Page 45 of The Wickedness of Man

“You can’t mean that,” I said, gutted. “Please, Jax, just?—”

With a strange instinct, suddenly it was like Magda was in the room with me. I could feel her presence flickering sensation at the edge of my awareness. My name, said like a breath on the wind.

“Caleb… I need you.”

My spine went rigid. A breath hissed out of me; I closed my eyes, squeezing my fists tightly against the duvet. I had to fight every urge inside of me to run to her—I wouldn’t even be able to get out of this place.

“Come back…”

Real or imagined, the thought of her lying naked in the bed, waiting for me… Needing me…

“Is someone… calling for you?” asked Jax, his voice low.

“Yes,” I gasped. I could scarcely hear anything over the pounding rush of blood in my ears. My breathing was ragged; harsh as I struggled to keep myself from getting up and bull rushing the old man to get his keys.

“Caleb…” the old bishop began. “Is it de Mornay, or… your mystery woman?”

Magda’s urging for me to return to her side was all encompassing, but I forced myself to calm down.

“Not the doctor,” I managed. My body was trembling, but the call was easing off, and I felt my body sag. Maybe that meant she was safe. She hadn’t felt frightened, just… concerned? I frowned, scrubbing at my face.

“She’s already turned then,” he said.

“I really was trying to do the right thing when I went over there,” I took a deep, shaky breath, but then before could Jax open his mouth said, “and don’t you come at me with that ‘road to hell being paved with good intentions’ shit, either. Trust me when I say Iwantedto get permission to shoot the doctor, all right?”

At that, Jax chuckled weakly. “Such is the weakness of men’s flesh. I appreciate your honesty, and I swear I will do what I can, but… things are out of my hands now, Caleb. I’m sorry. I have failed to keep you safe.”

“How long have you known what I was?” I asked quietly. “Is that why you smuggled condoms in for me? To keep me from ever…insidesomeone?”

He’d only mentioned women, but Jax knew that I had a bit of a tendency toward menandwomen, and I wasn’t sure if it worked the same way for men, too.

Jax’s lower lip trembled. “I have known for a long time, I’m afraid. It’s why I did everything I did. To protect you from… this.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me?”

The old bishop stood up, smoothed his robes, and shook his head. “Even now, I’m afraid I can’t tell you more. One day, perhaps. One day I will be able to, God willing.”

I envisioned that twisted nun in the interrogation room. Would I be like that? Have my eyes and mouth sewn shut? Perhaps they’d use electric shock therapy to get the demon part out of my brain until I was nothing but a vegetable. Ruining my body to save whatever they perceived of my soul would mean nothing to these people.

“Jax,” I asked. “What actually happens to a man who’s becoming an incubus?”

The old bishop frowned. “You’re in the better position to answer that question.”

I glared at him. “Humor me, would you?”

“Well, the archdiocese is extremely protective of its knowledge on the ancient, more powerful demons such as succubi and incubi, but needless to say, those demons feed energetically from sexual energy. For the powerful demons, eye contact can lure people in, but physical contact alone can give sustenance. However, exchanging fluids, whether saliva or, ah… sexual fluid… is the preferred source of energy for both creatures. Without it, you will weaken. Perhaps die.”

“I can’t believe this,” I said, horror crossing my face.

“It is a hard thing to face, Caleb,” said Jax stoically, “but we must soldier onward?—”

“No,” I snapped at him. “I won’t be a part of this.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” I said, standing beside the older man, his hand sliding from my shoulder as I reached my full height, toweringover him, “that if I stay here, I get to look forward to being put to death or twisted into some kind of foul monster.”

“There are other things,” insisted Jax, standing beside me. He took the keycard from his belt, yanked it off, and then dropped it on the floor between us. “Istronglysuggest you spend your time praying for guidance. After all, tomorrow after mass, Harry and I are meeting with the archdiocese to discuss this… situation. I would recommend adopting a more repentant attitude by then, young man.”

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