'Succubus Blues CHAPTER 15\r'

' entirely mosttimes you wake up from a dream. And any(prenominal)times, twain at angiotensin converting enzyme time in a go, you wake up in a dream. Thats what happened to me. I opened my eyes, puff upspring throbbing, vaguely aw atomic number 18 of something tippy and fuzzy in my arms. silk resembling sunlight dispatch me squint at first, scarcely when I could fin whollyy focus, I realized I was looking straight into the faces of Cady and ONeill.\r\nI shot up right hand, a motion my top dog did not approve of at any. genuinely I was mistaken. Surely, no… t present they were. in front me, side by side(p) to the bed I sat in, was a large oak desk surrounded by bulletin boards and white boards. Pinned to the bulletin boards were magazine cut come ons, faces and faces of people who reflected every nuance of the characters described in solidifications books. One parting was purge labeled NINAcady, displaying at least cardinal different cut come outs of slim blondes with cropped, curly hair, part some early(a) section †marked BRYANT ONEILL †displayed brooding, thirty-something work force with d admithearted hair. Some of the cutouts were from major ads I recognized, though Id neer before connected the resemblance to lots characters. Other electric s peer characters from the books also had slurs on the display, though less perceptibly so than the leads.\r\nScrawls of notes and devises filled the white boards, closely done in a bizarre stenography type of flow chart that do no sense to me. Working Title: Azure Hopes †locating l taker; Add Jonah Chap. 7; refreshed up 3-5; C&O in Tampa or Naples? Check stats; Don Markosin 8…On and on the scrawls went. I stared and stared at them, realizing I was seeing the public figure foundation of bents next novel. Part of me whispered I should look away, that I was ruining something, but the relievo of me was dealwise fascinated at glimpsing the way a no vel and its world came to life.\r\nFin some(prenominal)y, the opinion of frying bacon made me turn from bands desk, forcing me to piece to containher how Id arrived hither. I cringed, rec altogethering what an idiot Id been around Doug, Roman, and even up lot, notwithstanding my hunger won out in temporarily allaying my remorse. It seemed odd that I should olfactory modality hungry after what Id put my resist finished destination wickedness, just analogous Hughs beating, I could bounce fanny quickly.\r\nDisentangling myself from the coers and the teddy bear Id unwittingly been holding, I made my way to the bathroom to cleanse my mouth and study my popance: wild-haired and sightright teenager looking in the T- enclothe. I didnt emergency to deplete the energy to shape-shift, however, and trotted out of the bathroom, following the sounds of sizzling against a keisterground of â€Å"Radar Love” by favorable Earring.\r\nSeth s alsod in a modern, well-lit ki tchen, tending a skillet on a stove. The color plot was bright and cheery, maple wood cupboards and beams accented with clavusflower stern paint on the walls. describeing me, he dark down the music and gave me a solicitous look. His habilitate today displayed Tom and Jerry.\r\nâ€Å"Good morning. How are you jot?”\r\nâ€Å"Surprisingly well.” I made my way to a abject, two-person table and sat down, tugging the shirt to coer my thighs. â€Å"My head seems to be the scarcely casualty thus far.”\r\nâ€Å"You pauperism something for it?”\r\nâ€Å" nary(prenominal) Itll clear up.” I hesitated, detecting something through the smell of salty, greasy meat. â€Å"Is that… c onwardee?”\r\nâ€Å"Yup. Want some?”\r\nâ€Å"Regular?”\r\nâ€Å"Yup.” He walked over to a pot, poured a mug of steaming coffee, and brought it to me, along with a cherished sugar and creamer set.\r\nâ€Å"I prospect you didnt sup this stu ff.”\r\nâ€Å"I dont. I just watch over it on hand in case caffeine-crazed women wake up in my bed.”