Soul Enslaved (Sons of Wrath Book 3) (3 page)

“Is that not the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen? Look at them. Like two baby birds in a nest!” Denya pumped her fingers open and closed, making a squishy gesture with her hands—one she’d created for the twins when they were babies. “Why do I want to eat them? Cuteness turns me cannibalistic.” Denya’s laugh startled Janie, and she slapped a hand to her mouth until Janie stilled again and turned to Sabelle. “So, what happened? You look kinda pissed.” A quick scan landed somewhere on Sabelle’s chest, and Denya’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell’s on your shirt? Is that
blood
?”

A downward glance showed specks of red spattered across her boobs. “Some asshole. Hit on me. I told him to get lost.”

Denya didn’t need to know more than that. Truth? In addition to her back alley conquest, a fight had broken out. Cops got called. Same shit, different night. Seedy human bars were sometimes worse than the ones the supes secretly owned. At least there were some supernatural forces guarding supe bars. Though, as Sabelle happened to be blessed with the gift of succubihood and the relentless slut-shaming that came with the name, despite not having made a living from soul-sucking sex, she could pretty much forget about trying to get a job in one.

“Don’t tell me. Poor sap made the mistake of asking you out for dinner and drinks?” She shook her head. “Would it kill you to go on one date?”

With Sabelle’s luck? Probably.

Sabelle’s gaze wandered over to the window with its cityscape view of Detroit. “Do me a favor, Denya. Finish your degree. Get a good job where people respect you. Do it different.”

Lord knew, if Denya had to work in the bar scene, the assholes would hunt her down and rip away the one thing that made her different from every other succubus in the city—she was a virgin. Probably the oldest virgin succubus to walk the planet, thanks to Sabelle’s relentless hounding through most of her teenage years. She also happened to be bat-shit crazy, in spite of those brains. A daredevil, of sorts, who loved pushing her limits and sported the broken bones and scars of stupid decisions—like her little wakeboarding escapades at Jobbie Nooner, and base-jumping off of abandoned skyscrapers that landed her in the next door jail for a few nights. Girl had a death wish. Not so much from the acts themselves, but if Sabelle ever caught her, she’d vowed to beat the ever loving shit out of her.

Denya placed a hand on her sister’s. “Selly, your luck will change. I can feel it. Just hang in there, okay?”

Kneeling to the floor, Sabelle smiled and moved a small white curl from Janie’s cheek. “How’d it go?”

“Perfect as always. Jesus, Sabelle, don’t you let these kids do anything? I told them they could jump on my bed earlier, and you’d think I’d spoken Chinese, or something.”

“They know better.”

“Didn’t stop them from doing it.” The wicked smile in Denya’s voice had Sabelle inwardly groaning. “TJ did a back-flip.” Inclining her chin, she flattened her lips and pretended to wipe tears. “So proud of mah boy.”

“Wish I didn’t have to move them.”

“Then, don’t! Stay here.”

“Can’t do that. I promised Griffin I’d finish this abstract piece he wants to put in his office. Think it was just an excuse to give me some cash.” Sabelle rubbed her arm at the thought of taking Griffin’s money. “He knows I wouldn’t take it outright, but I sure as hell could use it this week.”

Griffin happened to be their mother’s ex boyfriend—a big, burly biker with attitude, which probably accounted for the mere handful of boyfriends Sabelle dated in high school. Following their mother’s inevitable break up with him, he continued to take care of Sabelle and Denya.

“Why don’t you just have me watch them at your place, then? It’d be so much—”

“You know I can’t do that.” Sabelle ran a hand through her hair, her fingers catching in tangled knots from the long night.

“The guy doesn’t even know about me. What’s the big deal? He’d probably think I was just … I don’t know. Your babysitter?”

“Look, if he’s figured out you’re my sister, he at least hasn’t cared enough to bust into your apartment like he owns it. I’d like to keep it that way.”

Denya sighed. “So glad I don’t have to deal with that bullshit.” Her jaw shifted slightly, and she seemed to be biting the inside of her lip. “Don’t you think it’s weird? I mean, when Mom was running low on energy, you knew. Those would be the nights she’d bring home some nasty piece of shit.” Her eyes met Sabelle’s. “According to my fellow succubi, I should be dead.”

Yeah, the question always probed the back of Sabelle’s head, too. Succubi thrived on sexual energy, needed it to survive, and yet, the two of them seemed to get by just fine without collecting souls. Which was exactly how Sabelle intended to keep it. “Do you cuss that much around my kids?”

