Seducing the Succubus (38 page)

She brushed his hair away from his forehead, her cool fingers skimming gently across his skin. “You were right.”

He frowned and cocked his head to the side, trying to understand what she meant.

“You said alive was a good look for you . . . and you’re right.”

Noah laughed again and nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck until she squirmed and laughed. “Only good?” he said against her skin, enjoying the sensual shudder that ran through her.

She gently scraped her fingernails down his bare back, sending a quick line of gooseflesh marching over him, and he raised his head with a laugh. “Don’t get greedy. I’m just glad you’re all right. You really had me worried there for a while.”

A raw memory of the ongoing searing pain flashed back to Noah and he winced. “What happened?” He swallowed hard and then finally asked the question he’d been avoiding thinking about since he’d woken. “Am I an incubus now?”

Jezebeth’s lips curved and she shook her head. “No. Totally human. Although with both Semiazas’s and Lilith’s blood inside you, you’ll have some immunity to both incubi and succubi as well as some demons, not to mention the extended lifespan—although no one is sure by how much.”

Noah blew out a slow breath, relieved for some reason that he’d retained his humanity. The lifespan question didn’t bother him. After all, he’d never known exactly what his original lifespan was, so who was he to quibble over a longer one? “If I get to spend it with you, then I don’t care how long it is. I’ll treasure every minute.” He leaned down to brush his lips over hers.

When he raised his head, tears glistened in Jezebeth’s eyes. “I never thought I’d fall in love, let alone with a human.” She absently ran her fingers over his bottom lip and he kissed her fingertips, making her laugh.

“I’m glad you waited for me.”

“I don’t think you can wait for something you don’t know is coming. But I do think we were meant to find each other.”

He smiled and nodded. “So, what happens now? How soon will your sisters find their way here?”

She shrugged, an odd motion since she was lying on her back beneath him. “The faster the better. But I think Lilith has some errands in mind for us while we wait.”

He shifted, and his cock hardened again inside her.

Jezebeth gasped and tightened her thighs around him, pulling him tight against her.

“Do you think those errands can wait for a while? I’d like to enjoy my newfound immunity.”

A low, smoky chuckle rumbled out of Jezebeth’s throat. “I think you’d better. I’m a succubus in need of sustenance from my, what did you call me back in Lilith’s lair? Your mate?” She nodded, answering her own question. “Yup, ‘mate,’ that was it.”

She grinned up at him as she threaded her fingers in his hair and pulled him close until his lips were so close to hers they shared breath. “I need sustenance from my mate.” She brushed her lips over his. “I love you, Noah.”

He answered her with a kiss that made her head spin as their energy twined together between them. Only when she was breathless and panting did he pull back to look at her. “I love you too, Jezebeth. My very own succubus.” Noah grinned.

Turn the page for a preview of Cassie Ryan’s next Sister of Darkness novel . . .

THE DEMON AND THE SUCCUBUS

Coming soon from Berkley Sensation!

“Not what I
expected. But a lovely prelude to our relationship.”

Sunk deep in a relaxing hot bath, Amalya glanced toward the doorway to find a stunning stranger in a very expensive Italian suit devouring her with an amused, hazel-eyed gaze. Irritation and surprise warred inside her and she bit them back. “I’m sorry. Did we have an appointment, Mr.—” She remained in her reclined state with her head resting back against the bath pillow and her arms resting along the sides of the ridiculously large claw-footed tub, waiting for him to fill in the blank as she mentally reviewed her calendar.

There were no appointments for today, and the Madame hadn’t informed her of any pop-ups, which was why she’d slept in this morning and was now lounging in the tub.

After all, even succubi liked to relax on their days off.

“Levi.” His rich voice, with its definite upper-crust British accent, softly echoed around the spacious bathroom as he walked forward uninvited. He grinned as he crouched and reached out to rub some strands of the long blond hair she’d pinned on top of her head in between his fingertips. “Soft and lovely.” His inflection told her he meant more than just her hair.

