Succubus Shadows Chapter 20

I woke up in my deliver fanny and fix mei sitting be array it. not even Nurse Ratched could give birth take a stake me that much.Mei was flipping with a magazine and glanced up, appearing bored. Oh. Youre awake. Fin alwaysyy. She s tood up.Whatwhat happened? I asked, blinking at the light pouring in through my window. I was kind of surprised she hadnt shut down the curtains. She didnt really strike me as a fun-in-the-sun person.You dont remember? Her disinterested expression sharpened. Jerome adduce it would all m separate linchpin to you. If it hasntI sat up, drawing my knees to my body. no(prenominal) no. I rememberI remember what happened at Eriks. I rememberthe Oneroi. Saying the give-and-take made me shudder. that what happened subsequently that? How presbyopic obligate I been asleep? triple eld, she give tongue to flatly.What? I st ared at her, my verbalise agape. If Mei was the joking type, I would take a crap expected the punch line straight. I dontI gu ess, it went so fast. And I didnt dream.She bend me a smile. Seems precaution youd destiny that. And fleshy sleep heals you faster. The smile changed to a grimace. non that waiting by your bedside for three days has really felt that fast. Jerome made me deem all your friends a style. That was fun.Did you just work proscribed caustic remark?Im leaving, she say, bear to her all business self. Ive through with(p) what Jerome asked.Wait What happened to bent and Erik? atomic number 18 they al secure?Fine, she verbalise. I waited for her to vanish, hardly it didnt come. She peered at me curiously. It shouldnt befool worked, you screw.What shouldnt have?That ritual. thither is no direction that human could have found you. not among all those otherwise souls.The Oneroi had verbalise the resembling thing, and teleph onenessing defend to the storm of disguise and disorder, I could meet their reasoning. Wewe love all(prenominal) other. I wasnt sure as shooting I h ad the slump to those words, exclusively they came bulge out any focusing.Mei rol lead her eyeball. That means vigour. Human love no matter what all your songs and chick flicks order you isnt bountiful. It shouldnt have worked.I didnt feature laid what to say. headI guess it did.Jerome knew it would too, she mused, a downcast grimace wrinkling her brow. Her gaze bafflingened on me. Did you? Do you know how it happened?What? I squeaked. No I dont understand any of this.I expected her to deny this and uncertainty me further. instead her frown only deepened, and I comp permite I was no yearner of use in solving this dilemma to her. She vanished.The pulse she disappeared, Roman came bursting into my room. Shes gone? he asked. If he was nearby, he would have felt her signature tune go a stylus.Have you been hanging out the whole time? I asked.He sat down in the run shed been in. Jerome ordered her not to allow anyone come near you.You could have taken her, I said, attempting a joke. non without causing a whole lot of trouble. He frowned, look troubled with thought. Although, I would have revealed myself if Id call for to if thatthing that came out of the gate had move to take on Carter and Jerome.I shuddered at the memory. I didnt even know at that place were monsters like that in the wait. How could you have ea claverd them? Were youwere you in the circle? Id assumed hed been watching from the sides.Of course. He said no much, and the way he spoke pixielied that it had been a ridiculous question for me to ask in the first place.Are you crazy? I exclaimed. You werent just allow yourself get trapped. If you were disc e very(prenominal)whithered by Mei even any of the dream creatures youd be fucked. They would have shapeed you in too. in that respect was no choice, Roman said. I had to be at that place, in case you necessitateed me.It was too huge a risk, I countered, my piece faltering this time. If thered been a fight, Jerome and Carter would have had no reason to defend you. And while that Morphean efficacy have been afraid to thinned them, you would have been fair game.I told you, it doesnt matter. I had to be there for you.His eyes, those eyes that were so like the sea Id grown up with, held much(prenominal) earnestness and affection that I had to meet away. I couldnt believe hed risked what he had for me. why? He had no reason to contend or so me after what Id done to him, to that degree it was clear he still inadequacyed me. The night Id been captured seemed like a life history ago, plainly its events came back to me in thoroughgoing(a) detail his lips, his take placesI deficiency you wanted to kill me again, I muttered. It was easier.He rested his hand on mine, its fancy spreading through me. nothing rough your life is ever easy.I guessed back up at him. Thats for damn sure. entirely I dont knowI dont know if I can do thisby which I mean, well, you know.You dont have to do anyth ing, he said. Well just keep going on like we have. Roommates. Well see where things go. If they change, they change. If not He shrugged. So it goes.Did I arouse that it was easier when you wanted to kill me? Im not sure how I go through about you creation so reasonable.Yeah, well, maybe I just feel sorry for you right now after all(prenominal)thing that happened. perhaps Ill change my mind in a little while. He squeezed my hand. Was itwas it awed?I looked away again. Yes. Beyond frightening. Its hard to explain. They showed me every nightmare I could have, every fear made flesh. Some of the things they showed me had already happened and were almost as bad as the nightmares. I couldnt give notice (of) what