Page 137 of The Howl
As much as Dad tried to deny that Mom was something other than a sex-addicted human, I knew he understood there was more to her. Why else would he wait in my room and say mom was eating when any normal human would say she was having sex? Why else had his sermons consisted of the temptations of the flesh and the devils walking among us? Yes, deep down, he knew what she was, and he knew I was her daughter.
Mom leaned over to whisper something in his ear. His expression changed to one of love and longing.
“This is our first time to Uttira,” Nikhil said. “We were glad to receive the invitation. It gets a little boring in Knoxres.”
I recognized the name of the Mantirum stronghold in Arizona.
“I’d love a little boring right about now,” I said.
Mom kicked me under the table, and I looked up at her, my eyes going black.
“Don’t push me, Mother.”
She tilted her head, studying me.
“You look like you could use some air,” she said.
“I’ll escort you,” Nico said, already standing.
“Me, too.” Nikhil offered his hand and a sheepish smile. “We’ve never seen snow.”
It wasn’t their fault they were baited into coming here. I wondered if they knew their intended purpose, though.
“There’s a pretty garden off the back of the house. I’ll show you,” I said, choosing to stand without his offer of help.
The twins followed me through the house, not saying anything. When we reached the door, I opened it and led the way to the snow-covered bench near the back of the garden.
“This is beautiful,” Nico said, looking up at the stars in the clear sky. “Our parents said our homeland is like this. Snow all the time. That’s why they chose Knoxres. They want the warmth.”
He blew a few experimental breaths and grinned at the clouds he created. Nikhil studied all the snow then turned to me expectantly.
“You know why you’re here,” I said.
“Yeah. Adira told us you’re a picky eater. Frost giants only. We’ve been around succubi before, but none that ever showed any interest in feeding from us.” He shrugged slightly. “We were curious.”
“Curious about what?”
“What it would be like, of course.”
His bright blue gaze held mine, and I could smell a hint of his and his twin’s lust. While they might be fine with their purpose, I wasn’t. All the anger and frustration that I’d suppressed at just about every adult in my life surged forward.
“It feels like this,” I said. “Get on your knees.”
They dropped to their knees before me, their eyes going wide.
“Give me all that you desire. Surrender everything that you are and become mine.”
I opened my mouth and pulled. They resisted. I stepped forward and ran a finger along Nico’s cheek.
“So handsome. So young. Why resist me?”
He groaned, and his lust flooded the air. I didn’t take that, though, I took all his non-sexual energy until a cold blast of air knocked me onto my butt.
I didn’t try to get up. Instead, I stared up at the stars and listened to the sound of their feet as they ran away. I could have done things differently. I could have fed from their lust and proved myself to Mom and Adira without fear of creating lovesick fools like my father. Why hadn’t I? Would it be so awful to be completely obedient? To make everyone happy? Everyone but me?
Sitting up, I hugged my knees and continued to watch the stars.
It didn’t take long for Mom to find me. She sat on the nearby bench and said nothing for several long minutes.
