Demons of Desire Read online

  I turned, relieved to see that it wasn’t Irix coming through the door, but two men and a woman. Not caring if they saw me checking them out, I stared. The woman was in a floaty Victorian–style dress minus the traditional underskirts. A jaunty hat perched on her black hair. The men wore ripped t–shirts and tight leather pants. One had a multi–strand chain belt draped around his hips. In spite of the typical goth clothing, all three of them seemed weirdly out of place.

  Don’t get me wrong, they cast around like fishermen looking for the prime trout in the stream, but there was something off about all three. They reminded me more of shoppers in a grocery store than sleazy clubbers looking to get laid.

  “I’d love it if you could manage the short guy with the chains.” Jordan curled her lip. “He’s here pretty much every night. The others vary.”

  “Got it.”

  I slid off the stool and made my way over. Might as well get this show on the road. With any luck, I’d have this guy in a back alley in ten, and be back to Darci’s house before she returned from her date. Hopefully I’d be done before Irix decided to put in an appearance. Worry made me increase my pace. I wouldn’t put it past the demon to interrupt me in the middle with pointers and suggestions. I’d better hustle and get this done before he showed up. Exaggerating my hip movements, I put enough of a bounce in my step to make my boobs jiggle in their black–lace bra. Eyes turned my way. It didn’t hurt that I’d continued to work my special mojo, sending out enough sexual encouragement to get everyone’s pulse racing. My three targets also noticed, and I tried not to laugh as they engaged in a violent jostling of elbows to see who could get to me first. Thankfully, dude–with–chains won out. I would have hated to have to plow through the others to reach him.

  “Hey.” I grabbed a fistful of chain with each hand and yanked, jerking his hips toward mine. “Dance with me?”

  His eyes traveled downward, lingering on my considerable cleavage before he moved his gaze upward with an embarrassed flush.

  “Umm … how about I buy you a beer?”

  I thought this guy was supposed to be a Don Juan, a quickie–Casanova? He should have been leering at my ta–tas and had his hand halfway down my pants by now. Why would he turn down the opportunity to rub up against me on the dance floor and offer to buy me a drink instead? Puzzling over the incongruity, I decided not to judge. I was on a tight timetable here.

  We worked our way to the bar, and I ordered a beer while Jordan gave me a stealthy thumbs up. Chain–guy paid, and watched me intently as I took a sip. This was a little creepy. I wasn’t exactly inexperienced when it came to creepy men, but this guy was really giving me the willies.

  Maybe he was just going to sit here and stare at me all night while I guzzled beers. I had a moment of panic, thinking that he’d drugged my drink as part of his one–night–stand M.O., but I’d seen the bartender open it and hand it to me. I doubted Anheuser–Busch was in on that sort of thing, so the drink had to be clean. Still, his silence and intense stare were really unnerving. It’s a wonder he got laid at all if this was his approach.

  “Don’t you want something to drink?” I asked.

  His eyes made a tour of my exposed flesh. “Yes. You.”

  His voice was raspy, full of need. I felt warmth come over me. This would be a lot easier now that he’d expressed interest. Yeah, he was still a bit over the line into weirdo territory, but I could deal with that. I set my beer on the bar with a thump and leaned toward him, putting out every lure my succubus self had to offer.

  “I’m all yours.”

  He drew in a huge breath and held it, pupils dilating as I watched. Just to seal the deal, I licked my bottom lip and worried it gently between my teeth, dropping my eyes to stare at his mouth. I’d never seen a man move so fast. I was on my feet and out the door before I could bat an eye. With his arm around my waist, he rushed me into a side alley and pushed me against a brick wall, slamming his mouth against mine.

  Not cool. The faint interest I’d had at the bar faltered with the rather violent kiss grinding the back of my head into the jagged bits of mortar. I was sure it would be a bloody mess in the morning. Still, this was a bird in the hand, and I just wanted to get it over with. I cranked the pheromones up to eleven, and kissed back, pushing against him to try and turn our positions around.

  It was like trying to move a Toyota Corolla. Uphill. In the snow. I felt a tickle at the back of my head. Great. I was bleeding. This was going to go down as the worst sexual experience ever.

