by Devin Hanson
Right then, I had zero interest in meeting with her. I wanted a night to sleep on things and try to get my head around what I had learned today. I got on my scooter and started the long drive back to the hotel.
Rush hour sucks. The only good thing about being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic was I had plenty of time while waiting for a stoplight to order pizza to my hotel room. I went hard on the toppings, making my own custom meat-lover’s pizza. I didn’t normally do pizza, but I felt the need for some gratuitous comfort food.
I handed off my scooter to the valet and took the elevator up. I saw the pizza guy in the elevator lobby, staring at the receipt, trying to decipher the room layout. Luck was on my side for once.
“Hey, that pizza going to room 513?”
He looked up, surprised, then grateful. “I’m new to this job. I always get turned around in hotels.”
“No problem. It’s right down here.”
The pizza guy looked to be about seventeen, a skinny high-school kid with a big Adam’s apple and frizzy hair. I eyed him as I led the way to my room, wondering if he had been sent by Raveth. I decided the incubus wouldn’t be so subtle and got my room door opened. That seemed enough proof to the guy that I was the right person to receive the pizza and he handed it over to me, still piping hot.
He got his receipt signed and left with a wave. I shut the door behind me and retreated to the coffee table. I shucked off my riding jacket and sat on the couch. I hadn’t eaten since my late breakfast and I was starving. I lifted the box lid and the aroma of fresh pizza washed over me, setting my saliva glands flowing.
I separated out a slice and had to blow on my fingers. It was still too hot to eat without burning my mouth. Like that was going to stop me. Burning my mouth with pizza wouldn’t have been the worst decision I had made that day.
Before I got the slice to my mouth, I heard footsteps go down the hallway. I paused, my fingers starting to burn. I could see the shadow under the door of someone standing on the other side. Immediately, my paranoia with the pizza guy came rushing back. I tossed the slice back into the box and came to my feet.
In my haste to get at the pizza, I had forgotten to throw the deadbolt and the safety chain. I froze in indecision. There wasn’t anywhere in the suite to hide. Should I fight? Could I fight? I still had some of the buzzing energy left over from the night before, but it was nowhere near the levels I had had when I had fought Raveth’s marid.
There was a clatter of plastic against the card reader and I heard the door unlock with a click. Time was up. I started around the coffee table, my pulse thundering, my throat tight. If Raveth wanted a piece of me, then I would make him pay for every step he took into my suite.
The door opened and I leapt forward with a yell, one hand pulled back in a fist, ready to beat the hell out of the first person through the door. I saw white hair and pulled up short, staggering as I fought to keep my balance.
Ilyena gasped in surprise as I hit the wall next to the door with an outstretched hand, only just stopping myself from piling into her.
“Ilyena!”
“Alex? What—”
“What are you doing here?” We both stopped as our words piled into each other. “I thought—”
“I wanted—”
I grinned at her, the adrenaline that had flooded my system in preparation for a fight now finding another use. My heart thudded and sudden anticipation made my chest ache. “I thought you said I wouldn’t see you again?”
She looked up at me defiantly. “I did not receive an order to stay away.”
My grin widened and I stepped back, making room for her to come into the suite. “I wasn’t sure you had it in you to be rebellious.”
Ilyena stepped through, dragging a wheeled suitcase behind her. “I almost didn’t come.”
I shut the door and caught Ilyena’s arm. “I’m glad you did.”
For a moment we stared at each other, and I felt a sudden trickle of energy flowing into me. It was the only warning I had before Ilyena growled and leapt at me. I caught her as she wrapped her legs about my waist and I staggered back into the door. Her mouth came down on mine, her lips hot and her tongue slipping into my mouth. She tasted of cherries and vodka.
I took one hand away from her ass long enough to flip the deadbolt on the door and thread the security chain in place. It was difficult, with her lips locked to mine, but I got the door secured. Then I carried her straight to the bedroom. I wasn’t going to let her slip away from me again.
