SCORCH
An Incubus versus Succubus Demon Romance
Lisa Carlisle
LisaCarlisleBooks.com
Contents
SCORCHED
Other Books by Lisa Carlisle
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Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fouteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Epilogue
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An Excerpt from Tempted by the Gargoyle
Acknowledgments
Book List
Also by Lisa Carlisle
About the Author
LisaCarlisleBooks.com
SCORCHED
An Incubus vs. Succubus Romance in the Underground Encounters Series
By Lisa Carlisle
It's every demon for herself.
After I escape hunters and arrive in good Ol' Witch City, Salem, Massachusetts, I head to a gothic club to feed. But, the dumb-as-rock gargoyle bouncers kick me out. They've confused my scent with another demon's.
But, I thought I was the last of my kind.
Not good. We can't both hunt in the same territory, especially with his dangerous cavalier style. I track the incubus, but when I find him, Daron's irresistibly devilish nature makes me rethink my plan. For just one night...
Will he want to play? Or consider me prey?
One night. One encounter. It won't change anything, right?
Only it does, and it's catastrophic. We've accidentally bonded.
Which means I crave him. Only him. And all the time. A sucky curse for a succubus.
How can we undo the damage without succumbing to the call--or worse, starving?
SCORCH is a standalone enemies to lovers romance in Lisa Carlisle's Underground Encounters series. Misunderstood heroes, forbidden romance, and fated mates await you!
Enter Vamps, where you'll meet shifters, vampires, witches, and gargoyles. Escape into a steamy read today!
SCORCH
Copyright © 2019 by Lisa Carlisle
Edited by Natasha Larry
Cover by Willsin Rowe
The right of Lisa Carlisle to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please do so through your retailer’s “lend” function. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected].
All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.
Find out more about the author and upcoming books online at lisacarlislebooks.com, facebook.com/lisacarlisleauthor, or @lisacbooks.
Created with Vellum
Created with Vellum
Other Books by Lisa Carlisle
Underground Encounters series
Steamy paranormal romances set in an underground goth club that attracts vampires, witches, shifters, and gargoyles.
Cursed
Smolder
Fire
Ignite
Burn
Heat
Blaze
Combust
Inflame
Torch
Scorch
Chateau Seductions
An art colony on a remote New England island lures creative types—and supernatural characters. Steamy paranormal romances.
Darkness Rising
Dark Velvet
Dark Muse
Dark Stranger
Dark Pursuit
Underground Encounters series
Gargoyle shifters, wolf shifters, and tree witches have divided the Isle of Stone after a great battle 25 years ago. One risk changes it all…
Knights of Stone: Mason
Knights of Stone: Lachlan
Knights of Stone: Bryce
Seth: a wolf shifter romance in the series
Knights of Stone: Calum
Stone Cursed (a Zodiac Shifters paranormal romance)
Knights of Stone: Gavin
Stone Sentries
Meet your perfect match the night of the super moon — or your perfect match for the night. A cop teams up with a gargoyle shifter when demons attack Boston.
Tempted by the Gargoyle
Enticed by the Gargoyle
Captivated by the Gargoyle
Night Eagle Operations
A paranormal romantic suspense novel
When Darkness Whispers
Vampire Blood Courtesans
A multiple author shared world series.
Pursued: Mia
Berkano Vampire Collection
A multiple author shared World Series.
Immortal Resistance (Division 3)
Visit LisaCarlisleBooks.com to learn more!
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Chapter One
Selena
I glanced over my shoulder before I entered the club, seeking the tell-tale shine of moonlight on a metal blade.
Nothing threatening visibly lurked in the shadows of the warehouses where the club was hidden. Off in the distance, the muted sound of the ocean rolled, punctuated by the occasional sound of a car driving down the main road. The relative quiet of night here in the warehouse district amplified an eerie vibe. How different from the liveliness of Salem, Massachusetts, where I’d been holed up in a safehouse for much of the last two weeks.
The silence here could swallow a scream.
After stretching my neck, I rolled my shoulders and exhaled. When would I shake off this new skittish habit of searching for them? It had been weeks since I’d escaped. With it being my first time leaving my cocoon, my wariness levels were moon high. The layers of magical protection reinforcing my house provided a reasonable assurance that a succubus like me wouldn’t encounter a supernatural hunter, but I lost all sense of that after teleporting a few towns away on the coast.
