Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 9

I dont understand this, utter stage set good-naturedly. I catch you stripping in front of other men, yet Im the one who entrances punished.Clasping his hand, I conduct him onto the ice skating rink. Just like with dancing, I glided with practiced ease. cans movements were jerky and uncertain. With stunned my hand, I suspected he would have f whole already.This is good for you, Mortensen. You sit at a desk or t fitted or any(prenominal) all day. Thisll get your muscles working again. Get the old blood pumping.His teasing smile turned into a grimace, his hold on my hand turning into a death grip. There be a atomic number 6 other ways I could do that.But none as fun, I as sealedd him. hardening was brilliant and funny, exclusively coordinated he was not. During the early days of our acquaintance, Id tried to teach him to dance. It had been grueling. After a very long time, hed learned the basic measures, but the process had never been easy or, I suspected, pleasant for hi m. Id let him off easy since then, only making him go out dancing once. Hed grown complacent now, which was why I felt this experience would be so good for him.Men were not meant to clo social function blades on their feet, he told me as we trudged further toward the rinks center. We were outdoors, at a small(a) park, and our breathing made frizzy clouds in the air.Women werent meant wear to stilettos, I told him. But you dont hear me bitching about it.Thats different. They do great things for your forks. This? This just makes me note stupid.Well, then, I said. You better learn. Time to take off the training wheels. I released his hand.Hey What the But I was gone, slip external from his grasp with a laugh. He s likewised there frozen while I skated away, circling the rink in graceful loops and figure eights. After a few rounds, I skated back up to him, finishing with a neat pirouette. He hadnt moved from the spot where Id left him, but he no longer appeared annoyed. waitress at you, he said, touching my face. Rosy cheeks. Snowflakes in your hair. Youre the Snow Queen.God, I hope not. Thats a cast down story. Hans Christian Andersen had issues.All writers have issues, he assured me.I laughed and as well ask his arm, leading him around in oft awkward skating. My legs and feet protested the slow movement, but the rest of me was happy to have quality time with Seth.Speaking of writers with issues, I said. How can I get in trouble for stripping in front of other men when you have a date with another woman?If not for the fact he would have fallen over, I suspect Seth would have elbowed me. Thats your own fault, he said. You made me do it, so dont get all jealous now.Im not jealous but I think Maddie does have a trounce on you.Unlikely. Its probably just author worship. He gave me a pointed look. Like both(prenominal) mess I know. If anything, shes got a crush on you.Oh, for Gods sake, stop with the lesbian fantasy thing.Nah, nothing like that. She ju st idolizes you, thats all. Youre crisp away at that insecure exterior of hers, and I think shes starting to really see how much shes capable of. Youre sort of setting the example.I hadnt considered that. Really?Yup. Keep training her up, and well have a mini-Georgina on our hands. Seth chuckled as we made a painstakingly slow turn. Between her, that new succubus, and my nieces, you should start a Ladies Finishing School. How can you be such a good influence and have such aDemeaning job? I supplied.Something like that. Of course, I suppose it could be worse.I gave him a sideways glance. Could it?Yeah, you could, like, lot Amway or be trying to get me to move large amounts of money out of Nigeria. decided deal breakers in any relationship, I said solemnly.He looked over at me, sooner brave considering the intense attention hed been giving his feet. Under the rinks soft lights, his expression was tender. His lips curled into a small, sociable smile, and his eyes shone with an affe ction that almost made me go weak in the knees. Maybe it was a discombobulate to get me to fumble my skating. It nearly worked.For you? he said, coming to a stop. It qualification be worth it. worth cleaning out your bank account?Yes.Worth being part of a pyramid precis?They say they dont do that any more than.What if theyre lying?Thetis, he said with a sigh. Im going to say something to you Ive never said before.What is it?Be quiet.And then he leaned down and kissed me, bringing warmth to my ratty lips. Nearby, I heard children express joy at us, but I didnt care. I felt the kiss down to my toes. It was brief, like always, but when Seth pulled away, my whole body was filled with heat. Every nerve in me tingled, alive and wonderful. I barely spy the chilly temperature or the way our breathing formed frosty clouds in the air. He laced his fingers through mine and lifted my hand to his lips. I had gloves on, but he kissed exactly where I wore his ring.Why are you so sweet? I as ked, my voice small. My heart beat rapidly, and every star peeping through the clouds seemed to be shining just for me.I dont think Im that sweet. I mean, I just told you to be quiet. Thats one step away from asking you to wash my laundry and make me a sandwich. You know what I mean.Seth touch another kiss to my fore point. Im sweet because you make it easy to be sweet.We linked arms again and proceed our circuit. I had a sappy urge to rest my head against his shoulder but figured that might be asking too much of his coordination.What do you want for Christmas? I asked, my thoughts spinning ahead to nigh week.I dont know. Theres nothing I need.Oh no, I teased. You arent one of those, are you? One of those people who are unfeasible to shop One of Seths feet slipped out from under him. I managed to stay upright, but he went down, his legs crumpling underneath him.Oh my God, I said, kneeling down. Are you okay?I think so, he said. The tight set of his lips informed me things were a bit more painful than he was letting on. Putting my arm around his hip, I helped him up. The leg hed fallen on started to buckle, but he managed to keep it steady in the end.Come on, I said, manoeuver him toward the gate. We should go.We just got here.Oh, suddenly youre a fan, Scott Hamilton?Nope, but you are. It was just a fall.Maybe it had been just a fall, but the thought of Seth acquiring hurt had made my heart seize up. No, no. Lets go. Im hungry.The expression on his face informed me that he knew I wasnt that hungry, but he didnt fight me anymore. When wed shed our skates for normal shoes, I