Ilyena yelped as I threw her onto the bed and I climbed up after her, straddling her hips. I kissed her then pushed her chin to the side so I could get at the curve of her neck. I could feel her purring through my lips as I kissed my way down to her shoulder. I tugged her loose flannel down, fumbling at the buttons until I could pull it down to her waist.
She let out a moan as my lips found her nipple and her fingers tangled in my hair. Her whimper ignited something within me. I needed her to orgasm more than I needed my own release. I shifted my weight and got my knee in between her legs. Her groan changed pitch when I brought my knee up to press against her and I could feel the heat of her through her yoga pants.
Ilyena arched her back, pressing herself harder against my knee and flexing herself up and down. I finished unbuttoning her flannel and pushed it away. She shifted her hands to my shoulders and tried to roll me off her, but I braced myself and caught her nipple between my teeth. She was mine to have, and she wasn’t going to dissuade me until I had what I wanted.
Once she stopped resisting, I went lower, kissing, licking and biting my way down her stomach. Her body was covered with very fine hairs, all but invisible until they were wet with my saliva and twisted into swirling patterns from my tongue. I shifted my knee back and replaced it with my hand.
She was hot to my touch and damp through her yoga pants. Through the thin material, I could feel the softness of her. I hooked my fingers into the waist of her pants and pulled downward. She shifted her hips up and I dragged the fabric down to her knees. She wasn’t wearing any underwear.
Ilyena’s fingers tangled in my hair again as I lowered myself downward, kissing along her inner thigh and nibbling everywhere except for the folds of her sex. This was a first for me. I knew what felt good from receiving oral sex, but I had never had my face this close to another woman before. She smelled musky and a little salty, but it wasn’t bad at all.
“Alex,” she moaned, “please…”
Her heels hooked around my shoulders and tried to pull me in. At some point she had kicked off her shoes and her pants, leaving her naked except for her socks. My rush to get her naked slowed now that I had her where I wanted her. I nipped at the soft skin at the base of her legs and brushed my fingers through the trimmed tuft of white down above her sex. Had she been trimmed last night? I couldn’t remember.
Tentatively I kissed the hooded nub of her clit and she jerked like I had jolted her with wall current. Her reaction made me bolder and I kissed lower, into the cleft of her lips. Her hips lifted as she tried to push herself into my mouth and I rode with her, still maintaining my teasingly light touch.
I stuck my tongue out and licked slowly up. She tasted slightly tangy and salty and I pushed my tongue deeper into her, seeking out the hidden heat within. Ilyena gasped and I looked up the length of her slim body. She had her head arched backward, one hand tangled in my hair, the other squeezing her breast and pinching her nipple. It was one of the hottest things I had ever seen.
I could feel myself growing wet as I shifted upward toward her clit. She gasped as I slipped first one finger, then two inside her, her arousal making my hand slick. I vibrated my tongue against her and she cried out a burst of jumbled Russian. I could feel the muscles in her legs twitch.
Ilyena looked down at me, her breath coming in heaving pants. Her brilliant blue eyes caught my gaze. I found the slight roughness on the roof of her sex and rubbed it in circles while I went to work with my tongue. Her eyes widen
ed, then went unfocused as a tremor ran through her.
I felt her tighten around my fingers and I pinned her waist down with my free arm. I could taste the change when the orgasm shuddered through her, but I didn’t relent. Her hips bucked and I bore down on her, using my weight to prevent her from escaping. Her gasped cries turned into a shriek and a spasm rolled through her. At the same time, a wave of energy rushed through me leaving me with spots in my vision and a tingling that rushed down my arms to my fingertips.
Finally, I let her go and she rolled onto her side, sobbing for breath. I climbed up onto the bed next to her and she lunged at me, rolling me onto my back and kissing me hungrily.
“So, how’d I do?” I laughed.
Ilyena growled something in Russian, then said, “You are wearing too much clothing.”
