I wiped my damp palm against my skirt. While I hoped the provocative dress and scarlet red lipstick I wore would be seen as a peace offering, I doubted it would be enough for Adira.
Taking a calming breath, I stepped into the dining room.
Mr. and Mrs. Quill, who were speaking softly by the sideboard, quieted and turned toward me. Mrs. Quill’s concerned expression melted to one filled with joy.
“Eliana, you look stunning.”
It took every ounce of self-control I possessed not to tug at the hemline of my extremely short skirt.
“Thank you.”
I glanced at Mr. Quill to gauge his reaction and found his gaze completely clear of any infatuation.
“It suits you, Eliana,” he said with a kind smile.
“Adira said she might be late. Let’s start without her,” Mrs. Quill said, already moving to her seat, which Mr. Quill pulled out for her.
“The mashed potatoes look delicious,” I said, sitting.
“Thank you. I tried a new green beans recipe tonight, too.”
I smiled and held out my plate, grateful for the normalcy of the conversation and the Quills’ lack of reaction to my clothes and makeup.
“How are the new humans doing at Girderon?” Mrs. Quill asked.
“Eugene, Kelsey, and Zoe seem to be liking it so far,” I said, purposely using their names.
“Any trouble from the other students?” Mr. Quill asked.
I was saved from answering what felt like a staged question by a knock on the door.
“I’ll get it,” I said, quickly leaving my chair.
The moment I opened the door, I regretted leaving the table. Fenris stood on the front stoop, wearing the same clothes he’d worn to school and looking just as delicious. His scent teased my hunger, and I quickly started mouth breathing.
“Hey, Fenris. We’re actually eating dinner right now. Sorry.” I started closing the door, and he put a hand against it, his smile unwavering.
“I won’t keep you long.” He held up my pink insulated lunch bag with his free hand. “I tried catching you after school, but I don’t think you heard me.”
We both knew that was a lie.
“Thanks,” I said, taking the bag.
He didn’t release the door.
“Kelsey and Zoe are taking a shift at the Roost tonight. Want to meet me there to help keep an eye on them?”
Taking a shift meant that they would be sitting at a table in Uttira’s only teen club so all the underage creatures in this town could practice their hunting skills. It wasn’t safe for the humans and was something that Megan was against. So was I. But, going anywhere with Fenris that involved him mingling with the opposite sex would be a colossal mistake.
Even with my mouth breathing, I could taste the change in his scent at the mention of the Roost.
“Kelsey and Zoe will be safe enough with you around. I should really spend tonight going over what I missed today. Thanks for the invite, though.”
“That reminds me,” he said, reaching into his back pocket and producing a piece of paper. “I got some notes for you.”
He handed the paper over, and a zing of heat coursed through me at the brush of his fingers against mine.
“Thanks,” I said, stepping back and pushing the door against his hold.
He exhaled heavily and dropped his hand.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
His gaze didn’t flinch from mine even as I slammed the door in his face.
“That was a bit rude,” Adira said from behind me. “You should meet him at the Roost tonight to apologize.”
I wanted to stomp my foot in irritation at her ill-timed appearance. Instead, I turned toward her with a bright smile and thankfully clear eyes.
I didn’t know when I’d gained a backbone or how long it’d last, but I took advantage of it while I had it and held her gaze.
“Is that an order or a suggestion?” I asked. “It’s sometimes hard to tell.”
Like Fenris, Adira exhaled deeply and stepped aside.
“Only a suggestion.”
My new defiant attitude faltered for a moment, and I almost thanked her. Instead, I moved to rejoin the Quills in the dining room.
“Was that Fenris?” Mr. Quill asked.
“Yes. He brought my lunch bag and notes for the classes I missed,” I said, setting both on the table as I resumed my seat.
“You missed more than one class?” Mrs. Quill said, obviously doing her best to sound surprised.
Did they honestly think I didn’t know that Adira kept them apprised of every move I made or that they likewise kept Adira informed? I wasn’t simple. My weekly calls with Mom made it very clear how watched I was.
“Yes. After I pulled Eugene from the pool, I left to change.”
“You were gone a long time,” Adira said, watching me closely.
