As soon as Trevor was out the front door, I went into the kitchen to find Allie eating her leftover half a sandwich from lunch. “Hurry up and finish. I’ve got a surprise for you in the bedroom.”
Allie had just swallowed her last bite and laughed. “Is that really the line you’re going to use? Are you going to tell me you have a package for me?”
“Come on,” I said, putting out a hand, which she immediately took.
Once in the bedroom, Allie squealed with delight. “You got a kitten! He’s so adorable.”
The little kitten was sitting in the middle of the bed. His eyes locked with Allie’s for a moment before he dropped down and covered his face with his front paws.
“Do you like him?” I asked hesitantly.
“Of course, but I can’t believe you bought yourself a cat,” she said. “Even when you said you were a cat person, I really took you for a dog person.”
“He’s actually for you,” I said, shifting from one foot to the other.
Allie looked stunned, and then she squealed and hugged me. “Thank you! Does he have a name?”
“I’ve been calling him Socks because of the feet, but I figured you could name him after you get to know him a little better.”
“Socks is cute, but I’m not sure he likes it,” she said as she scooped up the kitten. A blue flash surrounded her and the kitten for a moment, leaving Allie looking stunned.
The kitten began purring up a storm, and Allie looked from me to the cat and back again, like she couldn’t believe what was happening. It seemed she had just figured out that this wasn’t an ordinary kitten.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Allie
“I have an itchy spot on my back,” the little kitten said, and I was amazed that I could understand him perfectly.
“Is that the spot?” I asked as I rubbed his back and listened to him purr even louder.
“So, you like him?” Dylan asked.
“I love him,” I said, trying hard not to cry like a baby. “How did you do this?”
“My mother got him for you,” Dylan began hesitantly. “I took hair from your brush and asked her to make all the arrangements.”
“Dylan, I don’t even know what to say.” I cuddled my familiar even closer. How did I thank someone for the most thoughtful gift I’d ever received? How did I tell Dylan I was falling more in love with him every day?
“You don’t have to say anything,” Dylan assured me. “You should have a familiar, and I wanted to be the one to give you this. Even if you leave me when this is all over, I want to be the man who gave you your familiar.”
“I’m still really afraid of being hurt,” I admitted.
“So am I,” he said. “I can’t promise I won’t screw up, because we both know I will. What I can promise is that I’d never intentionally hurt you.”
“And I can always cut your balls off if you cheat on me,” I said with a smile.
Dylan laughed and leaned down to kiss the top of my head. “I don’t think you need to worry about me cheating on you,” he assured me. “No woman could ever compete with you. I love you,” he said softly, looking as shocked by the words as I was. “Wow! That wasn’t what I planned to say.”
“Just got caught up in the moment?” I asked.
“Sort of,” he admitted. “I’m not saying I don’t mean the words, just that I hadn’t planned to say them now. I’m really screwing this up, aren’t I?”
Shaking my head, I gave him a wobbly smile. “I love you, too.”
“And me?” my familiar asked.
“Of course, I love you,” I said, holding him up so he was looking me in the eyes. “What are we going to call you?”
“I still say he looks like a Socks,” Dylan said.
“I don’t like Socks,” the kitten insisted.
“How about Quincy?” I asked, and the kitten hissed in displeasure.
“Sam?” Dylan suggested.
“I like Sam!” the kitten said happily and began purring again.
“Sam it is,” I agreed.
Dylan closed the distance between us and held me with Sam in the middle. This really was the perfect end to a horrible day.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Dylan
“You should call in sick tonight,” I insisted yet again. Not that I thought the stubborn woman was going to listen to me. Professing her love for me didn’t mean she was taking my advice on her safety. Okay, that was unfair because she was trying to be safe, and I’d probably have her sequestered in my home with guards until the killer was located if she let me.
“I’ve already missed enough work,” Allie argued. “Listen, I only have a few shifts left, and then you won’t have to worry about me going into SpellBinders.”
As always, Allie sounded anxious about the prospect of being unemployed. I’d offered her work at my firm, but she’d refused, which had come as no surprise. At least I’d convinced her to delay applying for jobs until after the killer was caught, because it would make it easier to keep her safe if she wasn’t running off to interviews. Her easy agreement had been a pleasant surprise.
“Why are you so worried about missing one night in the middle of the week?” I asked. “You know Wednesday is a slow night at SpellBinders. Marcos will be fine if you don’t come in.”
“I have rent due in a couple of weeks, and I really need to have a full check for that,” she explained.
“Who cares about your rent?” I asked. “I don’t understand why you haven’t already given them notice. Didn’t you say your roommate is planning to stay with her mom instead of moving back there, anyway?”
“Thanks for reminding me I need to find a roommate on top of everything else,” she grumbled.
“Why do you need to find a roommate?” I demanded. “We’re getting along great. You should just give up your apartment and stay with me.”
“Is that really how you want to ask me to move in with you?” she asked with a roll of her eyes.