\r\nâ€Å"That happen a lot?”\r\nSeth smiled mysteriously and returned to the stove. â€Å"Are you hungry?”\r\nâ€Å"Famished.”\r\nâ€Å"How do you the similar your eggs?”\r\nâ€Å"Over hard.”\r\nâ€Å"N frosting cho folderol. You want bacon excessively? Youre not a vegetarian or anything?”\r\nâ€Å"Im an honest carnivore. I want the works… if thats not asking too a good deal.” I mat up kind of sheepish about him waiting on me, considering everything else hed al filey done. He didnt appear to mind.\r\nThe works turned out to be to a greater extent than Id envisaged: eggs, bacon, toast, two kinds of jam, coffee cake, and orange ju codswallop. I ate it all, speculateing about how jealous Peter would be, equable confined to his low- carbdiet.\r\nâ€Å"Im in a food coma,” I told Seth afterward, helping wit h the dishes. â€Å"Ill assume to go seat to bed and sleep it off. Do you eat care this every day?”\r\nâ€Å"Nah. Just when aforementioned women are hanging out. It ensures they dont leave too quickly.”\r\nâ€Å"not a problem, considering this is all I render to wear.”\r\nâ€Å" no true,” he told me, pointing toward his living room. Looking up, I saw my come up †clean †hanging on a hanger. The sheer, bikini-cut panties Id ill-defined under it had been looped around the hangers head. â€Å"It give tongue to dry-clean, but I took a chance on putting it on extra-gentle cycle in the wash. It came out okay. So did the, uh, otherwise thing.”\r\nâ€Å"Thanks,” I replied, unsure as to how I felt about him washing my underwear. â€Å"Thanks for everything. I in truth appreciate what you did for me last night †you must(prenominal) think Im a total freak †â€Å"\r\nHe shrugged. â€Å"Its no problem. But” †he glanced at a close clock †â€Å"I may need to strain out on you soon. Remember that one ships company? It starts at noon. You brush off lock up hang out here.”\r\nI turned to the same clock. Eleven forty-seven.\r\nâ€Å"high noon! Why didnt you wake me up sooner? Youll be late!”\r\nHe shrugged again, infinitely unconcerned. â€Å"I reckon you needed the sleep.”\r\nSetting down the towel Id been holding, I darted to the living room and grabbed my dress. â€Å"Ill call a cab. You go. Dont business organization about me.”\r\nâ€Å"Seriously, its no problem,” he argued. â€Å"I can give you a ride home even, or… well, if you wanted, you could come with me.”\r\nWe both froze glutinously. I didnt really ascertain up to going to some strange company. What I needed to do was get home and do damage control with Roman and Doug. Yet… Seth had been terribly nice to me, and he had wanted me to go to this thing before. Didnt I o we him? Surely I could do this for him. An afternoon party probably wouldnt even last that long.\r\nâ€Å"Would we need to pick up anything?” I asked at last. â€Å"Wine? Brie?”\r\nHe shook his head. â€Å" plausibly not. Its for my eight-year-old niece.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh. So no wine thence?”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah. And I think shes more into Gouda anyway.”\r\nI looked at the dress. â€Å"Ill be overdressed. You got anything I can put on over this?”\r\nSeven minutes later, I sat in Seths car, driving toward Lake Forest Park. I had the georgette dress back on, along with a mans plaid flannel shirt in shades of white, gray, and navy.\r\nThe shirt was open save up for a couple buttons. I had cut- winded my hair in lieu of shape-shifting it into place and now frantically employ cosmetics from my purse as I rode. I pretend I had a sort of Ginger-Rogers-Joins-Nirvana look going.\r\nWe arrived at the suburban house Id dropped Seth off at a few weeks ago. Pin k balloons fluttered from the mailbox, and a sire in jeans and a sweatshirt waved arrivederci as a small misfire disappeared into the house. Said mother then returned to the massive, soccer team-carrying vehicle running in the driveway.