Mallory of Strange Valley (Strange Valley Immortals #1) (4 page)

“I guess that would be hard to know for sure,” she said, her voice small. “But if I met him toward the end of my mortal life, well . . . you know I can’t remember anything about the time just before I was turned.”

Whenever Mallory tried to recall the circumstances around her turn to Immortal life, it was like her mind went to white noise. She didn’t know any other Immortals like her, who couldn’t remember turning and had no idea who’d turned them.

Zeke shrugged one shoulder. “I’ll see what I can find out. He’s not giving you any trouble, is he?”

She thought back to Asher’s strange appearance in Jared’s room. “Umm... not really, I guess. He seems to be, I don’t know, challenging me a little.”

He grimaced. “Bitchy tail-poker. Don’t let him give you any shit.”

She grinned. “Not a fan, are you?”

“Was I too obvious?”

She laughed, but her mirth faded when she noticed Zeke’s expression, his eyes serious and lips pressed together.

“You look like you’ve got something to say,” she said. Apprehension twanged through her like a discordant strum on a guitar.

“There’s something you should know,” he said. He leaned his forearms on the desk and held her in place with his unblinking stare. Her wariness intensified. “Recently, two Succubi were extinguished. One in Redmond and one outside of San Francisco. Happened three days apart.”

Her insides seemed to tighten and shrink. “Oh, my God. Any idea what species the killer is?”

“There are the usual suspects, of course, but nothing conclusive. Attempts have been made on a Succubus in Napa and an Incubus in Orange County, as well.”

“Why hasn’t the High Council said anything?” Outrage began to mix with her fear. The least the Council could do was warn the Immortal community, especially sex demons.

“I’m hearing they want to downplay it to avoid igniting a species war. Politics, essentially.” Zeke made a face as though he’d just swallowed a mouthful of dead blood.

Mallory rolled her eyes. “Well then that makes it all okay. Any theories about why sex demons are being targeted?”

“Oh, the usual talk about morality and hierarchy,” he said with another sour look. “For as long as there have been different species of Immortals, there have been . . .
opinions
about which species were superior, and what the proper pecking order should be.”

Mallory waved a dismissive hand. “Yeah, yeah. Angels corner the market when it comes to Immortal superiority complexes. Sex demons are just above the bottom feeders. It’s all crap, Zeke. We all take something from other living creatures in order to survive.” For vamps it was blood. Succubi and Incubi needed sex, of course. Angels were a mystery, though, extremely secretive. No one else knew exactly how Angels survived. But Angels stole
something
, that was certain. Circle of life and all that malarkey.

“That hierarchy has always been a moral, social, and political debate,” Zeke said. “But no one has ever blatantly attacked another species. Not that that’s necessarily what’s happening now.”

“Do you think they might strike here?” she asked. Her mind spun, trying to imagine how she would protect herself if another Immortal attacked her with the intent to exterminate.

There were certain Immortal species that preyed on other Immortals. Rougaru, for example, devoured Immortals alive, taking not only the Immortal’s accumulated life force, but his flesh as well. They were like extremely pissed-off, starving zombie vampires on steroids, but only needed to feed every decade or so to survive. The Council allowed their existence on the condition that they only take victims who applied for termination. It wasn’t something the Immortal community liked to acknowledge, but some among them simply grew tired of an eternal life of draining other beings. In that way, Rogarus’ appetites were satisfied, but without taking unwilling victims. A sinister but workable arrangement.

Zeke raised his palms. “Your guess is as good as mine. I suggest brushing up on your self-defense skills and avoiding dark, deserted places. And of course I will let you know as soon as I hear anything new.” He hesitated. “I suppose you could mention all of this to the tail-poker, too.”

They chatted for a few more minutes, then she drove back home.

As frightening as the attacks were, she had to keep control of her fear. Besides, they’d happened hundreds of miles away, and there was no reason to believe she was in danger. As a distraction, she turned over the little mystery of Asher’s appearance at Mead in her mind. She couldn’t get over that he’d requested to move here. Why?

Much as she’d prefer to avoid Asher, it was time to go to the source.

