Cherry Creek

by Dani Matthews

  A scowling Trace. “Do I even want to know why you've got Trace in your head?” he asks with Trace's deeper, baritone voice.

  I raise a hand to my mouth and cover it. I don't care that Roman/Trace seems mad. The only thing I care about is the fact that Roman just shifted into Trace before my eyes. The world spins, and I immediately drop my head down between my knees as I gulp desperately for air. I thought I was prepared for whatever Roman unloaded on me, but this... I don't know how to process it.

  A warm hand touches my back. “You okay?” It's Roman's voice again.

  I stay slumped over. “Just give me a second,” I mumble.

  “You need something to drink?”

  “No. Yes,” I say, promptly changing my mind. I manage to slowly sit up, and Roman kneels before me, holding out my soda. I accept it with shaky hands and take a sip. “Prepare a girl for that shifting crap next time, will you?”

  His lip quirks with bemusement. “I thought I did.”

  “No, not really.” I blow out a breath and shake my head. “You can really turn into anyone?”

  Once Roman sees that I'm fine, he sits back down on his lounger. “Yeah. Not every woman is attracted to the same type of guy. We can pluck out a vision from someone's head if they are willing to let us in, and we can shift into what they want.”

  I stare at him. “You can literally become any woman's fantasy,” I say with a shake of my head.

  “Pretty much. Same with the succubi. They can shift into any female form, but since you're only half, you can't. You're pretty close to being human but for the feeding and the faster healing.”

  I nod to his body. “Is that your original form?”

  “Yes.”

  Okay. So I've learned I can't have kids of my own, but I can resort to adoption like Khristos had with Roman. I’m also immortal. I guess living longer will be nicer. Maybe there are a few perks to being a freak after all. I look at Roman suddenly. “Khristos looks like he's in his mid-to-late-twenties. I'm assuming our kind doesn't age after a certain age?”

  “We quit aging in our mid-twenties. So will you.” He grins devilishly. “You'll always be beautiful, Vee. Just think, no wrinkles or sagging breasts.”

  I grab the chip bag and pull one out, tossing it at him. “Ha-ha. Funny.” I have a sobering thought and turn wary. “Are we from Hell?”

  Roman snorts as he tosses his hair out of his eyes with the flick of head. “No. Well, the first incubi are,” he amends “Those are the ones you want to avoid. They are evil through and through. I was obviously born here on earth, and so was Khristos. The ones that are born here, we tend to intermix better with the humans. The one's born in Hell, well, those are the ones that can't just fade in with the humans. They are much more dangerous than one would think. As for the succubi, I believe the first one was born on earth. In a way you come from Hell since it's in the genes, but if you think about it logically, you're from earth and you come from a human, which weakens the genes. I wouldn't worry about it, Vee.”

  “How do you know the first succubus was born here on earth?” I ask as this conversation continues to inflame my curiosity.

  “We don't for sure. But the oldest succubus known to anyone here on earth or Hell was born in ancient Rome.”

  I lean forward with interest. “Tell me about her.”

  “Her name’s Aurelia, and she was born in the second century. Her father's unknown, and her mother died from some type of disease. Aurelia was raised with a foster family, you could say, until she was old enough to be taken to the brothels. She was forced into years of prostitution, and it's said that once she grew into her powers and quit aging, she risked her life to flee the brothel. She hid for years until she experienced her first shift. By this time, she was already bitter from the complete disregard men had shown her body. Bitterness can turn a person into the ugliest soul, no matter how beautiful on the outside. She began to shift forms, becoming more and more beautiful only to kill every man she crossed, taking revenge from her years as a prostitute. She's the most notorious well-known succubus to date, and yet no one knows her true form. She roams the earth now as we speak, and she's the reason the succubi became known as deadly. Aurelia's pure evil,” Roman says simply.

  “She's still out there?” I ask as I feel a shiver work its way up my spine.

