Incubus

by Celia Aaron

  Now, on this cold, moonless evening, I found myself carried along by the demon within. It wanted to save itself, but I could also sense it wanted to save me. That didn’t change anything though. I still refused to give it what it desperately desired, no matter how badly it wanted to keep us alive. In one final effort, the demon took over, forcing me onto my current course and giving me no escape. I was trapped, as the incubus usually was, inside a prison of flesh and bones.

  Finally spying the wrought-iron bust that signaled the front of Le Chabanais, the incubus used what little was left of its strength to hoist us up the steps and into the lobby, where we were instantly set upon by the girls within. Their kisses and caresses began strengthening the incubus almost immediately, but as always, it needed more. Desperate for release, the incubus chose the closest female and began leading her to the nearest room, but it was interrupted. A tall blonde with dark green eyes had seized my hand and led me down the dim hallway. In a blink, I was on the bed with the blonde straddling me.

  I tried to fight it, struggled against the incubus and the blonde.

  A swirl of fire lit her eyes as she pushed me down. “Don’t worry. Let Corinne give you what you need.”

  36

  Lilah

  Roth pondered the building, no doubt remembering the fateful night that led him here and into Corinne’s arms.

  “Roth.” I leaned forward to try and catch his gaze.

  He stared at the crumbling façade, perhaps seeing past it.

  I ran a hand down his arm, smoothing the fabric as I tried to soothe him. He seemed to soften at my caress, finally looking into my eyes. I reached up to his face, cradling it with both hands. It felt so good to touch him, and I would do anything to quell the sadness that filled his heart.

  “It wasn’t your fault.”

  He covered my hands with his own. “I wish that were true.”

  “It is true. You didn’t kill that girl.”

  Had he been a cad? Absolutely. But he didn’t murder the girl.

  “She didn’t die by my hand, but it was my actions, my need for the flesh that killed her.”

  A true demon would never feel pity or remorse. Roth was an honorable man, fighting off the demon’s baser instincts. Roth was linked to the incubus, but that wasn’t all he was. He could be gentle and kind, not ruled by the demon as I’d once thought. His anguish was tangible, the car becoming a few degrees cooler for each minute of his tale until I could see my breath. He loathed the incubus, but the two couldn’t survive without each other.

  I moved my hands so they were grasping his. “I want you to listen to me. That poor girl was killed right in front of you by a monster who would blame his crime on your indiscretion. You didn’t kill her. He did.”

  Roth brought my hands up to his lips and kissed them. “You are so kind.”

  Dread settled in my stomach like a boat anchor. I wasn’t kind at all. I was calculating. At the thought of my impending betrayal, I withdrew my hands and settled back into the seat. Now I was the one who was studying the architecture, the car, the sky—anything to keep from looking my victim in the eyes.

  A blast of cold erupted from Roth as he put the car in gear and sped away from the curb.

  I fell into my thoughts, all of them beyond conflicted. Could I turn him over to Ares? I was beginning to doubt it. Only problem was, at this point, it was Roth or me. Completely screwed. The dream of Ares had spooked me so badly that I knew I couldn’t return to him empty-handed. The thought of returning to him at all made me want to vomit. Time was running out, and if I didn’t come to him, I was certain he would come for me. I was still wrangling with my thoughts, trying to create some sort of alternate plan, when the car emerged from an alley and parked in front of Red-Handed.

  “What are we doing here?”

  “I have some business to transact.” Roth climbed from the car. “Stay here until I return.” With that he slammed the door shut behind him, and strode into the club.

  Though I knew doing as he said for once might get me in his good graces, I wasn’t about to sit here and wait for something to jump me. I’d had enough of that the last time I visited the club. I headed for the closest alley to stake out the higher ground. Thankfully, the bouncer had been busy booting a rage demon who was encouraging bar fights simply from his presence, so I was able to take position without being seen.

  “Aw, bro. That ain’t cool. That’s like, discrimination.” The rage demon paced around in front of the bouncer.

