Page 29 of Incubus
Nathan took a drink of his overly-pricedblackcoffee, and started to consider the benefits of fratricide again. “So what was with you telling me that I was imagining things, huh? That he was just messing with me?”
“He is.Was. I think he was. I don’t know, I guess I was just messing with you too, so...I could have been wrong. But look, Nate," Jim said, his tone turning serious, "as entertaining as this all is, you need to get your head in the game. We need Sasha. We need to finish this case so he can help us. And I have to admit, having an incubus on our side makes me feel a lot better than just having a seal. Sasha knows more lore than either of us. He's strong. Skilled."
"I know, okay?" Nathan said. "And I know I'm being stupid. I trust him. I really do. I'm just not sure how to...handle him."
Jim snickered.
"And if you make one crack about, 'oh, I'm sure he'd love for you tohandlehim, Nate', I will punch you in the face."
"Nathan."
Nathan started at Walter's voice coming from behind him.
"I apologize for...interrupting," Walter said, with perhaps a touch of amusement, "but I believe luck may be turning in yourfavor." He pointed toward the apartment building across the street.
"What is it, Nate?" Jim asked. "Did Walter spot a candidate?”
“I think he just spotted thevictim,” Nathan said. “Check it out.”
There was a woman with black hair and blue eyes passing by on the other side of the street. A second woman had just caught up to her, and she had the most brilliantplatinumblonde hair Nathan had ever seen.
Thebrunetteandtheblonde they believed to be the succubus spent the entire day together. Coffee and talking, shopping and talking, walking andtalking. It amazed Nathan they weren’t sick of each other after all of that talking. But, eventually, the women returned to the brunette’s apartment.
Their initial hope had been to follow the succubus until they could get her alone, but even though the MO said that the next kill wouldn’t happen for a couple of days, they were soon staked out just as they had been with Carol. The succubus could still be planning on feeding, especially if she was feeling desperate after almost getting caught. If the two women moved from the main room, or if any of the lights went out, Nathan and the others were prepared to act.
Jim took watch first down an alleyway behind the apartment building, while Nathan had Walter keep watch in the apartment itself, and he and Sasha remained in the car.
Nathan’s stomach growled as they sat waiting. He thought fondly of the burritos Sasha had picked up for them for dinner, and wasted no time before reaching around his seat to grab his container of food. While he did so, he tried valiantly to avoidlooking at Sasha. Being alone with the incubus again felt more awkward than Nathan cared to admit.
It was while Nathan's mouth was full around a bite of beans and rice that the first sounds of Sasha’s laughter began filtering over to him from the passenger seat. “Do you always eat like it’s your last meal?” Sasha asked. “The first time I saw you eat, I assumed it was a fluke. Maybe you hadn’t had a good meal in a while. But it’s been days now, pal, and you’re still putting it away. Where do the calories go?”
“In my belly where they belong,” Nathan said, greedily taking another bite.
Sasha laughed again. “I’m serious. Is life that good to you?”
Now there was a thought—life being good to the Griers. “Strong metabolism.” Nathan shrugged. “Jim’s the same way. You just wouldn’t know it unless he has a bunch of sugar in front of him. Me? Give me real food any day. I’d kill for ribs, potatoes, and corn bread.”
“I’ll have to remember that,” Sasha said. “And I’m sure I’ll be very thankful they give you those little moist cloth things with the meal.”
Nathan could only join in on the laughter halfway since his mouth was full of tortilla, but laughter came easily anyway. Somehow, Sasha always managed to put him at ease.
“Nathan…”
Looking up from his mutilated burrito, Nathan found himself only inches from Sasha and nearly choked. He had no idea how the incubus had gotten so close without him noticing, but despite the lump in Nathan’s throat, Sasha wasn’t even looking at him. He was trying to lean past him.
“Look,” Sasha said, pointing up at the apartment building.
Nathan turned. The victim was standing in front of her window looking out, thankfully not at them, but beyond them at the city. Behind her stood the succubus. As Nathan watched,the succubus slipped her arms around the brunette’s waist from behind and pulled their bodies close.
Nathan gulped. That was bad.Hot. But bad.
The succubus began planting kisses along the brunette’s neck. The pair was too high up for Nathan to make out their expressions, but with what Nathan assumed was a smile, the brunette turned and started leading the succubus from the window.
“Nathan,” Walter said, suddenly in the backseat again.
It was time to move.
Thenewvictim’sapartmentbuilding was more modern than Carol’s, but easy enough to break into. They passed few people on their way up the floors, with no one paying much mind to three young men rushing through the hallways. They would have to guess on the apartment number, but Walter’s assistance made it possible for Nathan to be very certain when they reached the door they believed to be the correct one.