“Fuck, no.” She made a circle above her head. “Got my halo on when I’m playing Auntie Denya, who is … so much cooler than Momma Selly.”

Sabelle rolled her eyes. “Help me out here?”

“Sure. I’ll carry one of them down.”

Swatting her hand away kept Denya from reaching for the twins. “No.” Sabelle gave a flick of her wrist. “Just hoist Thomas up into my arms.”

“It’s no big deal, Sabelle. I’ll carry Thomas. You carry Janie.”

“And what happens when I get home and there’s no one to help carry them inside?”

A scowl etched Denya’s forehead. “Take the help when you can get it. I’ll ride home with you, if you like, then take the bus back.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Who’s planning to carry two kids down four flights of stairs after she’s been on her feet all night?” Denya tipped her head.

Sabelle lifted Janie, who shifted in her arms as she set her to one shoulder. Soft spongy curls tickled Sabelle’s lip, and Denya passed the boy off to her. Gritting her teeth, Sabelle rose to a stand. Goddamn, they were heavy. Twin babies had been one thing. Twin preschoolers were a whole different animal.

Denya placed her hands on her hips. “What’re you gonna do when you get down to the car to unlock it, smarty pants?”

No shit. Good question.
“Okay, you can unlock the door, but I’m carrying them down myself.”

“My gods, you’re stubborn,” Denya muttered as she headed for the door. “Everything’s gotta be the hard way, with you.”

The first step down nearly stole Sabelle’s breath when her boot slipped. Luckily, the banister caught her fall, though who the hell knew what the wetness on the underside of it happened to be.
Ugh
.

“I feel sorry for your conscience, always trying to teach these ridiculous lessons of suffering and self-denial. Why don’t you just try out for the Navy Seals? At least you’d get paid for that shit.” Denya trailed each step, emphasizing the slow pace as Sabelle rounded flight after agonizing flight. “Just once I’d like you to find a man who pampers the hell outta you. You know what, though? You’d probably send him away. Scare him off with your bullshit survival drills.”

Using her ass, Sabelle pushed through the front door out onto the sidewalk. “I’d rather figure out how to live my life independently, than rely on a man who’d skip town first chance he got.”

“Quit. Please. You sound like Mom. A non-shitty version of her, but Mom.”

Sabelle growled.

“Here. Unlocked. Would you like me to film you trying to open the door and putting the kids inside?”

“Please. Just … go.” Fire burned in her arms, as Sabelle adjusted the twins. “And thanks for watching my kids. Love you.”

“I love you, too, ya stubborn jackass.”

Keeping her back straight, Sabelle lowered just enough to fumble with the handle on the car door and kicked back, catching herself before she tumbled onto her ass with both kids.
Shit.
Muscles in flames, she set Janie down first, awkwardly buckling her into the booster chair with one hand, then rounded the car, shaking out her free arm on the way, and buckled Thomas in.

Sharp gusts of wind blew Sabelle’s hair and cast a shiver down her spine, as she straightened and scanned the sidewalks. Empty. Didn’t mean shit, though. Wolves probably licked their chops, watching her from hiding spots in the adjacent buildings. The streets of Detroit were something scary at night.

She climbed in front and fired up the engine of the rundown Taurus Griffin had given her a couple months back. Though she’d never been one for handouts, Sabelle couldn’t resist. The car, in all its crappy, rusted-out glory, managed to keep her working and living in the same house. ‘Sides that, Griff would’ve never let her tell him no. The old man’d treated her like a daughter for the last ten years and wouldn’t have stood for her turning down his offer.

After a slight hesitation, which sent a lurch through her stomach, the car jumped forward and they were off. Lucky for her, Denya only lived about six miles away, otherwise, Sabelle would’ve been doing her usual bus ride—something Sabelle loathed only because assholes could be downright creepy on the late night routes, and gods, she already met her creep quota every night at the bar.

Sabelle crossed over Edsel Ford. Bums lined the streets, wrapped in their cardboard homes, while young thugs and gangsta wannabes swaggered down the sidewalk as if they were the most threatening beasts in Detroit.

Pfft
. Not even close.

Had the ignorant humans known anything about what hunted them through darkness, they mightn’t have been so damn foolish, sleeping on the streets and taunting the wolves that watched them from the shadows.

Wolves weren’t even the worst. Some demon breeds made the lycans look like sweet domesticated pets.

The light at Van Dyke flicked green, and Sabelle hit the gas, but a grumble accompanied one forceful kick forward before the car rattled its bones and stalled.

