by Sariah Skye
“No. Don’t ever say something is wrong with you. It’s them, Avie-baby,” she said, sympathetically. Her gaze softened. “I didn’t mean to diminish your feelings, I just cannot understand what it is…you’re smart. You’re funny. Tough. You’re gorgeous—”
I laughed dryly, rolling my eyes skeptically.
“Yes, you are.” She said intently.
Sierra let out a small woof. My mother motioned at her. “See? Sisi agrees!”
I gave a cynical look at the dog, who was drooling from the corners of her mouth as she watched the last bite of sandwich in my hand intently. “Ha, funny. She’s just hungry.” I tossed her the food, and she caught it with a snap of her large jaws, swallowing quickly.
My mother smirked. “Well, she’d still think so.”
“Yeah yeah…” I said with a roll of my eyes.
The chiming of the doorbell interrupted our lunch. Sierra promptly forgot the rest of food, and plodded to the front door.
Griping, I reluctantly stood and followed her. The door was wooden, but had a small, circular window, with clear texture for privacy. I peeked through, as Sierra barked—a low, threatening sound to those who didn’t know her—but all I could see was the back of a brunette male head. From the little I could see, he wore a blue button up shirt, and a suit jacket over the top. I raised a brow. “Why would someone wearing a suit come here?” Must be the wrong house, I assumed, and opened the door.
The tall, brown-haired male turned around immediately when I said, rather rudely, “What do you want?”
I gasped, my heart leaping into my chest.
It was the same brunette man from last night; the one with the deep-brown eyed penetrating gaze that made me weak in the knees with just a glance. This was the guy who, with just his mere presence on my sidewalk, distracted me enough to nearly make me crash into my neighbor’s garbage cans. The one I wasn’t really sure existed.
And he was at my door.
CHAPTER 5
I gawked at him open mouthed. No shame in admitting that. He was even more gorgeous up close. And he was actually looking at me. Like—really looking at me.
Then he smiled, revealing perfectly straight, white teeth; so bright they were blinding. “Miss Dawson?”
My mouth shut, and I cocked a brow. Sierra was still next to me, tail straight out, growling lowly, ears pressed to the back of her head. “You know my name?”
“I do.” He smiled again, and my stomach tumbled around in my guts. Even though I wanted to swoon, I refused to be a simpering female. This guy, with his sun-kissed skin, pouty lips, and broad stature probably had women falling over him daily. Maybe by the minute. I’ll bet anything his Instagram was full of those women claiming they loved him and they wanted to have his babies.
Hmmph. Not me. Yeah right, Ava. If you had the chance, you’d jump on that so fast…
Bad Ava! I scolded my inner monologue.
I raised a brow, trying to pretend to be disinterested. “What do you want? And was that you prowling around outside last night? And why?”
The gorgeous man scratched at his chin lightly. “It’s a bit of a long story, and really my being outside your house was purely coincidental. But I wanted to clear up a matter of something you may have seen last night that was odd. Something with my friends.”
And there it was. Of course.
I rolled my eyes, scoffing. “So, what are you from Youtube? The news or some shit? Want to get me to sign some sort of consent so you can humiliate me and go viral? No way. You might be hot, dude, but I don’t need that sort of shit in my life.” I began to shut the door on him, but he reached out a hand, preventing me from closing it any further.
I pushed back; Sierra growled. I was surprised she wasn’t barking; she didn’t like strangers. “Sierra! Sic!” I said, pointing with my free hand to the guy.
Sierra bared her teeth slightly, but didn’t charge.
“Miss Dawson, please I can explain!” We continued our push-comes-to-shove game with the door, but with one heft with his sheer size he got the better of me, and pushed his way in—not all the way in, just enough so I couldn’t easily slam the door on him.
I glared. “I am armed, you know. I open carry a gun. My dog can distract you until I can get it, and I’ll blow your fucking brains out for entering without permission. It’s the law, you know. I wouldn’t even get jail time. Self-defense, biatch!” I didn’t know if that were true or not, but hopefully it sounded threatening enough. I had an antique gun in my nightstand, but it was unloaded.
