by L. L. Frost
Emil slips onto a stool. “She wore that to the bank this morning.”
“You went out in public like that?” Tobias’s gaze rakes over my body, lingering on the thin strip of skin that shows at my stomach. “Why didn’t you just buy new clothes?”
Irritation slides through me. “Because I’m close to broke, and I know my clothes are somewhere in this house. They’re mine. Kellen wouldn’t have thrown them away. He’s just hidden them.”
“So you plan to bribe him for their return?” Disappointment fills Tobias’s voice, as if this is further proof of how inept I am at being a demon.
“No.” I circle around the kitchen island and hop up onto the counter next to Emil.
The colder air around him makes goose bumps form all over my body as I use my foot to swivel his stool around until he faces me. His white eyebrows arch in question.
“How was work today?” I lean over the counter to grab the pan of boiling caramel sauce.
His eyes follow the motion. “It was uneventful.”
“Really?” I stir the sauce as I nudge his seat. “It seemed like it was going to be…hard, when I left.”
Icy fingers curl around my ankle, stilling me. “That’s a rather crass innuendo.”
I lean closer to purr. “Does stuffy Emil not like that kind of talk?”
Frost creeps up my calf. “I believe you can do better.”
“I don’t know.” I scoop sauce up on the spoon and check the thickness as I let it puddle back into the pan. “People say what you wear affects how you act.”
“Are you asking me to buy you new clothes?” His fingers slip up under the leg of my sweats, fingers light behind my knee, and I shiver.
“Not at all.” I lift the spoon again, spinning it to spool the caramel into the shallow bowl. Slowly, I place the molten candy against his lips. “Kellen inconvenienced both of us today. I thought you might like to help with a little revenge.”
His lips close around the spoon, his lashes fluttering in pleasure as the hot candy slides down his throat. As I pull the spoon back, a bead of caramel solidifies on his lower lip. Would it be crunchy like hard candy? Would it melt on my tongue?
Maybe feeding him like this was a bad idea.
Swallowing, my gaze lifts to find him staring at me through his lashes. “I’ve never had homemade caramel before.”
“Really?” I reach out to swipe the drop from his lip. “You’ve been missing out.”
“This is my bribe, right?” He catches my wrist, holding my fingers near his mouth. I nod. “That’s mine.”
Eyes steady on me, his lips close around my fingertip, tongue cold as he licks away the sweetness. My heart skips into a faster pace as I imagine how his tongue would feel on other parts of my body. Cold against my warm skin until I absorbed enough of his power to turn him hot.
Behind me, glass rings against the counter and the smell of savory meat and potatoes fills the air. Tobias’s voice knocks me from my fixation. “So is the stew my bribe to help?”
I yank my hand free and shove the spoon at Emil, setting the saucepan back on the trivet before I slide off the counter. “No. The stew’s for me and Tac.”
He freezes, a spoon over the stockpot, and glares at me. “Why would you give Tac perfectly good stew?”
“Because he likes roast.” I hurry around the counter to push Tobias away from my dinner.
Tobias’s arms fold over his broad chest. “Then what’s my bribe to help? This outfit is inconveniencing me, too. I should be in on the revenge plan.”
“You only just saw it,” I point out. When I glance up at him, I catch his stare focused on the loaf of bread. Taking the spoon from him, I stir the bubbly stew as I ask casually, “What are you guys ordering for dinner tonight? You usually have something delivered, right?”
Emil pauses with the caramel spoon halfway to his mouth. “We discussed sushi.”
“A bit stormy outside for that, isn’t it?” Outside the kitchen window, the leafs on the trees rustle in a brisk breeze, the overcast sky casting a gray pall over the backyard. Not as strong as yesterday’s summer storm, but gloomy enough to make me crave comfort food. The idea of cold fish and rice makes me chillier than Emil’s touch on my leg a moment ago.
“I’d prefer stew.” Emil scoops a dollop of caramel into his mouth. It doesn’t trail back into the saucepan as fast, the sauce already hardening. He sets the spoon down. “I’ll compensate you the same amount as I would pay a restaurant.”