“Yep. I hung out at Megan’s for a while to let my embarrassment fade.”
“Embarrassment?” Adira asked. “Over what?”
“Maybe the fact that the aquatic loving student majority saw my bra, thanks to the inadequate clothes in my closet,” I said in a calm and even tone.
“Hardly inadequate. It did its job. Had you lingered, you would have had your pick from your classmates. Any number of them would have happily had sex with you and fed you.”
I fisted my hands in my lap, furious beyond speech that everything came back to sex and feeding. There had to be more to life than sex and food. Passions outside of…well, passion. Books. Movies. Music. Art. There were so many other things out there. Things I hadn’t even explored because they were busy trying to force-feed me their agenda.
“I’m sixteen. I don’t know what I want. I especially don’t know who I want. And I resent that all the adults in my life are pushing me to make a decision I’m not yet ready to make. If my lifespan is as long as my mother’s, why does everyone insist on rushing me? I will take things at my own speed. If my welcome here has an expiration date because of that, please just say so. It won’t offend me. I realize how much all of you’ve already sacrificed for me, and I’m very grateful for it.”
Mrs. Quill’s expression turned to concern.
“You’re welcome here for as long as you’d like, sweetheart. No one is pushing you to leave our home, only to find a steady source of food. We just want you to know that we understand your needs and that you’re welcome to bring a boy or girl or both home with you any time you’d like.”
I wanted to hit my head against the table. If they truly understood my needs, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
“If I’m truly welcome here, stop pushing me. Please. You’re only making things worse.”
Mrs. Quill flinched like I’d slapped her, and Adira’s expression hardened.
“I would hardly attribute our concern as a damaging factor to the situation in which you find yourself,” she said.
Mr. Quill’s phone buzzed.
“You’re right. Your concern isn’t damaging. Your meddling is. It didn’t help the situation with Megan. Why do you think it will help me? I didn’t appreciate you inviting Eugene for dinner yesterday, and I don’t appreciate you purposefully putting him in my classes. Classes that will not benefit him in any way.”
Adira opened her mouth to respond, but Mr. Quill interrupted.
“Adira, I could use your counsel on a matter of importance.”
She closed her mouth and nodded serenely. I watched them both leave the room. Whatever message he’d received had to be important to pull him and Adira away from dinner.
Picking up my fork, I took a bite of the now cold potatoes and looked at Mrs. Quill.
“They really are delicious.”
She smiled sadly at me.
Adira and Mr. Quill never returned to the table. I helped Mrs. Quill clean up then went to the entertainment room where I paced and watched the door. It wasn’t like Adira to forget about a conversation that involved my lack of feeding. That she hadn’t yet tracked me down to resume her lecture was beyond odd. It was unsettling. As was the way Mrs. Quill had disappeared into Mr. Quill’s office the moment we’d finished cleaning up.
I thought of Oanen and Megan and what they were doing in New York then started to worry. Adira and the Quills were always trying to shield me from anything that might impede my progress toward becoming a full feeding succubus. What if something had happened to Megan and Oanen in their mission to find who was killing the trolls, and everyone was keeping it from me?
The temptation to sneak to Mr. Quill’s office and listen at the door coaxed my feet into the hallway. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling that they were keeping something important from me.
Fear curled into a ball inside of me, its weight settling in my stomach as I hurried down the hall. The low murmur of concerned voices coming from Mr. Quill’s office drew me to the door. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the tones of their voices sounded like they were disagreeing.
Barely breathing, I pressed my ear to the wood.
“You risk angering her mother,” Mrs. Quill said. “Are you prepared for the consequences?”
“I’m confident that Megan will be able to control the situation,” Adira said.
I frowned. Since when were they more concerned about Megan’s mom than Megan?
“And if we push too far and anger Megan again in the process?” Mrs. Quill asked.
“I agree with Anwen, Adira,” Mr. Quill said. “We are fortunate Megan is still willing to help with the investigation in New York. With the latest report from the Flagstaff Council, we need to understand the purpose behind these deaths. Three Nemean lions isn’t coincidence; it’s ritualistic.”