I sat up and let her pull my shirt up over my head. While I was sitting up, I reached behind myself and unhooked my bra. Ilyena’s hands found my breasts and she kissed me before pushing me back onto the bed. I sighed as she kissed down to my chest and her hot mouth closed over my nipple. Her tongue was sending sparks down my back to my crotch and I felt my breath start to go ragged.
When she reached for my belt I eagerly kicked off my shoes and lifted my hips to make it easier to slide my jeans down. I had a moment of relief that my thong was going to remain intact, then her nails dragged down my ribs, around to the small of my back and under my ass. I groaned as she kissed the inside of my thigh and spread my legs as she moved downward, giving her all the access she wanted.
There was no hesitation in Ilyena. She didn’t make me wait or tease me. Her hot mouth closed over me and I felt her tongue slip up inside of me impossibly far. I cried out involuntarily as her tongue coiled around inside of me and I arched my back, lifting my hips up to give her a better angle. She reached up and caught my breasts in her hands, kneading my flesh and pinching my nipples while her tongue delved even deeper inside me.
She slipped her tongue from me and I fell back to the bed, gasping. I cupped her hands around my breasts and she squeezed even harder on my nipples then dragged her tongue up over my clit. Her tongue was slightly rough and shudders crashed through me as sparks shot up my spine and exploded behind my eyes.
My legs clamped around her head and I scrabbled at her hair, trying to push her away and pull her closer at the same time, while all along her tongue lashed at me. I could feel the sharp tips of her canines digging into me as I writhed across the bed, pulling the blankets and sheets into a twisted mess.
An orgasm crashed through me, as sudden and abrupt as a gunshot. I screamed and opened my legs enough to push Ilyena away. I curled up with my hands cupping my sex, groaning into a pillow as aftermaths shuddered through me. I felt Ilyena crawl up behind me and hug me to her. Her skin felt hot against my back and I could feel the swell of her breasts pushing into my shoulders.
Ilyena ran her fingers through my hair, petting me as my muscles slowly unlocked from their spasms. I had never felt anything like that before. The length and roughness of her tongue had been incredible. Just remembering how it had felt send fresh tremors down my limbs.
I finally rolled over and pulled Ilyena to me. I could taste myself on her lips as I kissed her. “That was insane,” I said. My voice came out husky and I swallowed to clear it.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Her fingers trailed over me and I groaned in protest. “Not yet. Still way too sensitive.” I caught her hand and kissed her fingers. “Thank you, Ilyena.”
“I’m hungry for you,” she said throatily. “I need more.”
Mention of hunger reminded me of my pizza I had forgotten in the other room. I kissed her and she pressed against me, a purr starting again deep in her chest. Her hands slid around my waist and her nails dug into my hips. I broke the kiss with a gasp and bowed my head against her chest. “I haven’t eaten since this morning,” I groaned. “If you fuck me again, I’ll pass out.”
“You will need your strength,” Ilyena nodded.
I couldn’t tell if that was a threat or a promise. Either way sounded good to me.
Chapter Twenty-One
I rolled out of bed at six in the morning. I hadn’t slept, just laid in bed and stared at the ceiling listening to Ilyena breathe. Ilyena’s appetite for sex had matched mine, and we had drained each other repeatedly until neither of us had the strength or willpower to go another round. She had come prepared, too. Her suitcase had turned out to be a cornucopia of toys and every one of them had been used in one fashion or another before the night had ended.
I dressed quietly, not wanting to wake Ilyena, though to be perfectly honest, it probably would have taken a marching band to penetrate her exhausted slumber. I dashed out a note, telling her where I was going, then leaned over to kiss her forehead.
After the extensive exploration of my body that Ilyena had performed, I had expected to be sore. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I felt vibrant, energized, without the slightest ache anywhere. The few places on my skin where I knew I should have hickies or bite marks were perfectly smooth and unblemished. The same energy that had healed me had me perfectly awake, as if I had woken from an eight-hour sleep that had ended on a good dream. And then had 15 milligrams of adrenaline shot directly into my heart.
