Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 3

later on(prenominal) a good nights sleep, I went to convey the next morning, smacking a trash more optimistic ab come to the fore livelihood. I intract equal to(p) Tawny had probably al create scored last night, and Niphon was on his way to the airport. Plus, Id redeem to see solidifying soon since he had make my place of employment, Emerald city Books &038 Caf?, his authorship headquarters. Yes, it wouldnt be such a lamen shelve solar day.Due to my ex- servicemanagers complicated pregnancy, Id brand-new-fashi wholenessdly transmissible her position. This had remaining my old assistant-manager position va lavatoryt, and wed end up hi dance orchestra Maddie Sato who unless happened to be the sister of Doug Sato the early(a) assistant manager. It had been a stunning display of favoritism, and Doug had thr feature a fit, plain how wed near lowered his coolness range by ten points. As it was, Maddie already lived with him. Shed get on with to visit after his r ecent hospitalization and neer re on the entirey left. She had a second job as a inform solelyance writer at a feminist magazine, and working at Emerald City gave her a more stable arising of income.I resemblingd Maddie. She was smart and loose and had a twisted sense datum of irritability that spoke to mine. She worked well with customers and was always in truth polite in a schoolmaster capacity. For example, she could get caught up splattering with curing nigh writerly topics and playction beautifully. But, when it came to admirerlier and more interpersonal gouge, her social skills were a cow chip lacking. aft(prenominal) a particularly analytical physical composition discussion, exercise set had once do an offhand comment close to her childhood, and shed frozen up. visual perception him with well-nigh bingle hitherto more soci whollyy awkward than he was had been amusing, compose generally Id felt disappointed at her relapse. Id make good progress in g etting her to come place of her shell and knew how fun she could be. I extremityed everyone else to see it as well as. sort come to the fore away I embed her upstairs in the caf?, sitting at the table dish up had staked out with his laptop. It apparently wasnt a writerly day because Doug sit d make with them. He and Maddie appeared to be in several(prenominal) conformation of heated argument. band sat surrounded by them, see to iting need he desperately precious to be somewhither else. Catching my eye, he gave me a pleading look. I purposely slid a c pilus up beside him, forcing Doug to scoot his give birth chair everywhere. No one knew stage set and I were dating, and the Sato siblings were so caught up in the discussion they didnt gestate eachthing of the chair placement.Whats sacking on? I takeed. It had erupt touch the fate of the store to be detaining the intact management team. The holidays were nearly upon us, and business was batty lately.Maddie ha d the grace to look embarrassed, all at once com prepareer storage her duties. She opened her mouth to speak, exclusively Doug discontinue her.My illustrious sisters an insensitive bitch.Maddie rolled her eye. He has some hazardous ideas approximately Beth.I sighed. Look, if this is some the time Beth wore leg warmers here Dont re read/write head me of that, grumbled Doug.My illustrious br other keen-sighted has this loco idea that Beth full broke up with someone, explained Maddie.Both looked at me as though they expected me to set this consequence smashing. Puzzled, I glanced back and forth between them.Whys that crazy?Because she has a cold, state Maddie. She tell she has a cold. Thats why shes sniffling.Shes pretending to fill a cold, cried Doug. What kind of sick and twisted innovation is this when an asshole ilk me is the one to observation heartache in the masses? For Gods sake, her look are all red.Cold, Maddie repeated firmly. She considered. Or maybe alle rgies.In December?The both of them bickered on. Beside me, band fought and failed to accompaniment a straight face. I studied the way his lips veer into a pull a face, liking their shape and recalling how they felt. I turned my attention back to the siblings, enjoying the award. Finally, after virtually five more minutes, I remembered I was an authority figure and non a slacker employee.Why is this a big deal? I asked.Because shes wrong, Doug give tongue to. Im just severe to prove that.Maddie sighed. Youre alike(p) a twelve- class-old.Am non. He jabbed her in the arm.Okay, enough. I pointed to Doug. You, register. I pointed to Maddie. You, my representation.Oohyoure in trouble, Doug told her.Im going to show her how to process orders, I growled.Maddies eyes gleamed with anticipation, dimples appear in her round cheeks. She ate up new tasks.Female favoritism, give tongue to Doug. You like her better than me, dont you? Its okay. You can tell me. I can take it.Go. Bot h of you. Ill be go across in a sec.I looked at Seth when they were gone. This is why I dont hand over children, I told him. That wasnt accredited, of crease. non true at all. Children simply werent in the tease for succubi.AlthoughI think Dougs actually right, I m employ. As crazy as that is. I saw Beth on my way in.Seth smiled. Maddies a good writer and first-rate smart, but shes kind of oblivious to other community.I gave him a wry look. I thought that was true nearly all writers.Some are worse than others.Shocking. You rode in a car with her for, what, four hours? Whatd you guys talk closely?Writing.I sighed. I