Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 4

The near day, I went to the address on Dantes business card. It was in Rainier V in alto leaseherey, which wasnt exactly run nap only when wasnt upwardly rambling either. The directions led to a narrow shop crowd in among a break offber and a shady- sapiditying convenience store. PSYCHIC hung in ruddy neon letters in the window. The I had burned erupt. underneath it, a slip bywrit cristal sign read treat READING & TAROT CARDS.I stepped through with(predicate) the ingress, making bells crime syndicate. The interior adjudicated to be as loose as the exterior. A narrow counter flanked unmatched wall. The rest of the small, stark space was empty, save for a round table c e preciseplace in red velvet that had cig artte burns on it. A tacky crystal ball sit on top. This place was a wasteland comp ard to Eriks warm, inviting shop. dependable a minute, a fathom called from an open doorway in the thorn. Ive in force(p) got to A man entered the popu posthumous and halt when he saw me. He was ab turn out six-foot, with moody hair pulled back in a ponytail. deuce days worth of facial hair covered his face, and he wore jeans and a plain black T-shirt. un clockly forties, maybe, and pretty cute. He confronted me over from head to toenail and gave me a sly, lie withing smile.Well, hello. What do we withdraw here(predicate)? He tilted his head, still studying me. none human, thats for sure. Demon? No, not strong enough. Vampire? Nonot this sequence of day.I I stopped, strike that hed sensed aboutthing in me. He had no deific signature he was definitely human. He moldiness be analogous Erik, I realized. A psyche who could sense the immortal world, though he didnt hold off at enough skill to pinpoint what I was exactly. decision making on that point was no point in subterfuge, I tell, Im a succubus.He shook his head. No, you arent.Yes, I am.You arent.I was a bout affect to be having this conversation. I am to a fault.No. Succubi are flame-eyed and bat-winged. Everyone k straightways that. They dont wear jeans and sweaters. At the very least, you should ask a bigger chest. What are you, 34B or close tothing?C, I tell indignantly.If you say so.Look, I am a succubus. I can prove it. I let my form change, shifting through several polar female variations before return to my usual one. becharm?Well, Ill be damned.I had a smelling he was playing with me. Are you Dante?For now. He approached and shook my arrive at, holding on to it. He flipped it over. You here for a address reading? Ill show you how to shape-shift your hand to draw in a salubrious-be necessitated future.I took my hand back. No, thanks. Im here because I piddle some questionsquestions that Erik Lancaster mapping you might be able to set.Dantes smile dropped. He rolled his eyes and walked over to the counter. Oh. Him.Whats that supposed to believe? Eriks my friend.Dante leaned his back against the counter and crossed his arms over hi s chest. Of course hes your friend. Hes everyones friend. Fucking boy scout. If he could welcome shaken his self- properlyeous attitude and spend a penny fored with me, we could select do a fortune by now.I recorded what Erik had tell about Dante being a con mechanic and a Hell-bound person. I didnt break apart up any evil vibes off him, tho there was a definite abrasiveness to his attitude that mark Eriks assessment much plausible.Erik has standards, I declared.Dante laughed. Oh, great. A holier-than-thou succubus. This is going to be fun.Look, can you that answer my questions? It wont carry abundant.Sure, he part tongue to. Ive got time at least until the next rush of customers. The bitter tone in his voice as he gestured to the empty room indicated that there hadnt been a rush in a very long time.I had a stargaze the other iniquity, I explained. And when I woke up, all my cipher was gone.Youre a succubus. Supposedly. That salmagundi of thing happens.I in vite everyone would stop saying that This wasnt normal. And Id been with a man the night before. I was charged up, so to speak.You do anything afterwardsward that would have depleted the energy?Everyone unbroken intercommunicate that too. No. I average went to bed. notwithstanding the breathing init was in truth strange. I dont shaft how to explain it. Really, in reality vivid. Ive never felt up anything a interchangeable(p) it.What was it about?A, um, dishwasher.Dante sighed. Did someone pay you to bewilder here and mess with me? finished gritted teeth, I related the dream.Thats it? he asked when I finished.Yup. feeble dream.Do you know what it means?Probably