“Sounds reasonable.” I peek at Tobias, who looks conflicted as he glances from the bread to the stew, then back again.
Abandoning the stew, I pull a knife from the drawer, move the fresh loaf of bread to a cutting board, and slice through the flaky crust to reveal the soft interior. A delicious, yeasty smell fills the room and I slather a thick layer of butter onto the slice. It melts instantly to form golden pools in the deep pockets of the bread.
Finally, his shoulders sag. “I’ll compensate you as well. It’s easier than ordering out.”
My wings rustle against my spine in silent victory, but I keep the smile off my face as I nod in agreement and pass him the slice of bread.
I get the feeling these men aren’t used to succubi in the house who are willing to give. Maybe, at some point, not everything will have to be a bargain of some kind. If they get used to me being in the house and even start to like me a little, it will be more difficult for them to evict me at the end of my lease.
I tip my chin up to catch Tobias’s attention. “If you want to participate in the revenge, you’re welcome to join.”
His tone becomes suspicious. “At what cost?”
Baby steps, Adie. I sigh and return my focus to the stew, giving it a vigorous stir. “Labor.”
“What kind of labor?” Emil asks as he scrapes more candy out of his saucepan.
I poke Tobias in the side. “Get the bowls, and I’ll explain while we eat.”
***
That night, we wait until Kellen stumbles home and goes to bed before we sneak out of the house. The HelloHell Deliveries’ van we parked down the block waits, already loaded with our supplies. I hadn’t even felt guilty when I stole it from Julian’s parking lot. He really shouldn’t keep the keys in the visor.
When we climb inside, it still holds the scent of strawberry body oil from the strip club. Emil tucks his hands close to his chest as he perches on the edge of his seat, afraid to touch more of the van than he needs to. I don’t really blame him. The steering wheel feels slick beneath my hands, the surface shiny under the glow of the street light.
Tobias climbs into the back, wedging himself into an empty spot among the stack of furniture.
The drive to Kellen’s club, Fulcrum, goes quickly, the streets empty at three in the morning. Even the late night partiers have made it home by now. I park in the alley, next to a side exit.
Silent, we climb out, and Tobias unlocks the club, propping the door open with a large rock conveniently resting near the wall. Probably not the first time it’s been used as a door stop.
The dark hallway leads directly to the management office. It has the same feel as Kellen’s bedroom at home, decorated in the colors of a storm. Even his desk is slate gray with a subtle brush of darker gray overlaid to give it the depth of rain heavy clouds.
I rub my hands together. “This is perfect.”
“Grab the chairs, I’ll take care of the desk,” Tobias directs.
Quickly, Tobias sets a box on the desk and pulls the important documents from the drawers, setting them inside. Then, we pull the furniture out to the hall before grabbing the paint cans from the back of the van, along with rollers and brushes.
Back in the office, Emily pops the top off with a screwdriver, then glances around. “Should be do the ceiling, too?”
“Definitely.”
I tip one can over a tray, ridiculously happy the guy at the paint store had been able to perfectly match the rose color of my outfit. He’d given me a condescend
ing once over when I placed the order, like it wasn’t the first time a pink freak made such a request. Although, with the popularity of door-to-door makeup sales, maybe it was more common than I thought. Did people match paint to lipsticks and blushes? How weird would that be?
With three people, it takes less than an hour to paint the entire office. While we wait for it to dry, unload the van and put his original office furniture inside for safekeeping. Then we carry in the new furniture, pulled from the basement earlier that night.
The spindly, fuchsia desk teeters in the center of the room, its ridiculous, inward pointed legs precarious on the new, leopard print carpet. That had been a special treat when I found it rolled up in the unclaimed section. Who was the previous succubus was and what desires could have formed her that gave her such bad taste?
The wobbly nightstands go against the back wall to replace the sidebar, and Emil arranges the decanter of whiskey and the four high-ball glasses back on top. Zebra striped beanbag chairs go in front of the desk. The only thing we hadn’t brought with us from tis décor set was the four-poster bed.
