Page 25 of Incubus

15

Lilah

I awokeat twilight and felt somewhat revived from the previous evening’s events. I had trouble falling back to sleep, worrying Apollo had seen the markings on my neck and knew who I was. If he told Roth, my plan could be ruined. I hoped he was too busy being a perv to notice, but I wasn’t fooling myself. If he read the runes, he knew. I could only hope he wouldn’t tell.

My stomach growled like an angry mountain lion. I wanted to find Bart and get another bite of his delicious scones. I threw on a pair of jeans and a simple gray t-shirt before making my way back down the hallway I’d strolled through the previous night, now taking time to investigate the rooms whose doors were open. I walked into a study with a solid desk and packed bookcases lining every inch of space on the walls. I marveled at the sheer number of books Roth had collected over the years. Had he read all these? Or just collected them for looks?

My every free moment since being dropped on earth had been filled with two things: returning to Olympus and reading. If I couldn’t hunt with my sisters, I could read the human’s tales about them. If I couldn’t gain the favor of Artemis, I could follow her stories through the pages. The stories gave me hope to carry on, to return, to be a huntress for Artemis again. The imaginary world in the pages was not so unlike the very real world of gods, devils, and angels I had long been a part of.

I trailed my fingers along the spines as I walked around the room. The very feel of the leather and smell of books was a comfort to me. If someone could have bottled “book smell,” I was certain I would dab it behind my ears like my mother used to do with vanilla.

“Should have known you were some kind of nerd.”

Startled, I whirled to see the blonde from the night before prancing into the room. She wore a pink negligee that left nothing to the imagination. She gave me an appraising up-and-down look before perching herself on the edge of the desk.

“What are you doing here, anyway? I heard you didn’t please the master. Figures.” She shot me a withering gaze.

I tried to ignore the twinge of jealousy at the thought of Roth with this physically perfect woman who dared to stand here taunting me. “Corinne, I presume?”

“The one and only.” Her sneer demanded an answer.

I strode up to her, only inches from her face. “I think it’s best if you keep your mouth shut when you’re around me. I wouldn’t want Roth’s favorite plaything to lose any teeth.”

“Just so long as you know I’m his favorite.”

“One of many, I’m sure.” I couldn’t believe this fool was trying to stake a claim on an incubus. The horses were already out of the barn on that one.

“He’s mine. Don’t touch him, and I won’t hurt you.”

I let out a wheezing guffaw, doing my best to infuriate Corinne. I could only hope the female would strike me. Then it would be open season. “Roth’s yours? Maybe you didn’t see—what was her name—oh, yeah, Anne in the bed with you last night.”

“Oh, she wasn’t for him.” She took a small step closer and licked her lips as she glanced down at my mouth.

“Not in your wildest dreams.” My hands curled into fists, the need to pound the female’s face with my fists almost overwhelming.

Corinne smirked and made her way out of the study. “I’m glad we understand each other about Roth. And, by the way, my room’s right across the hall. You’re always welcome for a little girl talk.” She purred her invitation as she disappeared into the hallway.

My skin crawled, and I left the study and headed down to the dining room. “Is everyone but Bart some kind of sexed-up sexy sex maniac looking for sex all the freakin’ time?” I muttered as I followed the delicious smell of food that wafted through the downstairs.

“What was that, carissima?”

I nearly jumped out of my skin to hear Roth’s smooth voice right next to my ear. “That’s it. You’re getting a collar with a bell, mister.” I tried to get my heart back into a regular rhythm, though I suspected the fright wasn’t the only thing that sped it up.

“I think I just might have one of those upstairs.” He held the dining room door open for me.

“Of course you do.” I noticed his gaze was glued to my ass as I walked past.

A large dining room table presided over the center of the room, at least twenty chairs along its sides. Rich people. I shook my head. Toward the far end, Apollo sauntered in from the foyer and pulled out a chair. He beckoned me over. Shirtless, his thickly muscled body practically glowed with vigor, and his bright eyes had a mischievous twinkle. Typical.

“For you, my lady.” He added a confident smile.

The ghost of my mother, Nona Satterfield, pretty much forced me to take the proffered chair. Being a lady was important, even in the hollows of Alabama.

Roth gave Apollo a look that would have melted the skin off anyone who wasn’t a god. As it was, Apollo ignored it and settled in next to me. The chair creaked under his weight. He didn’t seem to notice.

“Did you miss me?” Apollo draped an arm over the back of my chair and rubbed a lock of my hair between his fingers.

Before I could retort, Roth bit out, “Apollo, a word?”

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