Starved for Love

by Annie Nicholas

  An earthquake shook the ground and sent me reeling out of Val’s arms. My tush hit the floor with a teeth-rattling impact. “What the fuck?” I watched my sweetie cling to the couch for balance, then all quieted.

  Val peeked into the cave. “Sin?”

  I crept back onto my feet and followed. “Sin?” I repeated in a small voice.

  The vampire stood facing us, sweat trickling along his face. “Maybe you both should run.” He took a few steps to the left.

  A pit opened in my stomach. The salt circle was broken and the pentagram empty. The hammering of my heart deafened me. I was so dead.

  Val shoved me forward and cried out.

  I spun in time to see a clawed hand just miss my sweetie’s head as he fell back inside Sin’s apartment.

  Amel clung to the side of the cave, upside down, above the doorway between me and my incubus savior. His black gaze tracked my movements as I scrambled toward Sin. Black wings fanned out along the wall as if a shadow clung to his back.

  “I thought you had control over him.” I placed Sin between me and Amel, yet never took my eyes off the demon.

  “I am controlling him. If I weren’t, you’d be a red stain on my carpet by now.”

  Amel bared his sharp teeth. A thin thread of drool dripped from the corner of his mouth. “They’re so tender when they’re young, don’t you think, Zur-Sin?” He shifted his wings and crept back to the ground. Sweat shone on the demon’s bare, massive chest.

  “You will refer to me as Master.” Sin ground red-tinged salt between his fingers and let the grains hit the ground.

  The earth shook once more and the demon fell to his knees, clawing at the stone ground. “Yes Master.” He spat a glob of spit on the floor in front of him.

  “Eww.” I tried to contain a gag.

  “It’s time for you to go.” Sin gestured to the door where Val strode in.

  He grabbed my upper arm. “Time to tuck you in for the night.”

  “But—but…” I pointed at Amel. “He’s free.”

  “No, he’s not.” Val whispered in my ear. “His physical form is unchained but Amel is very much Sin’s prisoner. Now, stop distracting him and let him work on controlling the flesh-hungry monster eyeing us.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Day three of my cycle

  Nightmares plagued my sleep. Dark eyes stalked me everywhere I ran. Accusing me of things I had no idea I’d done. I woke with a cry and wrestled with my blankets before realizing I was in my own bed.

  Panting, I stared at the ceiling. According to Amel, the demon we trapped last night, John had used me as an excuse to not return to their realm of existence and Amel blamed me for his brother’s disappearance. How could I clear this up so I wouldn’t end up on Amel’s menu? This information was not in the succubus handbook.

  I rolled over and stared at my alarm clock. Eleven-thirty? The doorbell rang downstairs, a distant sound. I’d really slept in late. I sat on the edge of the bed and stretched. Someone climbed the stairs to my room at a fast pace.

  The door cracked open and my birth mother, Samantha, peered inside. “Hoel is here. Are you supposed to be going somewhere?”

  I blinked and rubbed my eyes. “No…” Jumping to my feet, I gasped. “Son of a bitch, I have a lunch date.” I ran to my bathroom. “Stall for me.”

  “You have another date with Valerio?”

  “His wives!”

  She squealed and the door slammed shut, followed by the sound of her flight down the stairs.

  I used the facilities and splashed water on my body from the sink while brushing my teeth. Demons had dominated my thoughts all night. Black, red-veined wings hunting my dreams, crying out for my blood, but that was nothing in comparison to my lunch dates. Amel might want to kill me, but Val’s wives might skin me and make me into matching purse sets.

  Running my head under the tap, I wet my wild bed-head curls then wrapped them in a towel. What does one wear to meet another man’s wives? I should have woken my mothers up last night and talked to them. I’d met enough families in Lake City to have some inkling. If I didn’t fit in society here, I doubted that I’d fit in anywhere. Just Val’s reaction to my personality should curb my expectations of acceptance.

  What if they hated me enough to deny us a marriage? My mothers had done it to my father. Would Val listen? Who truly held the power in a succubus/incubus relationship varied on who needed what more. I really should have asked him more about his wives last night.