  The guy went into a frenzy. His hands were all over me — breasts, waist, ass. After some significant tongue action, he jerked his mouth free and I gasped for air. I’d thought the guy was going to suffocate me for a moment there. An unexpected benefit was that my head was now free to pull away from the painful brick. Sexual interest began to return on my part as he pulled me against his body, his mouth licking and nibbling its way down my neck and across my shoulder.

  “No. Can’t. Shouldn’t. Wrong,” he moaned as he dipped his head down to kiss the top of my breast.

  “Right. So very right,” I replied.

  Finally my desire was getting with the program. I grabbed the top of his head, digging my fingers through his thick dark hair and pushed him into my chest. His fingers fumbled with the clasps of my bra–top. The mechanics of the garment were clearly beyond him, so I yanked his head upward.

  “Ear. Lick my ear.”

  It had always been one of my erogenous zones. I remembered the feel of Irix’s mouth from last night and ground my hips against Chain–guy, hoping his caresses would come within a mile of what the incubus’ barest touch could do to me.

  He missed his mark, instead kissing and licking my neck, pausing to suck one particular spot. It wasn’t my ear, but damn it felt good. I angled my head to give him better access and snaked a hand downward. The guy’s boner was nearly tearing a hole through his leather pants. I figured I’d help him out by liberating this very important part of his anatomy and giving it some loving hand attention.

  I’d barely gotten the zipper halfway down when something pinched my neck. It felt sharp and quick, like a sting. The pain lasted a fraction of a second before vanishing. I jerked, and opened my mouth to exclaim … something. What was I going to say? My brain felt like it was swimming in thick molasses, and a thrill went down my spine and into my extremities. Floating. I murmured something un–intelligible and leaned my weight against Chain–guy. This was very nice, his kissing my neck and all, but my monster was screaming frustration in my ear, and my elf was on the verge of panic. What was her problem?

  The monster seized control, yanking down Chain–guy’s zipper, and pulling his cock out, fisting it in a slow but firm slide. He moaned against my neck, hands cupping my breasts. I increased the tempo. It didn’t matter if I came or not, all that mattered was him — giving him the ultimate, mind–blowing sexual experience of his life. I felt him sucking firmly against my neck, his penis thickening in my grasp. I reached down to cup his balls, rolling them in my other hand.

  My elf screamed in my ear. Run! Run, run, run!

  I jerked to the side, feeling a tearing sensation in my neck. Fuck, that hurt! Giving Chain–guy’s dick a retaliatory yank, I turned to voice my complaints. And froze.

  Chain–guy had fangs. Fangs like the pictures I’d seen of saber–toothed tigers, only in a human mouth. They were coated in blood — no doubt my blood, and dripped a clear liquid at the tips. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from them, and the fuzzy drunken chill I’d felt vanished in a breath. I wish I could say that I punched him in the face, put a knee into his balls, twisted the cock I held in my hand, but I did none of those things. Instead I did the most embarrassingly girly thing I could. I screamed.

  Chain–guy jerked backward, his eyes widening in alarm. “No! Hush. It’s okay. Calm down.”

  Calm down? Right. The guy was a vampire. The elf in me thrashed in terror, and the part I’d always thought was human agreed. Run, run! My monster
didn’t seem to see what all the fuss was about, but for once she got onboard, throwing a charge of electricity into Chain–guy. I was holding onto his dick and his balls, so I’m ashamed to admit that’s where the charge went.

  Now he was screaming with the same pitch and volume that I had been. Giving him a hard shove, I blindly dashed from the alley and down the street, not caring where I went as long as I was as far away from Chain–guy–with–fangs as possible.

  “Wait!”

  The words were pain–laced, but I still heard his footsteps close behind me. I’m fast. And agile. It’s an elf thing. I took off like a formula–one racecar, knocking pedestrians aside and darting dangerously across traffic. I had no idea where the hell I was going, I just knew I needed to get away from this guy. The sound of his footsteps retreated, and I turned a corner, running into an all–night convenience store to hide.