Surprised at the man’s bold actions, Amalya resisted the urge to define her personal space. Instead, she mentally shifted into work mode.

She cocked her head to the side and reached out to touch his hair in the same manner he had hers, smiling when he raised his brows as if she’d surprised him. His hair was soft to the touch, the color of rich milk chocolate, clean-cut but longer on the top where it fell over onto his brow. She traced one finger down his sideburns, which were long and ended even with the bottom of his earlobes.

He was definitely good-looking, attractive, with a strong jaw and rich hazel eyes that sparked with amusement.

He intrigued her.

A glowing aura of nearly white energy surrounded him like a pulsing mist. Amalya wasn’t in need of energy, having just entertained a client last night, but this man’s presence tasted human with an undertone of something exotic she couldn’t quite place. Her skin began to ache—the succubus equivalent of a stomach growl, telling her he would give her a surge of energy better than any she’d had lately among the stream of humans and lower-level supernaturals. Not to mention he intrigued her, and she had a feeling she would very much enjoy spending some time with this mystery man.

Everything that made it well worth working on her day off.

“So, what did you expect . . . Mr. Levi?” she asked with a small smile.

“Levi is my given name.” His gaze devoured her face as silence fell between them as if he were trying to put his thoughts into words. “Perhaps someone older?” His lips quirked up at the edges.

A lie.

Amalya bit back a smile. Each succubus had a gift, and hers was being able to discern truth from lies. Not the most powerful gift among her people, or even her three sisters, but one she’d grown to rely on over the millennia—and millennia was how long she’d lived.

From the way Levi’s eyes sparkled, he knew it.

His grin widened as he slowly stood and reached into the inside pocket of his jacket. “The Madame gave me this.” He held up a black old-fashioned ladies’ fan, and a spurt of surprise threaded through Amalya that she hoped hadn’t shown on her face.

Each different color of fan represented what the client had paid for and what they expected from their time with her. It was a very simple tool that kept all talk of money out of the bedroom, and part of a philosophy that had made The Sinner’s Redemption one of the most profitable legal brothels not only in Nevada, but in the world. The black fan meant this man had paid with an open account and he had deep enough pockets to cover whatever he wished to go on inside this room or out.

“My apologies, Amalya. I’ve caught you off guard.” He bowed from the waist as if they were in Victorian England, but the intense gaze that bored into hers held no apology, only delight, intrigue, and anticipation.

“Not at all,” she lied, glad most others didn’t share her gift. “I must not have received the Madame’s message to expect a client. If you’ll give me a moment, I’ll get ready.” She sat up and braced her hands on the side of the tub so she could stand.

“Don’t.” His voice sounded like more of a request than a statement, and she stilled and glanced up at him.

He laid the fan aside and crouched again next to the tub, making the room feel very small as he loomed next to her. “Please don’t be angry with the Madame, she didn’t know of my arrival until just a few minutes ago, and I asked her not to disturb you.” He smiled—the first genuine smile she’d seen from him—which made him look younger and more vulnerable. Now that she’d seen the real man behind the mask, he’d never be able to fool her with his masked expressions again. “And now I’m glad she didn’t.”

Amalya sensed no danger—no special succubus talents needed. Pure female intuition honed over a long life. Not to mention that Jethro, her longtime friend and the bodyguard at The Sinner’s Redemption, wouldn’t have let Levi through if he were any danger to her.

Amalya had been in Hell’s version of the witness protection program for just over seven hundred years. She couldn’t afford to let down her guard when the demon she’d helped lock away still had plenty of contacts within the human realm and would relish the chance to torture her and her sisters for the rest of eternity.

She searched Levi’s face, finally meeting his deep gaze squarely. Pure logic told her there was something more to him than a rich playboy who wanted some time with her. “What can I do for you, Levi? Really.”

“It’s what I can do for
you
that brings me here.”