  I met my own gaze in the mirror. If Val didn’t love his wives, what made me think he could ever love me?

  Estelle and Margie barged into my bedroom and broke my line of thought. “Sam’s feeding Hoel cookies. Why aren’t you ready?” Estelle glared at my naked body.

  “Never mind that. You can yell at me when I get home. Help me find something to wear.” On my hands and knees, I searched the pile of clothes my sisters created the other day trying to dress me for my date with Val. Something must not be wrinkled.

  Estelle hit the pile while Margie went for my underwear drawer. “Something professional, not too sexy. Do you have a power suit?”

  I rocked back on my knees. “Why would I own a power suit?”

  “You shouldn’t have slept in. We could have gone shopping.” She tugged out a pink knee length dress. “This and…” She removed the white cardigan she was wearing. “This. You don’t want to come across as too slutty.”

  Margie handed me a matching white bra and underwear in one hand, then a pair of brown leather wedge heels in the other. She kissed me on the top of the head. “Don’t let them eat you alive.”

  Nice. I swallowed the golf ball-sized knot of anxiety in my throat. Thank goodness my stomach was empty. I dressed, combed out my wet curls and then pinned them away from my face with barrettes. I looked twelve.

  They would tear me to pieces. Every family ran differently, even in the mortal world. I didn’t like that they didn’t live with him, at least part of the year, or something. I understood that my people thought love was a weakness to exploit but most who married did care somewhat for their spouses. Who the hell would want to marry a bitch or an asshole?

  This lunch had better not last all afternoon. My need reared its ugly head and set my pussy on slow cook. It made me cranky. By tonight, I’d be on fire.

  My sisters had mentioned Val’s wives were well-connected. I imagined businesswomen. What did I have to offer? I made a killer martini and I sang at a vampire bar. Oh, and by the way, a demon wants to suck out my soul with a straw. I hung my head. If I didn’t meet their approval, Val would probably rescind his offer to court me. The emptiness in my stomach rang hollow at the thought.

  I raced to the foyer.

  Hoel stood with a cup of coffee in hand. “Ready?” He hid a grin behind his cup as he scanned me from head to toe.

  “Not at all.” I took the cup from his hand and chugged it. “Let’s go, we’re late.”

  “For the record, I was on time.” Hoel stated before exiting the foyer.

  We raced to the car and I jumped in the passenger side seat instead of the back. He gave me an odd look.

  “Tell me about Val’s wives. I’m going to screw this up, I know I am. But I’d like as much info before going in, so I can control the damage.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, you won’t exactly fit in. I’m still reeling from the other day.”

  A hot flush scorched my cheeks. “That was an emergency.”

  The color on his face matched mine all of a sudden. “That’s not what I meant.” The heat in his gaze as he glanced at me didn’t seem that bashful. “Val courting you is out of character.”

  My heart skipped a beat. “I’ve been given that impression already and I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.”

  “What I mean
is you’re not his type.” He took me into the city at the same breakneck speed as Val. I wonder who taught whom to drive.

  “You don’t date often, do you?”

  “No.”

  “I can see why. Maybe you should stop talking now.” I turned away from him and glared out the windshield. My sisters weren’t Val’s type either, yet he chose me. I had to focus. Stop listening to silly fallen angels and try not to alienate Val’s wives.

  I could marry Val and secure a strong ally for my family. It was the falling in love part that had me worried. If I treated Val like a suitor, I could fit him in my schedule but instead of feeding from him, I’d be the food. What kind of marriage was that? I wanted it all. Love, home, children, white picket fence—except in my fairy tale, I also had loving sister wives and caring suitors.

  “Once you meet the wives, you’ll understand what I mean.” Hoel pulled up to the Roxy hotel in downtown Lake City.

  “What if they don’t like me?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. You’re the first succubus he’s courted since I’ve been around and I’ve been working for him for fifty years.” He exited the car and helped me out, leaving the car with the valet. “If it helps, you have my vote.”

