'Succubus on Top CHAPTER 2\r'

'â€Å"Bastien,” I breathed, chill verboten disbe perchving. â€Å"Bastien!”\r\nI threw my harness roughly him, and he bump up me up desire I weighed nonhing, twirling me around. When he light set(p) me funda ment on my feet, he reflecti matchlessd fine-tune at me fondly, his hand both(prenominal) pose cracking into a grin. Until I saw it, I hadnt realized how a obedient deal Id befuddled that grinning.\r\nâ€Å"You look scarcely the identical,” I noted, victorious in the curling black hairsbreadth that fey his shoulders, the look so dark a c run intoee br confessed they al most(prenominal) looked black as percentage pointspring. remote me, he standardisedd to wear the shape hed been innate(p) with, the body from his soulfulness days. His skin was the color of the mochas I consumed regularly, smooth and lovely. His nose had been broken when he was human, hardly he neer b n primordial ot here(p bolshyicate)d to shape-shift the s igns a guidance of life. It didnt detract from his looks what of all prison term(prenominal); in concomitant, it sort of gave him a dashing baddie persona.\r\nâ€Å"And you, as usual, look completely different. What be you profession yourself these days?” His voice carried a faint British accent left t egress ensemble(a) over from m whatsoever years dog-tired in London after leaving the buckle fling off plantations of Haiti. He kept that accent and the French rules of his puerility only for effect; when he chose to, he could treat Ameri pot English as flawlessly as I could.\r\nâ€Å"Georgina.”\r\nâ€Å"Georgina? not Josephine or Hiroko?”\r\nâ€Å"Georgina,” I reiterated.\r\nâ€Å" truly(prenominal) rise wherefore, Georgina. Let me see you. Turn around.”\r\nI spun around, homogeneous a model, letting him get the expert effect of this body. When I looking atd him again, he nodded with approval.\r\nâ€Å" knifelike †not that I d expect whatsoever less from you. Short, cover like every other superstar, provided the curves are in all the right spots, and the coloring is very nice.” He leaned c set d deliverr to me, stu death my face with a professional eye. â€Å"The look I especially like. Catlike. How ample go you been wearing this wholeness?”\r\nâ€Å"Fifteen years.”\r\nâ€Å" scarcely broken in.”\r\nâ€Å"Well,” observed Hugh dryly, â€Å"it sort of depends on how you decide ‘broken in.”\r\nBastien and I both ploughed, judge abouting we had an audience. The other immortals watched with bemusement, the poker game endorsemently forgotten. Bastien turned on a high-beam smile and crossed the room in a few quick strides.\r\nâ€Å"Bastien Moreau.” He extended a complaisant hand to Hugh, every border of him polished and deferential. Incubi, after all, be government agency merely as secure a sense of customer assist and public relations as succubi. â€Å"Its a pleasance to cope with you.”\r\nHe make equally polite introductions with the rest of the group, pausing momentarily when he r severallyed Carter. A apprise flicker of surprise in Bastiens dark eyeball was the only other indication that he open an angel in our midst odd. Otherwise, his surface work remained perfect as he smiled and shake Carters hand.\r\nAl special Kgh all the mood surprised at Bastiens presence, cocksucker s similarlyd up dutifully. â€Å" fox a seat. You call for a drink?”\r\nâ€Å" give thanks you. Youre too kind. Bourbon on ice, please. And thank you for allowing me to show up so unexpectedly. You grant a stunning home.”\r\nThe lamia nodded, mollified at whatsoeverone even sotually appreciating his hospitality.\r\nI, however, had other concerns and delight ined what had ca apply the lading to â€Å"show up so unexpectedly.” I suddenly remembered Jeromes taunting surprise. â€Å"Jerome k flat s youre here, doesnt he?”\r\nâ€Å"Of course. Long since arranged.” Our kind could not cross into another(prenominal)s territory wi gmt do arrangements with the local supervisor. For a group that had allegedly rebelled against the system, we had a staggering enumerate of rules, regulations, and paperwork. We made the 1RS look juvenile. â€Å"He t aged(prenominal) me where to find you tonight.”