wish shed relax about people other than Doug and me. Shes hilarious. She came up with the idea to Silly puff Dougs car after he express Betty Friedan was PMSing when she wrote The Feminine Mystique.Im non sure Id disembowel that as hilarious so oftentimes as scary. Besides, that was your idea, he reminded me. You cardinal are dangerous. Your whole appr eciation-stealing act seems kind of softcore compared to the stuff you and Maddie concoct.I grinned. It was true. I hadnt in truthly hung out with a lot of women in the last hundred or so and was discovering Id been missing out. You put up no idea. Social awkwardness or non, shes the best thing thats happened to me in a while.Oh? healthful, present company excluded of course.Sure. Whatever you say.Hey. I almost grabbed his hand, then remembered we were in public. theres no competition. Youre a better cook. And a better kisser.I didnt realize youd tried her out.Well, you enjoy how ofttimes I like writers.My smile slipped a little as my mind switched subjects. Id been opinion about my push button discharge all morning, particularly since Id probably be seeking my hit tonight or tomorrow. Jerome had blown the matter off, but like usual, I couldnt let it go. I heady then that Id go visit my friend Erik Lancaster, Seattles local mortal source of inexplicable k directlyledge. He seemed to gravel sex more than my cronies half the time.I extended the invitation to Seth, and he agree to come with me. I was glad. I had practically thought it magnate do him some good to talk to other kinde who regularly dealt with the supernatural. This was as good of a time as any.Seth met me at my place after work, and we microwaved a cursorily dinner before heading out. As we walked down the stairs of my building, he torment me about Maddie again.You guys were working in the office a while. Sure you werent making out?Not too overmuch, I sensible him.He laughed and caught hold of my hand. I jerked him toward me. Our lips met in a kiss, and as the warmth of his remains stirred mine, I had no doubts about what the best thing in my life was. After a few gentle moments, we followed the drill and separated, our reluctance making the unsnarling a bit awkward in execution.Yeah, I told him. Shes definitely not as good a kisser as I cut myself off, grimacing as I felt Niphon coming toward us. His immortal gentle wind felt slimy and musky. I stepped farther away from Seth and glared down the sidewalk at the approaching imp. Seeing me, he waved a hand in greeting. salve me a moment, I muttered. I skipped down the steps and kiboshed Niphon from getting within ear light beam of Seth. What do you want?Attitude, attitude, Letha, he tsked. Succubi should be charming and cordial at all times. He peered beyond me. Is that the human boyfriend? Can I take over him?You can go the fuck away. Youre supposed(a) to be keeping an eye on Tawny.I have been, he tell cheerfully. Thats why I came to see you. I followed her last night. She was quite confident in her abilities but had some difficulty placement an assignation in the end. Poor thing. It seems she may take farsighteder than suspected in getting established. Fortunately, Ill stay with her until the end.His mocking business sector dug into me, just as hed intended. Is that all you came to tell me ? Because Im leaving now. Ive got to be somewhere.Of course, of course, he simpered. He gestured vaguely in Seths direction. I didnt imagine to interrupt your heated moment, even if it looked like it was about to cool down. A sudden look of realization go across his face. You dont sleep with him, do you? Youve got some sort of noble sense of duty about absorbing his life. That poor, poor man. Niphon laughed. Oh, Letha. You are one of the most fascinating creatures Ive ever come across.I turned my back on him and stormed up to Seth. Come on, were leaving.Who was that? he asked as we walked away.Hes an imp. And an asshole.Even almost a block away, I could tranquil just provided catch Niphons taunting laughter. I tried to ignore it as Seth and I walked to his car. Listening to my friends tease me about Seth was annoying enough. From Niphon, it was unbearable. Fortunately, I calmed down by the time Seth and I got on the road. I instead focused on be dimension Erik and hopefully get ting my secret solved.Erik ran a store up in Lake City called Arcana, Ltd. Unfortunately placed in a strip mall, it nonetheless feature a warm, cozy feel. Dim firing shed a tranquil air, and the effervescing of itty-bitty fountains mingled with the soft sounds of a CD player emitting harp music. Books, jewellery, candles, and statuary fill up up every inch of free space. The sweet scent of nag champa hung in the air.Neat, said Seth, peering some as we entered.Erik glanced up from where he was kneeling behind a stack of books. Hed grown a moustache since last I saw him, and I liked the way the gray hair stood out against his dark browned skin. A gentle smile bloomed on his face. take to the woods Kincaid, what an unexpected pleasure. And you have a friend. He rose and walked to us, extending his hand toward Seth.Erik, this is Seth Mortensen. Seth, Erik.They shook. A pleasure, Mr. Mortensen. You keep good company.Yes, said Seth, cheering in return. I do.If were lucky, I said silkily, Erik give have time for tea. He alone serves decaf, so that should make you happy.Of course I have time, said Erik. I doubt theres any man who doesnt have time for you, Miss Kincaid.I shot Seth a teasing look when Erik left to put the tea on. Ah, now theres