Seducing the Succubus

by Cassie Ryan

  Jez started toward the bathroom and stopped suddenly. “Make love?” The words sounded foreign inside her tiny quarters, and she frowned at how they sounded. She’d never referred to sex in that way, and she’d had lots of sex over her long lifetime.

  Even if Lucifer agreed to protect her and her sisters from Semiazas, Lilith would have to approve her relationship with Noah. The queen would look at what had passed between them so far as normal behavior for a succubus kept in close quarters with a man who could provide her energy. Otherwise, Lilith wouldn’t have provided Noah with the ring to keep him safe from Jez’s succubus energy siphoning.

  Any continuing relationship with Noah . . . Jez couldn’t see Lilith agreeing to it. An ache blossomed inside her chest, and she rubbed at the spot with the heel of her hand. She would miss him.

  Uh-oh.

  She loved him.

  Jez’s chest tightened and it became harder and harder to suck in her next breath as churning emotions tightened her throat. The backs of her eyes stung and hot tears spilled out onto her cheeks to slide down her face and drip off onto her shirt.

  Jez flopped down onto her bed and buried her face into the pillow as she let the tears come.

  Noah followed Xander down the long stone corridor, tense and alert in case anything jumped out at him. Jezebeth was obviously the expert on the world of succubi and incubi, but Noah had done enough research on both Lilith and her minions to have an idea what to expect—especially since his time with Jez had refined his knowledge in this area. Not to mention, he didn’t trust Xander at all. The incubus was about as subtle as a hooker at the Vatican.

  Xander stopped in front of the door to Noah’s assigned quarters and waved Noah forward. “Only you can open your quarters unless you give someone else permission.”

  Noah remembered Jezebeth holding his hand and pulling him inside her quarters. “Does the same go for entry to my quarters?”

  When Xander nodded once—a succubi/incubi habit that grated on Noah’s nerves—Noah ground his teeth. “Does an invitation to enter extend indefinitely?”

  Xander’s face tightened and the incubus forced a smile. “Only if the invitation is open-ended.”

  Such as Jezebeth pulling him inside her quarters. Noah could definitely see how that could be construed as an open invitation. He sifted through the situation in his mind, trying to figure out what Xander was up to, and couldn’t. He needed more information to find that out, but in the meantime, he had to sidestep the situational sparring as best he could.

  Noah reached forward, turned the knob, and pushed the door open to reveal a spacious room about twice the size of Jezebeth’s. He frowned and stepped inside. Even from only the quick glance he’d given Jezebeth’s quarters, hers looked homey and comfortable where this room looked more like a sterile hotel room with stone walls, regardless of the larger size.

  Along the back wall just next to the large canopy bed stood an open door that Noah assumed led to the bathroom. On the right-hand wall was a large open closet jam-packed with clothes and shoes.

  Xander cleared his throat, an obvious attempt to regain Noah’s attentions. Noah ignored him and instead took another long moment to look around the room before he turned back toward the incubus. “What are the exact parameters for what I need to wear tomorrow for the audience with Lilith?”

  Xander’s eyes narrowed, and his lips thinned into a hard line. “Lilith asked me to help—”

  “And you will help, by telling me the parameters she requires. I don’t need any assistance getting cleaned up or dressed, and there are obviously plenty of clothes in here for me to choose from. So what exactly are the requirements for my dress for an audience with the queen?”

  Xander’s eyes flashed red for a quick moment before returning to their normal brown color, but he remained silent.

  Noah enjoyed the small surge of triumph at catching Xander at his own game. “Are there any requirements either implied or specifically communicated to you by the queen as far as my wardrobe for the audience with her tomorrow?”

  Xander sucked in a deep breath as if fighting the urge to answer the question. Finally he barked out, “No.”

  Shock slapped at Noah, making him frown. He’d expected a verbal jousting match, so the total lack of any sparring was a bit jarring. “What exactly did Lilith tell you to help me with?”

  Xander again seemed to struggle not to answer, but finally through gritted teeth said, “To help you with anything you might need.”