  He should have been booted on the basis of his Ed Hardy T-shirt alone. The warlock bouncer was equally unimpressed, hocking a huge wad of snot onto the pavement at the demon’s feet.

  The warlock only shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. After a litany of expletives, the unwelcome demon huffed off into the night. I smirked at the retreating skull-roses-barbwire heart montage.

  Almost an hour passed without so much as a hint of Roth de Lis, and I had half a mind to walk home. It was probably for the best anyway. Seeing any more of Roth’s softer side would likely make me go insane thinking about what Ares would do to him. I’d made the decision to foot it out of the alley when two witches burst out of Red-Handed, half-naked and lit. I leaned back into the brick wall, enjoying the drunken amusement the night had just provided. I’d do just about anything to take my mind off Roth.

  The witches stumbled all over the warlock, who didn’t mind the attention. Things were going fine until a male came out the door after them, draping an arm over each witch before whistling for the valet to bring his car. Then he was getting a handful of the women, tonguing one before turning and doing the same to the other. Pig.

  I was sick of the display and turned to retreat out of the alley until I heard something that made my hackles rise.

  “Come on, my hotel room isn’t far, sweetheart.”

  37

  Roth

  “I have a name and now I know she was in Artemis’s service. Find out whatever else you can about her and bring it to me.” I crossed my arms and stared down at Cranfel.

  “This is gonna cost you, incubus.” The goblin’s bulbous nose quivered slightly as he spoke.

  I glared at the creature whose head barely rose to my torso. “Fine, I’ll arrange for a transfer of funds. But I need this done quickly, or else.”

  “Or else what?” A challenge lodged in the goblin’s bleary eyes.

  I didn’t have time to dally with the repugnant goblin. It owed me a favor and I was here to collect. “How about I take your head and send it wrapped in a box with a lovely bow to your family in the Underworld?”

  I let my eyes change for emphasis, but it wasn’t necessary. Any immortal who had ever crossed me could attest to the fact I could be utterly merciless if necessary. And after the way Lilah had treated me in the car, I would rather enjoy working out my aggression on the crusty goblin standing before me.

  But Cranfel had his uses—he was an information broker, and rather powerful in certain Underworld circles—his appearance notwithstanding.

  At my threat, the goblin’s nose stopped quivering, and he blinked, eyelids out of sync. His mouth dropped open slightly, allowing a string of drool to begin its slow escape down to the floor. “I takes care of it.”

  “That’s more like it. Now get to work, and I’d better see you soon. I’d hate to turn all your wives into widows.”

  “Yes, sir.” Cranfel exited through the back door.

  I made my way back through the VIP room and into the dance area. Half a dozen women had approached me before I could make it to the door, slipping me phone numbers I’d never use and telling me names I didn’t care to know. One in particular got a little too frisky, trying to corral me into a kiss before I gently set her aside and continued making my way out.

  I was only interested in one woman’s kiss, but Lilah had decided I wasn’t worth her time. And she’s right. I knew I didn’t have anything to offer one such as her, but I wanted her all the same. Want her. The incubus echoed my
thoughts back to me, as if it were puzzling over the same riddle—how to make her… What? Make her love me? Impossible.

  The hope at such a fairytale died as I remembered how she’d turned from me after I revealed my terrible secret. I’d done so much to so many that I would forever be tainted. The incubus would never leave. To do so meant death for the both of us. She was repulsed by my evil, as she should be.

  I would have sighed had I been the sort, but instead I pushed out the front doors, nearly breaking them off their hinges. I noted my empty car with a total lack of surprise. Lilah had a problem following directions, as I well knew. Her bullheaded nature made me smile to myself.

  Then I saw her. She stood as if frozen, somehow dumbstruck as a male slung his arm around her and groped her ass.

  It was easy, really, deciding I’d kill the male but make him suffer first.