\r\nâ€Å"Whoa,” I said, taking it all in. â€Å"Ive never been to anything like this before.”\r\nâ€Å"You must have when you were little,” Seth amended, parking across the street.\r\nâ€Å"Well, yeah,” I lied. â€Å"But its a different experience at this age.”\r\nWe approached the front limen, and he entered without breaking. Immediately, four small, blond distaff forms slammed into him, grappling onto his limbs, nearly knocking him over.\r\nâ€Å"Uncle Seth! Uncle Seth!”\r\nâ€Å"Uncle Seths here!”\r\nâ€Å"Is that for me? Is that for me?”\r\nâ€Å"Desist, before I have to belong out the tear gas,” Seth told them mildly, unclasping one who jeopardise to rip his go away arm off. \r\nOne of them, all blond curls and giant blue eyes like the others, caught sight of me. â€Å"Hi,” she said boldly, â€Å"who are you?” Before I could answer, she tore out of the foyer, yelling, â€Å"Uncle Seth brought a girl!”\r\nSeth made a face. â€Å"Thats Morgan. Shes six.” He pointed to a clone of her. â€Å"This is McKenna, her twin. Over heres Kayla, four. This one” †he paused to turn back up the tallest of the four, a motion that made her speak gleefully †â€Å"is Kendall, the birthday girl. And I imagine Brandys here somewhere, but shes too civilized to assault me like the rest.”\r\nA living room extended beyond the foyer, and another blond girl, a few age older than Kendall, watched us over the back of a couch. Other assorted children †the party guests, I presumed †ran and screamed beyond her. â€Å"Im here, Uncle Seth.”\r\nSeth set Kendall down and tousled Brandys hair, much to her chagrin. She wo re the affronted dignity moreover one on the process of adolescence could have. Morgan returned shortly at that placeafter with a tall, blond fair sex in tow. â€Å"See? See?” exclaimed the little girl. â€Å"I told you.”\r\nâ€Å"Do you eer create such a scene?” the woman asked, giving Seth a quick hug. She looked happy but exhausted. I could take why.\r\nâ€Å"I should be so lucky. My fans arent half this ravenous. Andrea, this is Georgina. Georgina, Andrea.” I shook her hand as a reasonably shorter, younger version of Seth entered the room. â€Å"And thats my chum, terrycloth.”\r\nâ€Å"Welcome to our chaos, Georgina,” terry cloth told me after Id been introduced. He glanced at all of the children, his own and others, running around the house. â€Å"Im not sure I fully understand Seths wisdom in delivery you here. Youll never come back.”\r\nâ€Å"Hey,” exclaimed Kendall to me, â€Å"isnt that the shirt we got Uncle Seth for Christmas?”\r\nAn uneasy silence trim down among us adults as we all tried to look somewhere else. Finally, Andrea cleared her pharynx and said, â€Å" only right, guys, lets fall into line and get some games going.”\r\nI had expected a childs birthday party to be wild, but what proceeded to pass that afternoon surpassed even my imaginings. Equally impressive was the way in which Seths familiar and sister-in-law managed to control the herd of screaming, jumping creatures that somehow seemed to be everywhere in the house at once. Terry and Andrea handled them all with efficient good nature while Seth and I did little more than watch, on occasion fielding random questions tossed our way. The entire experience immobilise me as a bystander; I could hardly imagine coping with it on a regular basis. It was fascinating.\r\nAt one point, catching his breath, Terry saw me altogether and struck up a conversation.\r\nâ€Å"Im glad you could come,” he said. à ¢â‚¬Å"I didnt cope Seth was seeing anyone.”\r\nâ€Å"Were just friends,” I clarified.\r\nâ€Å"Still. Its nice to see him with someone flesh and argument. Someone he didnt make up.”\r\nâ€Å"Is it true he nearly missed your wedding?”\r\nTerry grimaced by way of confirmation. â€Å"My best man, if you can believe that. video display up two minutes before the solemnity began. We were on the verge of starting without him.”\r\nI could only laugh.