  The dark–skinned man behind the cash register gave me a sour look as I ran through the door and bent in half, heaving air in and out of my lungs. Checking to make sure no one else came through, I headed to the back, pretending to check out the available snack food options.

  Where was I? I’d completely lost my bearings in my mad dash across the city. Plus my feet were killing me in Jordan’s borrowed boots. Eyeing the cashier, I unzipped them and eased them off, stretching my poor, mangled toes. What a complete cluster–fuck this evening had turned out to be. My easy score had wound up being a vampire. Yeah, he seemed as willing to fuck me as he was to drink my blood, but my elven half had objected mightily. I reached up a hand to rub my neck, and it came away streaked with red. Hopefully the cashier wouldn’t notice and call the cops.

  “Shoes,” the clerk commented, pointing to the sign on the door.

  It was a clear testament to my distress that I couldn’t charm my way out of that rule. I picked up my boots and limped out, carefully looking both ways before walking aimlessly down the street. I had Darci’s address on my cell phone in my pocket. I was completely lost, but with modern technology, I should be able to find my way back with just a few clicks.

  Setting my boots on a bench, I pulled out my cell phone and felt a hand on my arm.

  “Wait. Just wait. Don’t run off again.”

  There was something needy in his voice, and his eyes shown with sincerity. Still, I had blood trickling down my neck, and he had the tips of fangs peeking out from beneath his lip. I threw my cell phone in his face and frantically tried to wrench myself from his grasp.

  I may be fast and agile, but I’m not physically strong. I twisted and pulled, screaming at the top of my lungs. He held on, trying to drag me behind a grouping of magnolias, out of the view of passing traffic. I dropped to the ground, hoping my dead weight would prove to be an impediment. Evidently not. He dragged me with ease across the sidewalk, adding road rash to my other injuries.

  “Hey! Let her go! I’m calling the cops right now!”

  Thank heaven for good Samaritans. Someone had pulled their Prius over to the side of the road and was jumping out, cell phone in one hand and what appeared to be a tire iron in another. Psycho–chain–guy dropped my arm, and without a word of thanks, I bolted.

  Ten blocks later, cowering behind a parked car, I finally convinced myself that I’d lost him. I’d also lost Jordan’s platform boots and my cell phone. My feet were bruised, my clothing was torn, and I probably had blood all down my neck. The few bars that I passed were not ones I felt comfortable walking into as a solo female. By the sky lightening on the horizon, I assumed it was early morning. My hope was to find a convenience store that I could ask directions, but I found myself wandering through a residential neighborhood. I was on the edge of tears when ahead of me I saw a familiar figure, perched crossed–legged on the roof of an old Cadillac.

  “Way past your deadline, sweet cheeks.”

  The relief I’d felt upon first seeing him fled, replaced by anger. The thought of his ultimatum should have had me quivering with anticipation, but right now, not even Irix could put me in the mood. All I wanted was a hot bath, a warm blanket, and my pillow. I didn’t want sex, and I especially didn’t want to be berated for my procrastination and my failure to “get it done”.

  “I tried,” I snapped at him. “Even had his junk out of his pants, ready to go. He was a vampire. A vampire! Fucker bit me, then chased me down and dragged me along the pavement. If some guy hadn’t shown up threatening to call the police, I’d be dead behind an Oleander somewhere near the garden district.”

  I paused by the Cadillac, under a street light, and Irix must have finally gotten a good look at my disheveled state. His eyebrows went up as he looked me over — tangled hair, torn clothes and all. Then he laughed.

  “Only you, elf–girl, would manage to pick a vampire for your target. Of all the red–blooded human males in this city, you somehow decide a stodgy old vampire would be a better choice? Babe, they want your blood, not your body. It would have been easier to seduce a dead man.”

  “Oh, trust me, he wanted my blood and my body. I think he was looking for a package deal.”

  That earned a look of respect from the incubus. “Good show! That’s not an easy thing to do. Why didn’t you finish the job?”

  The anger fell from me, and much to my dismay, I started to cry. “He was going to kill me — suck all the blood out of me. I might have been able to finish the job, but then I would have been dead. You have no idea how strong those things are. I even jolted him with electricity and it hardly slowed him down.”