“An assessment of which I fully agree. Which is exactly why Megan and Oanen need to move quickly. The troll death may be the continuation of the same ritual,” Adira said. “And while it is our obligation to watch for and stop these threats to humanity and our kind alike, we cannot forget our obligations here.”
Her voice grew louder as if she was moving closer to the door. Torn between hearing more and not being caught, I hesitated just long enough to hear her next words before hurrying away.
“I worry for Eliana.”
My heart raced as I paced the entertainment room and tried to make sense of what I’d heard. What was the Council planning to do that would tick off Megan? And who would be crazy enough to kill not one but three Nemean lions? That Adira and Mr. Quill thought something dangerous was happening in New York was obvious, but why would Adira say she was worried for me and not Megan? Add to that the fact that they were worried about Megan’s Mom’s reaction, and I couldn’t help but come to one conclusion. They thought Megan was going to die.
I needed chocolate.
My phone rang before I made it more than a few steps toward the fridge. When I glanced at the screen and saw Megan’s name, I immediately answered.
“Any sign of the brownie or goblin yet?” Megan asked.
“Not yet,” I said, the idea of her dying coloring my tone.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Are you trying to lie to me?”
“Yes. Because I want you to focus on getting the job done so you can get home sooner.”
“Talk, succubus.”
I sighed.
“I didn’t know how lonely I was until I made a friend, and she left. And then, I find out someone is trying to kill her, and my only friend might not come back.”
“I miss you, too. And that poisoned burger wasn’t meant for me. Oanen overreacted because of the whole bird bond thing. As for the smiling dead trolls, we have a few leads. It shouldn’t be too much longer. I’m coming back. I promise. How did it go at the Academy today?”
Her words didn’t erase my concern, but I tried to pretend they had.
“Good. Eugene is loving classes and asking a ton of questions. It rubbed a few people wrong, but by the end of the day, I think they were catching on that Eugene is impressed and curious and not a threat. Oh, a siren almost got him into the pool at lunch, but Ashlyn was there to block him,” I said, not mentioning the second, successful attempt where he had actually gone in. “And, Fenris was being pretty good about keeping an eye on the humans, too.”
“Oh? So you and Fenris were hanging out?”
I snorted.
“No way. He keeps texting me annoying updates. I think he misses you.”
“Then, I think you should be a friend and keep him company.”
“Not me. I think the new girls are stirring his wolfie hormones or something because he’s getting worse.”
“Worse? You mean he’s flirting with you now?”
“No. He hasn’t changed at all in that way.” Fenris had always flirted with other girls, especially Megan, but never really with me. Thankfully. “It’s his lust. I can barely be in the same room with him.”
“How’s your succubus training going? Adira still dressing you?” Megan asked, skillfully changing the conversation to a topic I found less upsetting. But only marginally.
“She set out clothes for me this morning. I got creative with them while still following the rules. I wish everyone around here would just leave me alone. I might be a little on the small side, but I don’t think I’m unhealthy. Nothing to warrant this much unwanted attention.
“So how is it staying in New York? Are you missing your backpack with all the wicked you’re running into? Did you kill anyone yet without me?” I asked.
While only sexual energy fed me, it wasn’t the only energy I could take. Draining Megan’s anger had saved her more than once. The fact that I’d had to tackle her from behind a few times, in order to help her, brought a small smile to my lips.
“Not yet. It’s weird here. Most of the time, it’s not as provoking as I thought it would be. People I would have thought I’d want to beat the hell out of, like the goblin, Elbner, don’t bug me. Yet today, regular people were starting to get under my skin. I’m just glad it’s not like it was the night I came here with Adira. That would have been hell. As it is, I think New York would be more fun if we weren’t having to deal with dying trolls.”
The reminder made my stomach sour.
“I heard Adira and the Quills talking. While you’re checking out the deaths in New York, the council near Flagstaff is investigating the deaths of three Nemean lions.”
“What’s a Nemean lion; and did they die with smiles, too?”
I nervously laughed.
“No. Nemean lions are a lot like regular lions. They’re animals but a lot harder to kill. Their coats are impenetrable by mortal blades. Since they’re a protected species by our laws, word is going out, asking for information about their deaths.”
