Page 36 of Succubus Sins
This sucked. Just because I was going to New York didn’t mean I had any intention of revisiting my inherited home. If I went there, I’d have to finally admit my mother was dead and I was ready to move on. I wasn’t.
I glanced at Nate and he shrugged before turning back to his tablet and pulled a black headset over his tousled hair.
With a growl I crumpled the note and shoved it into my pocket. Dammit. My plan had been to go straight to Queens and look for Luke. Luke, the only reason I hadn’t split in two when Sarah left my life for good. Luke… one of my supernatural four who deserved a place in my soul.
I gagged on the thought. How pathetic was I? Maybe going to a party in my own house would be a good idea. I glanced again at Nate, trying to see him as his father had asked me to.A needed distraction until you find what you’re looking for.
He was hot, there was no doubt about that. But he was constantly joking and acting like he was twelve. Hardly my definition of sexy. But at this very moment he seemed almost serious as he focused on the movie playing on his tablet. His jaw went firm and his amber eyes remained steady on the screen until they flashed at me and I drew in a quick breath before looking away.
Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Nate didn’t say a word when the elderly flight attendant followed us from the gate and crammed into the mid-sized elevator with us and twenty other people.
To my surprise, both the flight attendant and Nate positioned themselves as a barrier between me and the elevator’s jittery passengers. Given that I literally oozed sexual energy, it was a much-needed precaution. Though the humans couldn’t see it, a soft red glow hissed off my skin like steam and tickled their noses. They would twitch and flick their eyes, unaware of what was bothering them.
Three men closest to me started to arch their necks, trying to peer over my guardian’s broad frames. The flight attendant sputtered a wet cough, driving the men back in disgust. He politely covered his mouth and excused his outburst while Nate wedged himself even closer to me.
I became acutely aware of Nate’s body pressing against my chest. His warmth radiated through our clothes and joined with the ever-present radiance of my Blood Stone resting on my bosom. It felt right, somehow, even though it shouldn’t have. Nate was one of the King’s sons, and not Luke. Not the man Sarah had said was my soulmate and “reason to be.” I shook my head. Both men sounded like a ridiculous fit for me.
Then I realized what felt so different about this moment. Nate wasn’t his jolly, bad-jokes self. When the other passengers leered my way, his body would go rigid and he crossed his arms, trying to make himself as big as possible like a peacock. His head swiveled side-to-side, inspecting the crowded elevator for any sign of danger.
Likewise, the flight attendant set his jaw and widened his stance, as if he was readying himself to spring into action.
In spite of his age, the old man’s broad shoulders and even wider forearms assured he was stronger than he seemed at first glance.
My hand rose to my chest, subconsciously pressing against the lump that was my locket resting underneath the leather, searching for comfort and strength. If I was in danger, I could protect myself.
The elevator released a loud screech and my skin went white-hot with fear. Sure, I could protect myself from a lust-crazed human, but I couldn’t stop an elevator if it decided to go into free-fall.
The lights flickered and between the moments of illumination and darkness, I jolted upright and my chest went tight with fear. There, a woman in the very back, had her eyes locked on me and didn’t seem the least bit concerned about the jerky up-and-down of the elevator. Instead, she waited for me to notice her gaze, and then she smiled, andvanished.
Welcome Home
Sonya
“Did you see that?” I hissed into Nate’s ear.
The only indication that Nate had heard me was the slight twitch of his gaze. But he remained fixated, scanning the elevator for the threat.
Although what he could possibly do if we were in danger, I had no clue. How could we protect ourselves from a woman who could vanish into thin air?
I unzipped my jacket and let my naked hand scramble through the fabric to take the Blood Stone in a solid grip. The heat against my fingertips was soothing, but for some reason, it didn’t feel like it was enough.
The passengers murmured and fidgeted, casting wary glances in my direction as the lights dimmed and the elevator screeched to a halt on the ground floor.
The second the doors opened, Nate took my wrist as if I were a child who he might lose at any moment and jerked me outside. I suppressed a yelp, but didn’t resist. Whatever was going on was way above my pay grade.
Nate continued to drag me along and I tripped at his heels while the elderly flight attendant silently followed. In a moment of wistfulness, I’d hoped we’d stop to get our suitcases, but Nate sped right on by the carousel with the bright blue numbers flashing our flight number and jerked me outside. Whatever had them so spooked, we couldn’t stick around, especially not for my suitcase filled with my favorite heels and sad little mementos of Sarah which mainly consisted of strawberry daiquiri shakers.
Nate sped over the crosswalk and into the parking garage, only stopping when we arrived at what was apparently our ride. I stared at it. Really? A Chevy? One of the mighty incubus princes, human as he may be, wouldn’t be caught dead in such a piece of junk.
To my surprise, Nate shoved me into the backseat like a piece of baggage and nodded to the flight attendant to take the driver’s seat. Nate slipped in beside me and continued to scan through the windows as if he was a guard dog on high alert.
When the car gurgled to life and we puttered out of the terminal entrance way, everyone seemed to relax.
“Would someone mind telling me what the hell is going on?” I blurted.
The car jostled over a speed bump and Nate cast me an apologetic glance. “I’m not sure how she found us.” He looked at his hands curling into fists in his lap. “You’re not supposed to know about her.”