\r\nHe shook his head. â€Å"If you continue hanging out with him, make sure you keep him in line. My brother may be brilliant, but by God, he needs a keeper sometimes.”\r\nAfter party games came cake, and after cake came presents. Kendall lifted Seths up expertly and shook it. â€Å"Books,” she declared.\r\nBrandy, older and thus quietest of the group, glanced at me and explained, â€Å"Uncle Seth always gets us books.”\r\nThis did not seem to discompose Kendall any. She tore open the package and crowed delightedly over three books of pirate stories contained within.\r\nâ€Å"Pirates, huh?” I asked Seth. â€Å"Is that politically pay?”\r\nHis eyes danced. â€Å"She wants to be one.”\r\nAs the party appal down and guests were retrieved by parents, Kendall beseeched Seth to enjoin stories, and I followed him, the nieces, and other stragglers into the living room while the girls parents try to clean up in the kitchen. Seth read in the same compelling way he had at his signing, and I curled up in an armchair, content to just listen and watch. I was thitherfore startled when Kaylas small form scrambled up and sat on my lap.\r\nYoungest of the girls, she could shriek with the best but tended to speak very little. She studied me with her globes of eyes, touched my French braid with interest, and then snuggled into me to listen to Seth. I wondered if she understood any of what he was saying. Regardless, she was soft and warm and smelled like litt le girl. Unconsciously, I ran my fingers through the fine, corn silk strands of hair and soon began weaving it into a braid similar to mine.\r\nWhen Seth finished a story, McKenna discover what I was doing. â€Å"Me next.”\r\nâ€Å"No, me,” ordered Kendall eagerly. â€Å"Its my birthday.”\r\nI ended up braiding for all four of the younger girls. Brandy timidly demurred. Not wanting four copies of me, I select other styles for the girls, herringbones and plaits that delighted them. Seth continued to read, now and then glancing up at me and my handiwork.\r\nBy the time we were bustling to leave, I felt drained physically and emotionally. Children always made me feel a little sad; organism in close contact like this made me downright sad in a way I couldnt explain.\r\nSeth said goodbye to his brother while I lingered near the door. As I did, I noticed a small bookcase beside me. Studying the titles, I picked out Burberrys New Annotated parole: Old and New Test aments. Remembering what Roman had said about the King James Version being a bad translation, I opened this one up to Genesis 6.\r\nThe wording was nearly identical, a little cleaner and more modern appear here and there, but mostly unchanged. With one exception. In verse 4, the King James Version had read: â€Å"There were giants in the earth in those age; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men…” This version, however, said: â€Å"The Nephilim were on the earth in those days and also afterwards, when the sons of God went to the daughters of men…”\r\nNephilim? A superordinate number appeared by the word, and I followed it to the appropriate footnote.\r\nThe word ” nephilim” is sometimes translated as â€Å"giants ” or â€Å"fallen ones.” Sources pull up stakes in accounts of these angelic offspring, citing them sometimes simply as neighbors to the domiciliateaanites and other times as Tita n-like creatures reminiscent of Greek heroes (Harrington, 2001).\r\nFrustrated, I looked up the Harrington reference in the books bibliography, purpose it linked to Biblical Arcanaand Myth by Robert Harrington. I memorized the title and author, slipping the Bible back into its place just as Seth turned to go.\r\nWe swarm in silence, the sky graying early as Seattles overwinter loomed nearer. I might normally have interpret the quiet in the car as awkward or weird, but I found it homelike as my mind pondered the nephilim reference. I needed to get a hold of the Harrington book, I decided.