He stepped back a half step, and held up his hands. “I really don’t want any trouble, but I just want to talk. Please! Get your gun if you have to, and I’ll stand right by the door. Shoot me if you must. But we really should talk.” His eyes were pleading.
I sighed. Reluctantly I motioned for him to come in, and I moved aside. “Sisi…” I urged the large dog to step back with me. She did, but put herself in between the strange man and I, sitting down, watching vigilantly.
He raised a brow, just now noticing her. “That is…quite a dog.”
“Yeah she is. They’re raised to attack wolves, so a mere mortal man is nothing for her! So unless you want your nuts ripped off, swallowed, and shit out on the lawn, I suggest staying over here,” I said pointing at the doorway. Even though I’m pretty sure the closest Sierra ever got to a wolf was seeing one on TV, that’s what the breed had been bred for…and he didn’t know she wasn’t a vicious, killer attack dog.
“Fair enough!” He closed the door behind him, leaning against it.
I crossed my arms over my chest, tapping my foot on the ground. “Okay, who the hell are you?”
An impish grin played across his mouth. “Don’t you want to get your weapon?”
I glared. “Just talk.”
He laughed lightly. “Well I’m sorry to surprise you. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything important?” He eyeballed my attire; my scrubby sweatshirt and boxers, the same thing I wore to bed last night. My hair was messy, and I wasn’t wearing a bra. Thank god for the sweatshirt though, or else he’d see me nip out. Next to his fancy black suit and blue shirt—no tie—and shiny black shoes, I looked downright homeless.
I swallowed nervously, returning the favor of checking him out from head to toe. He looked like he could have stepped right off the cover of GQ, and he looked amazing, but I wasn’t going to let him know I liked it. Even though my knees wanted to wobble and knock at the sight of him.
“I’m always doing something important,” I retorted defiantly.
He laughed. The sound was surprising; he appeared so put together and flawless; his laugh was awkward, and sort of a cackle. I couldn’t help but giggle.
“I’ll bet you are,” he said with a wink of his brown eye.
I inhaled. Don’t lose it, Ava…my heart pounded in my chest, but I breathed out—hopefully not too noticeably. “Damn right.”
“I’m Mathias,” he said, holding out his hand.
Reluctantly, I reciprocated, pushing the sleeve of my ratty sweatshirt up my arm before I attempted to clutch his hand. By his sheer suaveness, I half expected him, like a knight, to kiss my knuckles, but he only grasped it gently before releasing. It was unexpected and charming at the same time; I couldn’t help but smile.
But the smile quickly washed away. “Wait—Mathias?” Those guys from last night: Trystan, Bash and Xander had mentioned a Mathias.
“Mathias wouldn’t be so kind to you.”
He nodded slowly. “Yes, my friends might have mentioned me. I’m sorry things got out of hand, but you deserve an explanation.”
I gulped. “Explanation? Before you torture me? Rip my guts out? Stab me like you pretended to do to that guy?”
Mathias let out a long sigh. He raked a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. “I promise you, it wasn’t pretend. He was actually stabbed, but for good reason; he deserved it. He was going to hurt people—many people.” My eyes widened but I composed myself, pretending not t
o be rattled.
“So—wait. You’re like the good guys?” I said with uncertainty.
Mathias chuckled. “Ah, the ‘good guys.’ No, I wouldn’t call us good. But, we’re not the worst, so there’s that.”
“Unh-huh…” I said, dubious. “So, what are you? FBI? Cops? Rogue directors or stuntmen out at one AM practicing? Or—oooh, maybe the Men in Black.” I gave him another once-over. “You have the suit for it.”
He chuckled. “Well, we’re probably closer to the MiB, honestly.”
I raised my brow. “Really?”
Mathias definitely appeared amused. I didn’t want to see him amused; to see him smile. He’d make my knees weak, and then I couldn’t pretend not to be a swooning female. I had to piss him off.
“So, you’re like, the dog, right? The dog that was really an alien, turned agent thing?” I retorted.