that you remove to fix your dishwasher.It isnt distressedHe straightened up. Sorry. Cant religious service you indeed.Erik give tongue to this was your specialty.It is, I suppose. and, sometimes a dream is practiced a dream. You sure you dont rentiness me to read your palm? Its all bullshit, further I ca n at least make something up so you feel like the trip wasnt wasted.No, I deprivation to know about my fucking dream. How can it be vertical a dream if I woke up with no energy?Dante walked back over to me and flicked a writing of escaped hair out of his face. I dont know. You arent braggy me enough to go on. How many times has it happened?Just the one time.Then it may be vindicatory a fluke, kiddo.I turned toward the door. Well, thanks for the help. f number over to my side, Dante caught my arm. Hey, wait. You want to go derive a drink now?I what?Ill risk disconcerting the masses and close up shop for the day. at that places a great bar around the corner. Draft Budweiser besides a dollar a glass during intelligent hour. My treat.I scoffed. I didnt know what was more absurd. That Dante public opinion Id go out with him or that he melodic theme Id drink Budweiser. His attractiveness wasnt enough to make up for his weird personality.Sorry. I have a boyfriend.Im not look ing to be your boyfriend. Cheap sexual activity is bonny with me.I met his eyes. They were gray, similar to Carters barely without the silvery hue. I expected a joke here, save contempt the per flatterual smirk, Dante appeared to be sodding(a)ly serious.Why on earth do you think Id have deuce-a-penny sex with you? Do I look that indulgent?You say youre a succubus. Youre tame by definition. And take down without the bat-wings and flame-eyes, youre pretty cute.Arent you worried about your soul? even out if he was as corrupt as Erik had insinuated and I still wasnt authentically seeing that Dante would take some kind of hit from sleeping with me. All mortals did. Of course, Id met cud of men good and evil alike whod been unforced to risk their souls for sex.Nope. My souls pretty far gone. This would just be for fun. Look, if you want to skip the beer, we can just beat right to it. Ive perpetually wanted to do it on the table over there.Un-fucking-believable. I push ed open the door.Oh, acquire on, he pleaded. Im pretty good. And hey, maybe your boyfriends poor inner capital punishment is whats stressing you out and taking away your energy. non likely, I told him. We dont have sex.There was a moments silence, then Dante threw back his head and laughed. Did it occur to you that maybe thats stressing you out? Clearly the dishwasher is a metaphor for your broken sex life, which then forces you to wash dishes by hand.I left, heading back to the bookshop where I could get a little respect. Some dream skilful Dante had turned out to be. I could see now why Erik didnt genuinely like him. I was to a fault starting to wonder if maybe everyone was right. Maybe I had mentally burned myself out. Maybe the dream was real just a dream.I was almost at the bookstore when I got a phone call. scarper Kincaid? asked a pleasant female voice. This is Karen from the Seattle Childrens Alliance, avocation to settle your participation in our auction this week.Y our what?There was a pause. Our charity interlocking auction, to climb money for the Alliance.I was still baffled. Um, sounds like a great cause, but I have no idea what youre lecture about.I perceive papers being ruffled. We have you listed as a volunteer.For what, to be auctioned off for a take care?Yes. It looks likehere we are. Your name was submitted by Dr. Mitchell.I sighed. Let me call you back. I hung up and dialed Hugh. Hey, Dr. Mitchell. You volunteered me to be auctioned off?Its not that different from what you ordinarily do, he argued. And its for charity.I buy the peace-on-Earth-and-good-will-toward-men thing from shaft of light and Cody but not from you. You dont care about those kids.I care about the groups director, Hugh give tongue to. Shes a fucking fox. I get some high quality candi fittings to raise money, and I can probably get her in bed.Youre using a childrens charity to further your sex life. Thats horrible. And why didnt you ask Tawny? If anyone nee ds a date, she does.Her? Jesus Christ. Itd be a disaster. Were accenting to make money here. Do you hate kids or something?No, but I dont have time to do it. Ill pull through them a check.I hung up on his protests, just as I turned onto Queen Anne Avenue. I was a little early for my shift and resolute to stop home and grab an apple and a granola bar. Last time Id worked, wed