Succubi Are Forever, page 2
One page of the manuscript in particular held the key to the information we sought. Unfortunately, the picture in the magazine spread had been an extreme close-up and Zane needed to see the entire thing. Thus we were resorting to… less ethical methods of getting our hands on the page.
And now here I was, crashing a charity function so I could get inside and rip apart a thousand-year-old manuscript that was lauded as one of the most fascinating finds of the last century.
Sure, we could just take a picture of the page instead of ripping it out of the book… but that also meant that the information would be out there for other immortals to discover. I needed that halo to win a boon from the Archangel Gabriel. Something told me that he’d be just as happy giving that boon to someone else. And given that the Serim and vampires did not play well together…
Well, it was just best if I confiscated the information, even if it hurt my soul to deface a priceless book.
The book wasn’t in the room, though. There was another set of double doors at the far end of the room, and I headed toward those. I tested the brass handle of the door—not locked, and no alarm. Well, that made things easier. I entered the room and shut the door behind me.
“This room is off-limits.” A man in a security guard uniform stood by the lit case where the massive book rested.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” I gave him a bright smile and closed the door behind me.
He frowned in my direction, gesturing that I should leave the room. And when I didn’t move, he continued to approach me. “I said, you need to leave—”
I reached out and brushed his cheek with my hand, shutting down his mind and sending him to sleep. Okay, so succubi weren’t completely helpless, as I’d intimated to Zane. But the powers we had weren’t exactly subtle ones, either. With my fingers pressed against the guard’s forehead, I rummaged through the dream I’d forced on him, looking for pass-codes or security keys. Nothing, luckily for me. With a pat to his cheek, I stood and approached the dais.
The book lay spread before me on a pedestal, a lit glass case protecting the valuable object inside from onlookers. It was beautiful, I thought as I stared down through the glass. The pages were thick and yellowed with age, the ink crisp and vivid with color. Scrollwork decorated the edges of the paper with a story that archaeologists hadn’t been able to figure out, but Zane had told me involved the fall of the angels. Not just any angels, but specific ones.
The ones I was looking for.
Biting my lip, I grasped the glass case and pulled it off the book. My entire body was tense, ready for an alarm to go off, but nothing happened. With relief, I placed the case on the ground at my feet and leaned over the book. I’d normally wear latex gloves to handle a book like this, since the oils on my fingertips were sure to destroy it… but I was just about to rip out a page and stuff it into my bra. Did it even matter if I left fingerprints on the damn thing?
We’d discussed taking the entire book with us. After all, if one page had the info we needed, the others might have useful information as well. But our plan meant slipping in and out unnoticed, since the place was crawling with security. And my dress was tight enough that only one page was fitting down the front.
I laid tentative fingers on the thick vellum of the manuscript. It felt sacrilegious and amazing all at once. I was touching something a thousand years old. With gentle fingers, I turned the page, wincing. The lambskin sheets of parchment felt thin and weak under my fingertips. After a few cautious flips, I found the page I was looking for—seven rings of different colors seemed to be interconnected by golden chains on the page and surrounded by small, cribbed text in strange, looping handwriting. This was the page I needed. This one, Zane insisted, would lead us toward a missing halo, maybe both if we were lucky.
Flinching to myself, I gave the page a firm tug and yanked it free.
A priceless, fragile work of art, one of a kind and of holy origin… a book that had lasted a thousand years, and here I was defacing it like some teenager tearing out pages in the library. It felt dirty and wrong, and I couldn’t help but frown to myself as I rolled up the page and then slid the tube of paper down the front of my tight dress until it nestled deep between my breasts and out of sight.
I felt rather than heard the step of soft feet behind me and tensed.
“Don’t worry, honey. We’ve got you now,” an unfamiliar, breathy female voice whispered in my ear. A hand touched my bare arm. Before I could turn, a disconcerting, vague feeling washed over me. My mind fuzzed, then went black, and the last thing I thought before falling into unconsciousness was that I’d been found.