The truth of his cultured words hit her like a slap before he stood and took off his suit jacket. “Do you mind if I join you? It seems a shame to waste a perfectly good bath, don’t you think?”

Amalya wanted to make him explain his odd statement, but figured he’d get around to it in his own time. Years of isolation from her sisters and her own kind had taught her patience.

She studied Levi and debated saying no. She’d never let anyone join her in the bath before—for her, baths weren’t sexual. It was a silly distinction for a succubus to make since she’d had partners in just about every other scenario, location, and position before. But there was definitely something about this man that intrigued her and made her want to share even this private sanctuary with him.

She mentally shrugged and relaxed back against the tub. “By all means. There are extra towels just behind that door.”

He smiled and opened the door to her spacious walk-in closet, pulling a large green towel off the shelf and hanging it on the hook next to hers. He toed off his shoes and loosened his tie. “You know, I don’t think I’ve bathed with anyone since I was a child. Baths have always been my private thinking time.”

She smirked at the irony of his statement and raised one brow, earning a short laugh from him.

“Touché. Apparently, we are very similar creatures, Amalya. And for interrupting both your day off and your private time, I promise to make it worthwhile.”

Amalya didn’t bother to censor the laugh that bubbled up from her throat. “You’re very sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

He stilled and met her gaze directly. “Yes. I have no doubt I can give you everything you need.”

She frowned at the strength of the truth in those few words. They hadn’t been said as a boast, but almost as a sad fact.

Pure instinct made her add, “I have no doubt you already know I’m a succubus and everything that entails . . . ” By which she meant that time spent with her would drain some of his energy.

He smiled slowly. “I’m well aware, and not worried in the least, my beauty.”

A weight lifted from her and she sighed as anticipation slid through her. She hadn’t realized what a relief it would be not to have to hide what she was. Even supernaturals tended to try to forget to some extent what she was during their time together.

What would it be like to just be herself with no secrets for a while?

Intrigued by the man in front of her, Amalya allowed herself to relax as Levi continued to undress.

He draped his suit jacket and tie over the closed toilet lid before turning back to her and unbuttoning his expensive designer shirt.

A surge of delight tripped through her. He seemed eager to be with her—not the well-known courtesan from The Sinner’s Redemption, but her. She knew it was probably only her imagination, but she held on to the sensation anyway.

Each opened button of his shirt revealed a new tantalizing glimpse of firm skin dusted with crisp, dark hairs, and Amalya, riveted in place, couldn’t seem to look away.

Arousal slid through her like fine cognac, a slow warmth that built in intensity until her nipples hardened under the hot water and familiar slickness formed between her labia. Apparently, her body wholeheartedly agreed with her decision to suspend her day off.

When both sides of Levi’s shirt hung loose to reveal a strong line of firm male flesh, his hands quickly moved to the button of his slacks.

Amalya tightened her fingers on the porcelain to keep from pushing out of the tub and taking over the simple task. Apparently, his hurried movements weren’t even fast enough for her. She smiled and mentally chided herself for acting like a teenager in a backseat after prom.

So much for all her hard-earned patience.

Levi lowered his zipper and she found herself moistening her lower lip with her tongue as impatience snapped through her to see what was hidden underneath the fine, dark fabric.

When she glanced up into Levi’s face, he was smiling.

Heat seared into her cheeks as she realized she’d been caught staring.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed for looking, Amalya. I fully plan on returning the favor once you’re not hidden in all that water.” He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his slacks and slid them off, along with his dark silk boxers, in one fluid motion.

Amalya frowned as Levi bent over to pull the slacks off each foot, blocking her view of his newly revealed body. The rest of him was magnificent, and she was impatient to know if his cock matched the rest of the package.

She huffed out a small breath of frustration, laughing at herself in the process. How long had it been since she’d been this anxious to see a man’s cock? Three thousand years? More? She couldn’t remember, which was answer enough.

Levi straightened and tossed his slacks on top of his other clothes, then slipped off his shirt and gave it the same treatment.