Page 32 of The Forty-Year-Old Virgin Witch

“Incubi are bad news,” Karl interrupted impetuously. “They don’t just sexually assault their victims; they steal their life energy.” He whirled back to me. “How could your mother agree to that? He’d take half your power during the ritual, and likely come back for more. Plus it’s almost never consensual! He’d have to hurt you to get anything out of it.”

Luka gaped. It felt good that others were sharing my fear, my utter terror.

“What the fuck—”

“And that is why the council is supposed to exist, to keep supernaturals like that in line. This is outrageous! This is a breach of everything they are supposed to stand for!”

“Which is?” Luka asked.

Karl sneered and quoted quickly, “‘Every supernatural creature has the right to exist with their own born powers and magicks.’”

I snorted as Luka took a moment to digest that, but Karl was getting more upset by the moment.

“Did you tell anyone? Did your mother even know? How could she not? He’s quite well-known…” Karl’s voice trailed off, his own mind spinning wildly.

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “I tried to talk to her about it, but everyone just kept telling me how lucky I was, and how much good the money was going to do for the coven. It was like everyone was just pretending that him being an incubus was fine, or not a big deal. All my mother said was to trust her, but I couldn’t!”

I stopped, my voice wavering as I pushed back tears. I wouldn’t cry over the stupid demon—not since he’d been responsible for my life of solitude that past twenty years. Silence reigned in the cottage, but I felt better now that they knew—now that there were no secrets.

“The coven has been hunting me ever since. They want the money. I don’t blame you if you want to leave now, after knowing. This is probably more than you bargained for.”

Luka came around to the back of my chair and draped his arms around me. “Let me educate you for once: wolves don’t casually date. When we say we want a mate, it’s for life. It certainly had nothing to do with you being a…you know.”

I snorted, finding it hilarious he couldn’t even say the word to my face. His words soothed the pain in my heart, and with far too much hope I peeked up at Karl. He looked devastated.

“To think you held any notion that my intentions were anything other than honorable…I am sorry.”

I buried my head in Damon’s fur, unable to stomach Karl’s disappointment. Luka’s arms felt sturdy against my back, and then I felt Karl run a hand through my hair. I stood, and Damon dropped to the ground. I sat down heavily on my bed, my men watching me carefully. Neither moved to crowd me. They’d remembered I’d wanted space.

Oh Mother above, they really did care about me.

I closed my eyes and took a breath. Not everything had to be a struggle, did it? Yes, there were some pressing issues—Quinn and the coven being prominent among them—but we couldn’t solve them immediately.

And how brilliantly had Luka and Karl defended me? It was warm. It was comforting.… It was like having a family again.

I couldn’t speak, so I patted the bed next to me. Luka nearly tripped in his haste to get to me, bouncing onto the bed so heavily that it creaked. Karl was a bit more sedate but no less enthusiastic if the look in his eyes was anything to go by.

“I know Luka said werewolves have mates, but…”

I trailed off, too embarrassed to ask Karl what I actually wanted to know. He chuckled, and sat down on my other side, his back leaned against the wall.

“Some vampyres use seduction to hunt and play. I have never liked to mix work and pleasure.”

I raised an eyebrow at him.

“I am lonely,” he quickly clarified, “and I don’t wish to hang about my Elder’s manor anymore.”

I allowed Karl to pull me into his lap. Luka huffed, but then laid his head across my lap. Surrounded by them both, my heart rate calmed, and I allowed myself to relax.

“Thank you,” I murmured. Karl held me tight, and my nails reflexively ran along Luka’s scalp. He made a happy sound in his throat.

“No, Aggie … thank you.”

We stayed like that for a long time.

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