been so engross that Id skipped my eat break. I figured that this time, I should come prepared. My immortality wouldnt let me starve to death, but I could still get lightheaded and weak.Halfway down the hall to my apartment, I felt a shock wave of cobwebby goodness. Angelic auras. I opened my door and plant the whole clump Carter, Yasmine, Whitney, Joel, and Vincent. None of them spoke they were all just watching me expectantly. The angels would have sensed me long before I sensed them. They all sat in my living room, casually occupying my sofa and chairs as though they werent a host of heavenly warrior s. Well, not all of them were casual. Joel sat as stiff and dinner gown as he had the first time I met him.Oh, man, I said, shutting the door behind me. Its just like that They Might Be Giants song.Vincent grinned. Shes an Angel?I nodded. somewhere theyre meeting on a pinhead calling you an angel, calling you the nicest things, he finished.What are you doing here? demanded Joel, interrupting our stymy session.Or not so nice, I muttered. I turned from Vincent and glared at Joel. I live here, remember?Were having a meeting, he said.Hey, when you asked if Vince could stay here, you never said anything about making this your top secret channelize house headquarters. I dont care if you guys hold your choir practice here or whatever, but dont try to throw me out go you do.Sorry, said Yasmine. I did a double-take. Apologies from angels were about as rare as from demons. From the look on his face, Joel was about as surprised as me. We probably should have asked first. We can go some where else. She leaned over my coffee table and started conference up newspapers. Interesting. Apparently Vincents fixation with the news was more than just a personal hobby. I glanced back up at Yasmine and tried to act like I hadnt noticed anything.No, its fine. Im actually heading right back out. I just came by for some food.She pushed strands of long, black hair out of her face. Theyd slipped out of her ponytail. You want Vince to make you something?He turned to her, startled, wearing an astonished, yet still-amused look. What am I, your personal assistant?not with the kind of respect you show us, she grumbled.I hid a smile. Thanks, but Im fine. I dont have the time.Good, said Joel. Then spate up.Whitney sighed and looked a little embarrassed but not enough to contradict him. Yasmine had no such qualms and elbowed him in the ribs. What was that for? he exclaimed.You have no manners, she scolded.Grinning broadly, I went to the kitchen and found an apple. When I opened the cupb oard to look for my granola bars, I found the box empty. Hey, I said, carrying it out to the living room. Did somebody eat these? I had two left this morning.Carter spoke up for the first time. I was hungry.I stared at him, incredulous. You ate both of them?I was hungry, he repeated, not looking contrite in the least.Does it ever stop with you? I exclaimed. First the Christmas tree, now this? You didnt even throw the box awayI was hoping youd forgotten about the Christmas tree. That was an accident, and you know it.I sighed loudly and put the apple in my purse.Im going to the marketplace store later, said Vincent helpfully. Aubrey jumped up and settled herself between him and Yasmine. Both their hands instantly moved to pet her. Aubrey gave me a smug cat look at the attention. Ill pick you up some more if you want. hustle him up some more so that he doesnt go rob the food bank next. See you guys later. No wild parties while Im gone. Carter, Yasmine, and Vincent laughed Whitney an d Joel didnt.When Id shut the door behind me, I paused in the hall, wishing there was some way to spy on angels. There wasnt, unfortunately. I couldnt even hide from them. They could mask their signatures from me, but not vice versa. In fact, they all knew I hadnt left yet. Annoyed, I headed downstairs, remnant burning in me. Why were they all here? Why did they need a human? And what role did the newspapers play? computation out what angels did with their time was evermore difficult. With my side, it was pretty straightforward. We were always looking to commit souls to Hell and did so in a well-monitored, micro-managed manner. Heavens forces moved in mysterious ways, though. Carters purpose in Seattle was a continual puzzle for my friends and me since none of us ever saw any severalize of him doing anything in particular noble, aside from sharing his cigarettes. He did always show a lot of interest in my love life and was quick to dispense incomprehensible pieces of advice, bu t I suspected that was more curiosity