I let myself out of the suite and headed down to the lobby. I had to wake up the baggy-eyed valet so he could get my scooter. The hotel seemed deserted. It was six in the morning, not four; surely there should be someone awake. I wandered around the lobby while I waited, looking into the back rooms, trying to see if anyone else was around.
The concierge was unconscious, her snores buzzing lightly from behind the welcome desk. In the restaurant, a lone waiter was sleepily wiping tables, his rag moving in desultory circles while he stared blankly at the back of a chair.
Odd. I felt guilty. I knew I was responsible, somehow. I went out front and waited for the valet. How many days could I afford to stay in the hotel? Or, more accurately, how long before my stay started having permanent negative consequences for the other patrons and the staff?
My scooter came, the valet steering it drunkenly up to the curb. If it had been a normal two-wheel motorcycle, he would have spilled for sure. He climbed off the seat and gave me a beatific smile along with my keys.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Mm?” He looked at me, a lazy smile on his face. “Oh. Sure. I feel great.”
“Yeah. Well, you might want to hold off driving any more vehicles until you get some coffee in you or something.”
He nodded absently at me and went back to his booth, weaving as he walked. I frowned after him, then sighed and shook my head. I had to learn what being a succubus meant in more detail before too much longer.
Once I got away from the hotel, the city turned back to normal. Traffic was light, even for a Thursday morning and I made good time west. The third address on the list Lei had provided was an apartment off Wilshire Boulevard about a mile and a half from the ocean. I could smell the salt on the wind as I found an open parking spot and pulled my helmet off.
From the outside, the apartment looked nice, but nothing unusual. A house on the other side of the street had a few dozen inflatable Christmas decorations crowding the front yard, bleached by the sun and sagging a little. A little strange in early October, but not really worth commenting on.
I walked into the complex, attracting a few stares from residents leaving for work, but nobody tried to stop me. I checked Lei’s note again and took the stairs to the second level. I knew what to expect: a broken-in door, maybe a shattered window or two, and the contents of the apartment completely destroyed.
What I didn’t expect to find was police tape cordoning off the last unit on the balcony. I stopped at the tape and peered around it, trying to see inside the apartment. I didn’t have a good enough angle, and before I could duck under the tape and try the door, the apartment I was standing in front of opened up and a young woman stepped out.
“Oh, hey,” I called to her. “Can you tell me what happened here?”
She gave me a look, one I hadn’t seen since my days in the foster system. It was a look that screamed recent trauma, like she had been raped… or witnessed something terrible. “He’s dead,” she said woodenly. “Did you know him?”
“A friend from work,” I lied.
She shuddered. “I’m sorry, I have to go. I’m going to be late.”
“Yeah. Uh, hey. Sorry about… what you saw.”
I got a numb nod in return and she hurried away, her shoulders hunched and her head bowed. Well, damn. Now I was a little worried, but mostly just curious. I glanced around to see if any other residents were in sight, then ducked under the tape.
The door jamb had been shattered and the deadbolt ripped clean from the frame. I nudged the door open and stepped inside. The stench of damp iron washed over me and I recognized the smell of blood before my eyes finished adjusting to the dim interior.
Blood was splashed up two of the walls in the living room and was soaked into the tattered remains of the couch. I looked around the apartment briefly, just verifying that everything there had, in fact, been destroyed, before returning to the living room.
I was no forensic expert, but I had seen a dead body or two. Once a person’s heartbeat stopped, they no longer bled. The body would leak from whatever wounds had been sustained, of course, but once the local pressure was gone, that trickle of drainage dried up. Even when someone died from bleeding out, there wasn’t that much blood.
Whatever had killed the guy who lived here had done so with an animal savagery. The victim hadn’t been just shot or stabbed, he had been torn apart. I stared around, disquiet settling into my stomach. This hadn’t been a crime committed by a human. The more I looked, the more certain I grew of that. Humans were assholes and could be cold-hearted, but not one in a million had the rage necessary to tear someone apart like this.
