Gentlemen Prefer Succubi

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

As soon as I was released from the nightclub, I stumbled outside and threw up. Shaking, sick, and frightened out of my mind, I wiped my chin and stumbled to valet parking and retrieved Remy’s car. No one seemed to think anything of me leaving by myself after entering with the famous Miss Summore, which made me wonder what kind of life she led, or what sorts of things truly went on in the club.

I got behind the wheel of Remy’s BMW and buckled in, turning the A/C on high. I felt overheated and like I’d been turned inside out. Nitocris’s hideous smile played through my mind over and over, as well as Remy’s terrified screams.

This was all my fault.

My skin crawled, too. Not with fear or horror (though those were certainly running through my mind), but with lust. Queen Nitocris’s kiss had canceled out the angel’s kiss and replaced it with something far more compulsive. My overheated flesh cried out for relief, the soft fabric of my clothing chafing against my skin. The Itch had returned.

I opened the glove compartment and yanked out Remy’s cell phone as I eased the car onto the highway, then hammered my thumb on the down arrow to flip through the saved numbers. Her address book was enormous, but I found Noah’s cell number and pressed the memory dial button. The phone rang once and went straight to voicemail. “This is Noah. Leave a message.”

“Shit!” I screamed into the phone. “Answer the phone, you asshole. I need you!” I slammed my finger down on the Disconnect button and threw the phone into the passenger seat.

Then I smacked my hand against the steering wheel. “Oh, shit-it’s night. Noah’s not up yet.” I winced. He wasn’t going to like my voicemail.

He wouldn’t be too keen on my news, either, come to think of it. The voicemail was the least of our worries.

I drove around for a while, trying to get my mind together. It was still at least an hour or two before dawn, and I wasn’t tired, of course. I didn’t need sleep anymore. I did, however, need a righteous shot of coffee and some headache pills.

I also needed to have a talk with my buddy Uriel, who’d sold me down a river with a smile and a kiss.

Half an hour later, I stormed into St. Anthony’s cathedral with a latte in hand. If I’d thought the church was empty at 6:30 a.m., it was a wasteland at four in the morning. I sat down on the back pew and sipped my coffee. The heat between my legs was uncomfortable, so I crossed my legs back and forth, squirming as I waited.

For like, two minutes. I’m not the most patient person. So when the cathedral remained empty, I decided the time for pleasantry was over. “Uriel,” I bellowed at the top of my lungs. “I know you’re out there.”

Still nothing. Oh, I knew he was there. The trick was making him show himself.

I lifted my coffee cup and threatened, “You’d better show yourself, or I’m going to head for the holy water.”

“Jacqueline.” Uriel’s voice rang from behind me and I turned, watching the angel move forward, the white wings flowing down his back. “It is so good to see you again.” He looked as beautiful and pure as I remembered. He also looked guilty as hell.

“Can the crap, Uriel. You used me because I didn’t know what was going on. I should never have listened to you.”

“I don’t know what you mean, Jacqueline. I thought our bargain was straightforward. You get a little info for me, and I return the favor with one of my own. I fail to see how that’s ‘using you,’ as you say.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Yeah? Well, the vampires figured me out in three seconds flat, and now they know that you’re checking up on them. They’ve taken my friend Remy hostage, too.” Tears threatened and I had to blink hard, which only made things worse as I got mascara in my eyes. Dammit.

“What?” Uriel’s features slid into a frown of concern.

“I know,” I sniffed, trying hard not to blubber and not succeeding very well. “They’ve got Remy and I don’t know how to get her back.”

He shook his head. “What did you say about the vampires knowing I’m-that is, we’re-involved? Did you find out why they are gathering?”

Irritation began to prick at me. “Oh, I’m sure Remy’s just fine. Thanks for your concern,” I said, my throat bitter. “And yes-when I met the queen, she figured it out pretty fast.”

“The queen.” It was a quiet statement, followed by a sigh. “You’ve stirred up quite a mess now, haven’t you? Did you find out their plans?”

“Me?” I squeaked in protest, ignoring his fishing for information. “I didn’t do anything except what you told me to do-bribed me to do. It’s not my fault if they figured it out.”