Mathias bit his lip to contain his laughter. My heart fell into my stomach; he looked so hot. “Maybe,” he said, grinning playfully.
I threw up my hands in exasperation. “Okay, fine. I give up. I can’t rattle you. Just tell me what you want to tell me, give me about a day to leave the country and go to the middle of the jungle somewhere where no one will know me when the video goes viral, okay?” I slumped down on the couch nearby; it was cracked black leather, but covered with a sheet to prevent Sierra’s massive amounts of dog hair from sticking.
“You are hysterical. I bet you keep your boyfriend on his toes,” he said, with a sexy slant of his brow.
Oh crap… So hot.
I tipped my chin up rebelliously. “I don’t have a boyfriend. Even if I did, it would be none of your business.”
Mathias laughed, raking a hand through his hair. “Fair enough, once again.”
I wanted to grin, but forced myself to frown instead. I’m sure the effort made me look constipated, but anything was better than admitting that this man made me swoon. Especially because I didn’t know him, and he was linked to a group of murderers.
“Avie! Is there someone—” my mother entered the room, but stopped suddenly seeing Mathias in the doorway. Her eyes widened. “Oh, you have company. I’ll just—” She pointed in the opposite direction, indicating that she was going to leave. Before she did, she stopped and turned to him again, after offering me a wink. “I don’t live here, so you know. I live in the duplex over. I’m not like here, watching what my daughter does all the time, you know…”
I slapped my hand to my forehead. “Mother,” I groaned under my breath.
“What? I don’t want this nice, extremely good-looking gentleman to think you live with your mother. That’d be…well…” She gave him a little wave.
“Good to meet you, Ms. Dawson!” Mathias called after her, as she disappeared.
“Christ…” I muttered to myself, under my breath.
Mathias rolled with laughter. “Good to see you can be rattled,” he said with a grin.
I sighed, rolling my eyes. “Of course I can. I’m human, aren’t I?” It was a rhetorical question, but the expectant look on Mathias’ face raised a flag.
“Are you?” He replied.
I glowered. “What else would I be?”
Mathias shook his head. “I am not sure, but you are not an ordinary human. Are you aware what you did last night?”
I snorted. “Besides witnessing a murder? No, I guess not,” I said with sarcasm.
Mathias stepped inside the room further. When I didn’t protest, he motioned for the nearby recliner. I grumbled, but motioned that he had my permission to sit down. “Do you believe in the supernatural?”
I titled a brow and gave him a skeptic look. “Supernatural? I believe it’s on TV but I’ve never seen it.”
Mathias grinned; lighting up his serious face. My heart thumped. Stop making him laugh, Stupid. He looks much better when he’s happy, than all broody. Something about him reminded me of an ancient, serious warrior; with strength and determination, and his carved facial features indicative of large clay sculptures. He could stab you in the heart with one swift motion, and turn around and be the greatest lover in the world.
STOP, AVIE!
I shook myself out of my ridiculous daze.
“Seriously, though, Avalon—” he began again.
“—Ava. Only my friends call me Avie, and no one calls me Avalon. Except my mother, and only because I hurt her vagina when I came out, so I guess she’s entitled.” I crossed my arms over my chest, pursing my lips into a stern expression. I swear he smirked, though he was trying to be serious.
“Ava then. I want you to promise to keep an open mind,” Mathias said, his expression serious.
“I always have an open mind. Unless it’s involving pickled herring.” I shuddered. “Then it’s closed for business.”
Mathias smirked. “You’re making this really hard. Are you ever serious?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Rarely. I don’t play nice with other people.”
Mathias shook his head, grinning ear to ear. “Okay well I will ignore it then, since I make you nervous.”
My mouth fell open as my eyes squinted in dismay. I swallowed, he did in fact make me nervous; a hot guy sitting in my living room? One I didn’t know? Attached to suspected murderers?
Yep, nothing to be nervous about.
I wanted to protest but sighed loudly and waited for him to continue.
