Page 40 of Incubus

25

Roth

“Get Paris to the house. Now!”I barked into the phone before throwing it against the curb in frustration, shattering it.

I had awoken to a world of pain, but nothing prepared me for the acute agony that took hold when I saw Lilah lying beside me, blood pooling from her wounded arm. It was more than an ordinary injury. As an immortal, the bleeding should have stopped within a matter of seconds, with regeneration beginning soon thereafter. But the black blood mixing with Lilah’s had stopped the healing process. One look and I knew that the creature lying in wait for us must have been a fury.

Its poisonous fangs and claws could bring down even a powerful immortal like me, which was likely why it had been chosen as my assassin. And now Lilah had been caught up in my web, slowly being crushed on the wheel right along with me. She must have fought the fury off. If she hadn’t, I’d be dead.

When I’d realized the nature of her injury, I’d phoned Bartholomew and called on a favor from Paris, though my vision went red from the very thought of what was about to happen. I gathered her up in my arms and began walking toward my arrondissement, ignoring the pain that fired through my body.

It seemed like hours before Bartholomew finally arrived in his Mercedes to pick us up, though it was mere minutes.

“Did you get Paris?” I lay Lilah in the backseat, cradling her head in my lap. She was fading fast, the color already drained from her fair cheeks.

“Yes, master. He will be meeting us at the house.” Bartholomew shot Lilah a worried glance before hurrying back to the driver’s seat.

“Quickly, Bartholomew!”

Bartholomew didn’t disappoint, cutting through the minimal traffic and making it home swiftly. He pulled into the courtyard, and I jumped out of the backseat, hugging Lilah to me as I raced up the stairs. Paris was standing in the foyer, appearing as if he’d come straight from some glitzy club—his blond hair gelled back into an immaculate coif and his Armani suit fitted to his imposing frame. He seemed about to make a flippant remark, but when his eyes lighted on Lilah, his look changed to one of desire, his fangs lengthening. It made me want to punch him until there was nothing left of his face, but I needed him. Needed a vampire to save her.

“What’s the deal?” Paris took a step closer to Lilah. I teetered on the brink of flying into a rage. The incubus within had been quiet while I had been holding her. Now it seemed like it wanted to pummel Paris just as much as I did. As if it were protective? Impossible.

I didn’t have time to reflect on my twisted inner workings. “I need you to drink her.” The words burned through me as I positioned Lilah on the fainting couch in the sitting room.

“My pleasure.” Paris flicked his tongue over the tips of his fangs.

My hand was around his throat in an instant. “If you kill her, there will be hell to pay. Understand?” My eyes had changed to ember, but I wanted the power of the incubus behind my words, needed the threat to reach home in Paris’s heart.

“Let up. Jeez. I won’t kill her.” Paris avoided the incubus’s gaze. “But this means we’re square, right?”

I didn’t hesitate. “If you save her, your debt to me is paid.” I hated losing a favor of this magnitude—Paris was extremely valuable to have under my thumb—but I would have paid the price twice over to save Lilah’s life.

“What happened to her?” Paris eased down beside her. As he reached out to position her neck, I growled low in my throat. Mine.

“Fury venom.” Bartholomew twisted the signet ring round and round on his finger.

“But that could kill me.” One of Paris’s hands strayed to Lilah’s midnight locks.

“You will do this or you will be at my beck and call for the rest of your life.” I could barely contain the urge to rip Paris in half for touching Lilah.

“You won’t die from it. You’re too old.” Apollo had appeared behind me. “Just get on with it. Roth’s got it bad for that little filly.”

“I can see why.” Paris let his gaze rake over her body. Before I could snap his neck, Paris had struck at Lilah’s throat, quick as a snake.

She let out a whimper, her eyes still closed. Paris moaned against her flesh, sucking her with relish. I flexed my fists and once again moved to take the vampire’s head off, but Apollo put a strong hand on my shoulder. “Let him do this. If he doesn’t, she’ll die.”

I stayed in place, though the incubus railed against my inaction, trying to claw its way to the surface. I’d never felt this type of possessiveness from the incubus before. Never known it to want one woman in particular. The demon’s need to protect Lilah mirrored my own. Could I dare hope the incubus would be satisfied with Lilah, and Lilah alone?

When Paris finally pulled away, licking his lips with satisfaction, I pushed him back and sank down beside her, holding her limp hand.

“Did you get it all out?” I inspected the small puncture wounds on Lilah’s alabaster throat. Paris had done no more damage than he had to, for which I was grudgingly grateful.

“Yeah, I don’t feel so hot. But her blood. Man…” He ran a hand over his mouth as his gaze once again took in Lilah’s reclining form.

“One more word and it’ll be your last,” I growled. And I meant it.

“Come on, lover boy. Let’s go see if we can pick up some eurotrash chicks who’ll do anything for an American.” Apollo affected a Yankee accent. He clapped Paris on the back and led him from the room.

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