As Tobias restocks the desk, he pauses, an appointment book in his hand. Flipping through it, he chuckles. “Oh, this is perfect.”
“What?” I walk over, Emil on my heels.
Tobias flips the book around for us to see. “He has a meeting first thing in the morning with a liquor vendor.”
I bounce on my toes in excitement. “Good. His embarrassment needs a witness, too.”
“Oh, it will be witnessed.” Emil pulls a glass paper weight from his pocket and sets it on the corner of the desk.
Curious, I watch as he fusses with it. “What’s that?”
“A camera.” He takes his cell phone from his pocket and taps a few buttons. My crotch appears on the screen, and Emil tugs me closer. With me out of the way, the camera shows half of the doorway. He shifts the paperweight until the doorway is centered on the monitor. “We’ll be able to see his reaction as soon as he walks in.”
I dig my phone out of my bra and pass it to him. “Show me how.”
The Bakery
My energy wanes as we sneak back into the house. It was nearly six o’clock in the morning when we traded out the van for my car in HelloHell Deliveries’ parking lot. Now, the sun turns the sky a deep crimson, the storm clouds from the night before still crouched over the city.
My feet drag as we creep up the porch stairs, and a pervasive itch covers my entire body. I used up precious energy to move the furniture and paint the room quickly, but it will be worth it to see Kellen’s face when he goes into work today.
Emil checks his watch as we enter the house. “Just in time to get ready for work.”
“I’ll see if Kellen brought home any pastries for breakfast,” Tobias says as Emil walks straight to the spiral staircase to the left of the fireplace and hurries upstairs. Tobias turns toward the kitchen before he glances back over his shoulder. “Adie, do you want one?”
I wave a limp hand in refusal. “I’m just going to head for bed.”
He frowns and turns back, long strides covering the distance between us. “You depleted yourself again, didn’t you?”
“I’ll be fine.” I resist the urge to scratch at my skin. Lotion will help, I just need to get to my room and slather it on.
Tobias sighs heavily. “I told you, it’s because you’re only skimming. It will only get worse.”
“I’m looking into that.” The bag of books waits next to my bed, but I don’t have the energy tonight to begin my research.
“Come into the kitchen.” He grabs my hand and tugs me into motion.
“I’m tired, Tobias.” My sneakers squeak against the tiled kitchen floor; the effort to fully lift my feet is past my ability to perform.
“I brought your paperwork home with me.” He releases me and flips open his briefcase, pulling out a thick stack of paper to set on the counter. Colorful pieces of paper stick out of the sides. “We’ve already signed, so take your time reviewing the terms, then sign where I flagged it for signatures. It will transfer automatically to the filing department when you’re done.”
“Really?” Excitement buzzes through my limbs, but it can’t fight back the exhaustion. “I’ll take a look when I wake up.”
“Now, I know you’re in bad shape.” He grabs me again and drags me closer as he settles on one of the stools, his legs apart. “You need to feed.”
“I can last a little longer.” His power pricks at my skin, a soothing balm better than any lotion.
He cups my elbows to pull me into the intoxicating swirl of his power. “Pretend I’m a delivery boy from your cousin’s company.”
I lick my lips and taste volcanos against my tongue. “But I haven’t paid you.”
“It’s in your contract, right?” His breath caresses my face, bringing with it the scent of charcoal. “I can’t hold you accountable.”
I shuffle forward a step and feel the burn of his thighs against mine. “You’ll try to trick me.”
His mouth kicks up on one side. “I don’t have time to trick you. I need to leave for work soon.”
My lips part to drag more of his scent across my tongue. Today, he’s all heat and fire. He warms my tired body, like a bonfire on a cold day.
When he edges close, my lips tingle, my body humming with the memory of his power inside me and the hard contours of his body against mine.
“You fed me tonight, little succubus.” His pupils expand to cover the whites of his eyes. “Let me feed you now.”