  Roman nods. “She's no longer leaving a trail of dead men in her wake, she quit that centuries ago. But that kind of evil takes root and doesn't fade. That is one succubus I would never want to cross,” he says dryly.

  I would have to agree. “Do you think Khristos has met her? With as old as he is?”

  Roman snickers. “Don't bring up his age, just a word of advice. Calling him decrepit is sure to piss him off. He's old as shit, and even though he doesn't look it, he still gets annoyed if you joke about it. I learned that lesson a long time ago.”

  I store that information away for use at a later date. “You don't think he's met her?”

  “I have no idea. I know she doesn't go by Aurelia anymore. She could be anybody, so I guess there's the chance he may have crossed paths with her at one time or another.”

  “Can succubi feed off of other supernaturals?” I ask, switching the topic.

  “Yes. You can feed off of anyone, just not another incubus. We kind of cancel each other out, you know? It just doesn't work. Though the sex is off the charts,” he says wickedly.

  “Really?” I remember Tatum implying she's been with Roman, and she's a succubus. Plus, Trace had been willing to have sex with me.

  “Oh, yeah. Our pheromones are strong. Everyone's attracted to us unless they are blood relation.” He gives me a slow, knowing smile. “That attraction you feel for me, it's the pheromones. You and I aren't blood, so we're aware of it. Let's just put it this way, everything is better with a succubus or incubus. That's why humans come back for more, we can become addictive. Throw an incubus and succubus together that aren't related—the pheromones intermix, and the sex is pretty powerful. You can play around with an incubus if you want, but it won't ever be anything more than just good sex,” he warns. “We can't commit to a monogamous relationship with another of our own kind.”

  I nod, thinking of Trace.

  “Oh, and Vee?”

  “Hm?”

  “You and I? I'd fuck you in a heartbeat if you weren't relation through adoption. But that's never going to happen, because family matters more than sex. We have to agree never to act on it. Don't flip your switch around me, you hear?” he warns in a dangerously serious tone.

  I look at him with confusion. “Flip my switch?”

  “You get yourself all sexed up, and if you're in the mood to play, the pheromones you secrete get stronger. It's hard as hell to resist when a succubus is on the prowl,” he says bluntly.

  “Oh. I wasn't planning to flip my switch as you call it,” I say awkwardly.

  “You will, trust me. Just stay away from me when you do. I don't want anything fucking things up between us.”

  I nod in agreement.

  “My advice would be to stay away from any incubi unless all you're after is a good time. If you want commitment, you can hook up with any other supernatural and feed off them permanently. As a supernatural, they won't go insane if you leave them, because their will is stronger. They'll crave you and what your body can provide, but they won't go crazy or try to kill you,” he explains.

  “So, I could have a long term relationship with the same person?” I ask, unable to hide the hopefulness from my tone.

  Roman nods. “Yes. But I am going to warn you, interracial couples are frowned upon in our world. It dilutes the bloodlines as most races claim. There are couples out there that make it work, but it's not easy.”

  “But it's possible,” I point out with relief.

  “Yes. Just be careful, Vee. Don't go diving into anything with anyone right away. Take the time to learn the rules and whatnot before you go trying to bend them.”

  “My ex-boyfriend tried to kill m
e. I'm not looking for anything, Roman. But it's nice knowing I could possibly have a solid future with someone,” I say quietly.

  “Like I said, take your time. And feed,” he says pointedly. “Headaches are the very first sign that you're low on energy, and you need to feed. Learn how long you can go in between feedings and try to make it a routine, like eating. Don't let yourself get too low, okay? You can feed off Nathan maybe two more times, then he's permanently off limits for at least a year. Do you understand?”

  I nod. “How often do you think I'll have to feed?”

  “I'm not sure. We won't know until you start developing headaches again. Just pay attention to your body, and don't ignore the signs.”

  “Addie made me that special tea of hers. Does that prolong the debilitating symptoms?” I ask as my thoughts once again shift to a new thought.

  “No. What she gave you was simply to help with the pain.”