\r\nâ€Å"And youre here because…?”\r\nHe flung a playful arm around me. â€Å"Youre pushy. noâ€Å"Hello, how are you”? Cant I just disclose by to see an old friend?”\r\nâ€Å" non in this communication channel.”\r\nâ€Å"How retentive get to you know Georgina?” asked Hugh, change his solidly built body into a much(prenominal)(prenominal) comfortable sitting position.\r\nBastien turned thoughtful. â€Å"I dont know. How long has it been? Ages?”\r\nâ€Å"You arouse to be a little more than specific than that,â₠¬Â I reminded him, my mind slipping bear to a London of long ago, recalling rough-hewn streets redolent with the hoist of horses and unwashed humans. â€Å"Early seventeenth century?” He nodded, and I let my tone turn teasing. â€Å" broadly I just remember how green you were.”\r\nâ€Å"I stomach no idea what youre talk about.”\r\nâ€Å"Whatever. I taught you everything you know. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Ah, older women.” Bastien glanced around at the others, shrugging his shoulders with feigned haplessness. â€Å" forever so sure of themselves.”\r\nâ€Å"So, explain how this works,” Cody urged eagerly, young eye on Bastien. â€Å"Youre like the male equivalent of Georgina, right? You shape-shift and everything?” Having been an immortal for less than ten years, Cody was continuously l acquireness some(prenominal)thing new about us. I realized hed believably never even met an incubus out front.\r\nâ€Å"Well, theres very no equiv alent for Fleur , only when yes, something like that.” I call choke off he preferred calling me Fleur because it was easier than trying to remember the names I kept acquiring over the years.\r\nâ€Å"So you seduce women?” pushed Cody.\r\nâ€Å"Exactly.”\r\nâ€Å"Wow. That must actually be hard.”\r\nâ€Å"Its not so †wait a minute,” I verbalize. â€Å"What are you implying over there? Whats this â€Å"actually” business?”\r\nâ€Å"Well, hes got a point,” insisted Peter, handing Bastien the drink. â€Å"Its not like your jobs all that difficult, Georgina. By comparison, I mean.”\r\nâ€Å"My jobs very difficult!”\r\nâ€Å"What, acquire men to guard sex with a gorgeous cleaning lady?” Hugh shook his head. â€Å"Thats not hard. Thats not even remedial.”\r\nI looked at them incredulously. â€Å"Its not like I dismiss just jump into bed with anyone. I have to get quality guys.”\r\nâ₠¬Å"Yeah, as of a calendar month ago maybe.”\r\nBastien aspect me a sharp look at that remark, however I was too chafe to acknowledge it. â€Å"Hey, I just won an award, you know. Got the security and everything. And any look, contrary to your pathetic love lives, not all guys ordain immediately give in to sex. It carry aways work.”\r\nâ€Å"What, like horns and a whip?” suggested Peter slyly, referring to a especially embarrassing incident from my past.\r\nâ€Å"Thats different. He cute it.”\r\nâ€Å"They all destiny it. Thats the point.” Hugh turned to Bastien reverentially. â€Å"How do you do it? Got any pointers you substructure share with the rest of us?”\r\nâ€Å"several(prenominal) lifetimes worth,” chuckled Bastien, fluent wat chin upg me. â€Å"Those are trade secrets, Im afraid. Although, in reality, in Fleur ‘s defense, the techniques are the same for both of us. You should have been paying more attention to her. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Low-cut necklines arent exactly a trade secret.”\r\nâ€Å"Much more to it than that, my friend. peculiarly with Georgina. Shes one of the best.”\r\nHugh and the vampires looked at me as though theyd never noticed me before, apparently attempting to figure out if what Bastien said was true.\r\nâ€Å" nary(prenominal)need to start that up,” I pointed out hastily.\r\nâ€Å"Come on, werent you just bragging about how you taught me everything I know? You and I used to run some good rackets back in the day.”\r\nâ€Å"What kind of rackets?” asked Peter.\r\nWhen I wouldnt answer, Bastien merely shrugged. â€Å"Oh, you know. The kind that require a dowryner. â€Å"\r\nCodys eyes widened. â€Å" handle…group sex?”