  Noah laughed as he realized the extent of Xander’s creative interpretation of the truth. After all, if Noah hadn’t had any warning about the incubi/succubi political climate or culture, he might have gone readily along with whatever Xander had suggested, thinking it was Lilith’s wish. The incubus was still going off what Lilith had told him when she’d dismissed him and Jezebeth back at her quarters.

  Noah glanced back at Xander, and the hungry look in the incubus’s brown eyes stopped him as some of the missing pieces suddenly fell into place. “So you were trying to score some energy off me? How the hell would that help me?”

  This time Xander didn’t struggle to answer. “I’m quite skilled at providing pleasure, and you’re a very attractive man . . . for a human.” His gaze raked over Noah until Noah squirmed under the intense scrutiny.

  Discomfort morphed into anger, churning inside Noah’s gut like giant snakes. “Yeah, and you’d suck out my energy like a parasite. Is that how Lilith tells you to treat guests?”

  Xander took a step back even though Noah stood several steps away. “You’ve obviously allowed Jezebeth to pleasure you; I hardly see a difference unless you protest pleasure between two men—”

  Noah cut him off with a sharp gesture and stalked forward to stand toe to toe with the incubus, who seemed rooted to the spot. “I don’t give a damn what you see. Nothing about me is any of your business. Neither is anything about Jezebeth, not as long as I’m her protector. Got it?”

  When Xander’s eyes only widened farther, Noah stepped back inside his quarters and slammed the door in the incubus’s face.

  The echo of the slamming door did little to salve Noah’s swirling anger. Hell, he’d seen a lot during his time with Jezebeth, and his definitions of sex had definitely been altered, but Xander seriously only saw him as a energy source, where Jezebeth . . .

  What did Jezebeth see him as?

  He pondered that question as he headed toward the bathroom and a hot shower.

  Jezebeth may have looked at people in the same way Xander did when he’d first met her. But even back in the bar when he’d rescued her from the pestilence demon she’d surprised him by coming back for him and risking her safety to make sure he made it out alive.

  She cared about everyone regardless of their species and that made her much different from Xander. A vivid memory of her cuddling with Max the Djinn came back to him, making him smile.

  His cock hardened as he remembered the way her silky hair felt against his face when she’d been spooned in front of him.

  He stripped out of his ruined clothes and dropped them on the floor before turning on the shower full blast and stepping under the hot spray. The heated massage of the water soothed his aching muscles and washed away the top layer of grime from the last leg of their journey, but none of that seemed to help his raging erection. The sensation of the water spraying over his heated cock only brought thoughts of what he’d hoped to be doing with Jezebeth right now if they hadn’t been interrupted by Xander’s bullshit.

  Noah found a bar of soap sitting in a recessed niche in the wall and used it to lather every inch of his body. The scent of pomegranates and honey rose around him, filling his senses and hardening his cock nearly to the point of pain. He smiled through the discomfort as he realized this was where Jezebeth’s signature scent had come from. But she’d taken plenty of showers while they’d been trying to make it safely to Lilith’s lair, and she’d never lost the enticing scent that surrounded him now.

 
A vivid mental image of Jezebeth in the shower with him rose up to taunt him. Their soapy bodies sliding against each other, soft, slippery skin against him, driving him beyond control. He allowed his eyes to slip closed as he slid his soapy hand down to cup his aching balls and then up to smooth over his cock.

  He envisioned Jezebeth wrapping her legs around him as he slid inside her tight pussy. A long moan escaped him as he braced one arm against the wall of the shower while he stroked his cock in one tight fist.

  He squeezed harder as he imagined the sensation of her tight channel milking him as she orgasmed around him, her perfect ass gripped in both his palms as he thrust inside her.

  The image shoved him over the edge, and his balls tightened up against his body as his cock jerked.

  Noah yelled as his come jetted forward to blend with the streaming water. He continued to stroke until the last of the pulses died away, leaving him only partially soft—a reminder he wanted the real thing and not just a fantasy.