  “You’re eating with us, right?”

  “Val asked me to hang around as an emergency snack since it’s your day three.”

  I stopped mid-stride. Wow, my day could get worse. I checked my clothes to make sure my underwear wasn’t on the outside and that this could possibly be part of my nightmares. No such luck. “I thought you wanted me to keep what happened between us a secret.”

  “My nature makes dishonesty difficult, Pia. The guilt kept eating at me.” At least he had the decency to appear ashamed. “Val wasn’t upset. He understands you don’t like feeding from strangers.”

  “I’m not having this conversation.” I strode into the hotel lobby and followed the signs to the restaurant with Hoel trailing at my heels. Inside the area, the hostess led me to the Hunan table, in the far back, where five stunning women watched me approach.

  I slowed my gait. Tact and grace, tact and grace. They were succubi, just like me. It was lunch, not a life-altering interview. Only, it sort of was.

  The wives ranged from a flaming redhead, to a pale white-blonde, to a delicate Asian, to a voluptuous brunette and last, an athletic dirty-blonde. Val apparently liked variety.

  Something was missing from this picture. The table held five seats, all of them filled. Son of a bitch, did he forget to tell them about me coming today?

  “Hi.” I strode up to the table. If I dragged my ass here, then they were getting an introduction, like it or not. “I’m Pia. Flynn Blyton’s daughter.”

  Both blondes looked up from their drinks and gazed at me from across the table. “Flynn is the incubus who runs this city?” the white-blonde asked.

  “Yes, and you are?” I held out my hand.

  The white-blonde shook it. She bore Val’s marriage bands tattooed around her wrists. “I’m Gretel. This is Sandra.” She spoke with a Scandinavian accent and pointed to the other darker blonde. “Ow!” She jerked as if someone had kicked her and released my hand.

  The Asian female sipped her wine, her cold gaze assessing my garb with a quick glance. “I thought Val came to meet with your older sisters. Your father said you weren’t interested in marriage.”

  “Um…he did meet them, but refused their applications.” Hoel could back me up. I twisted around. It took all my control to keep from closing my eyes and sighing. The flipping male was nowhere to be seen. Show no weakness. I may not fit in with my kind but I knew them. They preyed on the weak. Sweat trickled down my back. It was college all over again. If I walked out I’d be letting them win. “But Val made it hard for me to say no.”

  My mother’s voice spoke in my head. Eaten alive. I took a deep breath and faced the table of potential sister wives. Were they ready for me? Probably not.

  I grabbed a chair from a neighboring table and shoved it next to the icy Asian bitch. “I met Val as well and he invited me over for dinner the other night. He’s a very good cook.” I snatched a full wine glass and took a long swig, not caring who it belonged to. Outside, I hoped I appeared self-assured, but inside I shook like a leaf in a storm.

  “We know, Ms. Blyton.” The brunette leaned back in her chair across from me. She wore a long sleeved blouse that covered her marriage bands. “Do you think our husband would court someone without consulting us? I’m Cecile, Valerio’s first wife.” She rolled the ‘r’ in his name like a purr. “This is Min, the second wife.”

  She pointed to the Asian women, who plucked the wine from my fingers. “Charmed.”

  I smiled back, her sarcasm bouncing off my fake self-confidence.

  Cecile pointed around the table starting with the white-blonde. “Gretel.” Then the dirty-blonde. “Sandra.” And last, the redhead. “Roxy.”

  Pasting a smile on my face, I nodded to each one. “Nice to meet you.” My empty stomach rolled with the wine. If I puked I’d aim for Min. I eyed her tattooed wrists with something akin to envy.

  Cecile leaned forward and spoke in a soft voice, full of tact and grace. “Val doesn’t need another wife. I run a tight ship and don’t need you rocking the boat.” She flipped the hair from her face with a jerk of her head. “Tell us, why do you think we should allow this to continue?”