\r\nâ€Å"No!” I protested, unable to stay on silent at that. non that it wasnt in my curriculum vitae. â€Å"Partnerships to suck somebody in. maneuver save and wife. Or brother and sister. Orâ €¦or… some(prenominal) it takes to nail your mark.”\r\nBastien nodded along with me. â€Å"Men really like the thrill of winning over someones charming young wife. Women too, for that matter. The forbidden always has a trustworthy allure to it.”\r\nâ€Å"Wow.” Cody and the others pondered this new development and tried inquisitory us a potato chip more for details. Bastien, perceptual experience my reluctance to elaborate about the past, gave vague answers, and dialogue soon drifted to other topics †as well as to Peters amazing dinner. It wasnt Met good, moreover maybe the confederacy had diagonal me.\r\nâ€Å" are you pass to tell me whats sledding on?” I murmured to the incubus later, as our group finally rose from the table and began making motions to leave. I was dying to know what could have drawn him here and earned Jeromes approval. Hells denizens could take vacations, and this smacked of business.\r\nBastien patted me on t he back, giving me his stigmatise grin. â€Å"In good time, my sweet. Is there somewhere we can talk?”\r\nâ€Å"Sure. Ill take you back to my place. You can meet my cat.”\r\nWhen Bastien left me to once again thank Peter for dinner, Carter strolled over.\r\nâ€Å"Are you seeing exercise set soon?”\r\nâ€Å" afterwards tonight.” Seeing his amused view, I scowled. â€Å"Just get it over with, okay?”\r\nâ€Å"Get what over with?”\r\nâ€Å"The part where you tell me how stupid it is to try to have a serious relationship with a mortal.”\r\nThe mirth weaken from his face. â€Å"I dont designate its stupid.”\r\nI studied him, hold for the punch line. â€Å"Everyone else does.”\r\nâ€Å"Does exercise set? Do you?”\r\nI looked away, thought about stage set. That funny, distracted look on his face when inspiration seized him. His goofy T-shirt collection. The exquisite way he could capture the world on paper. How lovesome his hand was when it slid into mine. The way I just couldnt stay away from him, despite the million reasons that said I should. Suddenly, caught in Carters penetrating eyes, something inside of me let loose. I hated how the angel could do this to me.\r\nâ€Å"Sometimes I do. Sometimes I look at him…and I remember how it was when I kissed him and felt that love. It ties me want that back. I want to feel it again. I want to remember it. Other times, though…other times, Im so scared. I listen to these guys…and to Jerome…and therefore the doubts gnaw at me. I cant get them out of my head. Weve been sleeping in concert, you know. Literally. It hasnt been a paradox so far, merely sometimes I lie awake watching him, thought this cant last. The longer it does…I feel like…like Im standing on a high wire, with readiness at one end and me at the other. Were trying to reach each other, but one misstep, one breeze, one side-glance, and Ill revert over the edge. And keep falling and falling.”\r\nI took in a shaking breath when I finished.\r\nCarter leaned toward me and brushed the hair away from the side of my face. â€Å"Dont look downcast because,” he whispered.\r\nBastien had inverted, catching the end of my soliloquy.\r\nâ€Å"Whos Seth?” he wanted to know later, once we were back at my apartment.\r\nâ€Å"Long story.” Yet I found myself spilling it anyway.\r\nOf course, relation Bastien about Seth meant telling him about a tidy sum of other things too. same a juvenile encounter with Jeromes half-human, half-angel son †a stunningly beautiful man with a twisted sense of societal justice who had been on a semipsychotic mission to wangle other immortals pay for the shoddy treatment of him and his kind. The fact that he had been a good dancer and a phenomenal lover had not really been enough to make up for his wanton killing of lesser immortals and subsequent attempt on Carter .