was pleased to see he didnt walk with a limp or anything. That would have really been too much him getting hurt and having it be my fault.Im not made of glass, he told me as we drove to dinner. He was remarkably good at guessing my thoughts. You dont have to protect me.Its instinct, I said, lightly. But in my mind, I recalled the grim conversation hed had with Erik. They were mortal. Th ey could get hurt. They could die.It was something Id witnessed over and over throughout the centuries. Each time I grew boney to a new mortal, Id try to pretend that it wouldnt happen to him or her. But it always did, and eventually that cold reality would hit me, no matter how hard I tried to push it aside.In fact, that fellowship consumed me for the rest of my night with Seth. I knew it was stupid to make such a big deal out of one fall, but Id seen too many small things lead to disaster in my life. Lying in bed beside him later on, I found myself thought back to a series of events that had also started small and ended in tragedy.Several centuries ago, I lived in a small townsfolk in southern England. Id called myself Cecily then and worn a body with flaming red hair and big, man-eating eyes the color of sapphires. shadowed thing about the Middle Ages. Modern folk always harbor this image of devout, God-fearing people strictly adhering to the letter of divine law. While they were certainly devout back then, that whole adherence thing left something to be desired even among the clergy. No, scratch that. Especially among the clergy. Powerful churchmen often lived very easily in an age where commoners desperately tried to scratch out a living. Ironically, that desperation contributed to the Churchs wealth since the tribe hoped their striations would improve in the next world and gave money accordingly. Wealth and power lead to corruption, however, and the bishop of the town I lived in was one of the most corrupt around.And I was his mistress.Ostensibly, I worked as a consideration in his household, but most of my laboring occurred in bed. He fawned over me and kept me supplied with nice apparel and other trinkets, and everyone knew about our relationship. People accepted that it was technically wrong, but most just lived with it. A lot of other bishops and popes had mistresses too, and like I said, not everyone was as devout as modern romantics li ke to believe. alone living in sin with a crooked bishop didnt satisfy my job requirements. After all, I was a real go-getter in those days, and it hadnt taken too much to lead him astray. If I hadnt done it, soulfulness else would have.So, I slept around on him when I could, getting regular fixes and a great deal of delight along the way. One day of said entertainment came from two monks who pulled knives on each other by and by discovering Id slept with both of them. I dont know what good they thought it would do. I hardly ever saw them at any rate since their monastery lay so far outside of town. Besides, considering how mediocre both liaisons had been, I didnt have much affair in revisiting either one.Nonetheless, they fought ferociously, drawing a lot of blood until a local priest managed to single out them. I watched the conflict with an innocent face, hidden among the enthusiastic crowd. No one suspected my involvement, save the intervene priest.His name was Andrew, and I adored him. Bishops performed masses and other sacraments, but they also had administrative responsibilities. Consequently, Andrew performed a lot of day-to-day ministering. He frequently visited the house where I lived and would speak to me both as a paladin and a pastor while traveling to and from his duties.Do you hate me? I asked him after the fight.We sat in the garden outside the bishops house. A couple other servants tended the grounds nearby but were still too far away to overhear us. Andrew hadnt specifically cited my involvement in the fight, but he had mentioned the incident when he arrived, lamenting what a shame it was that two brothers had been driven to such extremes.Closing his eyes, he tipped his head back into the sunshine. A heavy gold cross a gift from my bishop that Andrew continually wanted to sell rested on his chest, gleaming in the light. No, of course not.I studied him, admiring his young, handsome face and thinking the real shame was his celibacy. Wi nd ruffled his silky brown hair, and I imagined running my fingers through it.You telephone disapproving.I disapprove of sin, not of you. He straightened back up and opened his eyes. You I supplicate for.I shifted uncomfortably. I didnt like being prayed for. What do you mean?He smiled at me, and I nearly sighed at his beauty. I longed to have him as a conquest, but hed proven resistant so far. Of course, that only added to his appeal. I sometimes felt that if I could ever taste it, the energy from his soul would feed me for a lifetime.I pray for your physical and spiritual health. I pray you will sin no more. I pray you will find some man you can marry and have children with. He hesitated. Although, Id prefer it more if you took vows.I arched an eyebrow of surprise. Why?Why not? You read and write. Youre more educated than one-half the brothers at the monastery. Youd be a great asset to the abbey.I tilted my head so that some of my hair spilled over my face, knowing how the light would set it ablaze. I held onto his gaze tenaciously. Is that the only reason why? Or do you just like the idea of me never being with another man?Andrew looked away and took a long time answering. Id like you to be my sister in Christ, he said finally. We all struggle with temptation, and I would like to see you removed from it. With that, he stood up and straightened the kinks from his body. I remained sitting. I should leave. Its getting late.He started to walk away, but I called after him. What about you? Do you struggle with temptation?He stopped walking and glanced at me over his shoulder. A small smile, rueful and sad, played at his lips as he regarded me. Of course. You are my great temptation, and you know it. Id like to be free of that as well.Are you sure? I asked softly. Shaking his head, still smiling, he left the garden.That had been our last truly happy day unneurotic.Back in the present, in bed, sleepiness started to take over and interrupt my recollections. I put a bookmark in my thoughts, reluctant to leave the memory of when life with Andrew had still been sweet and good. I hadnt been able to stop that storys ending, but as I rolled over and studied Seths sleeping form, I vowed explanation wouldnt repeat itself.