Her Incubus Master (The Children of Lilith)

by Bliss Devlin

  Her Incubus Master

  By Bliss Devlin

  Published by Philtatos Press

  Text copyright 2014 by Bliss Devlin. All rights reserved.

  Photo credit: Artem Furman/Shutterstock.com

  Cover design & layout: Karin Welss

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Table of Contents

  1. Katie Submits to the Incubus

  2. Katie Finds Release

  3. Katie is Tied in Knots

  4. Katie Breaks the Rules

  5. Katie Chooses Her Punishment

  6. Katie Takes the Initiative

  7. Katie Answers a Prayer

  8. Katie Saves a Succubus

  9. Katie Turns the Tables

  10. Katie Makes a Commitment

  11. Katie Reaches for Immortality

  12. Katie Gets Her Happy Ending

  Author's Note and Biography

  1. Katie Submits to the Incubus

  Amanda Vélos found her twin brother Andras exactly where she had expected to find him. He was sitting alone at a small table the city's trendiest cocktail lounge, nursing a glass of single-malt whiskey.

  This type of establishment, favored by the young workers who slaved at the nearby headquarters of a dozen high-tech startups, used to be his favorite kind of hunting ground. It was filled with the movers and shakers of the new world, the youth who thrived on innovation and change, glittering and turbulent like the restless sea.

  But here he was, surrounded by a throng of young, healthy mortals brimming with delicious sexual energy, glorying in their youth, their success, their dazzling intellects...and he was sitting alone and brooding.

  "What a dreadful waste of opportunity, brother mine," she said, lightly, trying to conceal her distress at his depressed state.

  She bent to kiss his cold cheek before sliding into the uncomfortable little chair next to him.

  An attentive young man swooped in almost immediately to take her drink order. She eyed Andras' whiskey enviously for a moment before settling on one of the establishment's overpriced signature cocktails, which complemented her carefully-crafted Marketing Executive persona better than the whiskey.

  Like him, she was wearing an impeccably-constructed glamour that made her look sleek, sophisticated, confident, and affluent.

  He was wearing his favored look, the one she referred to as successful thirty-something CEO. Old enough to convincingly wear his aura of power and confidence, young enough to be sexy in a culture obsessed with youth.

  "I haven't seen anything that interests me," he replied, in the frighteningly detached tone he started using after Yoshiko died. "These children." He gestured listlessly around the crowded cocktail lounge. "They have it all—success, power, money. They're already sated or they desire things that I can't give them. That no one can."

  "Oh, please," she said, rolling her eyes. "They're still human. They crave what we are, what can offer them. They always have, and they always will."

  "I don't know," he said gloomily, staring down into the amber depths of his drink.

  "Andras, you're being dreadfully self-indulgent," she said, bluntly. "If you don't take another mortal lover soon, you'll go into the Decline. I would be most annoyed if you decided to die on me."

  That won her a brief quirk of a smile. "Because, of course, your wishes are paramount?"

  "Of course," she said lightly. "I'm the center of the universe. Your universe at least. And I order you to live and be happy again." She paused. "Speaking of which, there's someone you should meet."

  "Amanda," he began in a warning tone, his dark brows drawing together.

  She raised a perfectly-manicured hand. "Hear me out. She's one of my co-workers. Lovely young woman, recently divorced, smart, witty, and positively starved for some decent sex."

  "Mmm-hmm," Andras said, sounding unimpressed. "If this young woman is so remarkable, then why haven't you swooped in with an offer of mind-blowing sex? As I recall, you are also in need of a lover."

  Amanda sighed, and twined a lock of her red hair around her finger. "Oh, I tried propositioning her—delicately, of course—and I think it went right over her head. I believe she's devoutly heterosexual...for now, at least."

  She saw that Andras was still resisting the notion. Time to appeal to his overdeveloped sense of chivalry.

  Amanda knew she was shameless in her manipulation, but she was a succubus after all. And a very successful one, generally.

  "Andras, you're the best—the very best--at finding out exactly what mortals need, and then giving it to them. And you're kind. I really like Katie. She's been a good friend to me, and she could use a little kindness from a handsome man right about now to bolster her spirits. Along with a large dose of mind-blowing sex, of course. And there's one other thing..." She let her words trail off, baiting the hook for him.

  At least he was looking interested now. "What?"

  "I sense she has tremendous potential as a philtata."

  His expression hardened. "No. I'm not ready."

  Amanda took a deep breath and prepared to play dirty. "Please, Andras. Say you'll at least meet her and talk to her. Do it as a favor to me. Please."

  His shoulders slumped, and he drained the rest of his whiskey in a single gulp before yielding. "All right, all right. You know how I hate to hear you beg."

  Amanda fought to keep from smirking at her victory. This would be good for both her friend Katie and her beloved twin brother.

  * * *

  A few nights later, Katie stood in front of the entrance to Estrella, a trendy downtown tapas place, hesitating.

  Why on Earth had she agreed to a blind date? She worked with Amanda, after all. It would be deeply awkward if the date went badly...and if Andras was anything like Katie's recent run of first—and last—dates from several online dating sites, he was probably creepy and desperate.