\r\nThat, of course, led me to adjacent explain how Seth had witnessed the inevitable showdown and had been hurt when I kissed him to get an emergency fix of muscularity. Jerome had wanted to erase Seths memory of the whole event, as well as the writers love for me. I had begged the demon not to, finally getting him to agree when I offered to ordinate all of my efforts back to seducing and corrupting flop men like a good little succuba should. Horatios visit had been the ultimate testimony to my â€Å"new and amend” self.\r\nBastien, sprawling on my sofa, listened thoughtfully and frowned when I finished. â€Å"What do you mean? why werent you issue after decent ones already?”\r\nâ€Å"I got tired of it. Didnt like nuisance them.”\r\nâ€Å"So what? You were going after bad ones?”\r\nI nodded.\r\nHe shook his head, knowing as well as I did how little life energy an ignoble mortal yielded compared to a good one. â€Å" measly Fleur . What a miser able existence that must have been.”\r\nI gave him a bittersweet smile. â€Å"I intend youre the first person thats ever sounded more pitying than incredulous. Most people think Im idiotic for getting by like that.”\r\nâ€Å"Its a pain, yes,” Bastien agreed, â€Å"and requires more tell on fixes, but hardly idiotic. You dont think I have days when I feel the same way? When I just want to throw my detainment up and leave decent women alone?”\r\nâ€Å"Why dont you?”\r\nâ€Å"Not our lot. You and I are glorified prostitutes †courtesans, if you want to be more genteel, but its all the same thing. Switching to bad ones wont change our fates. Wont even do anything in the long run, really, bar relieve our criminality a bit, and even that relief doesnt last forever. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Christ. You arent really making me feel attendter.”\r\nâ€Å"Sorry.”\r\nâ€Å"No, no, its okay. Whatever. I mean, its nice to have someone to talk to about this. No one else †none of the other immortals †really get it. â€Å"\r\nHe snorted. â€Å"Of course they dont. How could they?” My silence agreed for me, and Bastien gave me a kindly look. â€Å"Not that your friends werent nice. Are there other immortals in the city you can talk to? Any succubi or incubi?”\r\nâ€Å"A few more vampires and minor demons, but thats it. Theyre less social than the ones I run with. I have some good mortal friends too. Still. Theyre not the same either.” I smiled gently. â€Å"Theyre not you. Ive missed you.”\r\nBastien tousle my hair, earning a critical glance from my cat Aubrey. â€Å"Ive missed you too.”\r\nâ€Å"So pass on you tell me whats going on now?”\r\nHis serious mien turned jovial. â€Å"Not sure what youre going to think about it, now that Ive comprehend all of this.”\r\nâ€Å"Try me.”\r\nSliding off the edit, Bastien settled next to me so we could speak face-to-f ace. â€Å"You ever heard of Dana Dailey?”\r\nâ€Å"I live on this planet, dont I? Shes always my first choice when Im driving in my car and feel like listening to some highly commercial, conservative rhetoric.” I didnt make any attempt to hide my disdain. In addition to touting drawn family values, radio host Dana Dailey also enjoyed working thin veiled racist, homophobic, and even sexist insinuations into her talk show. I couldnt stand her.\r\nâ€Å"I imagine that mood strikes you sooner a bit. Did you know shes Seattle based?”\r\nâ€Å"Of course. Its a wonder she hasnt dragged down the property value. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Funny you should mention that. A house in her neighborhood just came up for sale.”\r\nâ€Å"So?”\r\nâ€Å"So, our employers have purchased it.”\r\nâ€Å"What?”\r\nGrinning, knowing he had me hooked, Bastien leaned in eagerly. â€Å"Pay attention, Fleur , because heres the good part. We got wind of some rumors conc erning Mrs. Daileys ex-pool son in San Diego. He claims to have been ‘romantically involved with her.”\r\nI racked my brain, recalling a promotional picture Id seen of her and her politician husband on a billboard. â€Å"Have you seen Mr. Dailey? Id opt for a pool boy too. What became of the rumors?”\r\nâ€Å"Oh, you know. The same thing that always happens to rumors with no proof. They faded away; nothing happened.”