Dammit
.

Sabelle turned the key over to what sounded like wheezing, until it finally sputtered out. She turned it again. Nothing.

“C’mon, you piece of shit.” She spoke low so as not to rouse the twins, but damn, a scream brewed at the back of her throat, just itching to break free. “Not now. I don’t need this right now.” A simple
tick, tick, tick
told her the car had no intentions of starting up again. “Fuck!”

She stared down at her cell phone. Denya wouldn’t be able to help, either way, but even Griffin would be asleep—hell, who wouldn’t? It was nearly two in the morning, for chrissakes.

The surroundings closed in on her. Dark. Quiet. A couple miles out from the bums. Dilapidated front porches lined the streets. Not a chance in hell that she’d venture to one of those. Twenty-four hour tow service might’ve been an option, but those fuckers would charge her an arm and a leg, and they always came in twos, looking like they’d just rolled up out of dirtball city.

Times like these made Sabelle wish she’d changed out of her
fuck-me
clothes before leaving work. Always fifty-fifty, depending on the situation. Sometimes the clingy top and mini skirt could win her a free drink, or help get out of a speeding ticket. Most times, though, they were trouble, and if she hadn’t been so anxious to get to Denya’s, she might’ve taken the time to change after shift.

With a roll of her shoulders, Sabelle slammed the gearshift into neutral, climbed out and headed to the rear of the car. Bracing her hands against the trunk, she shoved the hunk of junk off to the side, where she wouldn’t have to worry about some nosey ass cop—

Lights flashed behind her.

Ah shit.

Sabelle straightened her stance as the police officer, decked out in uniform, approached. A sweep of his vehicle confirmed he was most likely legit, though she’d heard enough urban legends to make her wary of any cop approaching at night.

“Rough night?” His voice sounded friendly enough, deep but upbeat.

“You could say that. Just trying to get my kids home.”

He looked into the backseat, where Janie and Thomas still snoozed away. “Hop in the car,” he said, throwing a thumb over his shoulder toward the patrol car. “I’ll take you where you need to go.”

Sabelle’s guts churned something fierce in her stomach. “Are you, um … do you have a badge, or something?”

He smirked and licked his lips before pulling a badge from its leather holster. “Can’t say I blame you.”

Not that she knew what the hell she was looking for in a badge, but it didn’t look like something he swiped from the dollar store to Sabelle. “Let me … get my kids.”

“I’ll help.”

“No. I’m good.” As before, Sabelle hoisted Thomas into her arms then rounded the car, to where the officer held the door open for her as she retrieved Jane.

“You must have biceps of steel.” He chuckled.

“I do all right.”

“You far from here?” he asked.

“It’s only about a few blocks up Van Dyke.”

“All right. Just strap them in for now.” He cocked his head toward the vehicle. “Anything of value in there? I’d lock it up in this neighborhood.”

“Just a couple car seats. That’s it.”

“You’ll need to have that towed. Can’t just let it sit there.”

“I understand. I know the owner of Griff‘s Garage. I’ll have him tow it first thing in the morning.” Sabelle climbed in the backseat, directly behind the cop and buckled herself in. Perhaps nosey cops weren’t so bad, after all. The smooth purr of the patrol car’s engine hummed along as he drove past her pathetic little junker sitting alongside the curb, like trash. With an exasperated breath, she tilted her head back and closed her eyes.
What a night
.

“Hey.” His voice, suddenly low and disturbingly breathy, reached inside her momentary happy place. “How much?”

Sabelle’s eyes shot open, landing on the cop’s shifty stare in the rearview mirror. “I’m sorry?”

“Yeah. You look like a dancer, or something. How much? For you?”

Sabelle frowned.
Not again
. At least her kids weren’t lying across her lap the first time. “I’m a waitress.”

He licked his lips and gave a sharp nod. “Twenty bucks, if you’ll blow my cock.”

Her heart caught in her throat.
Fucking … seriously?

Being a succubus truly sucked.

She could blame the scent they gave off, which supposedly made a man—and sometimes women—want to find a sleazy motel and sweaty fuck. That nugget of information had been passed along from bar groper a few weeks back, just moments before she’d knocked him out for pinching her ass. She could also blame the fact that the succubi happened to carry perfect features—symmetrical faces, and flawless skin tone—which subconsciously called out to most humans in a gross,
Animal Planet
sort of way. However, Sabelle happened to think the reason she stumbled upon assholes at every turn had more to do with plain ole’ shit luck.