was reality anymore. They showed me you guys provided it wasnt always real. I doubted everything who I was, what I felt I swallowed back tears, delightful I had averted my eyes.Hey, he said softly, grasp out to tip my chin and key me look back at him. Its everyplace. Youre safe. Well help you get correct Ill help. I wont let anything happen to you.Again, his judgments for me made me uncomfortable and confused. Was it a lingering effect of the Oneroi? No, I intractable a event later. This was the kind of authority that would confuse anyone. My sum of money was still problematic up in solidifying, whatsoeverone I knew I should let go, only if who had found me against impossible odds. And here was Roman, individual I could be with a bit more easily well, kind of and who had risked his life for me. Could I move on with him? I didnt know. solely I could try.I found his hand again and squeezed it. thank you.He leaned toward me, and I conceive we competency have kissed, but the ringing of my cell phone jolt us out of any amatory spell. I pulled my hand from his and grabbed the phone from my side table.Hello?Miss Kincaid, came the kind, familiar voice. It is a pleasure to declare with you again.Erik Oh, Im so joyous its you. I wante d to convey you Theres nothing to thank me for. I would gladly do it again.Well, then, Im still thanking you anyway. Roman, realizing this had nothing to do with him, got up and wandered off but not onwards giving me one more neighborly look.As you wish, said Erik. Are you feeling better?More or less. for certain better in body. And I think the rest will come. I wished that with my bodys healing, I could also impede all the indefinable things Id seen. That wouldnt happen, though, and I felt no need to trouble him with my problems.Im glad, he said. Very glad. curb fell, and a suspicious feeling nudged its way into my promontory. Id assumed he was simply craft to check up on me, but something now told me there was more.Miss Kincaid, he said at last. Im sure you dont want to guggle about what happened.I well. I hesitated. I knew Erik. He wouldnt bring this up without a good reason. Is there something we should talk about? Now it was his turn to hesitate. You thank mebut to be truthful, what we did shouldnt have worked. I didnt expect it to.Meis comments came back to me, as did the other conversations Id witnessed via the dreams. Nobody seemed to.Mr. Jerome did.Where is this going?I dont know how it worked. Mr. Mortensen should not have found your soul.I loved Erik and hated the irritation in my voice. I keep hearing that all over and over, but obviously he did. possibly it should have been impossible, but after what I went through? I dont care how it happened.I would imagine not, but stillstill, I cant help but wonder at this. Would you mind telling me what it was like when he found you?That was one parcel of the trial by ordeal I didnt mind recounting, largely because it had had a happy ending. Of course, the logistics of explaining it werent so easy. I did my crush to describe what it was like being purposeless in the dream world and how Seth had seemed to call to me. Erik listened patiently and then asked if Id tell him about my twinge with Hell and how Id change my soul.That was a little harder to tell, not to mention a bizarre question. The Oneroi had shown me so many a(prenominal) versions of what had happened with Kyriakos and me, and while some had been true and some false, theyd all been horrible. Still, sensing something biggish might be going on here, I haltingly recounted the whole experience how Id cheated on Kyriakos with his outmatch friend, infidelity that was later discovered. It was the lowlyheartedness from that that had driven Kyriakos into suicidal grief, which in turn drove me to sign a contract with Hell. Id sold my soul and become a succubus, in exchange for everyone I knew including Kyriakos to forget me and the awful things Id done.Tell me the terms one more time, said Erik.It was that everyone I knew back then would forget me and forget what happened family, friends, and in particular my husband. My voice choked a little. It worked. I came back later, and no one knew me. Not even a gli mmer of familiarity.There was nothing else in the contract?No. An imp I know looked it over recently and verified it.Oh? This caught Eriks interest. Why would he do that?She. As a favor. The imp whod brokered my sale was the one who worked with Nyx and kept messing with Seth. Hugh said when an imp shows that much interest, theres something wrong with a contract. So Kristin this other imp looked at my contract. She hadnt been very happy about doing that. If shed been caught snooping in Hells records, there would have been some very, very bad consequences. Her gratitude over me hooking her up with her boss had overpowered her fear. She told me it was airtight. Everything was like it was supposed to be. No errors.More silence. This conversation was starting to cast off me uneasy. Did this imp Niphon? end up doing anything to Mr. Mortensen?Not so muchI mean, it was part of what led us to breaking up. I paused to collect myself. But there were a lot of other factors that caused that too.Has Niphon been back?No, but there has been this succubus. With everything else, Id forgotten about Simone. She was impersonating me. Kept trying to seduce Sethbut it didnt work. I think Jerome displace her packing, but Im not sure.Again, Erik took a long time in responding. Finally, he sighed. Thank you, Miss Kincaid. Youve given me much to think about. I apologize if Ive brought up painful memories. And Im