“I’m not sure how this is supposed to make me feel better about dealing with troll deaths.”
“It’s not. I told you so you’d know the Council isn’t giving Oanen all the poopy jobs. An enforcer has to look into any death that’s questionable.”
“Poopy? Adira should forget the succubus clothes and work on your language skills.”
“Swearing isn’t a language skill.”
“Says the person who doesn’t know how.”
“I know how; I just choose not to.”
She snorted.
“I better go. Oanen just walked in with our pizza, and I’m starving.”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
I stared at the phone after I hung up and briefly wondered if I’d done the right thing by not repeating what I’d overheard or my suspicions that she was in danger. Megan’s disregard for authority had caused her problems in the past. If she thought for a moment that Adira was up to something again, Megan’s attention would be on Adira instead of the case. And given the seriousness with which Adira spoke about the deaths, the last thing I wanted to do was distract Megan.
No, keeping silent about what I’d overheard was for the best. I only wished coming to that conclusion would have given me some ease of mind. Instead, all I could do was worry that Megan was still in danger. I needed to find out what was really going on.
My phone chirped. Thinking it might be something more from Megan, I hurried to look at the message.
How’s the studying going? Done yet and ready for some fun?
I wrinkled my nose in irritation.
While Megan might think Fenris was lonely, I knew better. He had far too many girls clinging to him already, and I had no desire to become another member of his all blonde girl pack. I was definitely the wrong species.
Walking toward the refrigerator, I quickly typed out a reply.
Thank you for the notes today and the invite, but I’m staying home.
A knock on the open entertainment door had me looking up from my phone. Mrs. Quill smiled at me.
“Lander and I are going out for a flight. Do you have enough chocolate?”
The normal question seemed so out of place after what I’d overheard that my return smile was weak at best.
“I have enough for now. Thank you, and enjoy your flight.”
“If you decide to take Fenris up on his invitation to the Roost, please leave a note so I don’t worry.”
She left me in a stunned state of confusion. It took a moment to realize she wasn’t somehow reading my texts but that Adira had likely overheard Fenris when he’d been at the door.
Tired and filled with too much worry for Megan, I helped myself to a dark chocolate candy bar. Although chocolate wasn’t readily available in Uttira because it had been deemed too unhealthy for the young stuck here, Mrs. Quill knew how much it calmed me and always offered to pick some up when she and Mr. Quill went out. If she knew just how dependent I was on the stuff or how much I had stashed in the house, she probably wouldn’t be so willing.
My phone rang instead of chirping. Annoyed, I answered without looking at the screen.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Eliana,” Eugene said. He was almost drowned out by the sultry notes of music in the background. “Fenris mentioned that you aren’t coming tonight, and I was wondering if I could stop over by your place instead.”
My vision shifted at the thought of Eugene here, alone, with me.
“That’s not a good idea,” I said. “Especially after the way I behaved in the pool.”
“I was kind of hoping we could talk about that. And about what happened at dinner last night. Ashlyn is great about sharing information, but she doesn’t know much about succubi, and I’m over my head with what’s safe and not safe. Not just with you,” he added quickly. “In general.”
“I’m humbled by your faith in me, Eugene, and hope that you’ll trust me when I say I’m dangerous. I don’t mean to be, but like many of the other creatures in Uttira, my instincts rule me. Especially my need to feed. Like Adira said, I feed on energy. And while that might seem like a non-threatening thing, I promise it’s not. What I accidentally did today is what Adira wanted me to do at dinner last night.”
“Swim with me?”
“No. She wanted me to use my abilities on you to make you want to feed me. To make you more interested in being with me than you should be. It’d be better if you stayed away from me for the next few days.”
“Because you think you put some kind of spell on me?”
What I could do wasn’t some kind of magic, but I didn’t try to correct him.
“Yes.”
“I don’t feel any different.”
“Don’t you? Why else would you call me immediately after hearing you wouldn’t see me?”
“Because, according to you and Ashlyn, I’m currently surrounded by creatures who want to consume me in some way.” There was a smattering of laughter. “And don’t forget that I wanted to talk to you before the whole pool thing happened. So see? Not different.”
“I hope you’re right.”
