Thirst (Incubus Tamed, Book 1)

by Theresa Hissong

  She’s already taking some of my energy. Her pussy tightens on my cock as I thrust, and I swear I can’t keep my eyes off of hers. The more I think about what happened, the more I want to deliver Kieran and his goons to Hades myself. I will go down with them as long as she is still alive.

  “Come on, Ashera girl. Take his energy,” Victor urges, leaning over to take her nipple between his teeth. She snarls and growls as he delivers little bites of pain. She likes it, and as sadistic as it sounds, I’m loving seeing her in the depths of her passion.

  “She’s healing,” Salvatore informs me as he removes the towel from her side. I’ve already noticed the gashes on her face start to fade, only the blood staining her skin. “Finish her, Cassius. Give her what she needs.”

  My thrusts are punishing, but I never take my eyes from hers. She’s drinking from Salvatore’s wrist, but she never closes her eyes. In this moment, we are one. The other two men are no longer in the room. I silently urge her to give me her release so I can give her my life force. If she needed it all, I would gladly lay it at her feet just to see her unharmed.

  My thumb finds her center, and I rub her clit slowly, watching for signs she is needing more. The succubus beneath me is slowly weaving a web between us, and I tear my gaze away to look at Victor and Salvatore. From the worry on their faces, I know they’d die for her too.

  Chapter 14

  Ashera

  I feel his energy soak into my soul as he orgasms, his seed pumping into my body. Victor and Salvatore pull away as they check the wound at my side. Cassius tucks himself back in his jeans and climbs in beside me, taking the spot where Victor once was.

  “Thank you,” I sigh, looking at my side. The hole is gone and the bleeding has stopped.

  “Are you strong enough for me to bathe you?” he asks, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

  “I think so,” I say with a nod and sit up. The bed is covered with blood, reminding me of a surgery scene from a movie I once saw. “I’m so sorry, Sal!”

  “This is not your fault,” he growls. “The bed can be replaced…you cannot.”

  Salvatore leans over and kisses my forehead. I nod and accept the same from Vic. Both men leave the room with their shoulders slumped. I know I took a lot of their blood, so they’re going to have to find a few humans to replenish their own supply.

  “You need to feed,” I scold, reaching up to touch Cassius’s cheek. Dark circles have formed around his eyes and his color isn’t as tan as usual. “I can bathe myself.”

  “No,” he says, shaking his head. Something in Cassius has changed over the last hour. It could very well be the excitement from the explosion, but I think it’s something else. “I will care for you.”

  “Okay,” I say, letting him carry me from the bed. Halfway to the bathroom, he stumbles.

  “Put me down,” I order, throwing my hand out to catch the doorframe. He’s being stubborn, and I won’t have him trading places with me just so he can be chivalrous.

  I shimmy out of his hold, and this time he doesn’t protest. He leans against the bathroom sink while I turn on the spray in the walk-in shower. There’s room enough for four people. So, it’s no hassle when I step inside and watch him as he removes his clothes.

  His long, black hair is still full of debris, and I turn to push him under the water as soon as he closes the glass door. I work the strands of his hair while he shuts his eyes. Instead of him caring for me, I am cleaning the day’s events off of him. Pieces of wood flutter to the shower floor, washing down the drain along with the fear of the explosion.

  Kieran is out to get us all now. We thought hiding in the cabin would keep me safe while Sal and Vic hunted Kieran’s gargoyles. I should’ve known they’d find me. I’d used the few days alone with Cassius as a way to hide from my problems. The fairytale I’d conjured in my mind was fun while it lasted, but I’ve never been one to run from a threat.

  “Kieran needs to die,” I say as I work the shampoo into Cassius’s hair.

  “I will torture him before I kill him for the things he’s done to you,” he vows, but his voice holds no strength. He’s weakening from feeding me during my injury. As much as I appreciate all three of them helping me, it’s not healthy for an incubus to share their resources with a succubus.

  Regardless of what’s happening between Cassius and myself, we are demons. We must have humans to live. There will never be a time when we can feed off of each other and live happily ever after. That’s not how we work.