CHAPTER SIX

Zeke texted her Asher’s address later that night. She didn’t ask how he acquired it, but Zeke always knew where to get information.

She waited until midnight, then winged through the night to an apartment complex south of Strange Valley’s business district, not unlike the one where she and Claire lived. For a moment she wondered what Asher’s day job was, if he even had one yet. Most Immortals worked at least part-time. It helped them integrate into society, acquire money for essentials, and scope out prey.

Because Mallory posed as a student, she received a small stipend from her Order, the official organizing body for sex demons. She also took occasional tutoring jobs, or found other part-time work on campus. One semester she’d worked a few hours a week at the campus coffee shop.

She lurked in a patch of darkness, away from the parking lot lights. She’d watched the window of Asher’s place for about 15 minutes, and after seeing no movement or lights, felt fairly certain he was out. Probably screwing a conquest.

She approached one of his windows, squeezing in between a couple of scratchy box hedges, and paused to see if she could sense Asher’s presence. Nothing.

She tried the window and found it unlocked. Hoping no one was watching her little break-and-enter, she climbed through. She closed the window behind her, and peered around at the dark apartment. A shabby plaid loveseat and small TV on a crooked nightstand were the only furnishings in the living room. A few dishes piled in the kitchen sink, and the counters were bare. The place felt sparse and lonely somehow, and a forlorn feeling descended over her like a cool morning fog.

She took a few steps toward what she assumed was the bedroom, then froze and whipped around.

“What a lovely surprise,” Asher said. He must have snuck in the front door while she wasn’t looking.

Her heart pattered and she shifted her feet awkwardly. This was not at all how she’d planned it. She was supposed to take
him
by surprise.

She stopped fidgeting and planted her hands on her hips. “I’m not here to be
lovely
, I’m here to tell you something. And to ask you something.”

“Okay.” He raised his perfectly sculpted blond eyebrows, waiting.

“First off, I just heard that sex demons are being targeted in Northern California. And a couple have been exterminated. No one knows who’s behind the attacks yet.”

He averted his eyes. “Yes, I know. Best be careful out there.”

How did he know already? Zeke was usually among the first outside the High Council to learn of anything noteworthy happening in the Immortal world. But she didn’t want to expose her surprise that Asher was privy to the news.

“Um, yeah,” she said, not sure how to react to his apparent concern.

“What else is on your mind?”

“Tell me why you transferred to Mead,” she said.

He chuckled, a breathy soft sound, which just heightened her annoyance. There was nothing funny about this situation.

He dropped his black military-style jacket over the arm of the loveseat. “The perky coeds, of course. So tight. So fuckable.”

She followed him with her eyes as he moved to the kitchen. He didn’t bother to turn on any lights, as they both could see just fine in the semi-dark. He pulled open the fridge and reached in.

“Want one?” He held up a can of Red Bull. “I’m addicted to this junk.”

She shook her head. He popped open the can, leaned across the kitchen counter peninsula, and regarded her with unblinking eyes. She stared right back.

How could anyone—even an Immortal—be that beautiful? At over six feet tall, slim but tight with well-defined muscle, his body had the ideal proportions of an underwear model. The hollows under his cheekbones and eyebrows gave him an air of mystery, adding a bit of a dark edge to his otherwise perfect blond surfer-boy looks. He had a body and features so finely put together, he was the kind of guy who’d look equally sexy in a holey t-shirt and ripped cargos as he would in an Armani suit.

Asher’s amused gaze turned soft and thoughtful for a moment. Then he broke eye contact and gestured to the loveseat. He hopped gracefully over the back to land sitting, the can of Red Bull held high so it wouldn’t slosh.

Oh, great
. If she sat next to him they’d be three inches apart, side-by-side like equals. Not the confrontation she had in mind. But if she remained standing, she’d just look like an idiot. She sighed and sat down as far away from him as possible, perched on the edge of the seat.

He laughed. “Loosen up. We can be friends, can’t we?”

“I don’t think so,” she said, her voice cold. “I know you requested this transfer. Why did you come here?”