This was one of those moments where my brain was telling me to quit while I wasn’t too far behind. My brain tells me that a lot when I’m with Allie, probably because I’m prone to saying dumb shit around her. I am fully aware of how lucky I am that she has a very forgiving nature. Like the other times my brain warned me to shut up, I ignored the warning. “I don’t need to ask you. You’re already here. We’ve passed an affinity test, and you love me. Moving back to your apartment would be stupid.”
“So, now my ideas are stupid?” she asked.
Crap! I suddenly realized I’d just fucked myself over completely. “I didn’t say your idea was stupid,” I insisted and tried to get back to the topic of work, hoping to get my ass out of trouble. “I just don’t like your idea of being at SpellBinders alone tonight.”
“I’ll only be alone for an hour,” she said.
“Which is reckless and insane with a killer on the loose,” I insisted. “How long did it take you to get attacked last time?”
“So, now my ideas are stupid, reckless, and insane? Or, am I just stupid, reckless, and insane?” she asked.
“I never said that!” This was an argument I was destined to lose. It was even worse than answering the question about whether her jeans make her butt look big. “I’m scared to death of losing you,” I admitted.
“Trevor is going to drive me to work,” Allie reminded me.
“But he can’t stay there for your entire shift,” I argued, feeling somewhat panicked at the idea of her being unguarded at the club. Everything had been arranged so Allie would have someone with her tonight while I went to my meeting. That is until Trevor had been asked to draw up a contract for one of Night High’s producers, who insisted the meeting happen tonight.
“You’ll be there before closing, right?” she asked.
I let out a frustrated sigh. “Yes, but that doesn’t make me feel any better about it. Please, don’t go tonight.”
“Marcos already promised to have security follow me any time you or Tre
vor can’t be there,” she reminded me. “I’ll just take him up on that offer tonight.”
“Do you really trust Marcos?” I asked.
“Not entirely,” she admitted. “The only reason I think I can trust him to follow through for the hour I’m alone is he’s trying to convince me to work there longer.”
She was right, but I still couldn’t shake my unease.
The chirping of Allie’s phone interrupted us. “I need to answer that,” she said, but I already knew it was just her way of getting out of arguing with me more.
“Hello?” she said. “Yes, this is Alana Talbot.”
I tapped my foot, arms crossed in front of my chest, as I waited for her to finish her call.
“That’s great news!” she said excitedly, and then listened to the person on the end of the line for a few minutes, only making small sounds of understanding. “Thank you so much for letting me know.”
“They found the killer,” Allie said after setting her phone on the counter.
“Are they sure they have the right person?” I asked, because I didn’t want to take any chances.
“Yes, they’re sure. The police know what they’re doing,” she assured me.
“Did they give you any details?” I asked.
“It was a vampire trying to use the essence from the succubi,” she said. “I guess they found all sorts of evidence.”
“What about the demon or witch who was helping him?” I asked. “He couldn’t have done this without help.”
She shrugged. “He had some book about rituals, so they think he was trying to do it on his own but hadn’t had any success.”
Something wasn’t sitting right with me about all of this. “Did he confess?” I asked.
“No, it wasn’t possible to question him,” Allie said. “What they actually found was a pile of ashes. It seems he was hiding at a hotel, sleeping under the bed to avoid the sun. The cleaning staff swears there was no sign on the door, so they went in to clean. They also opened the drapes, and I guess he was a pile of ash by the time the police got there. He had his ID and some items that belonged to the most recent victim. That prompted them to search his home, where they found plenty of evidence linking him to the killings. They didn’t go into details, but they’re sure he was the killer.”
“So, the killings had nothing to do with the demon who attacked you at Spellbinders?”
“The police said the demon turned himself in last night, before they found the vampire. They said he’ll be charged for my attack, and they’ll contact me if they need anything.”
“So, the killer is dead, and there’s no more threat to you,” I said thoughtfully.
“I know what you’re thinking.” She wrapped her arms around me. “You’re worried that this isn’t really over, but it is. Now, I can go to work, and we don’t need to argue about it anymore. When I get home tonight, we can celebrate, and maybe you can think of a better way to ask me to move in with you.”
I hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. “I’d still feel better if you had someone drive you to and from work,” I said and then braced myself for an argument.
“That’s probably a good idea,” she admitted. “It isn’t the nicest area to walk at night, and I don’t want some other creep from SpellBinders following me out.”
“Will you move in with me?” I asked. “Please. I can’t imagine not having you here every night.”
“Yes,” she said with a grin.
“Just like that?” I asked in disbelief. “Weren’t you just arguing with me about moving in here?”
“No, I was annoyed that you assumed I would,” she explained. “I was also a little worried about agreeing to move in while my life was in danger. I want to do this because it’s what we want, not because we think it’s a good idea. Did that sound completely insane?” she asked, pulling back to look me in the eyes.
I shook my head. “No, I get it, and I know you’re stressed out about quitting your job.”
“Don’t ruin the moment by promising to take care of me,” she warned.
