it into the lock. One quick swirl of my finger later, and I’ve changed to a forty-five year old business woman wearing a purple pantsuit. I conjure a briefcase to complete my ensemble. It takes me less than sixty seconds to gather the duffle bag that holds all of my worldly belongings, then I toss the key on the dresser, pulling the door closed. I’ve already paid for this room, and I don’t even care to ask for a refund. I need to get to the bus station and leave town.
“Is this look called ‘Susan’?” Cassius asks as I exit. I gasp and spin around, seeing the man who wants to protect me leaning against the building outside. He’s wearing his heavy leather jacket again.
“Damn it, Cassius,” I bark. “Why are you following me?”
“I see you found some food,” he scowls, pushing away from the wall. He’s decked out in all black, and the sun glints off a silver chain that hangs from his hip. He looks like a total badass, not someone who would be hanging with a woman dressed in business clothes.
“I told you I needed to feed,” I huff and lift the strap of the duffle bag higher on my shoulder. “Now, I must go.”
“You are not leaving here,” he responds as he comes to my side. I jerk my hand away when he tries to clip the silver bangle on my wrist again.
“I learned my lesson the first time,” I say, jutting my chin out toward the shackle. “Won’t happen again.”
“Damn it, Ashera,” he scowls and grabs my wrist. We are out of the sight of anyone staying at the hotel, and I should scream, but I can’t. His touch tingles my skin, and I look at where we are connected before glancing at his eyes. The blood that tells who we are is starting to seep into them.
“Come home with me so I can protect you, please,” he urges, his voice dropping with the demand.
I feel my magic slipping, and Susan is gone. I’m Ashera again, and I drop my duffle bag to the ground. He picks it up and uses his magic to transport us back to the estate where he lives. When I walk in the door, the gargoyle is there, waiting to take my things from Cassius.
“Ms. Andrews, I will take this to your room. Lunch is served in the kitchen.”
“That’s Fagan, by the way,” Cassius informs me as he turns to head toward the kitchen. He doesn’t act like my attempted escape bothers him anymore, and I curse under my breath while I follow him to where the food is waiting for us. Sal and Victor are there, making sandwiches at the counter.
“Welcome back,” Victor says, stepping aside. “Help yourself. Want a beer?”
“Actually, yes,” I agree, needing to relax a bit. The energy from the guy at the gym has me on edge, and I need to calm a little. If I don’t, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.
Chapter 5
Cassius
“Mr. Snow, will there be anything else?” Fagan asks as he turns to leave my room.
“Have you seen Ms. Andrews this morning?” I inquire as I sip my coffee. The gargoyle has stripped my bedsheets and cleaned my bathroom while I read the paper. It’s been three days, and there’s no mention of the guy she left at the gym.
Good girl.
“No, Sir,” he replies. “She hasn’t come down for breakfast, either.”
“That’ll be all, Fagan,” I say, flipping to the financials. The good thing about being alive for three hundred and twenty-one years is that I’ve had time t
o invest some money into stocks and have made quite the profit.
Ashera is a new succubus, and her thirst is still strong. She thinks she can wait ten to fourteen days between feedings, but I know she will need blood and energy at least twice a week. She was quiet at dinner last night, and I’d bet some of my well-earned money on the fact that she’s weakening.
I snap the newspaper and fold it, setting it on the small table by the window in my room. The room I set her up in is next to mine, and I did that for a reason. It’s my job to watch over her while she’s in our territory. I want to know where she is at all times.
With Kieran Wylde on the hunt for her, it’s important she stay close to one of us. I’m sure he’s sent gargoyles out to search for her, and while they are strong and loyal, they’re no match for an incubus. We are demons by nature and have quite the mean streak.
“Ashera?” I knock on her door and listen for movement. When I hear none, I try the handle, relaxing when I push the door open and find her still in the bed.
She’s sprawled out on her stomach, and the satin sheets are curled around her legs. They’ve slipped down to her lower back, and my eyes trace her ivory skin. Her curves are worthy of a Hollywood starlet, and I remember the gargoyles’ words from that first night.
Their description of the succubus didn’t do her justice. She’s one of the most beautiful women on the face of this planet and beyond. It is as if the devil himself made her to tempt the male population of the world…Hades included.
I take a seat on the edge of the bed, and my movement wakes her. She doesn’t speak when she rolls over, pulling the sheet with her as she goes. I can see her dark nipples through the thin, cream-colored sheet. There is an innocence in the way she looks in the morning, and I feel a pain in my chest from the thought. There is nothing innocent about who we are. The ones who changed us from human to demon did so for a reason. We are now full of sin, and we are spread out across the world to ensure there will be souls for Lucifer when the humans pass on. It’s all about balance in the universe.
Thirst (Incubus Tamed, Book 1) Page 3