Page 60 of The Wickedness of Man

I forced myself to let go of his knee and sit up, wiping away the last of my tears. “It’s up to him, not me. He’s the one who needs to give you permission,” I told her.

The doctor looked at me oddly. “Darling, I assure you both I meant no insult…” She grinned then, something like relief. “It’s somewhat of a… formality… to make sure you don’t encroach on anyone another succubus has claimed by asking them if it’s all right… I just didn’t want you to think—but then again, how would you know? I really haven’t had the chance to explain anything to you yet.”

“No, you haven’t,” muttered Caleb darkly.

“Wait—claimed?” I asked. “What do you mean?”

“It’s perfectly natural, Magda,” she said as she stood. “I can sense your aura on him—his on you as well. It’s something you’ll develop over time, but for now…”

Caleb and I exchanged quick glances and then looked away, and Dr. Lowe cleared her throat. “Please, Knight. If you don’t mind…?”

Caleb glanced over at me and then stood. “On the condition that you tell us what’s going on—and what exactly you did to us.”

Dr. Lowe’s shoulders slumped. “I will do my best to explain, but parts will be confusing.”

Caleb strode over to the doctor and ran his hand up her arm. She shivered from the touch, and then he slipped a hand behind her neck and the other around her waist, pulling her toward him in an embrace as their lips met. I thought at first it would feel too awkward to watch, but I couldn’t look away.

Dr. Lowe, almost as if surprised, melted in his embrace. I felt my thighs clenching together, my gut twisting as I watched them kiss. I had been so focused on their mouths and the way he heldher to his body so carefully that it took me a long moment to notice that Caleb was watchingmewhile he kissed the doctor. She’d almost gone limp in his arms. I squirmed with need, squeezing my hands tightly against my knees.

I almost couldn’t breathe; watching him kiss her turned my insides to absolute liquid. I gasped, taking tiny sips of air in short, panting breaths. I felt his arousal. I felt his want; I felt his need for me. A faint blue glow began in his eyes; my pulse quickened. He growled, holding Dr. Lowe closer to him. I found myself tugging at the collar of his dress shirt around my neck, my nipples hardening, hips rocking in answer to his desire. I was certain that even though he wasn’t touching me… it was still somehowmehe was kissing; caressing. I needed him—might go absolutely mad in that moment if I couldn’t have him.

Without warning, Caleb straightened, set the doctor back upright on her feet, and crossed the room to me. I welcomed him with my entire body as he hugged me close, pressing his mouth to mine and kissing me so deeply it stole away what little breath I had.

“Caleb,” I murmured as he nipped at my neck, his teeth sharper than before. “Yes, Caleb?—”

One moment, I was being smothered in kisses, and the next, he’d been pulled from my arms. I sat up and opened my eyes, reeling in the sudden emptiness. Dr. Lowe had Caleb’s forearm held in hers, her eyes growing a deep red; his a bright blue. He was baring his teeth at her in a feral snarl. It appeared she was shaking with the effort of keeping his clawed hand off her throat.

“Gonna… need you both to…” the doctor winced as his hand tightened around her neck, “calm down a second, okay?”

“Caleb…?” I asked, feeling dizzy with want, with confusion. “What just happened?”

Caleb’s grimace relaxed; he stumbled backward, releasing her throat as he landed in the chair behind him. He lookedlike he might fall asleep at any moment, and panted hard as he slumped over—not asleep, but certainly not altogether aware.

“What did you do to him?” I demanded.

The doctor held up a finger toward me, trying to regain her breath. It only occurred to me in that moment that he’d beenchokingher, and then I snapped to attention.

“Oh my god, are you okay? I don’t understand?—”

“It’s… it’s okay.” Dr. Lowe waved me back to my seat. “I think it’s best if you just keep your distance from each other for a moment, yes?”

I sat back on the bed, picking at my nails. Caleb stirred, managing to sit up a bit more in his seat. I felt myself breathing a sigh of relief that he seemed to be recovering.

“I’m sorry…” he began. “I don’t know what happened.”

“It’s my fault,” said the doctor. “Apologies. I had to siphon your energy a bit. I tried to separate you so we could talk, but it’s a bit like sticking your hand into the cage when the snakes haven’t been fed in a long time.”

Caleb rubbed his forehead. “Wait… what… just happened, precisely?”

“Don’t worry—you’reextremelywell fed. You’ll recover in a few moments. For now, I need cooler heads to prevail, so can we all take a breath?”

Caleb and I looked at each other.

“Magda, what you’re experiencing right now is a bit of a… side effect of the transformation. Your real self is waking up—think of it like… demonic puberty. You’re going to be a bit sex crazed for a while, extremely sleepy, irritable… but the good news is that it doesn’t last forever.”

“This is what I’ve been trying to tell you about! He and I can’t be alone?—”

“Or even not alone,” Caleb interjected.

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