He sat next to me and brushed his fingertips across my forehead. As desire flared through my body, I dug my fingernails into my palms so I wouldn’t jump him. “I see her mark upon you,” Uriel said in his soft voice. “It has negated my own.”

I bit back a “No shit, Sherlock” and opted for the stare-down instead. “So what now? How do we get Remy back?”

I didn’t like the pause that followed. Instead of hitting me with a straight answer, he grimaced and looked away. “It’s not quite that easy, I’m afraid.”

“Sure it is. You go down there and wave your halo and make them give her back. You’re the one with the power here, remember? You’ve still got your all-access pass too so maybe you should try stepping in and helping my friend.” Desperation was starting to crawl through me. What was I going to do if I couldn’t get Remy back? What was I going to do if Uriel didn’t help me?

He patted me on the shoulder, then pulled away as if I were diseased. “I’m afraid I cannot step in, child. However, I am confident that you will think of something. Did you find out their plans?” His pale eyes glittered as he repeated the question, focusing on me with sudden avid intent. “You must have found out something.”

“Oh, I found out something all right,” I said, not liking the look in his eyes. “They’re after some halo from some Joachim dude from way back when.”

Uriel bit his lip, his wings quivering a touch. “Joachim?”

I nodded.

Uriel gave a high-pitched moan of delight and stood abruptly, his eyes intent and a tad insane. “Did they say where they’ve found it? Who has it in their possession?”

“See, that’s the tricky thing.” I scratched my head, a bit unwilling to part with what I’d learned so far. “I’m supposed to find it. Any brilliant ideas swimming around in that holy head of yours?”

His hand was suddenly clamped around my own, his face scant inches from mine. Pale blue eyes pinned me to the pew. “You must find that halo and bring it to me. It is of the utmost importance that I get the artifact, not the queen. Do you understand me?”

I tried to extract myself, sliding over on the pew. “Calm down for two seconds, okay? I don’t even know where the stupid thing is-”

“I have friends who can help you find it for me,” he immediately responded.

“-but the vamps want it in exchange for Remy, and I already promised I’d give it to them.” I eyed the door. “Maybe the next one that rolls around, I can call dibs for you. Deal?”

“No!” he screamed, the muscles in his neck tensing with the force of his shout, and my head snapped back at the force of his voice. “There will never be another halo with as much raw power infused in it as Joachim’s. I must have it and no other.” He gave me a wild look and gritted his teeth. “Do you understand? You must bring it to me.”

If ever someone was in need of crazy pills, I’d put my money on Uriel. “Uh, I’d really like to bring it to you, seeing as how you’re the good guy and all, but my friend’s life is at stake here.”

He shook his head. “You fail to understand me. Or perhaps you do not choose to.” He slid forward on the bench again, and I scooted even farther back. “What will it take for you to bring the halo to me? Gold? Immortality? A child? A lover?” He touched my arm.

“Ick?” I gave him a disbelieving stare and shrugged off his hand. As much as I wanted to throw him down on the bench and ravish him, it felt wrong. Like seducing a priest. Times ten. “Look, I realize that you and I are from different generations, but I don’t want you to be my boy toy, nor do I want you to pimp for me. You can’t buy it off me-okay?”

“Perhaps I am not offering you the right things,” he said, and gone was the pretty-boy angel look, in its place a rather scary, solemn expression. “I can offer you release from your succubi curse.”

Okay, now he was delving into areas I didn’t want to think about. I stood up and scooted down to the far end of the bench. “I’ve had enough. I don’t even know where the thing is, so I can’t promise you anything. I’m sorry.”

“Wouldn’t you like to be free from the Itch and have a chance to return to your normal life?”

I paused, weak creature that I was, then shook my head. Whatever he offered, the cost was too high. “Tell you what. I’ll find the halo, rescue my friend, and then we’ll talk, okay?” I headed for the cathedral doors, needing to get out of there.

“You’re making a mistake,” he boomed behind me. “Others will jump at the chance of what you are refusing. What will become of you if someone else beats you to the h-”

I shut the door while he was still speaking. I didn’t even want to think about that.