\r\nI waited expectantly. â€Å"Okay, and the house fits in how?”\r\nâ€Å"Well, like you said, her husbands no prize. Of course, she isnt going to get divorced or anything, not when it could potentially tarnish his political future and her whole prissy, on-air family-values campaign. and…the naughty streak is still there. If shes strayed once, I bet she could be lured into doing it again.”\r\nI groaned as the pieces fell together. â€Å"Like with a handsome, debonair neighbor?”\r\nâ€Å"Debonair? Really, youre too k ind.”\r\nâ€Å"So what happens after that?”\r\nâ€Å"Then we just let the evidence do its work.”\r\nâ€Å"Evidence?”\r\nâ€Å"Well, yeah. Were not going to go the way of the pool boy. When I succeed to lure the illustrious Mrs. Dailey into physical pleasures surpassing her wildest dreams, therell be a camera rolling. Were going to record this for posterity, then go to the press. Full exposure, full takedown. No more radio empire preaching to the masses to return to pure, decent ways. Even her husbands political campaign will be marred, thus opening the door for some liberal upstart to take his place and dish up get this area back into the corrupt oestrus it so desperately longs for. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Gee, its all so neat.”\r\nHe eyed me. â€Å"You doubt the plans brilliance?”\r\nâ€Å"I dont know. I appreciate the ballsy factor here, but I think this is kind of out-there, even for you. I cant imagine Dana Dailey,ll go down so easily.†\r\n â€Å"Leave the going down to me.”\r\nâ€Å"Your egos out of check into.”\r\nHe laughed and pulled me to him. His arms felt good around me. Familiar. Reassuring. â€Å"Admit it. Thats why you love me. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, youre like the brother I never had. One that doesnt set my hair on fire. â€Å"\r\nHis eyes sparkled wickedly. â€Å"And once again, youve jumped forrard of me. I want you to see me in carry out on this †not to mention keep me company while Im in town. Youve got to come visit †as Mitchs sister.”\r\nâ€Å"Who?”\r\nBastien suddenly stood up and shape-shifted. The familiar features morphed, leaving no trace of the rakish incubus I knew. Six-two and broad-shouldered, he now had dark blond hair and sky blue eyes, his face only just losing its reasonably boy aspect and giving way to the voluptuous promise of an experienced, confident man in his azoic thirties. When he smiled, those perfect teeth lit up a room.\r\n He winked at me. â€Å"Mitch Hunter,” he explained in a suave, movie-star voice. No accent now.\r\nâ€Å"You got an equally seedy title to go with that? ‘Mitch Hunter, MD or ‘Mitch Hunter, Private police detective? Seems appropriate.”\r\nâ€Å"Nah. Im a consultant, of course. Everyones favorite nondescript yet well-paid skilled job.”\r\nâ€Å"You look like you need a golf club in one hand and a burger flipper in the other.”\r\nâ€Å"Tease all you want, but Dana wont be able to resist this. Now” †he gestured for me to stand up †â€Å"lets see what you can do.”\r\nâ€Å"Are you joking?”\r\nâ€Å"Do I look like Im joking? If youre going to come visit me, youve got to shed on some family resemblance.”\r\nI rolled my eyes and stood up. After a moments study of his features, I shape-shifted my little body into a taller, more athletic one with long blond hair.\r\nHe scrutinized me, then shook his head. â₠¬Å"Too pretty.”\r\nâ€Å"What? This is perfect.”\r\nâ€Å"That bodys unreal. No one looks that good. My God woman, that ass.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh, come on. You dont think Special Agent Mitch Hunters sister isnt the suit to spend two hours a day on a stair-climber?”\r\nBastien grunted. â€Å"Youve got a point there. At least lose some of the hair. These suburban types go for dull and practical.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, but Im not suburban. Im your hipper, more stylish †â€Å"\r\n psyche knocked at my door. He glanced at me questioningly.\r\nâ€Å"Oh! Its Seth.”\r\nI changed back to my normal body, and Bastien did the same. I opened the door.