Page 66 of Incubus

I snuggled into him more until his chin was propped on my head before drowsily asking, “What did you say in Latin?”

I dozed off before he could answer, though he replied softly. I tried to wake myself and ask again, but I had lapsed into a dream of forests and friends.

* * *

I awoke with a start,still cradled in Roth’s arms as he slept. His handsome face was made all the more beautiful in sleep—worry no longer creasing his brow.

Glancing around, I saw the reason I had awoken. It was Corinne, standing at the foot of the bed with a murderous glint in her cold eyes.

She sneered. “What are you doing here?”

I fumbled to pull the sheet over both Roth and me. Corinne’s voice was like nails on a chalkboard. Apparently, her demon’s emotions came through in sound whereas Roth’s came through in temperature.

“Get out.” Roth’s voice ricocheted through the room. He had tensed and set me aside before rising from the bed.

“I don’t think so.” Corinne slipped off her barely-there negligee, never taking her eyes from me. “I want in on the action.”

“I said leave.” The cold flowed off him like a winter wind.

Her voice changed to high-pitched, playful, yet still decidedly sinister. “Are you going to hurt me if I don’t? I hope so.” She climbed onto the bed, wrapping a hand around my ankle under the sheet. Her eyes glowed that deep ember, and I noticed for the first time that Corinne had fangs. They lengthened into two sharp points. “You are something special, aren’t you?”

She focused on my lips, no doubt still bruised from the night before. Turning to Roth, she hissed, “You kissedher?”

I was about to bring up my free leg and nail the harpy right in the breast, where I knew it would hurt, but Roth had already grabbed Corinne’s wrist and wrenched it away.

“Good. Let’s play.” Fury laced Corinne’s tone as she launched herself at him, wrapping her legs around his bare torso before sinking her fangs into his neck.

Bitch. Must. Pay.I was out of the bed and on top of the demon in two seconds flat. Roth had thrown Corinne off him with ease, but I didn’t wait before pouncing on her and pinning her to the floor. I nailed her across the face with a right cross. And, gods, did it ever feel good.

Corinne snapped her fangs at me like a nipping dog. “He’s mine!” The sound was almost earsplitting.

Before I could hit her again, the bedroom door opened and Apollo strode in. He was fresh from the shower, wearing only a towel around his waist. When he caught sight of Corinne and me naked on the floor, he couldn’t hide his excitement and didn’t seem to want to.

After taking it all in, the god wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, which made me finally come to my senses. I shot to my feet and wrapped myself in the sheet. Roth stepped in front of me, blocking Apollo’s view.

“My, oh my. What did I miss?” His rakish smile reminded me of the Cheshire cat.

Corinne stood and rubbed her jaw where I’d hit her. “This isn’t over.”

I pressed against Roth’s back. “Try me.”

“Corinne was just leaving.” He wrapped a protective arm around me.

“And so was I.” I stepped out of his hold. Things had gotten a little too intense for me, and I needed some space.

As I approached the door, Apollo held out a hand as if he was going to escort me to my room. Roth’s distinct growl made Apollo drop his hand with a smirk and offer it to Corinne instead.

“Come on. Let’s play in my room.”

Corinne accepted Apollo’s hand. Neither god nor succubus gave Roth or me another look.

“You don’t have to go.” Roth’s voice had gentled again. He hastily pulled on a pair of boxers as I hesitated at the door. I wanted to stay with him, just lie in bed and tell him about my past. But doing that meant talking about Ares, and I couldn’t—wouldn’t—do that. I had to think and form a new plan, and I had to do it alone.

“I need to work on the next chapter.” I dropped my gaze for the lie.

Roth strode to me, though I turned my back on him, and ran his fingers down the side of my neck.

“Stay with me.” He dropped a kiss on my bare shoulder. His touch was loving and made me melt inside and out. He was so hard to resist. I suddenly realized it was a miracle I’d held out as long as I had.

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