  My last words were barely coherent, because I’d begun to sob in earnest. Irix leapt off the roof of the car with the grace of a leopard and pulled me into his arms. I buried my face against his shirt, not caring one bit that I was smearing mascara all over it.

  “Hush, hush. You’re all right. He didn’t kill you. Hush.”

  Irix’s hands smoothed over my hair. It made me cry even harder. I’d expected him to laugh at me, make fun of me then haul me off somewhere to seduce me — not comfort me in this very un–demonic display of sympathy. When I’d finally calmed down enough, he pulled back and gave me his charming, crooked smile.

  “Amber, vampires don’t usually kill their victims. They’d quickly run out of food sources if they did, and they’d attract some very unwelcome attention from the human law enforcement. It doesn’t hurt, and can be kinda kinky. You should have just gone with it.”

  I sniffed, wiping my nose on the back of my tattered lace gloves. “I’m part elf. We’re mortal enemies. He would have killed me.”

  His smile deepened, adding a faint dimple to the equation. “They haven’t had contact with elves for millions of years. I doubt any surviving vampires even know what elves smell or taste like. And even if this guy did, you have enough power to take him down. Unless you’re facing a full demon, or an angel, don’t doubt your ability to defend yourself. When it comes to predators in this realm, you’re right at the top of the food chain.”

  “That might be so, but I’m not having sex with any vampires.” My voice sounded much stronger. I actually felt better. Well, except for my feet.

  “You have got to be the pickiest little half–breed I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.” He shook his finger, scolding me, but his tone was teasing. I couldn’t help but smile. “You won’t have sex with vampires. You won’t have sex with women. You won’t have sex with me. This one’s too young. This one’s married. You don’t like guys who wear socks with sandals. There’s got to be someone in this whole city who will appeal to your discerning tastes.”

  There was. Right here in front of me. But there was no way I’d ever tell him that.

  “Can I have one more day? I know that I agreed to this, but I’m tired, cut and bruised, and I’m lost.”

  To my surprise, he leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. It wasn’t his usual sexy move, it was … kind.

  “Yes. One more day, because I find I can’t say ‘no’ to a barefoot half–elf who has smeared her makeup all over my shirt.�
� He put an arm around my shoulders and urged me forward. “Come on, waif. I’ll take you back to your friend’s house.”

  He wound up carrying me, complaining that it would take us two weeks to walk there if we had to limp along at my pace. By the time we made it to Darci’s, I was practically catatonic. Instead of leaving me at the door, Irix brought me inside and plopped me down on the sofa while he disappeared into the bathroom.

  A few moments later he’d emerged with a first–aid kit and helped me clean up the worst of my cuts, even washing the smudged makeup off my face. While he put away the supplies, I slid onto the sofa, pulling an afghan over myself and drifting in that middle land between wake and slumber. Just as sleep began to claim me, I felt the couch sag and arms gather me up against a warm body. Was I imagining it? Did I dream that I drifted off in a demon’s embrace, his lips brushing the top of my head as I slept?

  * * *

  10

  The smell of coffee penetrated my dreams, and I rolled over to find Darci sitting on the coffee table in front of the sofa, one cup in her hands, another beside her.

  “Here.” She extended the coffee toward me, her grin nearly enveloping her entire face.

  “Good date?”

  I didn’t need to ask twice. Darci told me all about the virtues of Gavin while I smiled and nodded into my coffee. I was glad one of us had a good evening.

  “And you?” she asked with a critical look at my snarled hair. Did you get the job done? Bury the sausage? Bump uglies?”

  “Uhhh, no.” I told her the whole story. Everything. Vampire right down to Irix snuggling up with me on the couch. Because from now on I was telling my best friend everything.

  “Hmmmph.” Darci eyed me over her coffee cup. “Told you he was a nice guy. That’s what you should be tapping, not Dracula–with–a–hard–on.”

  “Okay, okay. So Irix isn’t exactly what I thought. I’ve got bigger problems than my love life, though. I’m supposed to do that ritual tonight, and I’m running on empty.”