By another succubus.
CHAPTER TWO
“A lot of people are afraid to tell you the truth in this business. Yes, you’re going to have to suck a lot of dick. Yes, double penetration makes your ass look fat. Yes, that does look diseased. But I’ve always tried to be a straight shooter.”—The Absolutely True Memoir of Remy Summore, by Remy Summore
~*~
Succubi don’t dream. The few times I’d been locked in my own mind since I turned succubus, I’d basically existed in a conscious state while my body slept, my mind forming a “room” for me to inhabit to pass the time. Today’s room was my favorite pub closest to Remy’s place in New City. I drummed my fingernails on the bar as I sat on one of the tall stools, waiting to wake up. It had to be Remy or Dee who had knocked me out. Those were the only succubi I knew.
Don’t worry, honey. We’ve got you now.
I replayed the voice in my head over and over, but didn’t recognize it. They had me, all right. Whoever it was, this was not funny. We needed to get that page before some other immortal happened upon it and decided that they were going halo-hunting themselves. The Melledin Manuscript had gotten so much publicity in the last year that it was only a matter of time.
By the time I felt the shifting rubber band snap that told me I was zinging back toward consciousness, I was a nervous wreck, more anxious than furious. Oh, I was plenty mad, but I wanted to get the book taken care of first. I’d be angry later, when I had the page in my hand.
My eyes flicked open. I stared at the ceiling. Not cherubs. Okay, I’d been moved. I mentally assessed all my parts. No wounds. Still wearing the black dress and heels. On something soft. Couch? Bed?
I looked over.
A beautiful woman stood nearby, her tall, willowy height equal to mine. She had smooth black hair, lovely almond eyes, and wore a slim-fitting cheongsam.
“Awake?” she asked in a bright, cheerful voice.
I sat up and swung my legs down to the floor. I was definitely in a bed. I stood and eyed the woman. Her smile was friendly, but I didn’t trust this. Unease grated on my nerves, and my internal tuning fork gave an anxious wobble.
“Where am I?”
For some odd reason, she looked hurt at my suspicious question. Then she smiled brightly. “Phryne told me you’d probably be suspicious when you awoke. I bet you have no idea what’s going on.” Her look became sympathetic.
It was true. I did have no idea what was going on. Of course, I wasn’t going to tell her that. So I just stared at her.
She came to my side and linked her arm through mine. “Come on. Let’s go wake up Remy. The others are dying to see her again.”
Others? I let the woman lead me by the arm, staring at my surroundings. The room was lushly decorated, draperies and pale marble statues lining the walls. It looked rich, and the carpet under my shoes was thick and plush.
“Zane?” I asked.
“Phryne will explain everything, my love,” she said sweetly.
Uh, okay. The woman clutching my arm led me down a hall. As we walked, I began to piece things together. Someone had knocked me out. That was clearly this chick. She was a succubus, then, and older than me. But what the heck was she doing, kidnapping us from a party? And who was Phryne? I eyed her, but she didn’t look dangerous or unhappy or even angry. She looked sweet and lovely, and oddly thrilled to be at my side.
Which was just… weird.
Down the hall, she opened another door and led me into a bedroom. Remy slept on a huge king bed, curled up on one side, and the sight of her was jarring for me. I’d never seen her sleeping. It was actually rather unnerving. I looked over at my companion.
“Whose house is this?”
She shook her head at me. “Phryne wants to be the one to explain.”
“But—”
“I can say nothing until Phryne has assessed the situation, I’m afraid,” she said with a soft grimace. “Come, let’s wake Remy. It’s been forever since I’ve chatted with her.”
So she knew Remy? “Who are you?”
She smiled then, so genuinely and so warmly that I was taken aback. “My name is Yue. It’s so lovely to finally meet you, Jackie.”
And she hugged me.
