“Okay.”
I waved a half-circle. “I was distracted by you when I was in the club earlier. Now that we’ve scratched that itch, we’ll be fine.”
“Fine.”
“Daron!” I gritted my teeth.
“What?”
“Why are you agreeing with me now?”
“Because I want to break this bond as well.”
“Ugh!”
“Why are you getting annoyed with me agreeing with you?”
Good question. “I’m just. It’s—ah—this whole situation frustrates the crap out of me! I don’t understand how it happened or how to break it.”
And part of the frustration derived from depriving myself of more hot demon sex with Daron.
“You suggested a new plan—go and feed to try to break the bond. Let’s go with that.”
“Right.” I tried to satisfy my other appetite by grabbing another meaty slice of pizza.
We didn’t say much aside from observations while we wolfed down the remaining slices. After we’d finished every last crumb, we ordered another round of beer and drank at a more leisurely pace than we had eaten, moving into safer more comfortable topics away from the bonding issue.
Daron raised his chin in a half-nod. “How did you end up here?”
I arched my brows. “Here in Salem? Or—” I glanced around the pizza shop to make sure no one appeared to be listening in on our conversation. A few sets of friends and couples filled the other booths, but with the volume of their conversation likely fueled by indulging in alcohol, it was unlikely they could overhear us. Still, I lowered my voice. “—Here.” I motioned with my hands to indicate I wasn’t about to finish the sentence. If he knew what I was talking about, he’d understand why. We were the only two of our kind that I knew of in this realm.
Daron tapped his chin. “Both.”
I adjusted in the booth, the vinyl squealing in response. Jeez, why not have it announce my discomfort to everyone in the restaurant. “You first.”
“Let’s see.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “I came over when I was seventeen.”
“With anyone?”
After a slight shake of his head, he replied, “No. I’d always been the solitary type and had been on my own as soon as possible. When I heard about some upcoming astronomical disturbances that might temporarily open a portal, I rushed there to learn more. The demon on guard warned portals don’t open often, so to consider it a one-way trip.”
“Did you have any hesitation?”
“I did. I’d be leaving my mother, the only family I had. I decided I craved exploration more than security, even if it meant traveling to the somewhat unknown.”
“And, you went for it?”
“Right. I entered near San Francisco.”
“How long ago?”
He tapped his fingers some more. “Almost thirteen years now. Damn, time flies.”
“Have you ever gone back?”
“No. I haven’t heard of an opportunity to do so, but I haven’t sought one out either.”
“And you haven’t seen your mother since?” That was a sensitive topic for me, so it was the first question that came to mind.
A melancholic look passed over his face. He gulped some beer and then it was gone. “No. This is my home now.”
“And what about your father?”
His expression hardened. “Never met him.” He scowled. “Typical incubus. Fuck, and run off to the next fuck.” His tone soured with bitterness.
“It’s pretty much the same with succubi.” I hadn’t known of many long-term attachments back in the other realm. Monogamy was practically unheard of. Then again, I was young when I entered this realm and had been on my own a long time.
I thought of my mother and swallowed. “Do you miss home?”
“No. It’s a better life here. Plenty of humans to feed from without competition from other demons.” He arched one brow. “Until now.”
I pursed my lips. “Is that what we are—competitors?” My initial thought about whether he’d want to play or consider me prey returned. Never would I have imagined how addictive our play would have turned.
“I hope not.” He drank some beer.
“But, we have this issue to deal with.” I ran a finger through the condensation on my glass, dividing a line straight down.
He gave me a half-nod. “We’ll figure it out.”
“How?”
He flashed his signature lopsided grin. “That’s what figuring it out means.” He motioned his thumb in my direction. “That’s my story. Your turn to spill.”
I took a sip and thought. He’d revealed more to me than I would’ve expected as he hadn’t been forthcoming about much else until now. My mind skittered over the main points of my story. Revealing them to him shouldn’t be dangerous. Yet, it would drag me down to a depth I’d been clawing out from for weeks. “Let’s not talk about it now.”
Daron eyed me with that intense impish look. “Not even one fact about yourself?”
I leaned back against the seat cushion. “Okay fine. I’ve been here for the same amount of time—thirteen years. We must have entered during the same opportunity, but ended up in different locations. I entered with my mom and aunt when I was eleven.”
“Are they nearby?” he asked.
I shook my head and then picked up the saltshaker. When I spun it in my hand, I stared at the grains spinning beneath the glass. This was not something I discussed in the thirteen years that it happened. Who would I talk to about it? Definitely not humans. Since I hadn’t met another demon since then, it was something best kept in my internal vault.
“Where are they?” he asked in a gentler tone.
I swallowed. Forcing myself to stop fidgeting, I placed the saltshaker back where it belonged, but continued to stare at it. “Gone.” My voice came out with a strangled rasp and I cleared my throat. If I didn’t tell it now, I likely never would. “I lost them within a week.” I covered my mouth with my hand and rubbed.
He took my other hand. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”
My gaze traveled from the salt shaker to our joined hands. I glanced up and was captured by the warmth in his eyes. The playful expression that normally resided on his face was gone, replaced by one of concern. It was so unexpected, I sucked in a sharp breath.