  “Is Addie one of us as well?” I ask tentatively.

  “Nope. She's a Sieben witch. Khristos hired her a few years ago when he thought there was a possibility you'd come to live with us. She likes it here, and Khristos is very generous to her and her Coven, so she's become a regular employee.”

  Addie's a witch. I would have never guessed. “What about you? How often do you have to feed? Or am I not supposed to ask that?” I quickly add as I realize I might have just asked something that's considered rude.

  Roman’s lips curve. “You can ask, I don't care. But I wouldn't go around asking others of our kind that question.”

  “Okay. I'll try to remember that.”

  “As for your question, I feed every five days.”

  Wow. I was expecting maybe once a month or something. Guess I was way off. It's weird knowing Roman has to have sex once every five days to survive. I wonder how long I'll have before I have to feed again. I hope it's quite a while. I'm not ready to try this whole feeding thing again. Especially after what happened last time.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I'm still trying to process everything a few days later, but I've managed to at least go back to my normal routine as far as my job is concerned. Working at the store helps give me a sense of normalcy. However, I'm still avoiding Khristos, and he's not pushing to talk to me at this point. He's giving me space, and I am grateful for that. I’ve managed to let go of some of my anger towards him over Brad, but I am still annoyed with how he announced my mom's betrayal. He'd just dumped it on me without cushioning the blow. Unfortunately, I'm beginning to realize that's just who he is. Roman already warned me that their kind isn't very soft-hearted.

  As for Roman, we're getting along better than before. He lets me pick his brains whenever a question enters my mind, and I like that. All the newness of everything has been quite the distraction, and I haven't been left with much time to think about Trace. I know he's been around, but I haven't seen him since the day he'd held me while I'd slept at the pond. Everything Roman told me echoes in my head when I do think of him, though. I need to keep my relationship with him strictly platonic, or I'm asking to get my heart broken.

  I'm just about to take a bath when there's a knock on my door. Roman's the only one who comes up to my room, so I know it's him. Either he's bored or he wants something. “Come in,” I call as I open my dresser drawer to pull out something comfortable to wear after my bath.

  “You have got to get a life,” Roman announces as he saunters into my room.

  I glance at him and try not to stare. He's on the prowl tonight, because he's looking hotter than normal. Dang, I have got to stop noticing how his shirts outline his muscles. “I have a life. A crazy one at the moment,” I say dryly as I turn away and grab a pair of shorts and a matching shirt.

  “No, your life is boring as hell,” he corrects. “All you do is work and hide out up here.”

  “That's about all I've felt like doing lately,” I say with a shrug as I close the dresser drawer and look at him warily. “Can I ask you something?”

  He folds his arms across his wide chest and smiles teasingly. “You usually do.”

  “Do you think Khristos would really track down my mom if I asked? He said he would at one point, but was that just to keep me calm at the time?”

  Roman sobers up real fast. “You want to go back to your mom? That's a bad, bad idea, Vee.”

  “I didn't say I want to go back to her. I just want to talk to her. I need to know if it's true, that she accepted money to send me off with Khristos—who was a complete stranger to her at the time.”

  “You're just looking to get hurt further. I think you should just leave her in the past and say good riddance,” he says with open derision.

  “She's my mom, Roman,” I point out.

  He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “I never had one, so I guess I can't really begin to understand what it's like to be in your shoes. I just think she'll hurt you more if you hear it from her yourself. You already know it's true, Vee.”

  My eyebrow arches. “Khristos could be lying for all I know in order to keep me here.”

  Roman's face darkens. “Is that what you think?”

  “Honestly, Roman, I don't know what to think,” I say with exasperation. “I've been kept in the dark about so much. I just want some straight answers, and I don't think I can move on until I know why my mom was willing to give me away for money.”

  “Money makes people do stupid things all the time.”

  “It's just money,” I mutter. “You can buy all the superficial things in the world, and yet it can't buy you happiness.”