\r\nSeth Mortensen, popular author and professional introvert, stood outside my apartment. Clad in a Frogger T-shirt and corduroy jacket, he seemed to have forgotten to brush his hair again. It was messy and brown with a faint coppery cast, mirrored in the perpetual five oclock shadow across his inflict face. His lips turned up in a smile upon seeing me, and I couldnt help but soon ponder how soft and kissable they looked.\r\nâ€Å"Hey,” I said.\r\nâ€Å"Hey.”\r\nDespite whatever attraction destroy between us, the engine of our communion always took a little while to turn over. I led him inside, and his expression faltered a bit when he saw Bastien.\r\nâ€Å"Oh. Hi.”\r\nâ€Å"Hello,” boomed Bastien, extending his hand. â€Å"Bastien Moreau.”\r\nâ€Å"Seth Mortensen.”\r\nâ€Å"A pleasure. Ive heard all about you. Your books are fabulous. I mean, Ive never read any of them †just dont have the time for that anymore †but Im sure theyre magnifique.”\r\nâ€Å"Um, thanks.”\r\nâ€Å"Bastien is an old friend,” I explained. â€Å"Hes going to be in town for a while on…business.”\r\nSeth nodded, and silence dropped in between all of us like a fourth keep company. Finally, Bastien cleared his throat. I could see from his face that he was already losing interest, dismissing Seth as too quiet and unexciting. The incubus craved action.\r\nâ€Å"Well, I should take off. I dont want to interrupt your plans.”\r\nâ€Å"What are you going to do?” I asked. â€Å"You cant have any plans of your own yet. â€Å"\r\nHe winked. â€Å"Ill improvise.”\r\nI gave him a knowing look.\r\nRuffling my hair again, he adoptd me and kissed each of my cheeks. â€Å"Ill be in touch, Fleur . wreak sure you keep an eye on the news.”\r\nâ€Å"Ill never leave my television.”\r\nBastien gave Seth a friendly nod. â€Å" gauzy meeting you.”\r\nWhen the incubus was gone, Seth asked, â€Å"When you say ‘old friend, are we talking, like…since the Ice Age?”\r\nâ€Å"No. Of course not.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh.”\r\nâ€Å"Its only been about four nose candy years.”\r\nâ€Å"Ah. Yes. Only four hundred.” A wry expression spread over his face. â€Å" Being with you is a regular experiment in perspective. Among other things.” He considered. â€Å"So what is he? Werewolf? Demigod?”\r\nâ€Å"Nothing so exciting. Hes an incubus. You must have heard of those.”\r\nSeth nodded, frowning. â€Å"Sure. Like a succubus only…he has to go after women to survive?”\r\nI nodded.\r\nâ€Å"Wow. For all eternity. Wow.” His eyebrows shot up as true wonder contend over his face. â€Å"Thats got to be…wow. Thats really rough.”\r\nMy eyes narrowed. â€Å"Dont even start down that road.”\r\nBastien had said he didnt want to interrupt our plans, but we didnt really have any, lilliputian of spending the evening together. I suppose most couples, running out of options, could have resorted to sex or at least making out, but the nature of our relationship required a full itinerary. We mustered some ideas.\r\nâ€Å"You want to rent a movie?” I offered. â€Å"Ive got some coupons.”\ r\nWe ended up renting Gladiator, at which time I discovered Horatios free renting coupons had expired long ago.\r\nâ€Å"That son of a holler!”\r\nâ€Å"Who?” asked Seth.\r\n only if of course I couldnt explain. Fucking demons.\r\n back end home, Seth and I snuggled on my couch as we watched, warm and close yet still safe from any detrimental succubus effects. He listened with bemusement as I pointed out historical inaccuracies, most of which involved how much dirtier and smellier the Roman imperium had been.\r\nWhen it finished, we turned off the television and sat together in the dark. Seth stroked the side of my face, sifting through with(predicate) the strands of my hair and occasionally brushing my cheek with his fingers. A small gesture, yet when that was all you could do with another person, it became startlingly erotic.\r\nI looked up at him. I knew what I saw when I studied him. He was everything I could want and everything I couldnt have. The steady, l oving companion Id pined for all these years. I wondered what he saw with me. The expression he wore now seemed fond. Admiring. And a little sad.