\r\nâ€Å"They didnt have ice cream,” Seth suddenly noted, interrupting my thoughts.\r\nâ€Å"Huh?”\r\nâ€Å"Terry and Andrea. They had cake with no ice cream. You want to get some ice cream?”\r\nâ€Å"Not enough sugar for you already?”\r\nâ€Å"They just go together, thats all.”\r\nâ€Å"Its only about cubic decimeter out,” I warned as he pulled up nex t to an ice cream front room. Ice cream in inclement weather seemed odd to me. â€Å"And its windy.”\r\nâ€Å"Are you kidding? In Chicago, a place like this wouldnt even be open this time of year. This is balmy.”\r\nWe went inside. Seth ordered a reduplicate cone of mint chocolate chip. I ordered a more adventurous double of blueberry cheesecake and mocha almond swirl. Sitting at a table by the windows, we ate our syrupy confections in more silence.\r\nFinally, he said, â€Å"Youre quiet today.”\r\nI turned on him in wonder, pausing in my noetic dissection of nephilim. â€Å"Thats a switch.”\r\nâ€Å"What is?”\r\nâ€Å"Usually I think youre too quiet. I have to chat and talk to keep things going.”\r\nâ€Å"Ive noticed. Er, I didnt mean that like it came out. That sounded bad. You talking is a good thing. You always know what to say. Exactly the right thing at exactly the right time.”\r\nâ€Å"Not last night. I said horrible thin gs last night. To Doug and Roman both. Theyll never forgive me,” I lamented.\r\nâ€Å"Sure they will. Dougs a good guy. I dont really know Roman, but…”\r\nâ€Å"But what?”\r\nSeth suddenly looked embarrassed. â€Å"I imagine youre easy to forgive.”\r\nWe looked at each other for a moment, and warmth flushed my cheeks. Not blood boiling, get naked and jump someone warm, but just cozily warm. Like being wrapped in a blanket.\r\nâ€Å"That looks terrible, you know.”\r\nâ€Å"What does?”\r\nHe pointed at my cone. â€Å"That combination.”\r\nâ€Å"Hey, dont knock it until you try it. They actually go pretty well together.”\r\nHe looked doubtful.\r\nI slid my chair over by him and offered him a bite. â€Å"Make sure you get both flavors.”\r\nHe leaned in for the bite and managed both the blueberry cheesecake and mocha almond swirl. Unfortunately, a piece of the blueberry cheesecake scoop fell off onto his chin in the pro cess. I instinctively reached out to stop it, slip it back to his mouth. He just as automatically nabbed the wayward piece with his tongue, licking it off my fingers.\r\nA blast of eroticism coursed through me, and looking into his eyes, I knew hed shared it too. â€Å"Here,” I said hastily, reaching for a napkin, ignoring the desire to return my fingers to his mouth.\r\nSeth wiped his chin with it, but for once, he didnt let his self-consciousness get the smash of him. He stayed where he was, leaning close to me.\r\nâ€Å"You smell amazing. Like… gardenias.”\r\nâ€Å"Tuberose,” I corrected automatically, dazed by how close he was to me.\r\nâ€Å"Tuberose,” he repeated. â€Å"And incense, I think. Ive never smelled anything like it.” He leaned a hair closer.\r\nâ€Å"Its Michael by Michael Kors. You can get it at any high-end incision store.” I nearly groaned as the words left my flustered lips. What an idiotic thing to say. My ner vousness made me flippant. â€Å"Maybe Cady could start wearing it.”\r\nSeth was all seriousness. â€Å"No. This is you. Only you. It would never smell exactly the same on anyone else.”\r\nI shivered. I wore this gist because it was reminiscent of what other immortals sensed in my extraordinary signature, my aura. This is you. With just a few casual words, I felt as though Seth had uncovered some secret part of me, looked into my soul.\r\nWe sat there then, chemistry burning between us like queasy, neither of us acting. I knew he would not try to kiss me as Roman had. Seth was content simply to look at me, to make love to me with his eyes.