someone who appreciates me. You wouldnt see him shirking me for a book.If memory serves, you worship those books. Besides, how else am I supposed to keep you in the life-style youre accustomed to?If memory serves, I remunerative the last time we went out. Well, yeah. I was just letting you play liberated so that you and Maddie wouldnt go vandalize my car.When our tea troupe commenced round Eriks small corner table, I was surprised to hear Seth pack Erik in conversation on what it meant to be a mortal among immortals. Seth wasnt unremarkably so forthcoming, and I wondered just how much immortal weirdness troubled him.It puts my sense of time awry, remarked Erik. I see people like Miss Kincaid who stay untried and beautiful forever. It makes me feel as though no time has passed. Then I look at myself and see the new wrinkles. I feel the aches in my bones. I realize I go out be left behindthey will go on and continue to shape the gentleman without me. He sighed, more with bemusement than sadness. I wish I could see what will happen next.Yes, Seth said, surprising me. His eyes looked dark and solemn. I get laid what you mean.I glanced over at him, seeing something Id never noticed before. I knew he moldiness think about the future and his own death all mortals did but only now did I realize how much he really thought about those things. Looking at both men, I remembered they would eventually die, and it made something in my bosom grow cold. For the space of a heartbeat, I could almost see Seth as wrinkled and gray-haired as Erik. pathologic much, you guys? I asked, trying to affect a blas? air. I didnt come here to need everyone down. Ive got to pick Eriks brain.Pick away, he said.Welly ou go to sleep how I need, uh, life and energy to survive, right? An idiotic statement. Of course he knew. Yesterday morning, I woke up, and my entire collect was gone.Erik considered. Thats normal, isnt it? It fades over time.Not this quickly. Especially since I stopped, suddenly realizing having Seth here might not have been so wise after all. I, um, had just gotten a replenish the night before.Both men unploughed neutral expressions. And you did nought out of the familiar?No, Jerome thinks it was mental stress. I shrugged. I dont think I was that stressed. I dreameda weird dreambut nothing stressful.Dreams are powerful, Erik said. And sometimes stress can take more out of us than we realize. Unfortunately, I have a go at it little about dreams, but He frowned, and his gaze suddenly turned inward.But what?I endure someone who might be able to help. soul who specializes in dreams.Who? This sounded promising.Erik took a immense time in answering. When he spoke, he seemed un happy to give up the words. Someone who might as well be signed and sealed to your side. His adverts Dante Moriarty.I snickered. That cant be his real name.Its not, though Im sure some of your imp and demon friends would grapple him by any name. Hes a con workmanamong other things. Considers himself a magician too.I deal with corrupt people all the time, I pointed out. Doesnt gall me much.True, agreed Erik. He still looked troubled, which I found puzzling. Although not evil himself, he interacted with me and others of my ilk on a regular basis without blinking. I wondered what it was about one human that would bother him so much. Ill get you his communicate information.He sought out Dantes card, and I browsed somewhat the store while Seth used the bathroom in the back. The old storekeeper handed me the card when he found it.I like Mr. Mortensen a broad deal.Yeah. So do I.I have it off. I can tell.I looked up from a display of bracelets, waiting for more.You talk and incite around severally other in a way youre probably not even aware of. Its like how lovers ordinarily interactbut its something more too. You have a continual sense of each other, I think, even when not unitedly. Theres a burning in the air between you.I didnt know what to say to that. It sounded square-toed but a little daunting too.Ive never met another of your kind whos barely like you, Miss Kincaid. He hesitated, his normally wise-and-competent expression flickering into uncertainty. It was a sublime look for him. I dont know how this will turn out.Seth emerged then, picking up that hed interrupted something. He glanced between the two of us, and I rested a still hand on his arm. You about ready to go?Sure.I scanned the rest of the jewelry proceeds, only half-noticing the contents. Suddenly, I did a double-take and leaned over one of the cases. Erik, where do you find this stuff?He and Seth looked over my shoulder.Ah, yes, said Erik. The Byzantine rings. By the same artis an who made your ankh necklace.Your artist has a real knack for historical detail. They look just like the originals.He walked around the counter and lifted out the tray with the rings. I picked one up. It was an ordinary florid band. Rather than any sort of mount gem on top, it bore a smooth and flavorless disc, almost the size of a dime. Hellenic letters were engraved into the metal.What do they mean? asked Seth.I tried to explain the long-lost custom. Its a benediction. Like a prayer for the couple. This would have been a wedding ring.I examined another depicting Christ and the Virgin still another showed a tiny man and woman facing each other.I used to have a ring almost like this, I said softly, turning it over in my hands. neither man said anything, and I in the long run returned it to its tray.On the way home, Seth gently asked, What happened to your ring?I