  “I want you to go out and feed,” I whisper and cup his face. His eyes are his normal sapphire-blue, and I stare into them for several seconds before taking his lips in a soft kiss. The silver hoop in his lip is warm to the touch, and I nibble on it before stepping aside. “Get dressed and hunt with the others. I’m sure Memphis, Xavier, and Fagan can hold things down here until you return.”

  “Let me bathe you,” he argues, turning me so I am under the showerhead. Warm water cascades over my body, and I look at my feet to see the remaining blood swirl around the drain before disappearing.

  His hands roam my body and I feel an ache between my legs. His scent is overpowering as I lean into his embrace. My lips touch the spot over his heart, and I just stand there as he holds me. We don’t talk, and that’s okay. I need to take stock of what happened. I’ve never been seriously hurt like I was earlier, and for once, I’m thankful for my immortality.

  “You should go, Cass,” I whisper and release him. He nods, kisses me softly on the lips, and pushes the door open. I don’t even watch him as he goes. I just tuck my head under the water and bathe myself.

  By the time I am done, I make my way next door to my usual room. The bed in the room I’d been using is destroyed. Cassius’s room is as plain as the other ones. There are no personal items laying around on the dresser, and not one photo on the wall belongs to him. If he hadn’t told me he’d been with Sal for such a long time, I would’ve thought he was newer to this life than I am.

  Even with the energy I took from Cassius and the blood that filled me from all three of them, I am exhausted. His bed smells like him, and I find peace and comfort between the sheets when I slip beneath them.

  I turn on the television and hope the soft hum of voices will lull me to sleep. I don’t know how long he will be, but I do know we both need our rest. Plans for Kieran’s death will need to be addressed in the morning. I don’t know if they have any idea how to get to him, but I do. I know I have to walk back into the dragon’s lair and face the demon who made me. At this point, it’s the only way.

  I know I promised Cassius I wouldn’t run, but I’m going to have to break that promise and head back to the one place I swore I’d never return.

  Chapter 15

  Ashera

  Slipping from the bed, I use my magic to give myself an outfit since all of my clothes were destroyed in the explosion. As easy as it would be to conjure up a look for each day with nothing more than the swirl of my finger, I like to keep some sense of my human life by shopping and dressing myself.

  Cassius came in a few hours ago, and I heard him take another shower before he came to bed. His incubus scent was strong after his feeding. He spooned me as he settled in, but I didn’t speak. All I wanted to do was sleep, knowing everyone was safe under Salvatore’s roof.

  I never left the room last night to check on Sal or Vic. I heard voices at one point, but I couldn’t muster up enough energy to even go downstairs for a quick meal before I fell asleep.

  The door barely makes a sound as I close it softly. I twirl my finger around my feet to apply a comfortable pair of jogging shoes to go with my workout clothes. Its comfortable, and I’m really in no mood to dress up for the mission I’m about to embark on before the end of the night.

  “Ms. Andrews,” Fagan calls out as I enter the living room. He’s cleaning the furniture again…just like he does every morning. “Fresh coffee is available, and I will serve breakfast at nine.”

  “Thank you, Fagan
.” I nod and pass him to find the kitchen empty. Sal and Vic are nowhere to be found, and I breathe a sigh of relief. My goal is to sit down with a hot cup of coffee outside so I can make my plan. It’ll need to be a solid one, because I’ll only get one shot at taking out Kieran Wylde.

  “Good morning,” one of the gargoyles says as he enters the kitchen. I remember him from somewhere, and I narrow my eyes. The tall, tattooed man smirks and pours himself a cup of coffee. “Yeah, yeah. I know. You saw me at that sleezy bar.”

  “I did,” I reply and take a sip.

  “Well, you were in our territory, and I needed to keep an eye on you,” he says and leans against the counter. He’s a little on the beefy side, and I notice a small scar over his left eye. His short, brown hair is shaved close at the sides, and he has a flower tattooed on the side of his head. If he grew out his hair, you’d never know it was there.

  “And look where that got me,” I mumble and take a seat at the breakfast bar in the middle of the kitchen.