Mathias smiled triumphantly, like he’d just won the battle. For now. He cleared his throat, erasing all his amusement, and continued, seriously. “Do you think it’s possible for some people to be…different? Have different abilities?”
I wanted to protest, and say no. But I couldn’t.
“How long were you behind those crates last night?” he questioned. “Were you there when Sebastian found you? Or did you magically appear there? Either way, there is something not natural happening there.”
My face heated. I thought that was strange, but… “Who is Sebastian?”
“Bash. It’s his nickname.”
“Oh!” I wrinkled my nose. “Stupid nickname. I like Sebastian better.”
“You can call him Sebastian all you want if you tell me the truth. What did you do last night? You also somehow enchanted Bash, Trystan, and Xander after they killed the incubus to not run after you. Because as you were darting away, they couldn’t move.” Mathias rested his elbow on the armrest of the recliner, propping his chin with his hand as he looked at me expectantly for an explanation. “What kind of enchantress are you? Do you even know?”
“I…” I began, my cheeks growing hotter. “I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t know what I did. I just thought they let me go.”
Mathias shook his head. “Nope. By the time they could move, you and your friend were long gone.” He let out a low whistle. “Ava, do you know how hard it is to compel someone like us? Like them?”
A wave of nausea crashed over me. “Like what?”
Mathias sat back in the chair, and sighed. “Ava, we’re demons.”
I gave him an odd look. “I am not a demon.”
The corner of his mouth turned up in a smile. “I don’t know what you are, but that’s what Xander, Bash and Trystan are: demons. More specifically, incubi.”
I blinked, like I was dodging a blow. “Incubi? But…how…?” I shook my head side to side, unconvinced.
“Do you know what an incubus is?”
I didn’t respond, the word playing over and over in my mind. Incubus.
“Incubi are demons that feed off the sexual energy of women,” he replied.
My eyes widened. “That’s some…freaky shit.” I sank bank into my sofa, as if I were trying to get away from him.
“Years ago, my friends and I were cursed by dark witches to collect sexual energy from women. It helped them with their spells, and they were able to do many awful things. It’s said years before that, the first incubi and succubi were actually created by real demons, but these witches learned the magic themselves. Perhaps they were taught
by the demons to do their bidding, I don’t know.” He stared off into space, as if remembering something from years gone by.
“Ah—I—why though? What sort of things would they do?” I questioned, my voice small.
Mathias frowned. “Awful things. They’d use the magic for torture, for power, for beauty and youth…lots of things. It’s a heinous thing to do, and it goes against the laws of nature. But as far as I know, there aren’t any of those witches still around anymore.”
I found myself exhaling a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Well that’s good.”
“Still doesn’t mean there aren’t evil things out there,” he replied, drumming his fingers on the arm rest.
I swallowed nervously. “So…you’re an…incubus?”
He nodded slowly. “Yes. Myself, and all my friends.”
“And you…have sex with women for energy?” My tone was squeaky as I spoke.
Now Mathias looked uncomfortable. “Well, we’re supposed to, but we don’t.”
“You don’t?” I replied with surprise.
“We don’t. We never asked to become incubi, that’s why we stick together. Now, if we don’t get a certain amount of sexual energy from the opposite sex, we will start to get very tired and weak. But we stop before we…umm…” His cheeks reddened as he spoke. He let out a nervous laugh. “I’m sorry, I find this hard to divulge.”
It was my turn to smirk. “You stop before you get off?” I made a sour face. “Ouch!”
He smiled, in spite of his nerves. “Yes, sometimes. We will finish ourselves off somewhere else. Because when we hit that point—”
“—Orgasm?” I offered, fluttering my lashes innocently.
He choked on a cough, still blushing. “Yes. That. But that’s when we extract the energy from the woman. She gives it off when she...”
“Orgasms?” I lifted my brow, amused that the big, beefy guy couldn’t openly say “orgasms.”
Mathias cringed. “Yes. That. And we extract it when we…” he swallowed, like he was choking down something awful. “Orgasm.
I lifted a brow. “We know what that does for you, but what does that do to her?”