  C'mon, Katie, don't be such a wimp! Her inner voice chided her. You've got nothing to lose, and you can always leave if Amanda's brother turns out to be a dud.

  "Katie!" She turned at the sound of her name, and saw Amanda approaching, a tall, dark-haired man in tow. "I'm glad you didn't chicken out on me!"

  This remark hit uncomfortably close to home, and Katie felt her face heat.

  But before she had the chance to embarrass herself with a lame reply, Amanda gave her a quick hug, and said, "I'd like you to meet my twin brother. Andras, this is Katie Gunnarson. We work together."

  Holy shit! That was Katie's first thought when he stepped forward, his hand extended. He was frickin' gorgeous, and he was looking at her like she was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen.

  He was tall, but broad-shouldered and solidly-built rather than willowy like his sister. Dark, wavy hair, tanned olive skin, and startling pale green eyes...he looked like an Italian model. If his coloring was dramatically different from his red-haired, fair-complexioned sister, their features were very similar, with high cheekbones and sensual mouths.

  Feeling a little dazed, she took his hand, cool from the night air. His hands were big and sinewy, just the kind of thing she found irresistible in a man, and his grip was firm.

  "I'm pleased to meet you," he said, in a pleasantly deep voice, and he really did sound pleased.

  "Me, too," Katie
said, and instantly hated how lame it sounded. "Do you, uh, work in high tech, too?"

  He smiled at her, and she thought her spine might melt. "No, I'm in banking. I hope that doesn't make me sound too boring."

  He didn't let go of her hand, but Katie didn't mind. She liked it. It felt...right.

  "Well," said Amanda, looking at each of them in turn, her expression smug. "I'll just leave you two to it. I have a date of my own." She smiled, wickedly. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

  "Bye!" With a quick flip of her red hair, she was heading away from them, her high heels beating a quick staccato beat on the sidewalk.

  Andras smiled ruefully and shook his head. "Sisters! Do you have any sibs, Katie?"

  Finally releasing Katie's hand, he opened the door to the restaurant and they went in together.

  * * *

  An hour later, Katie found herself sharing a secluded booth with Andras near the back of the place, and realized that she was having a really good time.

  There was live music tonight, but it was acoustic, classical Spanish guitar music, so it was easy to hold a conversation without having to shout.

  As they talked, they had nibbled their way through a selection of the club's delectable tapas, accompanied by a bottle of sparkling Cava wine.

  Andras turned out to be someone who had lots of interesting stories to tell, especially about traveling. He offered some great tips on places to eat and stay in Barcelona, a city that Katie was planning to visit next year, once the last of her student debt was paid off. And he was also a really good listener.

  The topic of Barcelona led to a discussion of architecture, and from there, to the controversial addition of an ultramodern glass-and-steel wing to the city's nineteenth-century art museum building.

  "It looks like that poor building hit an iceberg," she said, candidly, and was gratified when Andras laughed.

  "The new wing wouldn't look too bad on its own," Katie continued, "but it's just so...jarring...sprouting out of the corner of the old building like that."

  "I agree," said Andras. "I think the new building would have been better-served if it had been separated a bit from the existing architecture. I mean, look at how they handled IM Pei's addition to the Louvre. It's part of the grand old palace, but also separate."

  "I've only been to Paris once," Katie said, a bit wistfully. "On my honeymoon. Which sounds really great, but Bill and I signed up for one of those bus tours with way too many stops. We did a ten-day tour of England, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, and France. I thought it was fun, but Bill hated it, hated Europe, actually. Plus, you know, total sensory overload, and we only got to spend a day or two in each place."

  Andras smiled at her, his green eyes crinkling at the corners. "Well, think of it this way—that tour probably gave you an idea of where you'd like to return and explore in-depth." His expression sobered. "Amanda told me a little bit about you, but not much. You're divorced now?"

  Katie nodded, and took a sip of Cava to marshal her thoughts. She felt a little shy, but also like she had known him forever. He was gorgeous to the point of distraction, but he also seemed really interested in hearing what she had to say.

  Kind of like Amanda, come to think of it. Her co-worker also had the knack of listening, and then saying just the right thing to make you feel better.

  "Yes," she said. "The divorce was finalized about six months ago, but we were separated for a while before that. I guess I shouldn't have married him to begin with, but I liked him, and I guess I didn't know better."

  "Have you been married before?" he asked, sounding interested but not judgmental.

  She shook her head. A bit abashed, she said, "I'm kind of a late bloomer. I've only had three serious relationships."

  He tilted his head. "Define serious, please."

  She laughed. "The first guy was my high school sweetheart. I met him when I was a sophomore and we dated until graduation. The next guy was my college sweetheart, and then there was Bill. We met when we were both seniors at Cal, and we got married about six months after graduation." God, she sounded so Little-Miss-Midwestern-Sheltered! She added, feeling abashed, "I guess I'm kind of old-fashioned, but one-night stands and the whole friends-with-benefits thing isn't really my thing."

  He took her hand again, and it felt really nice. "I like people who are serious about commitments. As for me, I'm happiest when I'm in a steady, long-term relationship." He paused, studying her, then said, "I find sex a lot more satisfying when I've had the chance to really get to know my partner, what they like, and how they respond."