than altruism.Work was only a few blocks away. Since it wasnt raining, I simply walked down there. As soon as I entered Emerald City, Maddie approached me, an uncomfortable expression on her face.Hey, she said uneasily. I, um, need your advice. Im going to a wedding tomorrow and dont know what to wear. This is so stupidbut could you take a look at my options?Peering around, I decided the store could function without us for ten minutes, particularly since it had taken Maddie a fair amount of fearlessness to broach this subject. Id never actually seen her dress up before. Okay. Lets see what youve got.We went back to my office, and she tried on triad different dresses. No doubt solidification would have been amused to know she was changing clothes while I was in there.When shed finished, I gave my honest opinion. They dont do you justice.Which is a nice way of saying they look awful on me. Maddie balled one of the dresses up and tossed it to the floor. I hate this sort of thing. How can I print about womens issues and not be any good at them?Wellyou write about different kinds of issues. The problem here is that youre wearing clothes that are too big for you.Her dark eyes widened in surprise. Im big. Theyre loose. They hide it.Maddie wasnt big, not really. She was a size ten or twelve, if I had to guess, and her short height express that a little. But her curves were all proportioned correctly, and she had a very pretty face. Of course, compared to the anorexic models so popular among adult male today, I could understand her attitude.You are not big. But those dresses make you look it. Something smallers going to make you look better.I cant wear tight clothes.They dont have to be tight. They just have to fit.Maddie sighed and ran her hands down the sides of her thighs. You dont know what its like, she said, the slightest accusatory note in her voice. Youre beautiful and tiny. Not all of us have the luxury of looking per fect all the time.No one looks perfect all the time, I argued. I certainly dont. Okay, I kind of did. Youve just got to recover the right things. And really, half(a) of beauty is attitude. You feel sexy, then you are sexy.Maddie looked dubious. I dont think its that easy. Guys arent exactly chomping at the bit to ask me out. You know how long its been since I was on a date?That goes back to attitude, I said. Look, I dont mean to sound harsh, but you dont always give off friendly vibes. I mean, you do to me. And to Doug. mixed bag of. But really, thats it.I know Im not the ruff with people, she admitted, crossing her arms over her chest. But I just cant do meaningless small talk.Yeah, but you still have to do some talking. Its a fact of life.Well, if guys came and actually talked to me, maybe I could try. But they arent really lining up. She gestured at her body. Because of this. And now weve come full circle.What if I could guarantee you a date? I asked, perfectly inspired.Her lips quirked into a smile. It instantly modify her face. Are you asking me out?No, but someone else will, Im certain of it. You just have to let me pick out your outfit.Im not wearing anything slutty.It wont be, I promised. I stood up from my chair. Look, Ive gotta run. Wear the yellow dress to the wedding. With a belt. Ill give you details later about the date plan. She left, looking skeptical, and I threw myself into work.The rest of the day flew by. I never saw Seth in the caf? and presumed he was working at home today. We had a date later on, so I knew Id see him then. Since bonnie manager, I spent a lot of time holed up in my office, which was hard on the favorable part of me. But, every once in a while, I got to escape to cover someones break or arrange a display. magic spell near the self-help section, a guy carrying some books stumbled near me and dropped the stack. Hoping he hadnt tripped on a bump in the carpet and was supply a lawsuit, I hastily knelt down to help him .No, no, he said, cheeks burning. He was the age I looked, late twenties. Early thirties at most. You dont have toI was already stacking them, though, and quickly understood his discomfort. They were books on all sorts of fetishes in particular, exhibitionism and voyeurism.Oh beau ideal, he said, as I handed him the books. Im so embarrassed. I feel like such a pervert.Its okay, I told him. Its your business, and weve all got ourah, preferences.He looked mildly reassured but still clearly wanted to bolt. There was a wedding ring on his hand, and I expected I was transaction with a fetish he probably didnt apportion with his wife. Honestly, I was surprised hed resorted to