  “You exasperate me most of the time, but then you go and say shit like that, making you absolutely fascinating.”

  “There's nothing fascinating about me.”

  “That's where you're wrong,” he says, slipping his hands in his pockets. “I've been around wealth since Khristos took me in. I'm accustomed to it and what it can do. People will do just about anything for a fat check. You, on the other hand, you could care less about it. It's a bit refreshing,” he says with an approving grin.

  I toss the clothes I pulled out of the drawer on my bed and rub my temple as I go back to my original question. “Do you think Khristos would find her if I ask?”

  Roman's eyes suddenly focus on my temple where I’d rubbed it. “Headache already?” he asks, frowning.

  “Hm? No.”

  He looks relieved. “Good. I'm hoping you won't have to feed again for at least another few weeks or so.”

  “Why?” I ask as my head tilts with interest.

  He gives me a knowing look. “Because it'll piss you off if you have to. That, and I'd like to see you adjust to what you are before you have to feed again.”

  I nod and look at him with determination. “About Khristos?” I press.

  Roman gives me a look of exasperation. “Yeah, he'd track her down for you in a heartbeat if that's what you want. As long as you aren't wanting to go back to her, that is.”

  My lips tighten. “I don't think I could, Roman. If she pretty much sold me to him, I don't think I could ever trust her again.”

  Roman walks over to me, his eyes oddly somber as he puts a warm hand on my shoulder. “We're family now, Vee. You’ve got me, and you have Khristos when you're ready for him. You don't need her anymore,” he says before he releases me.

  I don't say anything as I look at the clothes on the bed and fidget slightly. I haven't yet embraced Roman and Khristos as family. I'm not sure how long it'll take until I consider them important to me. Right now, they still feel a bit like strangers.

  “Go put something on. Preferably short and sexy, because you have great legs,” Roman tells me bluntly.

  My head whips back to him. “What?”

  He levels me with a look. “It's time to start learning our ways. You're coming to Bane tonight, and I want you to get comfortable with the club. That's probably the safest place to feed. We tend to shy away from school parties, so Bane will be your home away from home. Go change.”

&n
bsp; “But I don't feel like going out.”

  His brow lifts. “You really want to sit here tonight doing nothing? On a Saturday night? C'mon, Vee. It's time to quit hiding.”

  I give him a look. “No drugs, right?”

  “No drugs. I swear. Trace tattled to Khristos about the two guys that had you cornered, so when you're at the club you have your own bodyguard looking out for you,” he says dryly.

  “You're kidding, right?”

  He shakes his head. “No. But you won't see whoever is assigned to you. They'll be watching, but they won't interrupt anything you're doing unless you get yourself in a bad situation.”

  ***

  I won't admit it to Roman, but it feels good to be back at Bane. I like the loud music and the distraction the club provides. While I'm here, all my worries seem to fade. And now that I know everything that's been kept from me, I feel more relaxed and in the mood to have fun.

  Roman leads me to our private balcony, and I tug the hem of my mini-dress down as I make my way up the last of the stairs before entering the secluded room. I feel a bit weird wearing such an expensive dress, but Roman insisted I wear something flashy from the wardrobe in my closet. Tonight, it's a sparkly red dress that hugs all my curves. I've paired the dress with red high heeled sandals.

  Roman leans into me and says, “One drink tonight, nothing more. My ass will be grass if you get drunk on my watch after what went down last time.”

  I nod to let him know I heard him and walk across the room to stand at the balcony. I have no idea if Tatum, Harper, and Nathan are coming tonight or not. For the moment, we have the balcony to ourselves. I stare down at the dancing bodies below.

  “You wanna dance?” Roman asks.

  I shake my head. “Not yet.”

  “Fuck me,” Roman mutters under his breath a second later as he gazes down below at something.

  I look at him questioningly. “What is it?”

  He stares down at the main level for another long minute before tearing his eyes away to look at me. “I need to feed tonight, and I just found my meal. Do you care if I leave you for a while so I can go work her over?”