  He missed her smile.

  He missed her quick wit and sense of humor.

  Hell, he missed her.

  So what was he doing jacking it in the shower to a fantasy when the real thing was just down and around the hallway?

  With renewed purpose Noah found one of the small bottles of shampoo and thoroughly washed his hair before soaping up his body to clean off any traces from his brief fantasy culmination. He shut off the water and quickly dried and fished his money out of the ruined pockets of his jeans before heading out into the main room of his quarters to find something to wear.

  A quick look through the choices showed him everything from jeans and T-shirts to something more along the lines of the male I Dream of Jeannie look that Xander wore. Noah opted for soft cotton boxers, comfortable jeans, and a simple black T-shirt. A pair of soft leather boots in the bottom of the closet were the closest he could find to his size, but they were better than his ruined boots that still lay discarded on the bathroom floor.

  He ran his fingers through his hair and did a quick mirror check to ensure it wasn’t all standing on end as he crossed the room in quick strides and pulled open the door.

  A stunning redhead stood just outside his quarters, her hand raised as if she’d been about to knock. When she saw him, she dropped her arm as a slow smile spread across her face. “I’ve been sent to provide you sustenance, human.” In a quick move that Noah was sure she’d perfected with repetition, she pulled the tie at her throat and her gauzy black dress slithered over her full curves to pool around her feet.

  She looked like a woman who had stepped out of a fashion magazine or off a movie screen—attractive, perfect, desirable—and not Jezebeth.

  The erection that Noah had had to carefully tuck inside his borrowed jeans deflated as he looked at her, and he stooped to grab the dress and pull it back up around her. “I’m sorry, but I’m not in need of any sustenance.”

  She gripped the dress with one hand, keeping it up, although it continued to slip out of her tenuous grip to show tantalizing glimpses of perfect female flesh. “I don’t understand. Xander said you were in great need of sustenance after your long trip.”

  At the mention of Xander’s name, Noah’s mood darkened, and he bit back the words that popped into his head, instead remembering what culture he was in for the time being, and choosing more carefully. “Tell Xander that while I appreciate his kind gesture, I will let him know of any further help I need and don’t welcome any more kind gestures on his part.”

  “Have I displeased you, human? Would you prefer someone taller, shorter, larger, smaller, or perhaps with different coloring? Lilith’s lair can provide any type of companion you can imagine, including male or even another species if you’d prefer.”

  Noah shook his head. “You haven’t done anything to displease me. You’re a beautiful . . .” He trailed off, not sure if she was succubus, human, or something entirely different. “What I mean is that I desire no companionship or sustenance at this time from anyone.” He latched onto the only argument he was sure would work. “I’m still assigned as Jezebeth’s protector and must ensure my focus remains there.”

  Hurt and confusion flashed inside the depths of her blue eyes, but she slowly nodded. “As you wish. I will convey your message to Xander.” She tied her dress and straightened. “Would you like me to show you the way to Jezebeth’s quarters?”

  Unlike Xander, her words seemed genuine, so Noah smiled. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m good. Uh, thanks for stopping by.”

  She smiled and left Noah to feel like a ridiculous ass standing in the doorway watching a woman that most men would give their right arm for walk away.

  He smiled, thankful he was a good deal smarter than most men.

  23

  Jezebeth lay on her bed sniffling. Her tears had run their course and now she was left with a headache, a wet pillow, and a large ache inside her chest. Not much of an improvement from before she’d begun to cry.

  A soft knock sounded at her door and excitement and anticipation shot through her like a super dose of adrenaline.

  “Noah.”

  Jez lurched out of bed and wiped her wet face on her arm as she jogged toward the door. She grabbed the knob and pulled the door open ready to jump into Noah’s arms the second he appeared. “Hey—” Her words died in her throat as she found Jerome on her doorstep. He was a human who had lost his soul to Lilith in an incantation very similar to the one Noah had performed.