  38

  Lilah

  I COULDN’T BELIEVE my eyes. It was Farrow, right in front of me. It was as if I were struck by lightning, incredulous that it happened but also in a delirious awe. Here he was, up to the same old tricks. All I could do was walk out into the lights, closer to the male to make sure it was actually him. After all these years.

  I’d tried several times to track him down after I’d been exiled, intent on killing him and using his pelt as a rug. But I never came close to catching him. He was always on the move, able to flit among the three worlds—Earth, Olympus, and the Underworld—with an ease that bespoke some monumental connection to a god or, more likely for him, a goddess.

  Now here he was, right in front of me. The true Farrow. Drunk, a vomit stain on the front of his shirt, and making an X-rated public display with two witches. My feet carried me of their own accord. Step after step toward the male who had ruined my immortal life, had taken everything away from me with his easy smile and cunning. The closer I got, the surer I became, until I was standing right in front of him, looking up into those seemingly guileless blue eyes, now bloodshot.

  “Hi, sweetheart.” He disentangled himself from his current wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am victims. He unsteadily ran a hand through his hair, still the color of fine summer hay. “Long time, no see.”

  The witches seemed none too pleased that I was distracting Farrow’s attention and began pawing at him again. “Who’s your friend?”

  “Oh, girls, I’d uh, I’d like you to meet, uh, to meet—”

  Un-fucking-believable. “Lilah.”

  “Right, Lilah. Come here.” He draped his arm around me. I stood frozen to the spot, my past and present melding into the awkward mélange of same old Farrow and older and wiser Lilah. The wolf I’d hated for so many years, hated with the passion of the sun that burned off Icarus’s wings, was here in front of me. I could stab him and play in his blood, and I was certain the warlock at the door wouldn’t lift a finger to save him. I could cut off his wolfhood that he held so dear and run screaming through the streets of Paris with the goods held high over my head.

  I could do any number of vengeful things—things that I’d had a century to perfect in my imaginings—but for reasons I couldn’t fathom, I didn’t feel hatred for him anymore. As his alcohol-laden breath wafted into my face and the witches began to get even more catty for his affections, all I felt for him was…pity.

  “There’s plenty of Farrow to go around.” His words slurred into each other. “Let’s all four of us have a threesome.”

  I almost laughed out loud. He was a pathetic creature who would never know love or feel a true bond with another person—mortal or immortal, fairy or demon.

  I took a step back. “Listen, Farr—”

  Farrow went sailing out into the street, only stopping when he hit a lamppost and broke it in two.

  39

  Roth

  I flew from the doorway, my rage erupting into pure murder when I heard the wolf proposition Lilah into a threesome. Hurt him. Kill him. The incubus was ready to come out and play, joining me in the pain I was prepared to inflict on the trespassing dog.

  I launched myself into the wolf and sent it flying across the street. A resounding thud came from the impact, and the streetlamp crumpled in half from the force. The dog was getting to its feet, dazed, drunk, but ready for more punishment. And I was itching to dole it out.

  “Roth, wait.” Lilah tried to pull on my elbow, but I wasn’t having it. The look in her eyes was pure fire as I gently set her aside. Then I raced across the street and met the wolf with a thundering uppercut. Feels good. More.

  I had no problem indulging the incubus, stalking around the wolf. He was bloodied and bruised, but I was nowhere near done. Not even close.

  The wolf got to his knees and let out a piercing howl before struggling to his feet. I cracked my knuckles, keen to punish the beast, but then I heard answering howls, several close by. No matter. I could take them on. None of them would touch her.

  “Roth!” Lilah’s voice cut through the night. “Farrow! Stop!”

  My sole focus was on the wolf, who would soon pay dearly for touching Lilah.

  Farrow shot her a look of confusion before squaring off against me. “What’s the matter? Is it Lilah there?”

  “Don’t say her name.” I feinted a jab, landing a vicious haymaker right afterward.

