Page 78 of Demons and Debts
His eyes widen meaningfully as he stares at me, and I suddenly understand. ‘Have any of us used our power on her?’
Vic shrugs. ‘I haven't tried to lull her, but if the others have, I don't think they’ll admit it, especially if it happened before she was under contract.’
‘You think she's what? Immune to us?’ I whisper it because … Fuck. What would that even mean? I’ve never heard of it not working on a human before. I give an incredulous chuckle. ‘If we can’t lull her, how would we even feed from her?’
‘Never taken a human without your magick, huh?’ Vic lets out a dry laugh. ‘You might have to learn how to make a girl like you without it,’ he says, turning away and waving me out.
I leave the room, deep in thought, wondering if it's possible. I've never even heard of a human who could withstand the lull, who could fight our power.
I lean against the wall in the hallway. Fuck. The on-call girls don’t love us, but once they’re under our power, the lull makes them feel so good that it’s worth it to them … that and the money they’ll receive when their time is done, of course.
How would I even go about … I shake my head. I wouldn't even know where to start. Going down the corridor to Kor’s room, I give it a knock. He's still walking around the woods or he’s ignoring me. Either way, there's no answer.
I stomp back down the hall and lay in my own bed trying to sleep, but as I close my eyes my thoughts keep drifting back to being on the dance floor. I danced with probably a dozen different girls and guys while Korban watched, but I don't remember even one of them except for her. Maybe she's getting under my skin like she's under Vic’s and Theo’s. Fuck, even Sie can't take his eyes off her. The way he looked at her when she came down those stairs in that little black dress I picked out ... She did look sexy as hell, just like I knew she would, gauging from the feel of her that first night I brought her here.
I wonder if I need to be careful where Kor is concerned. I thought he’d hate her like he does all the others, but after what he said in the car, I’m second-guessing myself. I’ve never been jealous of one of the on-call girls before, but Kor has never shown any human even one ounce of interest. I don’t blame him with how he started life when his incubus power came in, but do I need to consider the human girl a threat to my relationship?
I close my eyes, wondering if Vic is following his own rules about not touching her tonight. I grin in the darkness. No way.
* * *
Jane
When I wake up,the first thing I notice is that the bed feels different. The sheets aren't the high thread count Egyptian cotton that I've become used to on Theo’s bed. They're satin and although my fingers move around, feeling the slick texture, I decide they're much too slippery for my tastes. Give me cotton any day.
I crack an eye. I’m on my belly. The sheets are black.
Where the hell am I?
The last I remember, I was trying not to fall asleep in the limo after dancing with Theo and Paris for hours.
My heart rate ratchets up a notch. I've never danced like that before. I didn’t even know I could! The way they had my body moving, undulating with the beats, pressing against them ... I felt like theywanted me. I know it’s a trick, logically. It’s what they do, but it felt nice to be on the inside for once even if it was just pretend.
I frown. It’s weird that I didn’t wake up when we got back. I didn't drink anything except for a few sips of that first drink so unless the drink was spiked …
I sit up, taking stock of my clothes. Yes, the tiny dress is still on me although it’s bunched up to my waist. Did they feed from me while I was out? Do other things? Would I even know?
Feeling a little bit sick, I glance around the room, and I'm startled to see Vic sitting in a plush chair close to the bed, watching me. His tie is loose, and his jacket gone. His black shirt is undone, showing his thick neck and the tops of his pecks. I swallow hard. How can rumpled Vic be even hotter than buttoned-up Vic?
He doesn't say a word as he stands up and seems to stalk across the room towards the bed. I pull the covers around me like that's going to make any kind of difference. My head tips back so that I can follow his eyes with mine as he gets closer and closer and closer.
It makes me want to jump out of the bed and run. It takes everything in me to stay still and that’s only because I know that he’ll chase me. I’d never outrun him.
Stopping right next to me, he stands there for a moment, his eyes all tortured or something. He’s giving me serious Edward Cullen vibes regardless of the fact he's not a vampire.
He reaches out slowly and takes the black satin from my grasp. I'm tense. This is going to happen whether I want it or not. I close my eyes and, with a resigned sigh, I flop back on the bed, my arms coming down to my sides as I try to relax. When nothing happens, I look up at him.
‘Well?’ I say.
He stares down at me. ‘Well, what?’ he asks. He sounds amused. ‘What are you doing?’
I frown at him. ‘My job,’ I mutter. ‘Isn't that why I'm here?’
I come up on my elbows and they slip on the satin uncomfortably. Maybe I’ll get some answers now that it’s clear he didn’t want me forthis. ‘Or was there a different reason you wanted me to sign that contract?’
He looks like he can't quite understand what I’m talking about, but then he changes the subject.
‘You have done this before, right.’