“Because you’re here,” he said, his voice steady, with no hint of sarcasm. Again he gave her the level gaze.

She shifted a little and clenched her hands in her lap. “Okay, then how did you know about me in the first place, and what’s your interest in me?”

In a blur of Immortal swiftness, he closed the few inches between them, and before she could react his palm touched her cheek, feather-light.

“You really don’t know?” he whispered. His irises were liquid pale gray in the dim light, framed by long lashes that softened the masculinity of his face. His face turned dark. “You don’t remember?”

Her chest tightened. She wanted to move away, but her muscles wouldn’t obey. She couldn’t seem to tear her eyes from his, either.

“Remember what? Do I . . . do I know you?” A chilly ribbon of uncertainty stirred through her. Did she know Asher in her previous life as a mortal? He didn’t look familiar, but as Zeke had reminded her, that didn’t necessarily mean anything.

“I don’t know, do you?” Asher’s voice took on a silky, mesmerizing quality. She knew he couldn’t glamour her - Immortals didn’t have that power over each other - but maybe this was how it felt. Her eyes flicked down to his full mouth, inches from hers. What would he taste like? She had a crazy urge to run her tongue over his lower lip.

“If I did, I would say so,” she said, trying to sound firm and in control. Instead, her words came out a breathy whisper.

He leaned a fraction closer. “Are you sure?” He drew out the last word a bit, his breath warm on the sensitive skin of her lips.

No. Now she wasn’t sure of anything. Faint heat grew between her legs and began to spread and intensify. She tried to block out the sensation, and ignore Asher’s perfect body and beautiful face.

She drew back and scooted against the armrest, putting half a foot of space between them.

“I just want to understand what you’re doing here,” she said. She felt defeated and fluttery all at once, and she didn’t like either sensation.

“I told you.” His voice lost its sensuous lilt and returned to normal volume. “I’m here because you’re here.”

Frustration prickled through her. “That’s not an answer. And if that’s all you have to say, I’m leaving. I have other ways of getting information.”

She stood and strode toward the door. As she closed it behind her, she almost thought she heard Asher whisper something . . . .
Don’t go.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Could he be any more obvious?” Claire shoved a couple of Cheetos into her mouth with an irritated flick of her fingers. She and Mallory lounged on the Green, watching the table where Asher sat with an adoring entourage made up mostly of girls. Grass tickled Mallory’s bare legs, and she could feel the dampness of the soil soaking through the seat of her skirt.

Asher leaned over the girl to his right with a wide smile, and placed his hand on the small of her back. They both laughed over something, and the girl gazed at him with the glassy-eyed look of the glamoured. Why was he influencing her that way? Surely his charm and looks were more than enough to draw in all the prey he needed to survive.

“Whatever, you’re just jealous,” Mallory said, keeping her eyes on Asher as he plucked a carrot stick from a baggie sitting in front of the blonde to his left. He bit into it, and she beamed as though she’d just been paid the most profound compliment of her life.

“Jealous?”

“Um, yeah,” Mallory said. “You want him as much as those girls do.”

“It’s true.” Claire sighed. “I mean, look at him. I’d let him scut me up the—”

“Okay,” Mallory interrupted with a laugh. “I get it, no need for the graphic detail.”

“For a Succubus, you’re a real prude.” Claire chucked a Cheeto and Mallory ducked, and they both laughed. Claire liked to tease her about being too prim and proper for a sex demon, but the truth was just about anyone seemed prudish compared to Claire. She thought about sex at least as much as Mallory did, and she didn’t even require it to survive.

The truth was, Claire would be shocked to see Mallory in full predator mode. Mallory hardly recognized herself when she was hunting. She still wasn’t completely used to it, even after all these years. The odd thing was that most mortals who turned Immortal were naturally attracted by an Immortal species that suited some aspect of their personalities. Claire had been a child model and beauty queen, so it was no surprise she’d ended up a Sylph. But Mallory never understood how Succubus was a fit for her. It didn’t help that she remembered nothing about the circumstances surrounding her turn to Immortality.