  Another gargoyle enters the kitchen and mumbles some sort of greeting. He’s the same size as the last one, but he’s only wearing a pair of basketball shorts. They ride low on his hips, and I watch as the muscles in his back ripple with his movement.

  “I’m Memphis, by the way,” the first one says, taking the empty seat to my left. “The quiet one is Xavier.”

  “Nice to officially meet you,” I reply. My eyes are still locked on Xavier. If he was human, I might use my powers to feed off of him, but I know gargoyles aren’t to be used as our main food source. They’re sent here to be our slaves, our helpers. However, nothing says they can’t give us some of their energy and blood when we are in need.

  “Salvatore is still out hunting,” Memphis informs Xavier when he turns around, resting his ass against the counter.

  “Victor?” he asks, his eyes still downcast as he drinks his coffee.

  “He’s up, but hasn’t left his room yet,” Memphis states with a shrug. “I heard the shower going when I left my quarters.”

  “Cassius didn’t return until five this morning,” I add.

  “Heard you had quite the accident yesterday,” Memphis teases.

  “Seems I’m a target,” I reply, smiling for once since the explosion. “They missed, though.”

  Both men chuckle. Even Xavier looks up from staring into his cup. Fagan enters and quietly rummages in the cabinet for a few pans. He shoos Xavier from his spot by the stove and gets down to making a full breakfast, mumbling something about feeding us a real meal.

  Fagan offers to refresh my coffee, and I let him, because it appears he isn’t real happy about sharing his kitchen space while he’s cooking. Xavier leans his hip against the island and stares down at me. We’re only six inches apart, but he still towers over me.

  “If you’re not with Cassius, I will be your guard,” he grunts. His voice is super deep, and it holds an air of authority I like in a male. It’s strange, having a gargoyle demanding your safety. We’re supposed to be strong enough to take care of ourselves.

  “I think I’ll be okay on my own,” I press. The gargoyle raises a brow at me, and begins to speak, but he looks over my head instead.

  “I asked him to be your protection if I couldn’t be there,” Cassius says from the doorway.

  “I don’t need protection,” I say, gritting my teeth. “You see how well that worked the last time, didn’t you?”

  Cassius’s eyes turn red as he stalks toward me. I’m not going to let him intimidate me. “I’m not running away anymore, Cass. It’s time we go to Pittsburg.”

  “Absolutely not!” he roars and bares his fangs. I don’t even flinch as I cross my arms in defiance. “If he gets you back in that house, he’s going to punish you…torture you, Ashera. When he’s done with you, you’ll be begging for eternity in Hades.”

  “Not if I remove his head first,” I huff and jump off the barstool. I glance around the kitchen and see the two gargoyles are missing. Only Fagan is left, and he is too busy cooking to pay attention to our argument.

  “Are you planning on leaving?” Cassius gasps, narrowing his eyes. “I will shackle you, again.”

  “I don’t think so,” I yell and disappear into thin air. The last thing I see is the look of fear on Cassius’s face.

  When I reform, I’m in a shady area of Pittsburg; my old stomping grounds. I know where I need to go to acquire a blade for my mission. I need one that’s easily concealable…and sharp.

  The bell over the door chimes with my arrival. A man behind the counter folds his paper and looks up at me over the rim of his reading glasses. His eyes narrow before he gasps and jumps to his feet. “Ashera! Where the fuck have you been?”

  “I…um.” Fuck, I didn’t think about an excuse before I came. Henry hasn’t seen me in almost a year, and I’m sure he has questions. “I left town to find a better job.”

  “Wait, really?” he asks, his voice full of surprise.

  “I’m living down south now,” I offer as an answer. “I like the warmer weather.”

  Henry chuckles and comes around the counter to hug me. I try not to let his affection get to me. When I was human, he was all I had. If it wasn’t for my cousin, I wouldn’t have made it living on the streets. He gave me a place to stay until I found the job at the call service. Granted, being a call girl paid better than a prostitute on the streets, and I got nice perks. Sometimes, the men I serviced paid me above what the fee was for my time.