I whimper, a pitiful mewl that slides from my throat. The pit in my stomach growls to be filled. My arms rise of their own volition to twine around his neck as I fall forward, my hungry mouth sealing over his.
He opens to the first sweep of my tongue, and I delve inside to lap at the energy that waits for me. It burns my taste buds and scorches my lips as it slides into my mouth and down my throat to spindle in my belly, a red-hot ball that explodes through my body.
Invigorating tingles flood my limbs, and I tighten my hold on him, searching deeper for the rumble of earthquakes, the shudder of landslides. His hands push beneath my shirt, the cool air against my bared flesh barely registering as his palms sweep along my spine, over the place where my wings hide.
Groaning with pleasure, my fingers tangle in his hair to tug his head back, opening his mouth wider for better access. Something sparks in my core, then fizzles out. Like flint against steel, a fire tries to ignite in my body, but it lacks the proper fuel to catch and turn into a blaze.
I whimper again, my teeth clicking against his as I try to delve deeper. His tongue pushes against mine in an attempt to take control. With a growl, I fist his silky, dark-chestnut hair to hold him still. His body heat boils against me, and that spark fizzles and dies once more within my core.
Frustrated, I pull away. He watches me, his breath soughing in and out through red, swollen lips. I pace away, my legs buzzing with energy, but irritation clouds my mind.
His voice sounds like landslides as he rumbles, “It’s not enough, is it?”
“Shut up.” I spin around and storm back to him. Slapping away his reaching hands, I lean past him to snatch the loan paperwork off the kitchen counter. “I’ll have this reviewed in a few hours.”
“Take your time,” he calls as I stomp out of the kitchen. “I’m sure you have a lot to think about.”
***
The creak of my bedroom door opening pulls me from sleep. Confused, I poke my head out of the pillow cave, just in time to hear, “Tac, fetch.”
Kellen hovers just outside of my room, and I meet his lightning blue gaze as Tac launches inside, wings spread as he dives toward my bed. Squeaking in panic, I tumble off the other side, the hardwood driving bruises into my knees as I land. My bed shakes, and pillows rain down on top of me.
“Tac, heel!” I shout as roll away.
The fluffy monster rumbles and thuds onto the floor, giant paws on either side of my body. I freeze as fa
ngs the size of my arm gently close around my leg, and he drags me toward the hall.
“I give, I give!” I grab onto his fur to ease the ache in my hip where it feels like my joint might pop out of its socket.
Tac’s wings rustle and settle along his back as we reach the door, and he deposits me at Kellen’s feet.
“Good, Tac.” Kellen tosses a frozen steak onto the floor. Tac pounces on top of it as Kellen bends down and scoops me up.
The air gushes from my lungs as he throws me over his shoulder. When I manage to catch my breath, I punch him in his perfect ass. “I didn’t do it!”
“Liar!” He takes the stairs hard, his shoulder digging into my stomach with every step. “That’s private property you defaced!”
“You can’t prove it!” I kick my feet, and his arms clamp over my calves to hold me still. “You stole my clothes!”
“You can’t prove it,” he mocks back.
We reach the ground floor, and he throws me onto the couch. I land with an oomph, then push the hair from my eyes to give him a suspicious stare. “What are you planning to do?”
With a grin, he leans behind the couch and comes back with a shopping bag in one hand. He extends it to me. “Get changed, we’re going out.”
“Huh?” My mouth gapes open in surprise, and I snap my teeth shut as I reluctantly take the offering. Inside, I find a pair of slacks and a cream t-shirt. When I touch them, the fabric slips through my fingers with the slickness of silk. “What’s this for?”
“It was a good prank, you deserve a reward.” Kellen ruffles his red hair. “And I don’t really want to go shopping for bakery locations with you wearing that horrible pink outfit.”
The bag falls from my grasp. “Wait. What?”
He reaches out and pinches my cheek. “You’re so cute when you’re sleepy and confused.”
I slap his hand away from my stinging cheek. “We’re going to look at bakery locations?”
“Well, I do own a large portion of the city,” he says slowly.