very happy youre feeling better.Thanks, I said. And thanks again for your help.We disconnected, and I wandered out to the aliveness room. Roman was in the kitchen, plate up some grilled discontinue sandwiches. Hungry? he asked.Starving, I said. He handed me a plate, along with a cup of coffee, and I smiled. Thanks. Not sure what I did to merit this.You dont have to do anything. Besides, I had extra. Wanted a big meal before going to work. in front what?The grin he gave me indicated hed been dying to consume this news. I got a job.You did not.I did. Went back to the s chool I used to learn at. They had a couple openings, so Im doing a few classes.I was dumbfounded. After all my badgering, Roman had sought gainful craft in his specialty, no less linguistics.Does this mean youre going to pay rent now?Lets not get carried away, love.He grabbed a plate of his own, and we ate in the living room while the cats watched hopefully for leftovers. visual perception Godiva, I felt a frown coming on. The dream. The man in the dream. The Oneroi had said it was Sethbut that was impossible. I raise my eyes up to Roman, wondering if I could rekindle the love Id once had. If there was any man in any dream, he would be a better candidate.You talked to Erik for a while, Roman said, noting my scrutiny.Hes weirded out by my rescue. He says it shouldnt have worked.Yeah, I perceive that too.Between bites, I recounted the conversation, including Eriks interest in Seth and my contract. I dont see what the big deal is, I concluded. Seth and I still have feelings for e ach other feelings were trying to get past. In that moment when our souls had met, though, separating from him had been the last thing I wanted. perchance that was enough. Maybe people dont have combine in the power of love.Maybe, said Roman. But he looked thoughtful now too.A knock at the door discontinue further conversation. I felt no immortal signature and hoped it wasnt my neighbor trolling for more sex. Hed mercifully left me alone so far.But no, it wasnt Gavin. It was Maddie.And she was crying.I asked no questions. When friends are in trouble, you take care of them first. I pulled her right inside and led her to the couch, immediately putting my arms close to her. Whats wrong? I asked finally. What happened?She couldnt speak right away. Her sobs were too great, and she was choking on her own tears. Something nudged my arm. It was Roman handing me a box of tissues. I shot him a grateful look and gave some to Maddie.At long last, she gasped out, Its Seth.My heart stopped. For a moment, a hundred awful scenarios flew through my mind. Seth hit by a car. Seth struck by some deadly disease. I clutched her arm, so tightly that I cognize my nails were digging into her. I relaxed my grip as better I could.What happened? I demanded. Is he pass?He ended it. Her crying renewed. He broke the engagement and told me it was over. She hide her give against my shoulder, and I stroked her absentmindedly as my brain tried hard to really cut into her words. I must have misheard.He couldnt have, I said, my voice as roughened as hers. Hehe loves you.She lift her head and looked at me with mournful, glittering eyes. He said he didnt love me the way he should that he didnt love me the way I deserved. He said itd be wrong to make me marry him, that we werent meant to eliminate our lives together. She took a tissue and wiped her nose, then her eyes grew wide with desperation. What does that mean, Georgina? Why would he say hes making me marry him? I want to. I do nt understand.I looked over her and met Romans eyes. We couldnt speak the way greater immortals could, but enough messages passed between us. Seth hadnt forced her to get engaged, no, but hed done it out of transgression, guilt for cheating on her and continually being drawn to me when he believed it was better for us to stay apart.He said he loved me, Maddie continued. But that I call for soulfulness who loved me more someone I was the world to. He said hed only hurt me worsened if we went on. How could it hurt worse? The tears grew worse. She pulled away and buried her face in her hands. It cant hurt worse than this. I want to die.No I said, drawing her back to me. Dont say that. Dont ever say thatGeorgina, warned Roman softly. I realized I was shaking Maddie and immediately stopped. discover to me, I said, turning her face toward mine. You are an amazing person. You are one of the best people I know. Youll get over thisI swear it. I wont let you go through it alone, okay? And you deserve the best. If its not him, then youll get someone better. The next words were hard for me. I should have rejoiced at this news. I wouldnt have to watch them together. I also had a feeling that I was somehow multiform in this. What had she said? That Seth said she deserved to be someones world? Hed told me I was his. In one of the dreams, hed said that to her, but I now knew that was a lie. Still, I couldnt help it when I said, And maybemaybe if you guys talk more, youll understandThe sobs abated just a little as she gave me a fox look. Thats the thing. I cant.It may seem that way, but hes not totally unreasonable. Why the conflagration was I playing devils advocate here? Because Maddie was my friend, and I couldnt stand to see her nuisance and because I had also had my heart broken too many times. Wait a couple days, then meet him and see if you can have a, I dont know, creative dialogue. Maybe you can fix things. Ugh. Maybe youll at least understandunderstand h is decision.She shook her head. But I cant find him. No one can. Georgina, hes disappeared.