“I was just going to point out that you don’t need to look for a job to feed your succubus side. If you’re living with me, I can promise your needs will be taken care of on a regular basis. We won’t have to worry about me getting addicted, unless you’re planning to leave me.”
She giggled and tapped my chest. “Always the romantic, aren’t you?”
I was tempted to take her back to my room, but the doorbell interrupted us. Sam was also sprawled out on the bed, and that kitten could be cranky when his nap was interrupted.
“That’s probably Trevor,” she said. “We’d both better get to work. I promise to keep my phone with me and on for the hour I’m alone. Are you sure your mom will be okay taking care of Sam tonight?”
Having a familiar was more like having a child than a pet. We couldn’t leave Sam alone, and he got into all sorts of mischief if we didn’t watch closely.
“Don’t worry,” I assured her. “My mother is really excited about having him over tonight. He’ll be spoiled and sleepy when we pick him up later.” Since my mom had no intention of staying up that late, she’d already told me to let myself in when we stopped by to pick Sam up.
Allie gave me a quick kiss before heading off to work with Trevor. I was still having trouble believing Allie was safe. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I hurried upstairs to get Sam.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Allie
Entering the playroom, I found a diminutive balding man with glasses waiting nervously for me, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“How are you this evening, Ned?” I asked my client. Ned might look like nothing dangerous, but he was a dark Fae and rumored to be a lethal killer.
“I need you to get me the dirtiest whore you have,” he said in a nasally voice.
“Absolutely!” I assured him, and headed out to the club, wondering what Matilda, Ned’s wife, would be wearing this time.
As always, Matilda did not disappoint. Dressed in a lacey bodysuit that barely covered her nipples and vagina, Matilda sat at the bar. Overly curvy and incredibly tall, Matilda took up two barstools, and the men around her looked like they weren’t sure if they were attracted or repulsed by her. That was the thing about Matilda’s beauty. With black hair flowing down her back, eyes like the deepest rubies, and porcelain skin that looked unreal, Matilda never looked human. She could also kill you with a thought. When she caught sight of me, she jumped up, and I soon found myself buried in Matilda’s enormous bosom.
“Allie!” she squealed. “It’s so good to see you. Oops! Sorry, I’m supposed to be in character.”
“Don’t worry,” I assured her. “I won’t tell Ned you didn’t play along.”
“Thank you,” she said, finally releasing me. “His feelings get hurt if I get distracted. Silly man thinks it’s because I’m bored.”
These were the types of customers I was going to miss. “I should probably tell you that I’m leaving SpellBinders.”
Matilda gave a little pout. “I can’t say I blame you, but we sure will miss you. None of the others take care of us like you.”
“I’ll miss you, too,” I said honestly. “How about if we get you back to the room before Ned starts to worry?”
Matilda grinned. “Lead the way.”
It only took me a few minutes to get Ned and Matilda settled and on their way to making Ned’s current fantasy come to life.
I’d been trying to talk to Marcos all night, but it was almost like he was avoiding me. I finally caught up with him about an hour before the end of my shift. “Marcos!” I called out to get his attention.
“What’s up, Al?” He sounded distracted and annoyed.
“Can I have a word with you, please?” I asked.
“Sure thing, babe. Where’s your bodyguard?” he asked, looking around. “You were supposed to let me know on the nights your warlock couldn’t be here so I could assign someone to watch you.”
“Now, that’s good news,” Marcos muttered almost too quietly for me to hear.
“Dylan is still picking me up after work,” I told him. “In fact, he should be here in about half an hour or so. There was something I needed to discuss with you before I leave tonight.”
“Let’s head to my office, and you can tell me what you need,” Marcos said, motioning for me to walk in front of him.
When we got to his office, Marcos poured us each a drink, even though he knew I never drank at work. It wasn’t against the rules, but I never felt right about it.
“This is my last night,” I said. “I already checked the schedule, and you have more than enough people to cover for my last few days. The two new succubi are doing great here, so I really don’t think you need me.” Waiting for Marcos’ reaction, I wasn’t sure what it would be. While I was right about him not needing me, Marcos was a control freak, and he might argue about me not working the rest of my scheduled shifts just because it hadn’t been his idea.
“I see.” Marcos looked thoughtful. “What brought about this decision? Not a lot of jobs out there for sex demons, so I’m guessing you don’t have anything lined up yet.”
“I don’t have another job yet,” I explained. “As crazy as this may sound, I’m trying to make things work with Dylan, and this job is a constant source of tension between us. It’s best if I don’t come back after tonight.”
Marcos stood and walked around me toward his filing cabinet. Despite the invention of computers, Marcos still kept most information on paper. That was pretty common with older demons. “I’m disappointed that you’d let a warlock interfere with your obligations,” he said, and I heard him riffling through the file cabinet behind me, probably looking for discharge paperwork.
“I understand,” I uttered, turning to him with a forced smile. That smile died when I saw the hate in Marcos’ eyes as he approached me holding something in his fisted left hand. Standing, I tried to back away.
Sinfully Spellbound (Spells That Bind Book 1) Page 25