  She looked away, more than a little uncomfortable by the turn their conversation had taken.

  In her experience, the longer the relationship lasted, the more obvious it became that she was just plain lousy at sex.

  He was so attractive, and he seemed to think she was attractive, too. She hoped he wouldn't be too disappointed if...when...they slept together.

  Andras' fingers tightened around hers, as if he sensed her discomfort. "What's wrong?"

  Nothing. She opened her mouth, and to her mortification, she blurted out, "I think I might be asexual."

  And waiting for him to recoil. To laugh. To make some lame excuse and end the date, never to see her again.

  Because she sounded like a dork. A really lame dork.

  Instead, he kept hold of her hand. "Why do you think that?" he asked, softly. "Do you dislike sex?"

  "Well, no. But—" Katie knew she was making a mess of this. And the evening had been going so well, too!

  "But what?" Andras' voice was still soft, still gentle.

  She wasn't sure why she felt like confessing to him, but there was just something about him that encouraged her to spill her darkest, most embarrassing secret.

  "Well, I like most of it. But I can't ever—you know—come." Her voice dropped to nothing on this last part, and she found herself unable to meet his eyes. "Bill said I was probably one of those people who can't get satisfaction the, uh, normal way. You know, like I was damaged, or something."

  Andras suddenly looked very angry. "That was a terrible thing for Bill to say to someone he supposedly loved! No wonder you divorced him."

  "Uh, actually, he divorced me," Katie said, in a small voice. "He told me that he met someone else, someone who was actually good in bed."

  Hearing that had hurt so much at the time.

  It still hurt, in fact.

  "I'm sorry. He sounds like a selfish ass who didn't appreciate what he had." Andras raised her hand, and brushed his lips over the back in a gesture that was as sexy as it was unselfconscious. "Did he ever try to explore what turns you on? To find out if you had any particular kinks he could fulfill for you?

  Katie stared at Andras. Okay, that was not what I was expecting him to say!

  "We never really talked about it. I was too embarrassed, and I didn't want to hurt his feelings by making him think that he was doing it wrong. I mean, he did try, uh, oral, a few times but it didn't work for me."

  "Didn't work for you?" Andras raised his dark brows. "Did you find it uncomfortable? Are you extraordinarily sensitive? Some women are."

  "No, it felt pretty good," Katie admitted. "But I was taking forever, and I could just see that Bill was getting kind of bored and impatient. He said—he said that if I was really enjoying it, I would have already come. So, eventually, I started to, uh, fake it, just so he wouldn't feel bad." She shrugged. "I stopped asked him to do that after a while."

  Andras sighed, and his thumb drew slow circles on Katie's palm. The caress started a slow burn in the pit of her belly, matching the slow burn on her cheeks, because talking about this stuff, especially with someone she had just met, was just plain embarrassing.

  "You want to know what I think?" Andras asked. "I think the kindest thing that can be said about your ex-husband is that he was unobservant and unadventurous. Though I think he was probably lazy and selfish."

  Katie stared at him. It had never occurred to her that their s
exual failures weren't all her fault.

  "You know the best way to get out of doing an unpleasant and tedious chore?" Andras' smile turned humorless. "Agree to do it, but do it so unwillingly and incompetently, that you're never asked again."

  "But he did try," Katie objected, feeling like she ought to be honest, even if Andras' instant leap to her defense made her feel warm inside.

  Like a knight in shining armor, Andras continued to take her side. "Did you know that the average man takes five minutes to become aroused, but the average woman takes 12-14 minutes? It sounds like he expected you to react like a man would, and never bothered to find out why you didn't."

  "But I'm pretty sure it wasn't all his fault." Katie wasn't sure why she wanted to defend her ex. Maybe she just didn't want Andras to be disappointed when he discovered the truth. Assuming he even wanted to see her again, after tonight. "I, uh, wasn't able to come with any of my boyfriends. If it had just been Bill, then maybe it was because he wasn't observant or adventurous or patient. But three guys in row...you see the pattern here, don't you?

  "I think maybe the only pattern here is that you and your lovers never figured out how to really turn you on." Andras' voice, already low, became downright seductive. "Would you like to play a little game?"

  "What kind of game?" Katie asked, warily. She didn't pull her hand away from his, though. She liked the slow stroke of his thumb across the skin of her palm.

  "Something along the lines of 'Truth or Dare,'" he replied. "I give you a scenario. And you tell me—honestly—whether it you find it a turn-on."

  "Okay," she said, intrigued.

  He gave her a stern look. "Remember, complete honesty. Don't tell me what you think I want to hear, or what you think sounds 'normal.' Every scenario I'm going to present to you is normal on the spectrum of normal human sexuality. Okay?"

  "Okay," she said again, mesmerized.

  Still caressing her hand, he began to talk, his voice low, thrilling.

  "You and your lover are enjoying a night at an expensive hotel. There's champagne and strawberries. You're wearing your nicest lingerie. Gently, sweetly, he lowers you to the bed and makes slow love to you, kissing and stroking every inch of your skin...no?" Andras stopped talking. "Not working for you?"