  “Welcome home, Jez. I’ve missed you.” Jerome’s gaze was possessive as it roamed over her, and for the first time since she’d met Jerome over a thousand years ago, his blatant gaze repulsed her. She and Jerome had very often exchanged sustenance over the years and they’d formed a friendship of sorts, but he definitely wasn’t who Jez had hoped to see right now.

  Jerome was a handsome man by any standards, and he flashed a deadly smile that would cause human women the world over to give him anything he asked for. But it had no effect on Jez. “Are you going to invite me in, or do you want to do it right here against the door to your quarters?” His voice was low and suggestive, and she wondered how she could’ve ever thought his banter charming.

  Because before you met Noah, Jerome was charming, her subconscious insisted.

  Jez bit back a grimace—mainly because that little voice was entirely right. “Jerome . . . I’m not really up for anything tonight.” She wasn’t sure how to tell him she was no longer interested without giving away the reason, which could endanger Noah if word got back to Lilith.

  Jerome frowned as he searched her gaze. After a long moment his expression softened and he smiled down at her, sadness filling his blue eyes. He reached out to run his fingers across her cheek.

  “You’ve found love.”

  Jez stepped back as if he’d slapped her. Was she that transparent? Did Lilith already know?

  Jerome laughed and shook his head. “Jez, come on. I won’t say a thing. I’m happy for you.” He sighed, and the regret in his blue gaze was enough to convince her he was being honest. “I gave up love for one night with Lilith, remember? I didn’t realize that no matter how skilled the lover, without love, it’s just a fleeting experience. And now I’m paying with eternity.”

  Relief slid through Jez like a cool autumn wind, and she relaxed the muscles in her shoulders and arms as she stepped forward to lay her hand on Jerome’s chest over his heart. “Thank you, Jerome. I hope one day you find love again. You’re a good man.”

  “For a human?” he asked with a small smile.

  She laughed and stood on her tiptoes to brush a kiss across his lips. “For anybody.” When she dropped her heels to the floor, her gaze traveled past Jerome to find Noah watching her from a few feet away.

  His hair was still damp from a shower, the dark gold ends curling lightly around his collar. He was dressed in clean jeans and a black T-shirt, and she wanted nothing more than to pull him inside her quarters and keep him there with her for eternity.

 
She stumbled back from Jerome as guilt stabbed at her. “Noah. I was . . . we were just . . .”

  Noah stepped forward, effectively cutting off Jez’s feeble attempts to gather her thoughts. He faced Jerome, the tension in the air between the two men a palpable thing that beat against Jez’s skin like tiny electric shocks. “I’m Noah Halston.” Noah held out his hand to Jerome and met the other human’s gaze unflinchingly.

  Jerome’s lips quirked as if he approved of Noah’s approach and clasped hands with him. “Jerome.”

  “No last name?”

  Jerome huffed out a laugh. “It used to be MacNiel, but once my soul went to Lilith, there seemed very little use for it here.”

  Noah shrugged as if that made perfect sense. “Thank you for looking out for Jez through the years.”

  Jez frowned as she glanced up at Noah. She didn’t remember mentioning Jerome. Just how long had Noah been standing in the hallway?

  Jerome smiled and nodded once, in the same manner the succubi and incubi did before he leaned in close to Noah’s ear to whisper something Jez couldn’t hear. He straightened and the men exchanged a glance filled with both understanding and meaning.

  Irritation flashed through Jez and she grabbed both men’s arms. “Hello? I’m still here, and don’t appreciate being talked about as if I’m not.”

  Sexy smiles curved both men’s lips, and Jez glanced toward the ceiling—a silent plea for strength in dealing with males of any species.

  “I’ll just leave you two alone for a while.” Jerome stepped back and winked at Jez before turning to walk away down the hallway, leaving her and Noah alone.

  Jez glared after him.

  “Are you going to invite me in?” Noah’s low, sexy voice pulled Jez’s attention back to him, and she glanced up into his storm-cloud gray eyes and answered automatically. “When I led you inside earlier, that gave you an open invitation to my quarters.”