Hunger had driven me in search of a satisfying meal, enough to venture farther out. An u
nderground gothic club in Caterina’s Cove sounded like the perfect place to find a tasty partner. Preferably one tall, dark, and human.
It hadn’t taken long to teleport to the club, which was hidden in a warehouse district. Gargoyle statues mounted out front indicated I had found the spot. That was a plus. Rumor had it that it was protected by gargoyles. A supernatural hunter shouldn’t be foolish enough to start a skirmish in a crowded place with gargoyle guardians, right?
Once inside, my eyes adjusted to the darkness. Dimmed electric candlelight sconces mounted on the walls led the way down a passageway. A low grinding bass reverberated through the walls. I reached another door, where a muscular bouncer asked for my ID. It was false, of course, established long ago so I could interact in this human realm. While he scanned it, I checked him out. Smelled good. If I didn’t find anyone tasty inside, I’d keep him in mind for later.
“Now that you know my name,” I said with a sly grin and flirtatious tone, “it seems only fair I should know yours.”
“Byron,” he replied, appearing unfazed by my charm.
Ah well, I hadn’t used any of my succubus magic. Most of the time, I didn’t need to. Men were so easy to seduce.
“Lovely.” I flashed a smile and blew a kiss that would dazzle most humans. “I’ll see you later, Byron.”
Once I entered the club, I took in the scene. Additional gargoyle statues were mounted throughout, adding to the dark gothic ambiance. The Cure’s “Lullaby” played, and the music seemed to penetrate my body. The space was packed with gyrating bodies swaying seductively on the dance floor or congregating with drinks near the bar. I marveled at all the appetizing options. Plenty wore tight and mostly black minuscule outfits. The main bursts of color were with several hairstyles dyed an eye-catching red, pink, purple, or blue.
Yes, Vamps lived up to its reputation as a hot underground club that welcomed an unconventional crowd. It struck me as the perfect place to find a partner who would satisfy more than one of my urges. First up, a drink as I scoured my options for the night.
At the bar, a hot female bartender with pink hair and a laced bodice with eye-catching cleavage asked, “What can I get you?”
I glanced at the tiers of liquor behind the bar and the selection of beer on draft.
A printed menu lay nearby on the bar. It listed numerous cocktails with cheeky names in homage to gothic literature and references to pop culture.
“I’ll have a Morticia’s Mix.” It included vodka and cranberry juice, which was my usual choice, but other interesting additions as well, like pomegranate liqueur.
After she returned with my drink, I paid. Then I sipped the tart yet sweet option while I sauntered through the club and sought someone attractive and alone. A tattooed guy sitting at the end of the bar, watching the scene, caught my eye. Bingo. He would be a delicious morsel tonight. My mouth watered.
I took a sip of my drink and strode over. “Hi there.”
The man appraised me and grinned. “Hello.”
A massive hulk with long blond hair and a stern expression stepped up beside me. A bouncer.
“Come with me.” He took me by the upper arm with his iron grip and steered me away from my intended meal.
I turned over my shoulder and addressed the man I’d chosen for the night, “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”
The bouncer grunted. “I wouldn’t count on that.” He led me to the exit and bent down to my ear. “You need to leave.”
His scent was pure gargoyle. Ah, so the rumors were true.
“Why?” I hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Rules are clear.” He crossed his muscular arms. “We don’t allow feeding in here.”
My eyes widened. “I haven’t. And I didn’t.”
He flayed me with a dead-eyed stare. “Save it. Your scent gives you away. I haven’t detected one like it here before tonight. Therefore—” He unwrapped his burly arms and pointed at my chest. “J’accuse.”
What the…
“Once again, it wasn’t me,” I protested. “My starving body can tell you that.” I tried to command my stomach to growl and prove my innocence, but it wouldn’t cooperate
Damn, and here I thought gargoyle guards would be an asset, not a deterrent. I’d have to flirt my way out of this one. Batting my eyelashes, I released some of my seductive magic at the stone meathead.