  Farrow wove on his feet but remained standing. The moon broke free from a wisp of cloud, igniting the power of his inner wolf and turning his eyes into a gleaming yellow.

  “Did she tell you about me?” he taunted.

  I swung out again, barely missing the tip of his nose as he danced out of reach.

  “I was her one and only.” Farrow shot her a glance. “Wasn’t I, sweetheart?”

  “Shut up, Farrow.” Anger seeped into her voice.

  It fueled me, as if I needed any more reason to hate the beast. This dog was the one who’d broken her heart, the one I promised would pay. And these days, I always kept my promises.

  The dog grinned. “I gave her all she could take and she wanted more.”

  The incubus screeched, and an icy blast of air rent the space around them, freezing tiny moisture droplets in the air and sending them tinkling to the pavement. Farrow was taken aback, an opening I capitalized on by launching a painful headbutt.

  Farrow wiped the back of his hand across the blood that streamed from his yellow hair. “And she was one sweet piece, I can tell you that.”

  I let out an inhuman roar and tore at Farrow. I wanted to flay the skin from his bones and leave only the wolf’s tongue intact so it could apologize to Lilah every day until I finally took pity and killed it. Pity would be a long, long time coming for this cur.

  I tackled him to the ground, and we rolled, punching each other as I got the better of the wolf. I threw punch after punch, only looking up when I heard Lilah’s piercing scream.

  A dozen wolves, in full animal form, prowled from the shadows, teeth bared and hair standing on end.

  Farrow laughed through the blood that coated his face. “Sorry, sweetheart.”

  40

  Lilah

  THE WOLVES HURTLED toward Roth, bowling him over onto his back. He was in trouble. Though he was a powerful immortal, even Roth couldn’t survive an attack from an entire pack of wolves.

  He fought them off, sending two sailing through the air and crunching into the side of the club. The warlock had long since left, locking the doors to Red-Handed as club-goers gawked through the windows.

  I didn’t have time to think. I only acted. Summoning my bow and reaching behind me, I dragged three arrows from my quiver and nocked them in one fluid movement. I kept my eye on Roth as he fought, now bloodied, and waited for the split second when there was an opening. When he fell under the sheer weight of the attack, I had a chance and loosed my arrows.

  Each arrow hit a wolf, sharp cries erupting from the beasts as they fell to the pavement. Still got it. Not wasting another second, I nocked three more arrows, sending them sailing into the crowd. Three more pained cries erupted, but now I’d gotten t
he pack’s attention. They turned on me, leaving the bloodied Roth for later. He yelled with fury, trying to direct them back to where he lay. But they were on to a new target, lifting their noses into the air and scenting me as they growled with anticipation.

  As they began circling, I reached back for more arrows, nocking two and loosing them into the nearest wolf. It yelped and rolled onto its side. I re-nocked the arrows, but the wolves were closing in. It was only a matter of time before I was overrun.

  Roth was in bad shape, and I was outnumbered. I looked back toward the club door for any slight glimmer of hope but only saw the two drunken witches pointing behind me and dramatically mouthing Wolves!

  Yeah, I see them, you morons.

  No one was coming to our rescue. It was time to fight or die.

  With a cry of rage, Roth was on his feet again. It was as if he sensed my fear. Though huge gashes marred his flesh, he still fought, attacking the nearest wolves with reckless abandon. Thuds reverberated as the wolves hit the ground, yelping in pain but quickly regaining their feet and rushing into the fray again. The smell of blood permeated the air, an iron sting to my nose that reminded me of the horrors I’d witnessed in Ares’s lair.

  “Lilah, run!” Roth stumbled against the onslaught, wolf after wolf pouncing on him, clawing and biting his powerful body. His blood painted the street. He didn’t stop coming for me, even though he must have known he wouldn’t live through the ordeal. And then I realized he would never stop coming for me. The determined look on his bloody face told me as much. I was no longer afraid of losing my life, but of the loss of something else. Something I’d locked away a long time ago and sworn never to give up again—my heart.