“I’ve n-never told anyone.” No, I couldn’t stutter. Not now.
“Why not?”
“There was no one to tell.” I bit my lip to stop it from quivering.
He caressed my palm. “You can tell me.”
My gaze was drawn to our joined hands once again. He’d done a similar motion when seducing me, but this time it seemed compassionate. We’d explored each other’s bodies thoroughly, yet this minute gesture seemed far more intimate. My heart pounded, and I wasn’t exactly sure if it was due to the nightmarish memory or if it was a reaction to his touch. He had such a powerful way of affecting me.
My muscles tensed as I braved revealing the secret I had kept to myself for so long. I forced myself to exhale and release the tension. “We’d entered in New Mexico…”
My chest tightened, and that gripping sensation worked its way up to my throat. Closing my eyes, I tried to breathe through the claustrophobia, but then saw them. I couldn’t suppress a shudder.
Forcing my eyes to open, I waited a few seconds for the nightmare-ish vision to fade. I blinked as I took in the sights of the pizza shop around me, taking in the comforting scents of cooked food to offset the horrid memory.
Daron squeezed my hand. “You’re safe. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
An awareness of my rocking back and forth made me stop and force myself to sit still. The tendrils of the memory clung to me like tentacles. I had to get them off me. I brushed my arms. They now had a sheen of perspiration, but nothing physical was there.
But the hunters could return. They were still out there, searching. They’d never stop.
I pulled my hand awa
y from Daron. “I can’t do this.”
His brows knitted together. “We’re just talking.”
My gaze shot for the window and I squirmed on the cushion. “That’s it exactly. I don’t talk about this. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“We won’t talk about it then. We’ll talk about something else.”
My feet tapped the floor and my muscles tightened. I pushed the beer forward and climbed out of the booth. “No. I need to get out of here.”
Daron stood. “So, let’s go.”
I raised my hands to my temples and rubbed. “You don’t get it. I’ve kept myself alive by lying low. Alone.” My voice edged up high enough to catch the attention of the closest table. I broke eye contact and tried to slow my galloping heartbeat.
Shit, I needed to get a grip. I rushed to the exit and stumbled. Once I made it to the door, I turned to tell Daron not to follow me.
But, he hadn’t.
He remained fixed in the booth, eyes pinned on me. I swallowed a flicker of regret and walked out.
Once outside, I gulped at the night air, letting it fill my constricted chest. The moon hid behind a veil of clouds, but some stars shone through the gaps. After a few deep inhales, my breathing returned to a normal pace.
Then I rushed down the sidewalk, desperate to get away from Daron. He made me feel too much. Things that were buried long ago for a reason.
Too many people crowded the pavement, caught in that slow prowl of those who have had too much to drink and no destination in mind. I rushed by them with barely an excuse me, avoiding inhaling their alcohol-tinged body odor. I had to get out of here.
What had I been thinking by talking to him about it? It was foolish to think that confiding in him would make me feel better.
Nothing would. Nothing would take away that despair. Not even the most enticing distraction would make that memory ever go away. I’d tried—sought distraction after delicious distraction.
Daron was the most enticing one to date, but even he couldn’t eliminate that gut-wrenching terror when I recalled those moments. I’d been on the run for years, never staying anywhere too long because complacency could equal death.
Needing to clear my head, I didn’t return to the safehouse right away. Instead, I wandered through Salem, passing throngs of humans cavorting in and out of bars. I ignored them and continued down the main streets.
An uneasy prickle wormed at the base of my spine. The sense of being watched made me turn around. Was it Daron? Perhaps freaking out on him was the wrong reaction. A small part of me lit with hope that he’d followed me after all.
I scanned behind me, searching for a threat. I attuned my senses for anything dangerous. No glowing eyes nor slithering movements in the shadows.
Nothing appeared amiss. No unusual scents, just those of food and fun. No visible threats. Humans meandered in and out from the glow of streetlamps and store lights. They were the same in every town, caught up in their short, insignificant little lives. The only differences were their costumes. A majority around tonight wore shorts and T-shirts, many of them from New England colleges or of the Red Sox and Patriots. A few wore dark colors, gothic clothing, or band T-shirts.
I listened for any warning signs. There was only the steady thrum from nearby venues, the echo of shoes on concrete, and the exaggerated volume in conversation from those who’d had a few drinks, driveling on about nothing of importance.
Odd. I could swear I was being watched. Salem attracted all kinds of the supernatural. It wasn’t a good idea to stick around and find out for sure. The sensation of invisible bugs crawling up my spine to burrow through the back of my neck invaded my brain. I hunched my shoulders, rubbed my neck, and teleported the hell out of there.
Chapter Nine
Daron
What the hell just happened?
Right when I thought we were having a conversation—a true conversation and not arguing or flirting—Selena bolted out the door.
I stared out of the window of the pizza place. Would she return? Dozens of pedestrians passed. No sign of a stunning succubus with shiny black hair.