He tossed his head back and laughed. “Save it,” he barked. “Your magic won’t work on me. I’ve heard every story and excuse. Time to go.”
I placed one hand on my chest. “If I’d already fed, I wouldn’t be trying to find a meal, now would I?”
“This isn’t a trial, it’s a command. Leave.” He pointed to the exit.
Another massive bouncer approached. He had similar features, but black hair.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
My gaze traveled from one colossal guard to the other. They were both practically carved from one of the nearby seaside cliffs. My luck had turned from bad to worse.
“No problem,” I replied with a saccharine smile and put down my drink on a table. “Your club doesn’t live up to the reputation. I’ll find someplace better.” To save face, I gestured with a dismissive wave as if I was the one who had chosen to leave.
“Buh-bye,” the dark-haired bouncer said with a cheerful grin that matched his sarcasm.
I held my chin up and avoided salivating over all the tasty human morsels that were denied to me by those blockheaded guards.
Once outside, I sighed and glanced up at the Harvest moon. It was growing, much like my hunger and libido. By the end of the week, it would be full. That venture hadn’t gone as planned. Now what? Where to find a partner ready to play?
I sniffed the night air for a sampling of what it had to offer. Wait, what was that scent? I straightened. It was an odd one to detect among all the mortals and supernaturals that had walked through there. It was like—mine.
My heartbeat trotted. Could it be possible?
No. I was the only one of my kind in this realm.
Wasn’t I?
I sniffed more deeply. The aroma was male—and irresistible. Who was he?
Curiosity propelled me to ignore my appetite and follow the trail. No wonder the gargoyles had accused me of feeding. It must have been another demon. Fascinating.
I tracked the scent among those of humans, tracing it from the warehouse district up to a dark graveyard near the shore. Ah, what was it with supernatural creatures and their fixation on the darkness? Was it because we had learned to hide in the shadows and stay apart from humans until we needed them, because humans—while technically the weakest, physically—were the most destructive creatures on the planet?
The demon’s scent disappeared. Damn. He’d probably teleported. How would I find him now?
Stifling a groan, I tightened my hands into fists. The night’s dead-ends mounted. One, I’d failed to find a meal at Vamps. Two, gargoyle guards all but tossed me on my sorry ass. And three, I’d stumbled onto the intriguing discovery of another demon and then lost it. Enough. This outing was a bust.
I teleported back to Salem and strolled the brick walkway of the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall. Teens and twenty-somethings with hair dyed all sorts of unnatural colors congregated. I was still freakin’ hungry and needed to find a meal soon.
Hotels were one of my prime locations to hunt. Businessmen alone in town were an easy target. I headed to one of the smaller ones off the main road and searched for a bar. One with dark-paneling and burgundy furnishings stood out as a suitable hunting ground. Even better was a twenty-something male with sandy-brown hair sitting at the bar and nursing a drink. He’d removed his suit jacket. Ready to relax. Ready to play. Just my type.
During a quick trip to the ladies’ room, I glanced at myself in the mirror. I smoothed my hair, making sure none of the black strands were out of place, and straightened my bangs. My makeup held up, the cat’s eyeliner and mascara hadn’t smudged, but I could
use a fresh coat of lipstick. Raging red all the way. I adjusted my tight black dress and plumped up my cleavage. Ready to go.
After I entered the bar, I sidled up to the stool beside him. “Mind if I sit here?”
His brown eyes widened, all too eager for me to join him. “Please do.” He motioned to the stool. “Can I buy you a drink?”
“That would be so kind.” I smiled and ordered a Cape Codder.
Luring him to his room didn’t take long after those initial greetings. It was easy, almost too easy. He hadn’t finished his drink, and I didn’t even have to use magic to get him there.
As we fooled around under the sheets in the king-sized bed, I siphoned the energy I craved. Since I was ravenous, it was difficult not to gulp at it and leave him in a coma—or dead. One thing I’d learned in this realm was not to leave a trail of corpses that would key hunters to my whereabouts. So, I restrained myself, drawing from his essence like gathering wispy ribbons of his life force. While he thrust into me, beads of sweat gathering at his temple, he wouldn’t even notice how I stole his energy like sipping from a straw.
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