I awkwardly hugged her back, utterly confused. What was going on? If she was so glad to see me, why had she kidnapped both of us and knocked us out? Better yet, how could this fragile woman have carried both of us? As I watched, she approached Remy and brushed her fingertips over the sleeping succubus’s forehead.
Remy struggled awake. Her eyes flicked open, and I noticed they were blue. The sight of them made the Itch pulse through me, reminding me of my own need, now due.
We’d been unconscious for quite some time, apparently. Alarm flared through my body. How long had we been out? And where was Zane?
“Wake, sister,” Yue said with a smile.
Remy stared up at Yue for a moment and then gave a girlish squeal of delight, jumping to her feet. “Yue, baby! How the hell are you?”
Yue opened her arms wide, and Remy fell into them, hugging and squealing as if seeing an old friend. Her arms went around Yue’s slender body and she tugged her close. As I watched the two hug, Remy’s gaze moved to me, making eye contact over Yue’s shoulder.
Not good, she mouthed, and gave me a look of alarm.
Oh great. Not what I wanted to see. But Remy pulled away and gave Yue another bright smile as if everything were perfect. “Girl, look at you! You never change.”
“Very funny,” Yue said with affection, touching Remy’s cheek. “I should say the same for you, Remiza.”
“Where’s everyone else?” Remy asked, moving to my side and linking her arm through mine. “Have they met Jackie?”
Yue shook her head gently. “I’ve just awakened Jackie. She has not met the others yet.”
“They’ll be so thrilled to see her,” Remy gushed.
Yue smiled again, but I noticed she didn’t reply. She simply gestured at the door. “Please come with me, sisters.”
“Of course,” Remy said cheerily, and her fingernails dug into my arm, and she more or less dragged me forward.
Yue glided past us, her steps smooth. She smiled and began down the hall, and Remy and I followed. Remy’s steps were slow and deliberate, as if she were admiring our surroundings. When Yue was several feet ahead of us, she bent in and whispered. “We are so screwed, Jacks.”
“Who is she? What’s going on?”
“Nothing good,” Remy hissed back. “Just be careful and tell them nothing. I’ll explain later.”
Yue must have heard our furious whispers. She glanced back at us as we walked, her eyes narrowing. I smiled back at her, and pointed out a statue to Remy, as if admiring it.
We acted as if we were sightseeing at a museum instead of finding ourselves kidnapped by another freaking succubus.
Yue opened the door to a long, well-lit hall. She continued down it, strolling past beautifully decorated walls adorned with ornate picture frames, end tables set with fresh flowers, and small, delicate knickknacks that I didn’t have time to examine. The ceilings were arched, a faint peachy-pink that made me think of dawn and only added to the feeling that this place was owned by someone who had great taste and loved expensive things. It was not merely a home—it was a showcase. Yue led us down another hall, then another. Then another. I had no idea where we were, but the place was enormous and expensive. Still in Europe somewhere? How long had we been out? Was it daylight?
And where the hell was Zane? Fear prickled my skin, and I felt real panic claw through me despite Yue’s warm smiles. I wanted my vampire.
Yue glanced back at us again, then put her hand on the handle of a door. “You’re just in time for dinner.”
Just in time for dinner, my ass. They’d woken us up when it was convenient for them. Still, I pretended like this was thoughtful and not a bullshit move. “Great,” I said, my traitorous stomach growling to help my fake enthusiasm along.
Stupid supernatural metabolism didn’t care about the situation. It just wanted cake.
Yue led us into a long room, mostly taken up by a long mahogany dining table. Eight places were clustered at the far end of table, though only four women sat before the plates. A spread of food was laid out on the table, colorful and aromatic, and my mouth watered at the sight.
Just how long had they left us out?
But before I could ask, all four women at the table stood. A girlish squeal erupted and they rushed forward, arms outstretched to hug Remy.
“Hey, girl!” one cried, and Remy moved forward to hug them, seemingly equally thrilled at the prospect.