actual books when he could find a hundred times more sources on the Internet. Most likely he and his wife dual-lane a home computer, and he feared discovery.It was Georgina the succubus, not Georgina the bookstore manager, who asked the next question. Georgina the bookstore manager would have gotten fired for i t if caught.You like the watching or the doing? I kept my voice low.He swallowed, studied me for mockery, and must have decided I was serious. The, um, doing.For half a breath, I considered going for it with him. I needed the energy, badly. Hed be an easy mark, consumed with a secret obsession he couldnt encounter anywhere else. But, itd mean doing it in this body, and I didnt like that. This was my preferred, everyday shape. I didnt want to sully it with business.So, I smiled and sent him on his way, silently wishing him well in fulfilling his sexual desires.I called Seth later while I was walking home from work to confirm our date. We were going to meet over at the Pacific Northwest Ballet to see The nutcracker. While he appreciated the performing arts, getting him to go out while his books ending loomed had been a knock-down(a) task, and I still couldnt believe hed agreed. Hed only conceded after Id promised he could show up at the delay practical minute.Only, we apparently had different definitions of last possible minute because when the lights went down, he still hadnt surfaced. The ballet started, and I craned my neck each time I heard one of the doors open. The chair beside me stayed empty, unfortunately. It was a sign of my fervor that I missed a lot of the performance and couldnt appreciate Claras dream a dream as vivid for her as mine had been for me. I love the ballet. Id danced in a few shows over my life sentence and never got tired of watching graceful muscles and work out costumes.At intermission, I turned on my electric cell phone and saw that Seth had tried to call. I dialed him back without even listening to the voice message. When he answered, I said, Please tell me a nutty fan kidnapped you and broke your legs with a sledgehammer.Um, no. Didnt you get my message?Well, no, seeing as my phone said it came in a half-hour ago. I didnt have it on because I was busy watching this thing. You know, The Nutcracker?He sighed. Im sorry. I c ouldnt leave. I was too wrapped up. I thought if I, uh, gave you enough notice admit? This was more like a belated natal day card. Six months after the fact.Silence fell, and I felt some satisfaction in knowing he was quietly acknowledging his wrongdoing.Im sorry, Thetis. It wasI shouldnt have done it, busy or not. Im really sorry. You know how I get. in a flash I sighed. He was so damned straightforward and adorable that I had a hard time holding a grudge. This wasnt, however, the first time hed stood me up or otherwise neglected our social life. sometimes I wondered if I allowed him too much indulgence. I spent so much time worry about my transgressions taking advantage of him maybe I was the one being walked over without even realizing it.You want to meet up after the show? I asked, trying not to sound mad. Cody invited me out to the bar with them. We could hang out there for a while.Umwell, no.No? The annoyance Id tried to quell taw its head back up again. I just forgave you for standing me up and wasting the money I paid on your ticket, and now youre turning down my conciliatory offer?LookI really am sorry, but watching you and your friends get wino isnt exactly appealing.I sat for a moment, too stunned to respond. Hed spoken in his typically mild way, but Id heard the slightest bit of derision underscoring his words. Seth didnt drink. He always tolerated my excesses good-naturedly, but I suddenly wondered if they irritated him after all. His meaning came through as haughtiness to me.Sorry were not up to your standards. God knows we cant expect you to do anything outside of your comfort zone.Please, stop. I dont want to fight with you, he said with exasperation. Im really, really, really sorry about all this. I didnt mean to stand you up. You know that.The lights flashed, signaling the end of intermission. Ive got to go. lead youwill you please come over this night? Go out with your friends, let me finish, and then Ill make things up to you. I promis e. II have an early Christmas present for you.The hesitancy in his voice softened my heart. A little. Yeah. Okay. It might be really late when I get there.Ill wait up.We said our good-byes and disconnected. I watched the rest of the show in a grumpy mood and decided drinking and bitching with the gang couldnt come a moment too soon.