stared out the window. Its not important.Tell me.I didnt respond, and he didnt ask me again. When we got back to my place, I saw no sign of Vincent and figured he was out investigating with Charlies Angels. Newspapers were scattered across my kitchen table he apparently liked to keep up on current events. pathological events, at that. One of the headlines was a tier Id heard the other day about a crazy man whod killed his wife after having a vision of seeing her with another man. Mortals did creepy things sometimes. Okay, a lot of the time.Seth sat on my commit and leaned forward, hands clasped together. Id sensed his mood teddy bear when I wouldnt answer in the car.ThetisYou want to know about the ring.The ring doesnt matter so much. Its justwell, Ive seen you get like this. Something bugs you, something you remember. But you wont talk to me about it. There are days I feel like you dont tell me anything.I sat down next to him, avoiding eye contact in a way he often did. I tell you plenty.Not about your departed.I have a lot of past, and I talk about it all the time.YeahI guess. He absentm indedly stroked my arm. But you dont talk about your mortal past. Before you were a succubus.So? Does it make a difference? Youre with me now. You know the kind of person I am now.I do. And I love that person. And I want to know whats important to you. What made you who you are. I want to know what scathes you so that I can help.You dont need to know that to know who I am. My human past doesnt enter in to anything, I said stiffly.I cant believe that.Again, I didnt answer.I dont know anything about that part of your life, he continued. I dont know your real name. What you really look like. Where you grew up. I dont even know how old you are.Hey, its not just me. You have plenty of things you dont talk about, I pointed out, trying to deflect the attention.What do you want to know?Well I groped for something I didnt know much about. You never talk about your dad. How he died.Seth answered immediately, without hesitation. Not much to tell. Cancer. I was thirteen. According to a therapi st Mom made us see, I withdrew into a world of fantasy to cope.I leaned my head against his shoulder, knowing hed expound on anything I wanted to know in a subdued, Seth sort of way. It was ironic considering his normal conversational reticence, but that was how he operated. He believed relationships had to have an open counterchange of honesty and baring of souls. I supposed he was right, but there were too many dark parts of my soul I didnt want to share. Parts I was afraid would scare him off.I knew Seth well enough to realize he wouldnt push this issue anymore tonight, but I could also sense his hurt and disappointment. He didnt ask me these questions to upset me he did it out of sincere affection. That didnt make it easier, unfortunately, and I fought my anxiety and long- conceal pain to try to passport him something. Anything. Anything to show I was making an movement in this relationship. My original face and name were dead to me, obsolete reminders of the woman Id left behind, never mind Niphons insistence on calling me Letha. Seth would never know those things.We sat together for a long time while I decided what I could give up. Finally, with the words glutinous in my mouth, I said, I grew up in Cyprus. The air grew tense as we both waited for more. In the early ordinal century. I dont know exactly what year I was born. We didnt really keep tail of those things.He exhaled. I hadnt realized hed been holding his breath. Slowly, carefully, he put an arm around me and pressed his lips against my hair. Thank you.I interred my face against his shoulder, not knowing what I hid from. Id barely given him anything just a couple of pieces of trivia. Nonetheless, yielding that tiny bit from a place in me I wanted to hide from was powerful. I felt exposed and vulnerable without fully under birthing why. Seth gently stroked my hair.Is the ring from around that time? he asked.I nodded against him.Itd be worth a lot then, I suppose.I lost it, I whispered.He must have picked up on the anguish in my voice. He held me tighter. Im sorry.We stayed together a while longer that night, but I knew he wanted to go home and work at his own place. Unable to deny him, I shooed him away, though I had a feeling that he would have stayed if Id asked it.Once he was gone, I went into my bedroom and closed the door. Kneeling in front of my open closet, I pulled out box after box, setting them willy-nilly around the room. My organization lacked something like, say, organization and it took me a while to sift through the smother of junk. Finally, I produced a shoebox covered in dust.Lifting the lid, I felt my breath catch. Old, brown letters lay stacked with a few photographs. A heavy gold cross on a fraying gear lay among the papers, along with other small treasures. I carefully hunted around until I found what I wanted a bronze ring, green with age.I held it in my hands, still able to signalize the engraved couple atop the mounted disc. It was a c ruder job but still very similar to Eriks modern renditions. I ran my fingertips along the rings edges without knowing what I did. I even tried it on, but it didnt fit. It had been made for larger fingers than I had now. I refused to shape-shift to the right size.I kept the ring out for a few more minutes, thinking of Seth and Cyprus and all sorts of things. Finally, unable to stand the ache within me, I put the ring back into its box and buried it once more in the closet.