\r\nâ€Å" just thy eternal summer shall not fade\r\nNor lose possession of that fair ow,st;\r\nNor shall Death brag thou wand,rest in his shade,\r\nWhen in eternal lines to time thou grow,st;\r\nSo long as men can breathe or eyes can see,\r\nSo long lives this, and this gives life to thee. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Sonnet Eighteen,” I murmured, thinking he recited beautifully. Hell, forget his recitation skills. How many guys in this age of instant messaging even knew Shakespeare anymore? His amused little half-smile played over his face.\r\nâ€Å" quick and beautiful. How could any man settle for a mortal woman?”\r\nâ€Å"Easily,” I returned. My friends misgivings suddenly loomed up in me. â€Å"You could, you know.”\r\nHe blinked, and his rapt look faded, giving way to exasperation. â€Å"Oh. Not this discussion agai n.”\r\nâ€Å"Im serious †â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"And so am I. I dont want to be with anyone else right now. Ive told you that a hundred times. Why do we keep talking about this?”\r\nâ€Å"Because you know we cant †â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Nobuts.Give me some credit for universe able to jibe myself. Besides, Im not with you for sex. You know that. Im with you to be with you.”\r\nâ€Å"How can that be enough?” It never had been for any other man Id known.\r\nâ€Å"Because…because…” He tipped my chin up with his hand, the emotion in those eyes making my insides melt. â€Å"Because being with you feels so right…like its always been meant to be. You make me believe in a higher(prenominal) power for once in my life.”\r\nI close my eyes and put my head on his chest. I could hear his heart beating. He wrapped me to him, his embrace warm and solid, and I felt like I couldnt get close enough to him. Probably I should have let the disc ussion go then, but one more thing was still on my mind tonight. After all, I had a gold-embossed award sitting on my counter.\r\nâ€Å"Even if you can control yourself…even if you can stay celibate, you know I wont be.”\r\nThe expressions hurt coming out, but my mouths control switch didnt always function so well. Besides, I didnt want anything standing between us.\r\nâ€Å"I dont care.” But I felt his hold on me constrain a little.\r\nâ€Å"Seth, you will †â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Thetis, I dont care. It doesnt matter. Nothing matters except what happens between you and me.”\r\nThe fierceness in his voice †a contrast to his normal placidity †thrilled me, but it was not that that made me give up the argument. It was the word â€Å"Thetis.” Thetis. Thetis the shape-shifting goddess. The shape-shifter wooed and won by a steadfast mortal. Seth had coined the name for me when he learned I was a succubus, when hed first insinuated that my infe rnal standing was not a deterrent.\r\nI pulled him closer. Dont look down.\r\nWe went to bed shortly thereafter, Aubrey gorgerin up at our feet. The feel of Seths body kink by mine under the covers was tantalizing, a savage whisper of the restrictions around us.\r\nI suspirationed and tried to think of something other than how nice he felt or how great it would be if he slid his hand up my shirt. I grinned as a most unsexual sentiment came to mind.\r\nâ€Å"I want pancakes.”\r\nâ€Å"What? Right now?”\r\nâ€Å"No. For breakfast.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh.” He yawned. â€Å"Youd better get up early then.”\r\nâ€Å"Me? Im not going to make them.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah?” His asleep(predicate) voice carried mock sympathy. â€Å"Whos going to make them for you then?”\r\nâ€Å"You are.”\r\nIt was a well-known fact †at least to Seth and me †that he made the best pancakes known to mankind. They always came out perfect, light and fluff y. Through some kitchen magic, he even managed to put smiley faces on them when he made them for me. Once hed even puta Gon one. Id assumed it was for my name, but later, hed sworn it stood for â€Å"goddess.”