  I made a note to remember Cecile was the one who tossed the gloves off first. My mothers would lay into me when these wives reported their refusal and I’d need some kind of defense. “Maybe I’m just using him for the sex and not interested in marriage.” I shrugged as if it didn’t matter. Cecile made it sound like they’d already decided to decline Val’s proposal. Why should I play nice? Not to mention, I didn’t have a good answer to her question.

  Gretel gasped. “Cecile, do you think he would cheat?” There was genuine betrayal in her voice.

  Rolling my eyes to the ceiling, I wanted to smack myself for being an idiot. I had already destroyed one man’s marriage by sleeping with him. I wouldn’t taint Val’s. “No, no, he’s not cheating. We haven’t—I mean, he’s made it clear that…” I felt an inch tall.

  Cecile rang her fork against her wine glass. “What Pia is trying to articulate is that Valerio has made his intentions clear that he wants to marry her. It’s up to her and us now to decide if that will happen.” She set her fork down neatly next to her knife.

  “And Ms. Blyton, I know you haven’t fucked yet.” Sandra, the dirty-blonde, spoke. “He’s not stupid enough to leave himself vulnerable by cheating.” She eyed me, a small sneer on her puss. “It’s my responsibility to keep tabs on our husband. He takes fidelity very seriously and, in return, so do we. Until you make some kind of commitment to him, he won’t cross that line.”

  Min set her wine glass on the table. “He must be feeding from her. The vials we send only last for so long before he needs a true source. I was next and he didn’t visit me last night.”

  What could I say? Sorry, we were busy summoning the wrong demon and it set back our schedule. “Is that considered infidelity?”

  Min’s glare cut me. “Borderline. He’s giving you release to feed and you’re not denying it.”

  Snorting, Roxy the redhead shook her finger at Min. “Like you didn’t make any indiscretions, Ms. Geisha, while you chased Val all over Japan.” She spoke with a warm southern drawl. “But I am concerned about your motives, Pia. If you’re not interested in marrying Val, then you shouldn’t be playing with him. Chasing a married incubus is serious business.” She eyed me up and down. “You’re very young, but I doubt you’re stupid.”

  “Um…I’m not the one chasing him. He came to me. I was happy until this very afternoon.” I gestured to the wives and our lunch table.

  They all went quiet. Cecile pursed her lips and tapped
her long manicured fingernail on her fork, probably wanting to stab me with it. “So, it’s true. He’s the one in pursuit. I don’t like this. It’s all out of character for Val.”

  Heartburn bubbled in my chest. “Look, I think we’re getting off on the wrong foot. I’m not jumping into this blind.” Where had I placed my succubi membership brain? I had to think like them if wanted to continue seeing Val. My chest throbbed at the thought of never being with him again. “Our families would benefit greatly with this marriage.” I grabbed a dinner roll and ate a piece, hoping to stave off upsetting my stomach any further.

  “This is true.” Cecile watched me devour half my roll. “Adele or Rose can marry him.”

  A dry chunk of bread plugged up my throat. I grabbed Min’s wine and gulped to wash it down. “He doesn’t want them, I told you.” Was she deaf?

  “Why should it matter? Your father made it clear not to involve you in the initial introductions to his daughters, yet here you are, his top choice. What kind of hold do you have on our husband?”

  I set the empty glass down and tried to smooth the scrunched expression on my face. “You think I have power over him?” A laugh left my lips.

  “I fail to see the humor. Power is everything in a marriage, Ms. Blyton. It’s a delicate balance that is difficult to maintain.’

  “You’ve obviously haven’t met your own husband then, Ms. Hunan.” The bread had helped my sour stomach and the wine liberated my tongue. “And you definitely haven’t made an effort to know me. I don’t give a shit about who’s controlling who.”

  Cecile leaned back and scanned the other wives. “Then enlighten us, tell us why we should consider your candidacy?”

  “For starters, I showed up for lunch. I told him this would be a bad idea. We just met three days ago and he’s ready to make an engagement announcement at the banquet tomorrow night. Second, I know the master vampire of—” Wide stares from around the table all focused on me. “What?”