Page 26 of Wicked Succubus

“Sure you are.” His not letting me finish a sentence makes me see red. Maybe no one will notice if I release just a little power here. After all, it’s secluded enough. The remnants of power will linger, but no one here will think twice about me.

My power pushes through, making it easy for me to grab and wield it. I see my reflection in the mirror across the hallway, and my eyes have started to glow blue. I need to feed anyhow, and on the off chance I get caught, I’ll just pin the killing on each of them. It will be easy enough to make it seem like they got into a brawl and murdered each other, then I’ll just look confused about the power.

Yes, it’s a good plan.

“We’re going to take you and . . .”

Someone with a beautiful lyrical voice speaks in another language, and they all back off immediately. My heart thunders in my chest. I turn around to see their heads turned downward. I’m placed gently on the floor, and they step back. Someone grabs my arm and spins me around forcefully. I’m taken by surprise as my whole body shifts, and I come face-to-face with Agent Cooper.

“Didn’t I fucking tell you not to leave my sight,” he growls in my ear.

I’ve never been more relieved in my life. He’s not freaking out, so I assume that my eyes have gone back to normal.

“Now come on, dinner is about to be served.” There’s a hint of relief in his voice, but the way he scowls at me, I’m not sure if I’ve imagined it.

I look at the mirror one more time and my eyes are brown. Agent Cooper would have handed me to Radnor for another lie-detecting test if he’d seen my eyes glow blue. We go back down the two flights of stairs to the grand hall. There’s a lot more chatter now. As we walk into the dining hall, I take in the sight of round tables and elegantly dressed servers moving fluidly between guests. Their serving trays hold an array of sparkling drinks in crystal flutes. Laughter rings through the hall like music, and I immediately feel out of place.

“It’s all fake,” Agent Cooper says, looking out into the crowd. “They’re all plotting the best way to backstab each other, and they’re gossiping about other faeries, other realms, and who knows what else these people want.” We reach our table. “Sit here,” he says abruptly.

I look around at the other faeries at my table. They’re glaring at me, probably trying to figure out why the prince told me to sit next to them instead of having me serve them. Well, this is going to be awkward. I look back at a couple who are well-dressed. The wife has a stack of white-blonde curls piled onto her head and pinned in place like a 19th-century costume wig. She glares at me with distaste. I respond by smiling at her sweetly and then winking at her husband, adding a tiny bit of my glamour. He blushes, and his wife slaps his shoulder roughly while he snaps out of the trance. The others at the table pay me no mind, so I leave them alone. As long as they don’t bother me, I won’t fuck with them.

“Is this seat taken?” a familiar voice asks.

I look up to see Radnor’s handsome face smiling down at me. He doesn’t wait for me to answer, just pulls the seat out and sits down next to me. He’s also wearing a guard suit, and I must admit, it fits him nicely.

“Radnor, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be . . . I don’t know, interrogating people, finding out if they’re lying or not?”

He chuckles, and I find myself leaning closer as we talk. Radnor is surprisingly easy to have a conversation with.

“Prince Valerian is my best friend,” Radnor reveals. I push back from the table in shock, nearly toppling my chair. “You okay there, Zel?” Radnor asks, chuckling at my dramatic reaction.

“That sour patch over there—” I point across the room where Agent Cooper is talking with other people, “—is your best friend? What? How?” I look back at Radnor confused. There’s no way we’re talking about the same person.

“Yeah, Prince Valerian, but I guess you know him as Agent Cooper. He’s my best friend. We grew up together, and when he left for your realm, he took me with him. With my skills, the FBI Unit took me right in.”

“Oh, I bet they were happy to find you. You’re a keeper,” I say. His eyes smile at my words. Wanting to clarify, I add, “I meant for the FBI, you’re a valuable resource.”

“Sure, Zel.” He winks seductively, the same way I’d done to the man sitting across from me, but he doesn’t have to put out any power with his. At least, I don’t think he does.

“Can I have your attention please?” I drag my eyes to the man standing on the right of the grand table. He’s speaking behind the podium.

Agent Cooper stops greeting people when the man calls for everyone’s attention. He politely dips out of a conversation, takes the three stairs up front, and sits at the grand table with a few others. All eyes in the room watch him, especially the women in attendance. I hate to admit it, but he does look like a handsome fairytale prince up there. The ladies seem to agree, based on their hungry staring and whispering.

I’m surprised to see Radnor take the seat next to Agent Cooper at the head table. I whip my head around and find the spot beside me empty, and my body deflates. I thought I had someone in my corner.

“Everyone, can I have your attention please?” The man at the podium calls out again.

The chatter in the room dies down as all eyes turn toward him expectantly.

“Let’s welcome King Roban of the Spring Court,” he announces.

As the king enters, I find myself wondering how many courts there are in this realm. I’ll have to ask Agent Cooper for more information later. Once the trumpets start, the chatter stops. Everyone looks at another door located a couple of steps from the table. It opens, and a very good-looking man appears. He’s wearing silver and turquoise colors that match his eyes. There’s no denying, this is Agent Cooper’s father. He walks out with an air of confidence.

One of the servers fills my cup, and I smile politely as I bring it to my nose. The sharp smell of alcohol sends a jolt of excitement through me, and I down the drink in one go. The sweet berry flavor wars with the burn of high-proof liquor, and I immediately want more. I signal the person for more, and they fill it up again, not questioning the way I drink it down like a glass of water.

I lose track of time. I eat until my belly is full. Everyone dances, and I think I do, too. Everything becomes blurry, and I become giggly after the second drink. I signal one of the waiters for more of the drink, but no one brings me any more. After a while, it seems like I’ve been cut off, and I know it must be the sour patch man who has a hand in stopping me from drinking the glorious liquid.

I haven’t seen Agent Cooper for a while. He’s probably getting laid by one of these women. I decide to search for him because he’s my ticket back home, after all.

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