  “We’ve had people in here looking for you,” he informs me. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Kieran’s gargoyles must’ve found out my information through the call service. My maker knows more about me than I expected.

  “Henry, you need to leave town,” I growl. “It’s not safe for you to be here for a while.”

  “I’m safe, Ashera,” he assures me, nodding toward a shotgun behind the counter. “It’s you I’m worried about.”

  “I’m fine,” I promise. “I’m going to be fine.”

  “What’s going on? Why are these men looking for you?” He’s concerned. I can see it all over his face. I can’t just tell him I’m a demon now. First of all, he wouldn’t believe me, and secondly, I don’t need anyone from my past life put in danger.

  “Henry, I need a weapon,” I admit. I could’ve just magically produced one, but I wanted to see him one last time. I needed to make sure he was okay. I know I’m punishing myself by visiting humans from my past, but Henry is special to me. He will always hold a special place in my heart. “Please don’t ask me why. I need a knife…one that’s at least nine to twelve inches long. Something I can hide in my clothes.”

  “Ashera,” he begins, but I slash my hand through the air to stop him from getting emotional.

  “Look, if you don’t help me, I’ll go somewhere else,” I explain.

  “No, I will help you, but you better not get arrested or die.” He huffs and removes his glasses, setting them on the display case.

  “I’ll be careful,” I lie. I don’t need him knowing what I’m about to do.

  Henry removes a long knife from the bottom of the case. The handle looks like it’s made of some type of bone, and its blade appears to be sharp. That’s exactly what I’m looking for.

  “Do you even know how to handle one of these?” He hesitates before he hands it over, and I take it from his hand before he can put it back in the case.

  “Well, yeah,” I scoff. It can’t be that hard, right? Just put the blade to his throat and cut. That’s all I need it for, and after I’m done, it will take a long swim in some deep water.

  “You’re worrying me, Ashera,” he finally says after I take the blade and tuck it in the back of my pants, then tuck the handle up under my bra. I’m wearing a hoodie because the weather in Pittsburg is much colder this time of year than it is in Nashville. With my bulky clothing, the knife is concealed well.

  “I don’t want you to worry, Henry,” I whisper and fight back tears. I throw my arms around his neck and squeeze him tight. “I need
to go.”

  “You better not ghost out on me again,” he warns and points his finger in my direction. “You’re the only family I’ve got, little lady.”

  “And you’re all I have,” I sniffle and pull the door to his shop open wide. I can’t look back at him, knowing I probably will never see him again. It’s best he goes on with his human life and doesn’t worry about me anymore.

  I have a new life, and one I hope I can continue in Nashville with Cassius. My life is different with him. There is a thread that binds us now, and I know he is the man to own my dead heart. Love was something I’d dreamed about when I was a human.

  Oh, how things have changed.

  Once I’m around the side of the building, I check for any humans. When I find none, I disappear out of sight and change locations. I’m surprised to see the call service is out of business and there is a sign in the window saying the place is for sale. I peek in the windows and see nothing left of the front office. There’s not even a speck of the old green carpet on the floor.

  I realize my old life is gone. There is nothing left to salvage here, even if Kieran is dead. My soul aches for Cassius, and I should’ve waited for their plan to be put in place. But it’s not fair for them to risk themselves to take care of what is mine to destroy.

  I need to kill Kieran, and it’s time I take him out. I return to the alley behind the building and look around for any sign of humans. There is a sound up ahead. I’m sure it’s one of the homeless men who sleeps behind the dumpster. I hesitate before I vamp out just in case it’s not.

  A silver chain wraps around my throat, and I kick out when my captor starts walking backward, causing my feet to drag on the ground. I’m helpless and can’t use my powers to escape.

  “You little whore,” a gargoyle growls at my ear. “Kieran is looking for you.”

  My hand slides up the back of my hoodie, and my fingers wrap around the handle of the knife. I may not be able to disappear, but I can still defend myself.

  I roll my body so I am facing the gargoyle. His eyes go wide when I stab him with the knife, pushing it all the way to the hilt. Warmth spreads over my hands, and I push his body away as I remove the knife.