\r\nSuddenly the wind caught the door to the diminutive restaurant, forcing it open as a huge black eye swept in. Wisps of hair blew into my face, and I slammed my hands down on the napkins that flew up from our table. Other items in the parlor had less success as more napkins and trash of paper drifted around, and a cup of pli able spoons fell off the counter, spilling its contents on the floor. The clerk undersurface the counter ran to the door, fighting against the wind to make the lock catch. When hed finally done so, he glared at the door resentfully.\r\nWith the moment †whatever it was †shattered, Seth and I picked up our things and left shortly thereafter. I asked him to drop me off at the bookstore. I hoped Doug would be there to pardon to, plus I wanted to get ahold of that Harrington book.\r\nâ€Å"You want to come in and hang out? take hi to anybody?” I somehow felt antipathetical to leave Seth now, in spite of all the things I needed to do.\r\nHe shook his head. â€Å"Sorry. Ive got to go. Im face-off someone.”\r\nâ€Å"Oh.” I felt kind of gooselike. He could have a date now for all I knew. And why shouldnt he? It wasnt like I was his only social connection, especially after my no-dating spiel. I was foolish to be reading so much into the ice cream encounte r, especially since I was supposedly crazy about Roman. â€Å"Well. Thanks again for everything. Ill make it up to you.”\r\nHe waved his hand dismissively. â€Å"It wasnt anything. Besides, you paid me back by going to the party.”\r\nNow I shook my head. â€Å"I didnt really do anything there.”\r\nSeth only smiled. â€Å"See you around.”\r\nI stepped out of the car and suddenly stuck my head back in. â€Å"Hey, I should have asked you this earlier. Do you have my book signed yet? The Glasgow Pact ? â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Oh… man. No. I cant believe I forgot about that. Its still at my place. Ill sign it and bring it soon. Im sorry.” He looked rightfully contrite.\r\nâ€Å"Okay. Its no problem.” I should have ransacked his condominium for it.\r\nWe said goodbye again, and I turned into the bookstore. If I remembered my schedule right, Paige should have opened and Doug should be here now as the late manager. Sure enough, he stood at the inf ormation desk, looking on while Tammi helped a customer.\r\nâ€Å"Hey,” I said, walking up to him, squeamishness filling me as I recalled my harsh words. â€Å"Can I talk to you for a minute?”\r\nâ€Å"No.”\r\nWhoa. Id expected him to be upset… but this?\r\nâ€Å"You need to call your friend first.”\r\nâ€Å"I †what?”\r\nâ€Å"That one guy,” Doug explained. â€Å"That plastic surgeon that hangs out with you and Cody.”\r\nâ€Å"Hugh?”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, thats the one. Hes called, like, a hundred times, release messages. Hes been worried about you.” His expression turned both soft and wry as he took in my dress and flannel ensemble. â€Å"So have I.”\r\nI frowned, wondering at Hughs urgency. â€Å"Okay. Ill call him now. Come talk to me later?”\r\nDoug nodded, and I started to pull out my carrell bring forward until I remembered Id broken it last night. Retreating to the back office instead, I sat on the desks rim and called Hugh.\r\nâ€Å"Hello?”\r\nâ€Å"Hugh?”\r\nâ€Å"Jesus Christ, Georgina. Where the hell have you been?”\r\nâ€Å"I, er, nowhere…”\r\nâ€Å"Weve been trying to get ahold of you all last night and today.”\r\nâ€Å"I wasnt at home,” I explained. â€Å"And my cell phone broke. Why? Whats going on? Tell me there hasnt been another one.”\r\nâ€Å"Afraid so. Another murder this time, no more friendly beatings. When we couldnt reach you, the vampires and I thought hed got you too, even though Jerome said he could feel that you were fine.”\r\nI swallowed. â€Å"Who… who was it?”\r\nâ€Å"Are you sitting down?”\r\nâ€Å" variety show of.”\r\nI braced myself, ready for anything. Demon. Imp. Vampire. Succubus.\r\nâ€Å"Lucinda.”\r\nI blinked. â€Å"What?” All my theories of an avenger of evil shattered. â€Å"But thats impossible. Shes †shes †â€Å"\r\nà ¢â‚¬Â †an angel,” Hugh finished for me.\r\n'