“Oh my God. Ashara! How the hell are you? And Nefer, and Marguerite. And Phryne! You wench, you,” Remy said, giving another pale redhead a playful punch in the arm before hugging her as if they were old friends that had been parted for far too long. “How have you been?”
The women finished with Remy and then enfolded me, too. The one called Phryne was the last one to embrace me, and I didn’t miss the assessing look she shot my way as she hugged me. Another redhead, like me.
Actually, nothing like me, I reassessed. My skin was milk-white and pale. Phryne’s was golden bronze, like a goddess. Her brows were low and winged above thickly lashed catlike eyes, and her nose was strong, her cheekbones prominent. My hair was fire-engine red and wavy, hanging to the middle of my back in a messy tumble. Not Phryne. Her hair was the delicate, rosy shade of sunrise, a red-gold that I’d never seen on anyone before, and it fell in a thick, straight waterfall to her waist. Phryne was golden and exotic and unique, even surrounded by beautiful succubi.
And sly. I couldn’t help but notice the calculating look in her pale silver eyes. “Greetings, sister,” she told me sweetly, and even her voice was husky and gorgeous. “We have waited so long to finally meet you.”
As she moved forward to hug me, I stammered in surprise. “You… you have?”
She drew back and smiled at me. “Of course. I have heard tales of Remy’s friend and knew that she was looking out for you. I’ve waited and watched over your progress from afar. But when I heard of your recent troubles, I decided it was time to step out of the shadows and introduce our little sisterhood.”
Phryne clasped my hand and pulled me toward the dinner table.
“My troubles?” I echoed, glancing back at Remy. She shook her head at me and raised a pinky, as if swearing she’d never told them anything. So I asked again. “What kind of troubles?”
“Why, master troubles,” Phryne said easily, moving back toward her place at the head of the table. “It seems that you have one master who’s gotten into quite a bit of trouble with the Serim, and the other keeps you under his thumb.” She tsked, giving me a sympathetic look. “Of course, you’ve been a very popular girl lately. My sources among the Serim told me that you’ve made an enemy out of Ariel. I’ve heard he tried to dispose of you.”
“That’s right,” I said weakly, sitting down at the place they’d left for me. I tried to digest all that Phryne was tossing at me. Noah was in trouble? I was under Zane’s thumb? I didn’t know if I should correct her or not. Judging from Remy’s wary look in my direction, it was best to let Phryne keep talking.
Yue moved to the corner of the room and pulled a rope, and a servant entered, refilling everyone’s wineglasses. The women were silent until the servant left and then they began to fill their plates. I stared at the food in front of us. Seasoned chicken; delicate, flaky fish; rolls; vegetables tossed in a colorful steamed medley, dessert pastries, soufflé—it was a tempting smorgasbord. The succubi began to fill their plates, chatting. I took a bit of food, watching them carefully.
This was weird. This was beyond weird. They’d kidnapped us so they could hug us and serve us dinner? It didn’t make sense. And where was Zane? I was afraid to ask. These women seemed to treat us like long-lost sisters, not enemies. So why the kidnapping?
Phryne leaned over to me again as I took a bite of chicken. “It’s not often that a succubus gathers the attention of a Serim council. You must have done something quite terrible to incur Ariel’s wrath.”
“Oh, uh—”
Remy coughed.
I glanced down at her and she waved a chicken wing in the air. “Bone,” she wheezed, then glanced over at me.
I looked over at Phryne’s beautiful face with the strong features that were somehow so gorgeous on her, the catlike eyes. She leaned on her hand, as if fascinated by what I had to say. And she wasn’t eating, if the few grapes on her plate were any indication.
A succubus with self-control? No such thing. I didn’t trust her a bit.
I took a bite out of a divine potato casserole. “Um, well, it’s a long story. I’m not sure that right now is the appropriate time to discuss it.”
Phryne’s eyes widened and she gave me a sympathetic look. “Of course.”
Well dang. That had been easier than I thought. I smiled.
She reached over and patted my hand. “We will discuss it privately later.”