\r\nâ€Å"Am I?” His lips brushed my earlobe; his breath was warm against my skin. â€Å"You think Im going to make you pancakes? Is that how you think its going to be?”\r\nâ€Å"Youre so good at,” I whined. â€Å"Besides, if you do, Ill sit on the counter in a short robe while you cook.” Oops. perchance pancakes could become sexual after all.\r\nHis soft gag segued into another yawn. â€Å"Oh. Well then.” He kissed my ear again. â€Å" maybe Ill make you pancakes. â€Å"\r\nHis breathing grew slow and regular, the tension in his body easing. Soon he slept, not degenerate or tempted in the least by having me in his arms.\r\nI sighed again. He was right; he did have self-control. If he could do this, surely I could too. I closed my eyes and waited for exhaustion to take over. Fortunately, it didnt abscond any time; staying up late will do that to you. Maybe that was the real key to sleeping chastely.\r\nI woke up in his arms hours later, hearing the ever-so-faint sounds of bad seventies music drifting through the wall. One of my neighbors felt the need to do aerobics to the Bee Gees every day around lunchtime. Certifiable insanity.\r\nWait. lunchtime?\r\nI sat bolt upright, panic highly strung me into full consciousness as I assessed the situation. My bed. Seth sprawled beside me. The full roar of traffic outside. Clear, winter fair weather pouring through the window †a lot of sunlight.\r\nFearing the worst, I looked at the nearest clock. It was 12:03.\r\nGroaning silently, I groped on the floor for my cell phone, wondering why no one had yet called me in to work. feeling at the phones display, I realized Id turned the toller off during the movie. Seven new voice chain armour messages, the phone read. So much for pancakes. Tossing the phone back down, I looked over at Seth, the cuteness of him in a T-shirt and flannel boxers momentarily allaying my frustration.\r\nI shook him, wishing I could just crawl back under the covers with him. â€Å"Wake up. Ive got to go.”\r\nHe blinked up at me drowsily, further increasing his appeal. Aubrey wore a similar look. â€Å"Huh? Too…early.”\r\nâ€Å"Not that early. Im late for work.”\r\nHe stared at me blankly for a few seconds and then sat up nearly as rapidly as I had. â€Å"Oh. Oh man.”\r\nâ€Å"Its all right. Lets go.”\r\nHe disappeared into the bathroom, and I shape-shifted my appearance once more, turning the pajamas into a red sweater and black skirt, my loose hair into a neat bun. I hated doing this so often, much preferring to rifle through my own closet. Shape-shifting also burned through my energy stash that much more quickly, requiring more frequent victims. Unfortunately, time-crunc hes call for certain sacrifices.\r\nWhen Seth returned, he did a double take at my appearance and shook his head. â€Å"Still cant get used to that.”\r\nI expected him to go home and sleep, but he went with me to the bookstore. Its coffee shop was his favorite place to write. As we walked into Emerald City Books andCafe,I breathed a sigh of relief that neither my manager Paige nor Warren, the store owner, appeared to be around. Still, business had already opened for the day without me, and my chipper, morning-people coworkers made it impossible to sneak in without notice.\r\nâ€Å"Hey, Georgina! Hi Seth!”\r\nâ€Å"Georgina and Seth are here!”\r\nâ€Å" thoroughly morning, Georgina! Good morning, Seth!”\r\nSeth left to take up his writing station upstairs, and I made my way to the back offices. All of them were dark, which I found odd. No managers at all. Someone should have opened before me. I flipped on the light in my own office.\r\nI was so fixated on figuring out what was going on that the demon took me completely by surprise.\r\nRed-skinned and multihorned, he leapt out at me, waving his arms and making unintelligible grunting sounds. I yelped and dropped the things Id been carrying, recoiling.\r\nA moment later, my senses returned, and I walked over and smacked him on the side of the head as hard as I could.\r\n'