Page 49 of The Succubi's Choice

“What is this really about?” He asks, his voice kind, kinder than she deserves. “You don’t usually...”

“It’s that demon, he’s being weird and asking me to go to this,” she replies, looking at her hair instead of at him. “Did you and Jacqui resolve your...thing?”

The look turns dirty. “She decided that asking me more questions is more valuable to her than being angry at me.” He scowls. “Are you safe?”

“Sure,” she says, flippant, and she deserves the squint in the mirror she gets for that. “I don’t have much of a choice.”

He leans against the door jamb, and she can see the moment he decides to switch tactics, unsatisfied with how she’s answering the line of questioning. “You’re awfully cheerful for someone facing possible death.” The professor is gone and replaced with her friend, and it’s easier to breathe. “Unless...”

“Unless what?”

“Unless you don’t actually think he’s gonna hurt you, and you’re nervous for something else.” Thank god his voice is light. “Miri, are you sure it’s not some sort of weird date?”

“Can a demon even date?” She quips. “If they can switch bodies, is that cheating?”

He wrinkles his nose, his cue that he thinks she’s being ridiculous. “If you’re wearing that, he’s gonna think it’s a date,” he says, pulling out his phone and tapping something out. “I’m letting Jacqui back in, I just wanted to...” He shrugs.

“You’re checking in on me because you’re a nice person, and you think you need to out of some weird guy thing, paternal yada yada.” She turns to him, spreading her arms open wide. “Will I be kicked out of a formal event?”

Quick as a flash, he snaps a pic of her on his phone, before giving her a grin. “Imma save that and then show it to you next time you’re a blanket burrito of depression on the couch.”

She sticks her tongue out at him and he laughs. “Can you get my gun out? I’m gonna put it in my purse.”

He hesitates a beat, as if waiting for her to say she’s joking, then sighs. “Oh my god,” he grumbles, heading to his room.

“Katya told me to!” She calls out after him.

* * *

All joking aside,she feels like she’s gonna bust out of her dress from jitters, and the silent Uber driver drops her off at the dirty sidewalk and leaves.

The building is like every other building in that part of downtown: a pale concrete facade, the first floor resembling grey blocks more than anything else, and the rest with dirty brick around large windows.

Lights twinkle in several windows, but, squint as she might, she can’t see any figures moving.

Half a block away, a very obvious Organization goon stands, acting like a business man merely checking his phone. He glances up at her and nods, because why not make it even more obvious to everyone.

“Jesus Christ,” she mutters, before pushing the door open.

Something shimmers, vibrating slightly against her palm, sending a feeling like a static shock up her arm. A rune. Only people invited can go in.

No wonder they hadn’t cracked it.

Inside it’s not brightly lit, just track lights along the floor, the dim type that a lot of light sensitive people prefer. And while most people might shrug it off, it’s definitely a dog whistle. Definitely a sign of something, some sort of hidden signal that signifies something deeper.

She swallows, before heading up the staircase. The floor is carpeted, and her footsteps are muffled, as if some very noise sensitive people are nearby. The warm air barely caresses her skin, and it’s nice, almost. Would probably be too warm for most humans, but for her…

Up the stairs, she passes a closed door with fogged glass windows. Inside, shapes and people move, too indistinct for her to see. Glassware clinks, and there’s the unmistakable sound of light chatter and happy voices. The restaurant, obviously.

If everything there wasn’t so obviously designed for her comfort, her skin would be crawling. This would be highly illegal, and she would need to report it.

Furthermore, the demon knows that. And still brought her in.

With another breath, she steps past it, seeing the double doors in the dim light, and her heart pounds.

Delicately, she knocks, and the sound stops the moment her hand touches the door. Another rune.

She’s not great with runes, but adventures like this makes her want to get better. Redo the ones Lundy put in at her apartment years ago. Like there’s a whole skill of magic and protection that everyone else has but her, and something she should...something with. Put in the effort, instead of just relying on others.

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