She wanted to be alone, so I forced myself not to follow her. Perhaps after she had some fresh air and space, she’d come back to me.
Others in booths around the pizza place darted glances at me. It was clear why. She’d gotten wound up before she’d run out, on the verge of creating a scene. I practically read the thoughts from their nosy expressions—they speculated about our spat. I ignored them. What they thought didn’t matter.
What was it about those memories that had tormented her so? They had to be difficult to relive, especially if she hadn’t told anyone about it before. Yet she’d started to confide in me. Sure, it was only a glimmer of it before she shut down, but it was a start.
A start of what?
My beer was down to the last sad inch. I gulped it. It didn’t staunch my questions.
This whole situation turned more complicated by the minute. Neither of us knew how it had happened nor how to break it. Selena’s suggestion—to seduce others—had filled me with a strange sense of dread. I’d tried to hide it and went along with her plan. That dread must have been a side effect of the bond.
What else could it be?
I pushed the beer glass away and drummed my fingers on the linoleum table while I waited. Her pained expression and haunted eyes tormented me. A strange rage vibrated through my chest. A yearning to destroy anyone who hurt her.
She’d mentioned a narrow escape from hunters recently. And something must have happened when she’d entered this realm.
What was it?
I started out of my seat, ready to follow her and ask, but quickly sat back down. Pushing her wouldn’t convince her to tell me anything. With the way I’d been irksome to her from the first time we met, I’d exacerbate her distress. That was the last thing I wanted to do. She was right—I’d interrupted her feeding at the club twice—and had also inhibited her style with this bond. The best option would be for me to back off.
Then why did I ache to go and protect her?
When I’d told her she was safe with me and I wouldn’t let anything harm her, I meant it. The idea of anything harming her swelled in me like venomous dread. I’d never let that happen. This feeling was foreign. I’d never wanted to protect and care for anyone before.
I rubbed my brows and continued over my forehead and through my hair. Were my feelings real? Or some complication by this bond? If we broke it, would they fade?
Yes, they would have to. That was the only thing that made sense. Until this connection was gone, I couldn’t trust my feelings. Why get tangled deeper into this web that neither of us believed we had spun?
I stared at the door once more. After another minute passed, I accepted that she wasn’t returning. Maybe if I numbed myself with enough alcohol, I could ignore my feelings.
I finished her beer, too. Bad idea. The scent and taste of her lingered, stirring me. The urge to go find her rose, growing ever more powerful.
I had to ignore it. It was what we both wanted.
After I left the pizza shop, I refused the call to follow her scent. It tempted me like a wolf on the hunt to find its mate. But, I was an incubus, a sex demon who craved different partners every night, not one of those foolish wolf shifters who mated for life. Promising yourself to a stranger forever. Ha! Ridiculous. Especially for one of my kind.
My father was an incubus and he’d never bothered to stick around after knocking up my mother. I’d surprised myself by revealing that to Selena. Sure, promiscuity and detachment were how most sex demons rolled, but a few had formed relationships back in our realm, especially when children were involved. Yet, I doubted any were daft enough to be monogamous. Besides that making immorality bland, it was practically suicide. Who would choose to eat the same meal every night? Insane…
Except, we had siphoned energy from those around us earlier. The sounds of humans joining us had added to the sultriness of the
September night. I wouldn’t mind doing that again.
Who was I kidding? I’d fuckin’ love to do that again with Selena. I’d never fed on a human in a way that was ever that satisfying. I’d kill for another chance to be with her. Pin her against the brick wall and say filthy things while I pounded into her. Roll around in her bed again and pump into her from behind. Cup her tits as she straddled me and ground down on my cock…
Not helping. I gritted my teeth. Picturing us having sex was the worst way to stop thinking of her.
I scanned my surroundings. The waning moon hovered above us and the breeze was mild. The main streets were full of locals and visitors enjoying a sultry summer evening. Although only the pubs appeared to remain open, the lingering scents of seafood from nearby restaurants and herbs and incense witch shops perfumed the air with a signature Salem scent. If I hadn’t fed on Selena earlier, I would have joined them in seeking revelry. Not tonight.
Instead, I had to focus on drowning out my feelings for Selena and the best way to accomplish that was to drown them in more alcohol.
Tomorrow, I’d go on the hunt to feed once again. The image of her with another man struck me with such an uncomfortable pang, I recoiled.
Alcohol. Vast quantities were needed so I wouldn’t think of her. Where was the nearest bar?
A pub that looked like a dive called to me from a corner, its flashing fluorescent lights displaying some libations they had to offer. I followed in that direction in the hopes it would provide the sweet oblivion I sought.
And for a few hours, I’d drown the urge to go to her.
Chapter Ten
Selena
Back in the safehouse, I exhaled with a dramatic whoosh. I was back. Safe. Alone.
For how long? Daron knew my location. It was shortsighted of me to give him my address. He hadn’t followed me from the pizza place, so perhaps he wouldn’t come here.
A sigh welled up in my throat and an ache spiraled inside me. Why was I sighing like some forlorn mistress when it was what I wanted?
SCORCH: An Incubus versus Succubus Demon Romance Page 7